#Steve has to teach eddie how to swim

[sabbathbloodysabbeth]

You Looking at me, Looking at you

Word count: 10,356

Part: 1/2 (next part will be out soon let me know if you want to be tagged)

Summary: Steve Harrington has fought a demogorgan and numerous demo dogs. Those were supposed to be the scariest and most challenging things he’s ever done in his life. Instead, he quickly discovers the most scariest and gorgeous thing in Eddie Munson. A freak and supposed outcast he is supposed to teach how to swim before he graduates. Which in itself alone could spark PTSD in anybody. Flirting with fake southern accents, sharing a joint and slowly becoming closer Steve slowly realizes that D.A.R.E should have a whole course talking about what you should do to avoid becoming addicted to one human being. Specifically Eddie Munson, who has become the center of his universe in a shockingly short amount of time.

Ao3 link

"𝕻𝖎𝖈𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖊𝖘 𝕭𝖚𝖎𝖑𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖎𝖓 𝖒𝖞 𝖍𝖊𝖆𝖉, 𝖓𝖔𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖉𝖔𝖓𝖊 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖓𝖔𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖘𝖆𝖎𝖉, 𝖙𝖆𝖑𝖐𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖔 𝖒𝖊 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖍 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝖊𝖞𝖊𝖘 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖜𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖞 𝖘𝖆𝖞 𝖎𝖘 𝖓𝖔 𝖘𝖚𝖗𝖕𝖗𝖎𝖘𝖊, 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖘 𝖆𝖗𝖊 𝖘𝖔 𝖒𝖚𝖈𝖍 𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖋𝖊𝖗𝖊𝖓𝖙 𝖓𝖔𝖜, 𝖇𝖚𝖙 𝖓𝖔𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖑𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖘 𝖋𝖔𝖗𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖗. 𝖄𝖔𝖚 𝖑𝖔𝖔𝖐𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖆𝖙 𝖒𝖊, 𝖑𝖔𝖔𝖐𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖆𝖙 𝖞𝖔𝖚, 𝕴 𝖜𝖆𝖓𝖓𝖆 𝖙𝖆𝖑𝖐 𝖙𝖔 𝖞𝖔𝖚"

Swim practice always began at two thirty five. Always five minutes after the last bell released all of the kids from their final class of the day. Leaving only five minutes for Steve to sprint to the locker room, strip and be on the edge of the pool waiting for his coach to come out. Whistle over his hairy chest, and tiny shorts on. There was no reason for Mr. Winchester to be shirtless or in such tiny shorts, no one on the swim team has ever seen him even touch the water. Let alone in it. Today started off like most days. Make sure not to eat anything with in the hour, rush to be there on time and wait anxiously on the side of the pool. Steve always had a problem with waiting. He just wanted to jump right in and get wet, holding his breath and just floating under the water sitting at the bottom of the pool for just a minute before coming back up. Swimming the eight feet smoothly.

The doors behind the line of boys slams open. A loud laugh as someone's voice bounces off the walls. Causing everyone to cringe, as they all assume that this was just some random kid coming in to laugh at them. If they all had placed bets that moment all of them would have bet for the same thing. Standing in the doorway stood Eddie Munson. A metal head loser who didn't have any problems sneering at any form of jock in the hallways or hopping up on a lunch table and going into a loud tangent over conformity.

They all watch as the others nose scrunches up, the smell of chlorine hitting him. The way  his face goes a light pink as he looks at the line of different shirtless guys with swimming trunks that barely hid anything. Steve, for a split second is distracted by his desire to jump into the deep end along with his other teammates. Curious as to how this guy was going to react, the obvious vein that was popping from his neck was an interesting sight. Though before anyone can say anything, the locker-room doors slam open.

"Munson! Strip and get in line! ASAP, or you will be failing gym this year!"

Steve, along with the other guys on the swim team quickly stiffen up and look forward. Used to the strict manner of Coach Winchester. Standing up straight and tall everyone keeps their eyes forward as they hear grunts coming from behind them. Chains clinking to the floor, all of them including Steve wished they could look behind them and see what was going on. Though they could only watch the teachers face, which goes a little red from irritation. The sounds of clothing being dropped to the ground were obvious, and the guy to Steve's right was holding his breath. Fighting back a few chuckles, up until Eddie mutters under his breath. Only for the teenagers surrounding him to here.

"God, never seen a man more excited about getting a guy naked,"

Eddie Munson was a interesting case, a well known class clown that was bound to make everyone laugh at some point. His first victim was Bobby Riley. A guy who Steve has only had a proper conversation with only a handful of times. From the small impression he had, the guy took swimming seriously. Obviously for the scholarships. Hearing the soft snort coming from him of all people meant they were all screwed. Winchester hears the soft noise and his eyes fly over his team. With military experience, he has always expected some of the rules to drift over to swimming. If you were going to be on his team, you would take it seriously. "Riley, ten laps back and forth now." He spits out. Leveling the suspects down to Bobby, who was the only one who was squirming in his place.

Without argument Bobby Riley moves diving in the water, swimming fluidly under the water. Making it halfway through the pool before coming up for air. Not stopping from moving forward. "Munson, take Riley's spot? Steven, make sure he doesn't crack his head open like a dumbass." The man barks out. Steve stiffens up just a little bit as he feels the presence of the other boy now next to him. A little to close to him for what the line should be. He would glance over but he knew that would receive him twenty laps for breaking position.

"Yes Sir." He says softly. Never having to raise his voice, letting the walls carry it over to the approaching man. Who was now in front of Kyle Evans. Who was staring forward blankly and not reacting in the slightest. The coach stares him down for a few seconds before the demeanor of the boy shakes. Winchester shakes his head with a eye roll before moving to the next boy, and then the next. Searching for something that was unknown amongst the team.

Steve was the next one to receive the stare down. He keeps his chest raised, breathing in slowly and releasing air softly as he doesn't break eye contact with the older. He could feel Eddie's eyes on the both of them. Whatever the man seems to be searching for, he finds when Steve doesn't break like the others. "Well seems like Harrington is the only one out of the lot of you to have some respect and discipline. All of you! Ten laps with Riley!" Steve moves to follow along listening to orders but he is stopped just as fast as they were spoken "Harrington, you're going to have to teach this joke how to swim. Think you can handle that? Know you have the life guard experience."

Steve nearly hesitates, almost says no. He doesn't have this. He didn't want to teach Eddie Munson how to swim. The guy would be a waste of his time. Realistically, this was a opportunity of being on coaches good side. The whole team knew that when you were there you would receive all the perks. So instead of hesitating he takes the whole situation with stride. Speaking confidently but not cocky as he answers. "Yeah, I can handle it coach."

The coach pauses for a second looking through him again, as if he was thinking. "Good. This will be a practice run for now. Take him to the kitty pool out back where the juniors swim and show him some things. But after today you will have to figure out how to teach him on your own personal time." The others voice is gruff as he talks.

Well shit, what the hell did Steve just get himself into?

Ten minutes later, Steve discovered the spawn of Satan. The bane of his existence. The eighth wonder of the world. He's sure finding Atlantis or proving that aliens were real would be a lot easier then whatever the hell was going on now. Eddie Munson was like a fish. Out of water. Flopping around like he was on land, instead of being in water. Water was spraying all over the place and Steve was really trying to be patient. Not many words were passed between the two of them but this was not working.

"Munson! For the love of god will you stop just for five seconds!" Steve yells over the splashing of the water. He is tempted to snap at the guy. But after five minutes in the pool he had quickly caught onto the fact that the other wasn't doing this on purpose. Which was a little bit scary, because that meant he was just that bad at swimming. The guy looked like a puppy meeting water for the first time. Pouncing around and splashing water all over. His hair was laying flat down on his forehead and in his face, matting over his shoulders. Constantly flipping the water out of his hair without any luck of getting it out of his face. If Steve was going to be doing this more then once he made note of being a small box of hair ties for the other to wear.

Unlike Steve, Eddie was in a pair of his checkered boxers. Falling down his hips a little with the water, and god forbid if Steve looked longer then five seconds he was definitely able to see through them. He was the opposite of Steve. Steve was a bit buffed up, tanned out with freckles dotting along his skin. Eddie was scrawny, paler then a corpse and had small scratch like tattoos over his body. Though one similarity the two had were the scars. Eddie had random lines across his ribs, and little circle like scars that looked like burnt marks. Steve, was scarred up pretty good from his last encounter with the upside down. A light scar on his cheek bone from where Billy had cracked a plate against along with the top of his head.

"I have no idea what I am doing!" Eddie yells back. Looking a tad annoyed, moving the back of his hands through his curls as he glares at the other with a huff. Now he looked like a very wet rat and if Steve could laugh he would. It was an amusing sight watching the self acclaimed metal head try to look intimidating like this. His eyes must flicker with a little bit of amusement, as the other begins to throw himself around a bit. Rolling his eyes as he moves sloshing his way out of the water. Struggling to walk with the water against his ankles. Working his way to the side of the pool as he curses. "You know what! Fuck this!" He grumbles out.

Steve feels bad, groaning as he runs a hand through his hair. That has yet to get soaked with their time being out here. Though it was just a tad damp from running wet fingers through it "Oh come on Munson, I didn't expect you to know what you are doing. I'm sure if I randomly showed up to your front step and asked you to teach me-" he pauses to think what the other could possibly teach him. The other seems to pause to look at him curiously. Shoulders tense. This was the moment that would decide whether or not Eddie would stick around to take these lessons. "Fuck- what's the name. Shit Dnd - dragons and dungeons or whatever the hell the name is. I'm sure you would laugh at a stupid jock trying to swim in your expertise." Steve rambles out a little. Moving his arms to cross over his chest. That was bare, freshly waxed the other day.

He's not sure whether his speech worked or not until the other groans. Grumbling a little bit, "I hate that you are right. Though it's Dungeons and Dragons." He complains moving to wade his way to a more shallow part. Moving closer to Steve in the process who was tilting his head as he snaps his fingers as the other says the name.

Sighing as he rubs the side of his face with a chuckle, "sorry you would think after listening to four kids rant about the game I would remember the order of the words." He says softly. Hoping he didn't offend the other, like he normally did Dustin and Mike whenever he said the name wrong. Though he's sure the kids thought he did it on purpose. He didn't. "Though, you do need more control over your limbs then what you got." He comments. Eyes not moving away from the others movement. Watches the other sit on the side of the pool, leaving his feet in the water.

"And, you need to get swim trunks that aren't white." A look of confusion flashes over the others face, seemingly not processing that he was wearing very see through boxers. Steve snorts as he shakes his head amused, "I've seen your balls more then I've seen your face dude." He teases as he moves getting out of the water. Figuring that they were done for the day. Pulling himself up from the side watching droplets of water fall on the cement from his trunks. Moving and tossing an extra towel towards the other, not bothering to grab his own knowing that he would be in the pool again.Watching the other toss the towel through his mane, giving him a second before he begins to wave his hand to get the other to follow him. Leading him to the shower area where he quickly shows him how to get the shower going before he was leaving the boy behind. Ignoring the way the other had gone silent all of a sudden, with a light blush over his face.

Steve on the other hand moves to the pool, right as the last of the guys were leaving. Closing the doors behind them. He sighs gently as he pops some of his tense bones before he's moving and gracefully diving in the water. Doing what he has been craving for over a hour. Just floating at the bottom of the pool and just letting everything drift away just for a few minutes. The stress of school, the stress of his father constantly on his shoulders and the anxiety of the Upside Down returning floating away along with the small bubbles of his breath let float up to the surface. Hair following a long with them as far as each strand could reach, before his lungs start to burn from the lack of oxygen and he's using his feet to push himself off from the bottom and gasping for air as he comes to the surface. Hair falling in front of his eyes as he moves swimming over to the pool side. Not as graceful as he normally would as he focuses on catching his breath. Distracted enough not to notice Eddie coming out with a towel wrapped around his waist in search of the clothes he had just left on ground.

Eddie didn't have much experience with water. He's of course gone swimming before, but that was when he was way younger and could get away with wearing ugly floaters around his arms and body; nor has he actually watched someone do said exercise. He thought he has seen Steve Harrington at his highest before his ultimate downfall. Like any tragic character in a Greek play. For once he was terribly wrong about the other boy. Steve Harrington flew under water with such Grace that it took his breathe away. Everything about the other was captivating, from the way his hair would be tossed back causing water droplets to fly through the air to the way his limbs would move as he just freely swims under the water before going to front strokes. Then a few normal laps before shifting to backstrokes.

Of all situations, Eddie never pictured himself staring star struck at Steve Harrington swimming while holding his pants and trying to run out of the door before he's caught ogling a jock. It would be a bit hypocritical of him to be caught staring at the forbidden fruit that he made sure to announce publicly numerous times he would never touch. He would not fall for such a sun, but as he lets the door click behind him holding his clothes tightly to his chest, wet boxers over his left arm and a towel tightly wrapped around his waist he was tempted. Felt like Adam and Eve as they were given the one thing god told them they weren't allowed to. Letting a shaky breath out he squeezes his eyes shut, trying to slow his racing heart and calm that overwhelming feeling flowing through his veins. The same feeling that made him do flappy hands, jump up on tables or make goofy faces at the lost sheep of Hawkins high.

He's not sure how long he stays like this, maybe five minutes maybe ten. When he finally moves he realizes he forgot his shoes inside. Not thinking he had the strength or will power to do such a task he does the walk of shame to his van. Face red as he throws himself in the back. Thankful that no one was around to witness his lowest of lows. Pulling his skinny jeans up around himself was a task, especially with wet skin and no underwear. Grunting he has to adjust himself numerous times before he was able to pull his shirt over his chest and slide himself between the two front seats. Getting in the drivers side of the car as he turns the ignition. Right as the schools doors open, revealing Steve Harrington holding both his raggedy pairs of shoes in the air. Trying to catch his attention, which Eddie promptly ignores as he pulls out of the parking lot. Only wanting to leave the school and the numerously dangerous thoughts behind him.

One thing that stayed consistent with Eddie Munson, was that he was a runner.

*****

The next day Steve had participated in practice, earning some pitiful glances as he does. Word had spread around the team that he was on babysitter duty in a sense. All of them would do anything to be on their coaches good side but none of them were insane enough to teach Eddie Munson of all people how to swim. In their minds that was a losing battle waiting to happen. If the guy was as good at swimming as he was graduating. Due to Eddie running off without talking to Steve first, neither of them had communicated about when their next lesson would be. That was definitely going to be a problem, and one that Steve would have to solve fast before he was forced to do suicides. After one day of not hearing from him, and two days after their first lesson Steve makes it his mission to find the other to schedule one and to return his shoes.

It to his surprise it wasn't all that difficult to find Eddie Munson in the mix of Hawkins High. Well known amongst the younger grades for jumping up on tables and going on with loud and hilarious speeches and known for his drugs by the older grades he was on everyone's radar. This meant that Steve only had to ask a handful of kids if they had seen him to be pointed to the library. Somewhere that Steve didn't go all that often. He wasn't much of a reader, the words normally blurred and he couldn't focus long enough to read a book let alone a paragraph. The didn't even read the books that were assigned in English class, most times he would just take notes from someone who was reading it and write half assed essays on that.

The library was a reserved area, that raised his anxiety more then any place in the school. Everyone was silent in here and could easily sneak up on him. Something he didn't particularly enjoy. Biting his tongue he forces himself across the line that separated the hall from the library and makes his way in. Giving a tight smile to the kind librarian behind the desk who welcomes him cheerfully, and proceeds to move down aisles of books in search of this guy. What made the whole situation even more awkward was the fact that he was currently holding Munson's shoes. That he somehow had forgotten. God only knows.

The first five aisles he has no luck, instead he finds a book that was on the floor off to the corner. Almost ignoring it he decides to move and take care of it. Picking the book up curiously as his eyebrows furrow in curiosity. A cats face was seen on the lower half, faded into the picture of a guy standing near a cross in the background. The sky was red along with the authors name. Squinting his eyes he rubs his eyes a bit as the font starts to move around on him, a problem that didn't start until his first concussion back in freshman year. He always felt a bit nauseous when he forces himself to try reading something, and this was no different. Groaning annoyed he rubs his eyes a bit more deciding that if he was making his stomach upset with the brief glance he was going to at least know the title of the book.

"Problems Harrington?" The familiar voice snaps him from his staring contest with the cover. Moving his head up blinking a bit feeling a tad dizzy as he watches Eddie's face go a bit blurry on him. He shakes his head no as he begins to feel light headed. Closer to throwing up then what he had been a few moments ago. He can't really see that great, as he chuckles offering the book up for the other. Mumbling a soft 'here' letting the other take it away from him.

"Aww is Pet Cemetery to scary for you big boy?" The guy teases playfully. Leaning a bit close to him, like it was something he was trying to keep between the two of them. Though Steve didn't care if anyone else heard him. He snorts just a little bit at the others joke as he shakes his head no fighting to focus his eyes a bit.

"No- that's seriously the title?" He asks distracted looking down at the cover again trying to see if the words would form together now that he knew what they said. But still he was unable to read it out, even in Eddie's hand.

"Yeah... can you not read Harrington?" Eddie snorts as he moves to slide it back into a empty space between 'Carrie' and 'the shining' there is nothing malicious coming from his tone but he was obviously picking at some jock stereotype. Even though Steve had no desire to read nor did he ever have any enjoyment from the activity the joke still stung a bit. Rolling his eyes he moves the others shoes out for the other to take from him.

"So? You can't even swim Munson, the thing babies can do I don't want to hear it from you." He says a tad bitterly. Watching the way the other turns a little stunned. Eddies face scrunches up in a way of remorse as he takes his shoes back from the other. Currently wearing his Uncles boots that were two sizes to big. He opens his mouth a little as he pauses to think before he spoke. Something that was rare for him.

"Seriously? You don't know how to read?" He whispers to him with wide eyes. Once again he isn't asking to be mean, just out of shock and curiosity. How did the other past his drivers exam if you didn't know how to read?

Steve snorts, "I know how to read, Munson." Shaking his head as he glances down at the others footwear out of curiosity.

"Well then you can read?" Eddie is confused trying to piece the puzzle together.

"No, I can not." Steve says slowly, as if it was common sense. "The words they uh... well they don't sit still on the page when I'm looking down. One of the side effects of having four concussions." He's shy as he explains it but comes off a bit more bitter towards the end. Not enjoying the concussions. He doesn't enjoy the attention on his flaw as he quickly tries to change the subject. "Though, I'm not naming names, but someone sprinted out of the school without their shoes yesterday before we could decide on the next lesson?" Steve raises a eyebrow.

Eddie doesn't catch on to the social cue and was to distracted by the new information that he was receiving. "Holy shit? Four concussions? Do images do the same thing when you are looking at them? Like move around like animation and shit?" He asks innocently wide eyed as he moves to lean against the book shelf leaving his arms crossed, one of his fingers staying hooked into the shoes. Startled as the shelf he tries leaning against moves a little bit. Causing Steve to let a soft chuckle out, distracted by the others clumsiness to be annoyed by the other not dropping the topic he would much rather avoid. Eddie quickly moves to stand back up, figuring that it wouldn't be a good idea to lean against the unstable shelf. "Well good, because no one has evidence that I- er I mean someone? Ran out yesterday evening without their shoes on." Eddie says determinedly as he lets his head lean back a little. Sucking in his lip in a little, the only way Steve could describe him was that he looked like a frog making that facial expression.

"First off, no. I don't have my own personal Walt Disney up there drawing every frame to let the images move in my vision." He shakes his head as he drags a hand through his hair. Trying to be annoyed but that question brought more entertainment to this meeting then anything else. Distracting him from the fact that anything could creep up on them and he wouldn't have seen it coming. "Oh? Well why would I lie about such a thing Munson?" Steve teases curiously. Moving to lean himself against the other book frame. Only because he wanted to mess with the other. He crosses his arms a bit tighter around himself as the shelf doesn't shake and stays put. Smirking as he doesn't think about the space in-between them lacking inches.

"Damn it." Eddie curses. Acting as if that was the worst news he's ever heard, snapping the fingers from his free hand lousy as he comically swings the same around to the left in the same motion. "Here I thought you were a freak like me." He jokes with a huge grin on his face. Before huffing about to respond when the bell rings. Bringing both of them back to reality as Steve glances up at the bell before looking back at the other. All conversation dying between the two of them as the subject changes back to what it was originally intended to be.

"So? When did you want our next lesson?" Steve asks as he moves himself off from the frame and looks at the other with a slightly impatient look. Anxious about being late to practice.

"Hm- tomorrow. After school at four work for you?" Eddie asks. Earning a quick nod before Steve is quickly moving to leave. Not saying much more as he leaves a confused metal head behind him.

****

Four Ten sharp is when Eddie meets Steve near the pool. Late and annoyed as he starts to peel his clothes off in preparation of getting into the pool. Tired, and ready to go home for a nap Eddie was grumpy and a tad cranky. Steve quickly catches onto the others mood shift compared to the day before and was quick to accommodate for the other. Not forcing him to go outside, but stay inside where he helps him into the shallow end. Forcing him to let the water up to his chest to get used to the feeling so when he did go into the deep end it didn't freak him out. Steve had attempted to look up ways to teach someone how to swim, but with the shifting words didn't get that far. Total shocker right? Though the diagrams that were drawn over the papers did give him a slight understanding and they seemed to help with the other a lot more.

Eddie was also a lot less energetic, which meant that his limbs weren't flying all over the place. Causing water to go all over, and into Steve's eyes. Today was a lot more productive in a sense, but when Steve remembers the next step he is a bit hesitant. The other, like a piranha almost senses the others hesitation like it was blood in the water. "What?" He asks tightly and very much sour. Eyes squinting at the other as he expects something. Unsure of what, knew that whatever the other had planned was not a good idea.

"Well, it would help if you got used to not having your feet on the floor all the time." Steve draws off for a second as he adds. "And most times when someone's teaching someone how to swim they normally help the other up above water as they practice kicking." Steve explains as the other just listens. Jaw tense as he glares at the other. Even though Eddie was hearing the others words he wasn't really processing what the other was implying.

"Ok-" Eddie drags out for a second. "And?" He asks raising his eyebrow in a way that makes Steve get anxious and awkward about tossing this idea out there. Silence falls over the both of them, with the acceptation of the water filter going. Echoing and bouncing louder against the walls.

"Well, I was thinking that I help you get a hang of it. By picking you up a little and letting you kick and float without touching the ground." Steve explains shyly. Face a bit pink as he steps in the water a bit awkward. Eddie stares at him for a second before he breaks out into laughter.

"Oh, you've got to be fucking with me Harrington. That's the funniest thing I've heard all day," he snorts as his head throws itself back. As if he had his own gravitational force that Steve wasn't aware of. For a split second he forgets to feel embarrassed of annoyed by the others words. Rolling his eyes as he crosses his arms a bit as he glares at the other.

"Well they normally do this with five year olds, but someone is kind of a late bloomer you know?" Steve sasses back. Watches the way the others smile breaks. Shoulders tense up as he's about to give Steve a piece of his mind. But Steve quickly stops him, not in the mood for an argument. "Dude, it was just a idea. I wasn't going to do it without your permission. Besides it's not often I teach nineteen year olds how to swim, typically it's five year olds at the YMCA, where it's a lot more flexible with lessons. I want to get this done and over with just as much as you, so for the love of god don't break out into a speech that will cause my ears to bleed from annoyance." He rambles out quickly. Making sure not to give the other room for interrupting him. Eddie doesn't, just stands in his place. Water floating above his boxers and below his belly button as he stays still. Not tempted to go any deeper yet. He has but it wasn't something he was willing to do with Steve being next to him.

"Fine." Eddie grumbles as he moves sloshing the water around as he moves back a bit. Going a bit deeper but staying where he can touch as he turns back around to glare at the other. "I bet this won't even work." He sasses, cocking his head in a way that annoyed Steve a bit.

Steve doesn't hesitate to pick up on this. "Ok, I bet if it does work that you have to show up to one of my competitions."  He says with a raised eyebrow. Assuming the other would want to back track on his word. To his surprise the other doesn't hesitate as he grins. Face brightening as his wet curls fall in front of his eyes.

"And if it doesn't work, you have to-" Eddie pauses as he tries to think about what the other should do. Hesitating as he shifts his weight onto his other leg. "Dress up like a freak for a week Harrington." He grins mischievously. Steve snorts a little at the request as he moves a bit closer watching the others confidence dwindle a bit.

"Well then, let's get to it." Steve says clapping his hands a little. Preparing for everything to happen and nothing at all. It was Eddie he was talking about. Something that was easy for a three year to do possibly could be the hardest thing the other has ever done.

Eddies face is a light red as he starts to grow awkward. Limbs tensing and locking up as he stands in his spot trying to cower into himself. Steve shakes his head amused at the other as he pats the others shoulder playfully. The warmth contact was causing Eddie to lose just a few more brain cells. Stuttering over his words as Steve starts to manhandle him to a deeper spot of the water. Where only the other could barely touch, just with his toes. Not only was Eddie's anxiety raising about not being able to touch the bottom his heart was racing. The smell of chlorine was now much closer to his face, with the water being up to his chin now. Turning his head he gives in and tries to trust Steve who has only been saying assuring things. Not trying push the other to far Steve stays close with the other.

His hand moves down to the dip of Eddie's waist and that's when he loses it. Eddie quickly splashes over to a bit of a shallow part, where the water was below his chest so that he could breathe. His lungs were working fast as he attempts to catch his breath, heart pounding so hard he could hear it in his ears. Steve was by his side in seconds as he carefully places a hand on the others back and gently rubs some of the tension away. Once again Eddie felt like he was standing under the tree, with the forbidden fruit right above his face close to his nose. Scratch that, he felt like Isaac Newton purposely dropped this apple on his god damn head. Leaving a huge bump behind that made his head spin and question everything he knew. Because there was this gravitational pull towards Steve that Eddie seemed to really like. Problem was, a bit too much. There was something about the boy that was once again sending butterflies to his stomach.

It takes a few minutes for him to calm down, curls damp and swinging all over. Overwhelming him a bit as he fights with his curls a bit. Steve snaps his fingers in excitement confusing Eddie even more. Standing put as he watches the other throw himself out of the pool and return with a hair tie. That was tightly wrapped around his wrist as he hops back down and pulls it off to give to the other boy. For the few seconds that it was on his skin it left a small indent that caught Eddie's attention. Forcing him to look at the numerous freckles that scattered his skin. Thinking about how he could kiss one and find another within a inch a way. Shaking his head a little at the thought he takes the hair tie confused. Looking at Steve in a questioning way, unsure what he was supposed to do.

Steve snorts at the others reaction as he moves forward carefully and takes the band back as he moves around the other. Carefully holding the others curls and pulling it up just as lightly. Accidentally tugging at his scalp in the process as Eddie jokes. "Careful Harrington, I might just like that." His tone his playful, the words slipping from his mouth before he could think. He doesn't catch the way the other stares dumbly at the other, his mouth falling open in confusion. Eyes scrunching up just the same.

"Why would you like your hair being pulled?" Steve asks in confusion. Tilting his head to the side so he could glance at the others face. Eddies face once again goes a light pink as he realizes the joke went over the others head.

"Aw are you vanilla big boy?" He teases hoping to get the other to understand what he was saying. The joke must have gone over Steve's head flying a couple of miles before returning and slapping him upside the head. Relocation hits the jock as his face grows red.

"Um? Yeah?" He says awkwardly. Laughing some how even more awkwardly. Eddie just wants to slap himself in the face. Realizing the joke didn't land like he had hoped. Instead the idea that Steve was gentle in bed had been planted into his head and the idea was bouncing over different sides of his brain. God, he's sure he has a devil on one shoulder and a Angel on the other right now. Whispering different things in his ear as Steve's hands are in his curls pulling it up before stepping back. Creating a distance between the two as he inspects his handy work. "Alright that should hold for now." He says softly. The question of why Steve had hair ties on him, when no one else he knew had long hair was left unsaid.

"Let's try a more shallow part hm?" Steve smiles kindly. Never making Eddie feel stupid about the irrational fear. He doesn't want to argue or make the other upset so he follows again. As much as he just wanted to curl up in the corner and have a panic attack. He moves as Steve once again attempts to get him to relax. Eddie does, but his limbs tense up again as Steve helps him get into a position to help him swim. Which ends up with Eddie moving to his knees, skin scraping against pool floor as he wills himself not to get a boner. God that would be one of the most embarrassing things to ever happen. Though he's sure it wouldn't be much of one with the cold water.

He doesn't allow himself to look up at the other, knowing that would tempt him to make numerous jokes. Instead he follows every word the other says. Treating each one like it was from the gospel until he finds himself being pushed a little deeper in the water once he realizes it's not that bad. They are still in a shallow part as Steve moves down to his own knees sitting right next to him. Demonstrating the way to move his arms, the way to kick his legs before he's moving and he has two arms underneath Eddie. Helping him with guidance as Eddie starts to sloppily move in the water. For a second Eddie thinks he's won the bet, until something clicks and he's swimming a lot better then what he was. He doesn't realize that he no longer has the other next to him until he's on the side of the pool. Excitement fills him as he bounces up and down like a toddler.

"Oh my god I did it!" His voice scratches a bit as he jumps up and down bouncing more like he was in a bouncy cheer. Smiling brightly as his hair falls from the condiment the other put it in. Steve has a soft smile on his face as he shakes his head amused, moving to stand next to the other happily. Before the realization hits Eddie that the other was not next to him the entire time. "Oh my god, I could have died." He panics gripping onto the side of the pool like he wasn't currently touching the pool floor.

Steve rolls his eyes playfully as he laughs, "Eddie you were fine. Besides you can still touch the bottom. If you drowned that would've been the most dumbest thing I have ever seen in my life." He teases. Eddie glares at him as he opens his mouth to argue but Steve is interrupting him. "Besides, you lost the bet. Which means you, will be going to my competition tomorrow." He grins mischievously. Looking smug as he watches the other. Eddies words die on his tongue as he realizes the consequences to his actions.

His poor heart was not going to be able to handle this.

****

Shockingly there was not much of a crowd for this competition. Seemed like all the sports enthusiasts were more excited about football then swimming. Though the crowd was a decent sized, big enough to where Eddie could somehow blend in with them. Not looking out of place sitting by himself off to the corner, though he still wasn't completely fitting in with his awkward stance. Legs spread out a bit as he leans forward, copying the movement he's seen his Uncle do whenever he watches a football game. The holes over his knees were starting to rip more and his thighs ached a little from this stance so he soon gives up as he starts to fidget anxiously. He doesn't know what to expect but he doesn't want Steve to think that he doesn't care? Just because he was only here for a bet doesn't mean he didn't care.

Well he really shouldn't care about this swim competition as much as he did. It went against every single moral he's ever formed within the last few years of high-school. But yet here he was. Eddie Munson sitting in all his glory excitedly waiting to watch Steve grace this audience with the way he gracefully moved in the water. He already caught a few kids randomly placed around the room whispering together as they point at him. Not being discreet, raising his anxiety more. Causing his hands to shake and fidget between his thighs. Moving his numerous rings around his fingers as he stares a hole into the water. Time passes by slowly, and when the swim teams start to walk out he wishes that time would move faster so that he could see the guy he was here for.

Every single guy had a rubber cap on to hold their hair in place, no hair on their bodies, and very tight speedos that didn't leave any imagination for any of them. Thing was, steve had never worn any speedo when they were swimming together. He normally wore a ugly pair of swim trunks and left his hair out. It was probably breaking all sort of rules but it didn't seem like he cared. So it was a cultural shock when his eyes finally land on the guy. He was a bit more pudgier then the rest of the guys which meant easier identification on Eddie's part. Though like the others he looked like he had recently shaved his body. Little chest hairs had been poking out across his skin the last time Eddie had seen him. Now as he stands up excitedly smiling brightly at Steve who looks shocked to see him, he realizes that no one was whistling or yelling out for Steve. Turning his head confused he looks through the crowd and quickly catches onto the fact that he was the one and only person in the Harrington cheer squad.

Deciding to take that with pride, he was already here why not embarrass himself a bit more as he brings his fingers up to his mouth and whistles louder then everyone else. Heads turning towards him as he does. Even the whole swim team was looking at him as he hops up on a step like he was giving a speech during lunch. "Kick some ass Harrington!" He doesn't have to yell. His voice is loud and cuts through everyone else's as it echos through the room. He hears a couple of parents yell at him for cursing in front of their precious kin, but he was sure they've heard far worst. A older referee came over and scolding him as well, giving him a warning. Though it was all worth it to watch Steve brighten up. Smiling shyly and growing awkward as the guys on the team tease him about the freak being his cheerleader. Though Steve doesn't care, it was one more person cheering for him then the last fifty competitions he's been to. He would rather take one then none.

Beaming as if the sun was shining out of his ass he waves at Eddie playfully winking before his attention is being forced back to the water. Getting situated in a line as the rules were explained. He stretches his limbs a bit, unaware that he was causing Eddie to have a full blown crisis from behind him. The metal head had been to busy putting up a show to pay attention to what the other was wearing. Now nothing was distracting him from the skin tight black speedo. That did not leave much imagination to the others ass. Eddie was sure if he stared long enough he could see every freckle or dimple on the guys ass and that was going to be a huge problem. Barely able to breathe everything happens so fast. One second Steve is standing dry off to the side and the next he was in the water. Moving ahead of most of the other guys currently in the water. Limbs moving a lot faster then what they normally did when he was with Eddie.

Sure, Eddie's been next to the other numerous times in the water but he had been to busy trying not to die to notice the way the others muscles would flex. The way the water droplets would fall down his skin as he moved, the glossy way his lips looked as he gasped for air. Eddie was not having any clean thoughts as he watched the boy swim. There were numerous other guys he could be staring at right now. Those who were more his type, but instead here he was eye fucking Steve Harrington as he swam like his life depended on it. He's letting out a distressed whine when it's all over and he doesn't understand what's happening. People are up and clapping and he's awkwardly copying what they were doing. Standing up and glancing over at other family's to make sure he was doing this right. Clapping before he's whistling not so loudly as he moves over to a mother who was holding a toddler up.

It's a bit loud as he asks gently, "sorry to bother you, but I don't understand a thing about swim competitions what happened?" He asks. Face a light pink as he keeps clapping his hands. Watching the way the toddler in her arms smiles waving at him. He returns the gesture as the woman hesitates for a second. Surprised that he was asking her of all people. She was young, way to young to be a mother but Eddie didn't really care. Now that he was paying attention he seen the way other mothers were moving their children away from her like they had been for him. She smiles shyly as she shifts the kid to her other hip.

"Well, I don't understand all that much either but the guy you were cheering for got second place." She smiles kindly as Eddie nods giving her a thumbs up.

"Thank you m'aam. This will save me a lot of time." He grins cheerfully as he moves starting to hop down the bleachers. Careful not to slip on the floor that was soaked with water. Moving excitedly to wait near the room Steve would be coming out of. He fidgets with the chains that were constantly clicking around as he watches numerous guys coming out. Until it's finally the person he came for.

Steve's hair was a bit of a mess, damp but very attractive. A tighter polo was on with a pair of loose sweatpants. They didn't really go together but Eddie wasn't going to point that out as he pushes himself off the wall that he was waiting on. Walking right next to the other as he grins.

"So- that was impressive." He beams moving into the others space playfully bumping his shoulder. Steve looks at him with a soft smile growing shy and awkward under the others praise.

"Oh? And what could Eddie Munson, this biggest hater of sports possibly like about my swim competition?" He teases playfully. Moving away from the other for a split second before giving in and letting the other into his space. Running a hand through his hair as he grows nervous under the attention the other was giving him, and the confusion. Unsure if the other was fucking with him or actually enjoyed the competition. Though he regrets even questioning the others reasoning as the other shamelessly becomes more dramatic. Moving his limbs with purpose as he pretends to be in distress.

"Oh Steve Harrington, where should I possibly begin. Oh! The rubber was such an etiquette fashion statement that struck me to the core. The way the water moved down your hairless body had my knees ah shaking and my loins ah screaming. My dreams will be blessed for years and my children will know of this day that changed my life forever. My first born child shall be named after -" Eddies rambling as Steve's face grows red. Quickly he shoves the other playfully to interrupt his speech before fighting back the slight laughter from the fake southern accent. It was embarrassing to listen to the other but it was hilarious.

"Oh shut up you," he returns in a equally horrible southern accent. Grinning as Eddie smiled shyly at him. Moving his hair in front of his face as he does. His mouth had been moving before he could think and he was happy to know that Steve wouldn't hit him the second he came off a bit more gay then normal. But once again that gravitational pull towards Steve made his brain orbit around space, with no thought behind his eye. Which also meant he wasn't thinking of the deadly consequences that could appear from his shameless flirting. Though he was willing to be the Icarus to Steve's sun if that meant he could see the others shy smile as goofy side.

Eddies letting soft laughter go as he shrugs bashfully. Moving a curl behind his ear as they walk out of the school. A silence had fallen between them, it wasn't awkward but rather pleasant. Made Eddie's stomach do flips and made Steve confused. The feeling of something blossoming in Steve Harrington's veins was concerning, and he felt like it was a drug he couldn't kick. The withdrawals from his last love had just kicked and now here he walked with a new craving. A new addiction forming as he walked next to Eddie Munson.

Eddie Munson might just become his new bag of cocaine. Hyper and euphoric which would only ruin his heart with long term use. The scary part was Steve couldn't place a name behind the feeling he was having, and like any other addict denial was his first step to realization.

***

With graduation coming up and Steve’s hope of going off to college soon they started to meet a little more frequently for lessons. By this point Eddie was finally able to swim by himself. Not as afraid to be in the deep end they had been able to relax a bit and work on his strength in the water. The lessons went from mandatory to optional and Steve was more then willing to keep taking time for the other. Every day had been filled with flirting and laughs. Shoving each other in the pool and just being boys.

Today on the other hand was different. Steve didn’t really feel like swimming, and if he did he would much rather sit at the bottom of the pool and drown. He had gotten the response papers from every college he applied to and was denied at every single one. Which was some how a record, as every one he knew got denied numerous times but were accepted happily by a community college. Even those didn’t want him. His father had forced him to apply to all of the bigger schools that by times he applied for the community ones they had been filled up already. Now he wasn’t going anywhere but straight to work.

Over the time he’s taught Eddie, the other has been able to read his body language. The way Steve’s shoulders tensed up and the way he sulked walking out of the locker rooms with his trunks and a shirt on said a lot. Steve was a confident guy and never wore a shirt, today the confidence was lackluster at most and Eddie was concerned for him. For someone he dare say be classified as a friend? He smiles gently as he moves to the other catching onto the others reluctance of going into the pool.

“Everything okay Harrington?” Eddie asks curiously. Recognizing that the other got like this sometimes, but normally he would be a little jumpy and anxious. Watching their surroundings. This time he seemed only upset and lost in his head. A quality trait Steve wasn’t known for.

“Yeah- just got denied from every single college I applied for.” He snorts bitterly as he moves to sit on the side of the pool to put his feet in the cold water. Not even that was bringing him much joy. Eddie felt like he was being punched in the gut. He was equally or even more upset then the other because he was upset. If silly, goofy and dopey Steve Harrington was down and gloomy then there was no hope for the rest of the world. The sun mind as well set and the rain clouds should start to form to create a horrible storm. Eddie doesn’t know what to say as he stands there stunned. Out of everyone he would have thought Steve would be the one to leave Hawkins the fastest. Obviously not wanting to be tied down and wanting to travel.

“Oh Stevie,” he says gently. The nickname slipping for the first time as he sits next to the other. Placing a hand on the others shoulder for comfort. Ignoring the way the other grows a bit awkward and tense from the physical contact, obviously not used to it before he’s relaxing. None of the words he wanted to say were coming out. Even if he was able to say them, they would’ve been to intimate for two guys to say to each other. Melting into himself he moves a little closer offering as much as he can. Before he pauses and thinks. “Well let’s get out of here, have you ever smoked before Harrington?” He asks gently.

Steve turns his head at the other with a snort, “We’ve smoked numerous times together Munson.” He says bitterly. Eddie doesn’t take it to heart knowing that there wasn’t any thing mean targeted towards him. Though Eddie grins a mischievous look that causes Steve to melt and forget his troubles just for a split second.

“No Harrington, my dear friend those are cigarettes. I was talking about the sweet leaf, the magnum opus of all natures, the prettiest girl I’ve ever met- Mary Jane, Steve. Have you ever smoked pot?” Eddie asks gently. Watching realization hit the other. Moving his head to stare dumbly at Eddie. Nodding his head after a moment.

“Yeah with Tommy, why-” before he can ask to many questions Eddie is pushing himself up and making a attempt to pull the other up. Grunting as he gives up once he realizes the other was to heavy for him to move.

“Jesus, do you eat Rocks Harrington? Come on? I’ll take you back to mine and smoke you out. You look like you need a smoke.” He laughs gently as he watches Steve hesitate. Before standing up and following instructions. It might have gone to Eddie’s head a little bit with the Jock following and hanging on every instruction he told him. Steve returns a few minutes later and then they are walking out of the school. Steve going to his own car to follow Eddie. Who was absolute chaos when on the road.

Eddies hair was still hanging up in a small bun, something he had prepared for swimming but now it was just up to be up. Enjoying the slight breathe on the back of neck as he hops out of his van. Watching Steve park next to him before waving at him to follow along. Steve had never gone to the Munson residence but it was how he imagined it. It wasn’t that difficult to imagine how Eddie’s room would like either as he was lead there. Not giving much time to take in the rest of the trailer. Steve just follows along feeling a bit like a Zombie.

Moving he sits hesitantly on the others bed as he just listens to the other talk. That was enough to brighten his mood a little. Eddie was like his personal antidepressant right now and he was so grateful. Laughing gently at a joke before he’s handed the joint. That was neatly wrapped and ready. He moves inhaling and releasing the smoke, coughing a bit as it had been a while since he’s properly smoked pot. Handing the thing back to Eddie he lets the other talk his head off. Joking about how Coach Winchester talked to how some of the teachers walked. All of it was goofy and exactly what Steve was looking for. Time started to pass by slowly and the only thing Steve could see was Eddie Munson sitting right in front of him. Glowing, and smiling brightly as his hands waved around like he was orchestrating a orchestra. At some point the giggles start to happen and the two are just making fun of each other. Not in a malicious way.

Huddling closer together as smoke swarmed around them. Making everything blurred together as they either stared at the ceiling or at each other while talking. They both felt like they were finally apart of the solar system that they had been orbiting around for weeks now and it was glorious. Eddies knuckles were constantly brushing up against the others side, and moving up his arm as he talks. Causing goosebumps to form up Steve’s body and shivers to take habitat in his spine. Steve was giggling and laughing at everything as he could barely keep his eyes open for to long anymore.

It’s probably around midnight when the laughter dies down and it turns a bit serious. “Steve?” Eddie says softly.

“Yeah?” He asks gently. Turning his head towards the other but not opening his eyes. That would take to much effort and Eddie found it adorable. With this distance he could see every detail of the others face and he makes a promise to himself that before he dies he was going to paint the others face. Whether it be on a canvas just for him or on a huge wall for the whole world to see exactly what he was seeing. The perfect imperfections of Steve Harrington.

“You have next year you know?” Eddie says gently.

“For what?” Steve asks confused. Forgetting about the reason why he came here in the first place.

“For what?” He asks curiously. Humming as he moves his body a bit to get comfortable on the others bed.

“To well- you know? Apply for college?” Eddie says softly. “If I can repeat senior year for the third time I believe you can make it to a college somewhere.” He breathes out. Breath smelling like weed that hits Steve’s face. Who doesn’t react as he opens his eyes meeting the others eyes. A tension falling in the air. So thick that Eddie thinks he could cut a knife through it. Create a donut like Scooby Doo did in that one episode on the ghost ship. Then the seriousness is all gone as he begins to giggle and laugh, bringing up Scooby Doo seemingly out of nowhere.

****

Just like any star that aligned, they slowly depart from each other. That’s the only way the two boys could describe it. They were close and then slowly drifting apart at sea. Neither of them had seen it coming until it was their last swim lesson. The ache in both of their chests heavy. Eddie knew the reason behind his while Steve felt like a confused child trying to figure it out. Here he sat naive to his and Eddie’s feelings. Both of them growing awkward as they both accepted they wouldn’t see each other anymore. Steve would be going off to work and Eddie would be returning to high-school again next year. Which is exactly how it happens. Eddies unspoken crush starts to blossom more, before withering away. Passing scoops ahoy on purpose, trying to gather courage to walk in and talk to the other. But that was a suicidal mission he quickly discovered.

The uniform Steve Harrington was now wearing had much more cloth then the swim uniform he wore but it still brought an embarrassing reaction out of Eddie who would sneak by to steal glances. Noticing the slight chest hair popping out from the top to the way his shorts made his ass look. Every time he would gather courage to go in and talk, there was always a group of girls talking to Steve Harrington. Who was obviously flirting with them shamelessly.

What was once a gravitational pull became a repellent that Eddie wasn’t sure he could ever be able to push through. And what his great mentor Ozzy had said had come true. Something he was sure him and Steve could prove wrong, even if it meant they were only friends for the rest of their life’s.

Nothing lasts forever

[adverbally]

Take Me Where My Future’s Lyin’

Written for the @steddieangstyaugust prompt “Future” | wc: 731 | rated: T | cw: none | tags: job rejection, hurt/comfort, heavy author projection | title from “St. Elmo’s Fire (Man in Motion)” by John Parr

———

Steve hangs up the phone in a daze. Muscle memory takes over to lay the receiver back in its cradle. His gaze catches on the worn plastic, the kinks disrupting the cord’s neat coil.

“Hey, was that them? What’d they say?” Eddie sticks his head into the kitchen, a smile stretching his mouth wide with excitement.

The exact details of the conversation are already falling out of Steve’s memory, like water through a sieve. Are they even important, as long as the message was clear? “I didn’t get it,” Steve croaks.

Eddie freezes in the doorway. “What?”

He doesn’t think he can get any more words out, not with his throat squeezing like this, but he has to try. Eddie’s looking at him with so much worry, reaching out to comfort Steve without even knowing what happened, and it’s making Steve’s vision swim with tears. “I didn’t get the job. They’re going with someone else.”

“What the hell?!” Eddie protests. “You’ve been teaching there longer than anyone else who applied. You’re practically already the acting department head!”

“I know.” Steve pinches the bridge of his nose. They’ve been saying that all week, convincing themselves that Steve was the best candidate and he was sure to get the promotion. He had even believed it, after his last interview had gone so well. “I, um. They wanted someone with more leadership experience.”

Eddie’s growl of frustration isn’t directed at him, the logical side of Steve’s brain knows, but it still feels like it is. Probably because Steve is so frustrated with himself. His principal had personally encouraged him to throw his hat in the ring, telling him how proud he was of Steve for taking on extra responsibilities for the department and staying on top of everything despite the chaos of testing season. Apparently, that hadn’t been enough.

“You’re the best teacher in that whole damn school, they’re idiots if they think Linda Smith is going to do a better job than you,” Eddie is ranting indignantly.

Steve barely hears him. He can’t stop replaying the phone call in his mind, how Principal Lane had wanted to tell Steve about his rejection personally, before he could hear it through the grapevine. How he had promised Steve that he would find another way to help him advance, send him to training or some other bullshit professional development to put on his resume. How impressed the whole interview committee had been with his answers and his performance.

Just not impressed enough.

The disappointment sits like a rock in Steve’s gut. He‘ll have to go back to work on Monday, where every other second grade teacher will know that he applied and wasn’t good enough, and he’ll smile and shake Linda’s hand and congratulate her on getting the job he wanted. Hell, he’ll probably even have to help train her.

“Stevie?”

Eddie is blurry when Steve looks up at him, but he can make out enough to see his outstretched arms, waiting to pull Steve into his embrace. When Steve’s face crumples, Eddie is already hugging him close, kissing his temple.

“I know it’s just a job but I really wanted it,” Steve tells Eddie’s collarbone. His shirt smells so good, and he doesn’t want to move away to talk or breathe or let Eddie see him cry.

“I know, baby,” Eddie agrees. He does know; he’s been there for all the excited planning, helping Steve brainstorm ideas for how to spend his impending pay raise, looking at houses for sale and thinking about home improvement projects and creating an itinerary for a trip to visit Robin.

Steve shouldn’t have gotten so invested, no matter how optimistic he’d been about his chances. He had seen their future, with a big house full of kids and a job he was really good at and Eddie, loving him and believing in him, and he’d been ready for it. Now that door has closed and it hurts all the more since he’d gotten his hopes up.

“There will be other jobs,” Eddie murmurs to him. “We’ll get there eventually.”

“Yeah,” Steve sniffs against Eddie’s chest.

“In the meantime, we can have ice cream for dinner and talk shit about Linda.”

Steve’s laugh is wet but sincere. Whatever their future holds, he thinks he can handle it as long as Eddie is still there to figure it out with him.

[theshippirate22]

listen st4 ROBBED us of so so so much, but really I think the the biggest travesty is the fact that we never got platonic Harringham. Like, of course, platonic Stobin is so perfect in every way- i worship it really- and i don’t mean to minimize that AT ALL but like.

Steve and Chrissy absolutely LOSING THEIR SHIT at a football game.

Steve and Chrissy having a crush on the same baseball player and arguing over which pants his ass looks better in.

Steve and Chrissy giving each other the same ??? look when Robin or Eddie say something nerdy.

Steve and Chrissy going to the gym together and losing track of whose basketball shorts are whose.

Steve and Chrissy bonding over the fact that their mothers hate them.

Steve teaching Chrissy to cook and slowly helping her get over her eating disorder.

Steve and Chrissy sharing tips for sore muscles and collapsing on the couch together with bags of frozen peas and corn after going a little too hard.

Steve and Chrissy going for runs at dawn together and getting back long before Robin or Eddie would ever dream of being awake.

Steve and Chrissy throwing the biggest super bowl party ever and screaming and grabbing each other’s arms every time there’s a touchdown.

Steve, who’s been having migraines since his first concussion, helping Chrissy out, who’s started getting headaches since Vecna fucked with her head.

Chrissy offering to drive Lucas to and from basketball because she’s going to the school for cheer anyway, and it’s one less thing he has to worry about.

Steve and Chrissy sitting in on a DnD game, getting bored a few hours in and going out to the driveway to play Horse (Chrissy has never won- she wants the challenge so she never lets Steve go easy on her and he respects her enough not to)

Steve and Chrissy side-eyeing each other when someone has the AUDACITY to say they like the Colts, knowing full well that they’re going to have to dish on the person the second they get in the car (They know the Colts are Indiana’s team. The Steelers are just… better.)

Steve protecting Chrissy from creepy ex-boyfriends who just want to take advantage of her, and Chrissy protecting Steve from creepy ex-girlfriends who just want to take advantage of him.

Chrissy convincing Steve to get back into swim, and him agreeing as long as she gets back into dance.

Chrissy wearing her whole cheer uniform to his meets and sitting on the edge of the bleachers every time he’s in the pool, palms sweating as he flies through the water- Robin and Eddie went to go get McDonald’s an hour ago- eyes darting from his silhouette to the clock and back again, muttering under her breathe, “Come on, Steve, come on!”

Chrissy screaming when he wins, running to the edge of the pool to grab him, even though he’s soaking wet and she spent so long on her hair and “Holy shit, you did amazing!”

Steve making his own sort of cheer uniform to wear to her competitions, always driving her to them so he can hype her up in the car on the way. Calling “You’re a god, you can crush ‘em with your thighs!” as they split up so she can go to the dressing rooms backstage.

Steve leaping to his feet in the audience to clap the second she’s finished, whether it’s a team dance or a solo, or a duo-She’s the only one worth watching- whistling and cheering for her so loud, it would be a phenomenon if she didn’t hear him.

idk

just let Steve have another bisexual jock bestie who won’t make fun of his interests. Who knows how much he wants this, who knows how hard it is.

idk.

[angeldreamsoffanfic]

content warning: this took SUCH a turn to dom eddie munson wanting to make steve harrington just absolutely one, turn his brain off, and two- realize that his interests aren’t stupid. like it’s not… necessarily explicit on here but when this gets a bit more fleshed out… it’s gonna have to be posted on ao3 😂

-

The thing is, Steve Harrington knows hair- okay?

And he also knows that his friends completely like to tease him about it, that they think that most of the time his affinity for it is a bit narcissistic. That he shouldn’t spend as much time as he does on it and he should “let go sometimes”, but he can’t.

He can remember watching his mother years ago in the bathroom mirror teach him how to style his hair, with little spritzes of water and a just a few puffs of sweet smelling hairspray. He can fully and thoroughly recall flipping through magazines when he was younger, back when his parents had started to travel, and taking beauty tips from the pages in regards to detangling. He’d spent three days with a knot at the nape of his neck, after a few days of swim practice, and he had too much pride at the time to ask anyone for help.

But anyway, Steve Harrington knows hair- and it’s not that he thinks other people don’t… but he also knows that some people don’t care as much as he does. And that’s why watching Eddie Munson take a brush to his curls (completely dry which is painful in it of itself) is absolutely heartbreaking in the weirdest way possible.

Steve also is completely and totally aware that his face must be doing… something, because Eddie has turned around to fully face him- instead of glaring daggers at his own reflection.

“What, Harrington?”

Steve shook his head quickly, fingers drumming against his thighs as he diverted his attention to the tv again. He hadn’t had a television in his room before actually, had figured it’d be a bit too much of a distraction from trying to sleep. Steve is sure there’s some study about the light too, a study Robin had rambled to him before.

That’d been before Vecna though, before the year 1986 and all of it’s horrors that it brought along to the town Hawkins once again. In Steve’s mind? A small tv and a couple of VHS tapes was probably the least of his worries after surviving everything. The tv itself had some poorly made horror movie on, something Eddie had brought along from his government provided home, while the two waited on Robin and Nancy to make their way over.

“Stevie?” Eddie had moved closer, brows slightly furrowed as his dark eyes widened. “What’s on your mind, man? Not getting like…” Eddie mimed wiggling his fingers at the side of his own head, and Steve couldn’t hold back the laugh that made it’s way out from his throat. “Okay so Vecna is not getting his creepy hands on you… so what’s up then?”

Steve took a moment and shrugged, before he let himself card a wide-splayed hand through his own hair. The hairspray was just ever so slightly crunchy under his fingers, and Steve huffed as he shrugged again.

“It’s so stupid man, like don’t even worry about it.” Steve flapped a hand in Eddie’s direction, and Eddie was quick to click his tongue against the back of his teeth as he moved closer.

“Nuh uh, big boy.” Eddie eased himself onto the foot of the bed, and Steve forced himself to not scrunch his nose as Eddie’s dry curls swished a bit around his shoulders. “C’mon I can see it in your eyes! Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell m-”

Steve cut Eddie off with a press of a flat palm up against Eddie’s lips, and Steve tried to not think about how soft Eddie was up against Steve’s skin. Steve groaned as Eddie’s tongue swiped against his flesh, and Steve hissed as he reared backward away from the older teen.

“Fucking gross dude!”

“Usually I’m the one doing that, big boy!”

Steve and Eddie both spoke up at the same time, and the two eyed each other warily, before they split into soft laughs between the two. Eddie then shifted further up onto the bed, back pressed up against the footboard, before he knocked his leg against Steve’s.

“C’mon dude, what’s up?”

“Your hair!” Steve finally answered, before he then folded his arms over his chest. “I know it’s stupid, but watching you tear a brush through it dry is actually breaking my heart, Munson.” Steve groaned, and ran a hand over his face before he continued. “And I know it’s stupid and everyone always says it’s stupid of me to care about hair so much-”

“It’s not stupid.” Eddie’s firm tone cut Steve off, and Steve glanced back toward the man through his lashes. Eddie’s jaw is set, firm and unyielding, and Eddie let out a dry laugh. “Fuck man, what has everyone in your life done to you?”

“Huh?”

“You’re… fuck sweetheart, you’re allowed to enjoy things.” Eddie’s voice has gone saccharine sweet, soft and gooey- and the tone has an immediate effect on Steve, making his brain feel all fuzzy and soft. “So, what has everyone in your life done to you?”

Steve doesn’t answer and instead just shrugged again, and it draws a quick intake of breath from Eddie- before the man has pushed himself up and off of Steve’s bed. He’s quick and methodical in his movements, scraping his curls up and off of his neck into a low bun at his nape. Eddie then pulled his boots back on, before he checked his pockets for a moment, and then proceeded to nod to himself. Eddie then extended a hand out to Steve, and wiggled his fingers with a small grin on his face.

“C’mon then, dude. We need to go to the store.”

Steve let his hand meet Eddie’s, and is quick to ignore the flutter in his stomach at the touch. His hands, Eddie’s, are larger than his but the fingers skinnier and calloused from what Steve knows to be years of guitar playing. That, and Eddie now has a pretty decent job at the local mechanic shop, and Steve knows that Eddie enjoys the job. Knows that Eddie likes working with his hands, and Steve tried to ignore the idea of Eddie getting those hands on Steve—

“Stevie?” Eddie snapped his fingers in front of Steve’s eyes, and Steve shook himself out of his revere. Steve sent Eddie a nervous smile, and he tried to ignore the flush of heat he can feel under his cheeks at the soft coo that Eddie let out. “You okay, sweetheart?”

“Mhm,” Steve bobbed his head in a quick nod, even when Eddie hummed before he moved as to grab the pair of Nikes that Steve had on earlier in the day. “Where are we uh, headed?”

“You and I-” Eddie moved back to Steve, and he curled a hand around Steve’s right ankle before he pulled- which caused Steve to unsteadily rock back, before he clamped a firm hand on Eddie’s shoulder. “I gotcha don’t ya worry baby-” Eddie murmured, soft and saccharine again, before he continued on as if Steve’s heart isn’t about to beat out of his chest. Eddie worked Steve’s Nike onto his foot, methodical in tying the laces tight, double-knotted just like Steve does. “You and me are gonna make our way out to Anderson for the afternoon.”

“But why?”

Eddie just sighed, soft and slow at Steve’s softly asked question, before he grabbed at Steve’s left foot, and set about slipping the other shoe onto it. Eddie took a moment, made sure to tie the laces of the shoe tight, before he stood back up so he could peer down slightly at Steve. Steve doesn’t move as Eddie pinched Steve’s chin soft in between his thumb and pointer, before Eddie slightly shook Steve’s face from side to side.

It’s enough that something in Steve just burns.

“Because Anderson has a nice and big hair supply shop in it, and we’re gonna go spend a little bit of government hush money there.” Eddie cooed, his voice soul-achingly sweet again, and Steve forced himself to swallow down the saliva that had been quick to pool in his mouth at Eddie’s tone. “And then when we’re done, I’ll drive us back here and you can do anything you want to my hair.”

“Anything?” Steve croaked, eyes wide as he kept his eyes on Eddie’s from under his lashes. Eddie’s smile is gleaming, and Eddie hummed quietly as he nodded himself.

“Absolutely anything, sweet thing.”

Steve Harrington knows hair, and he knows that.

And he also knows that his friends completely like to tease him about it, well, it’s seems like except for Eddie. So Steve let himself smile and nod, and he reveled in the way that Eddie grinned- a quick flash of teeth as he pinched a little firmer at the meat of Steve’s chin, before he let go.

“Atta boy.”

-

just a little sacrifice to the tumblr readmore gods

[userchai]

Hey Batty, can we get Steve teaching Eddie how to eat reader out? maybe he makes Eddie lay down right next to him so he can see the way Steve runs his tongue against reader!

((also, loving all the content you’ve been uploading lately, you’re my favorite writer!))

Pass The Eggnog

Steddie x Fem!Reader Smut

wordcount: 2.2K

thank you so much for this request nonny, I had so much fun writing this! feedback is always welcome! 18+ only!

warnings- cunnilingus, mlm, threesome, drunkenness, spit, cum, degradation, mfm, Steve x Eddie. Dom steve. Steve slaps Eddie once. please come to me with anything I may have missed!!

You weren’t one for eggnog, but how could you pass it up when Eddie was standing next to you, a devilish grin overtaking his handsome face, as he held a Christmas mug with cute gingerbread men towards you. “Cmon sugar, this is good eggnog.” He said, laughing as you wrinkled your nose at him and rolled your eyes. “I know why it’s ’good’ Eddie you’ve spiked it.” You say, leaning back onto Steve as he wraps his toned arms around your middle, pulling you close. “Exactly, what’s a Christmas party without spiked eggnog anyway? So Sorry Stevie, but your parties aren’t quite what they once were.” Steve huffs behind you, his ego taking a hit as he acts nonchalant at the comment. “Whatever Munson, give me another one of those, if I’m going to make it through the night with you I need to be drunk.” Eddie smiles and grabs another glass of his ‘specialty’ as he liked to call it, walking over to Steve and bowing down to him while holding the glass high above his head. “Oh King Steve, please accept this lowly peasants’ offering.” Steve snatched it out of his hands, downing it quickly as Eddie laughed wildly, standing back up to lean back against the kitchen counter.

Most of the people that had bothered to show up to the party had left hours ago, leaving you with Steve and Eddie. Steve had dropped Dustin off at his house before coming back home, the three of you standing in the kitchen drinking more and more as the hours passed. Your mind felt fuzzy as you listened to another argument that Eddie and Steve were engaged in, you didn’t know what it was about, having zoned out at the start of it. You only snapped back to reality when Steve nudged you, looking at you expectantly with his honey brown eyes. “What?” You say, glancing between the both of them, noticing a blush breaking out across Eddie’s cheeks.

“Seems like Eds has a crush on you baby.” Steve whispers against your ear, leaning his chin down until it touches your shoulder, you glance back at Eddie, your brain swimming with thoughts that you couldn’t quite decipher because of the alcohol coursing its way through your body. “Y-you do?” You say timidly, as Eddie nods shyly, twirling a piece of his curls between his pointer finger and thumb before chewing on the end nervously. You stand in the middle of the Harrington’s kitchen confused, and slightly in shock, how had they even gotten on the subject of Eddie liking you? More importantly, how was Steve not blowing a fuse right now at the idea of his best friend liking you? You turn around and look at Steve, moving some of his hair away from his eyes from where it had fallen down from its gelled up perfection. “What do you think about that baby?” You ask, nervously chewing your lip as you feel chills run through your body, you could feel Eddie staring at you from where he stood behind you. Your breath was caught in your throat as a dark look passed over Steve’s features.

You slowly back up as Steve advances towards you and Eddie, he walks you back until you’re pressed up against the kitchen counter. Your bodies smashed up against each other as he leans down close to your face, your noses bumping against each other. You hold your breath In anticipation of what he could possibly say about this whole situation, your question was quickly answered as Steve grabbed Eddie’s hand, bringing it towards you, placing it behind you against the swell of your ass. Your eyes widen as you look up at him. “I think this is all I’ve wanted for a long time, baby. We’ve talked about this before… Eddie and I.” Steve whispers looking over at the older man, who couldn’t stop shuffling around from his nerves, his hand trembling against your body as Steve gripped it, not allowing him to move.

You hold completely still as Steve leans down towards your ear again, smirking as he glances at Eddie, “The two of you have about ten seconds to get in my room, and strip your clothes off or you’ll suffer the consequences. Do you want this princess?” He asks, even in situations where he was full of nothing but pure lust he always made sure you were comfortable with what was going on. You nod, squeezing your legs together as Eddie moves his hand down lower, squeezing your flesh, his rings pressing harshly against you. “Y-yes Sir, I want this, want you and Eddie.” You whimper out.

———————————————————————

You couldn’t fully grasp what was going on, other than hands touching you absolutely everywhere, Eddie’s rings leaving marks on your skin from how hard he was gripping onto you. Your bodies pressed against each other as you made out slowly, the way he kissed was different from Steve, but in the best ways. His lips were soft, the stubble around his top lip was scratching against you, tickling you and causing a delicious friction you couldn’t get enough of. Steve was standing at the foot of his bed, watching you and Eddie helplessly grinding against each other, his own hard on was straining against his sweats, creating a wet patch in the fabric, making it stick to his body uncomfortably. He would think of himself in a minute, for now he was enjoying the show. Sweet little virgin Eddie, pussy drunk already, and all you were doing was kissing him.

“Look at the both of you, pathetic little sluts aren’t you?” Steve all but growls out as he makes his way onto the bed next to you, reaching down to make you stop kissing Eddie. You whine at the loss of his lips against yours, but before you can protest even further Steve’s telling you to open your mouth. You throb at his words, knowing what was coming as you tilt your chin up to him, sticking your tongue out as far as you can. He spits directly onto it before two of his fingers are fucking into the back of your throat. “See that Eds? She’s a good little pet, does anything I ask of her. If you’re my good boy I’ll let you have her however you want.” Steve says, holding back a laugh at Eddie’s lust blown eyes, his lips raw from kissing, curls wild and tangled from where your hands were gripping them. He nods dumbly and watches as you drool and gag around Steve’s long fingers. Steve chuckles as he slaps Eddie’s face with the hand that isn’t in your mouth, gripping it between his fingers and making Eddie meet his gaze. “Wanna learn how to eat her pretty pussy? I know you do, it’s so good baby, let me show you.” He says, grabbing you and pushing you off of Eddie, pinning your body down as he works your skirt down your legs quickly. Eddie sits up quickly, his chest heaving from how hard he was breathing. He watches as you and Steve strip his clothes off, yours having been partially taken off before Steve came into the bedroom. You turn to meet his gaze, his brown eyes now black, you smile at him and bite your lip as Steve spreads your legs, motioning for Eddie to come closer. The cold air against your pussy heightens your senses, you were soaked, it was all over the inside of your thighs, running down onto the bed underneath you, ruining the sheets. You sit up on your elbows and watch as Eddie and Steve lay on their stomach’s in front of you.

“I’ll go first, so you can see exactly how she likes it, and then I’m gonna hold your head against her until you’re absolutely soaked in her cum. Is that what you want, pretty boy?” Steve asks, Eddie nodding pathetically next to him, holding onto one of your legs gently and turning his eyes upon you, “You’re so pretty.” He whispers out, your heart beating harder at his sweet words, you couldn’t tell if it was the alcohol making him feel this way towards you, but you didn’t care right now, you just wanted both of them to ruin you. You hold your breath as Steve blows warm air against the inside of your thighs, his lips grazing against you close enough to where you need him but not letting you get what you really want. You tremble as he gently runs his fingers through your slit, running them up to the top of your pussy, spreading the lips apart before he’s moaning, smiling up at you. “There’s that pretty little clit, look how hard it is, is that all because of Eddie baby?” You moan out, clenching around nothing as you nod, your mind already floating through space as you feel him spit right against your clit before he’s wrapping his soft lips around you, sucking like it’s the last thing he would ever do.

Your loud moans echo around the room, followed by Steve pulling back to whisper praises every few seconds, edging you as he licks from your hole up to your clit over and over again. Eddie’s eyes are locked onto Steve’s mouth against you, his cock aching he was sure he could cum just from watching this. He’s rutting against the bed softly, trying to relieve some of the pressure. Steve pulls back, a string of his spit connecting from his lips to your pussy, Eddie leaning over and sucking it off of his bottom lip, moaning as Steve kisses him. Their tongues dance against each other as you watch. “Fuck, Eddie, Steve, oh my god.” You breathe out, feeling close to tears at the loss of Steve’s mouth against you. “I think she needs you now, cmon.” Steve mumbles against Eddie, scooting over and pushing Eddie’s face towards you, smiling as Eddie whines at the harsh grip Steve has on his hair. Eddie’s tongue lolls out of his mouth, as you push your hips down toward him and attempt to feel anything, he wraps his inked arms around your legs, pulling you down and timidly licking a fat stripe up to your clit. You were so worked up at this point it hurt and all you could think about was cumming on Eddie’s face.

———————————————————————-

Eddie lapped against your pussy like a starved man. His long tongue pushing inside of you reaching places Steve hadn’t been able to get to with his own tongue. “Fuck me Eddie please!” You cry out, your legs shaking as he pushes them farther apart, exposing you to him, allowing him access to devour you however he pleased. “Steve m-must be a good teacher.” You whisper out laughing slightly, Steve smiles against your neck from his position next to you, kissing you gently on your soft spot. “Maybe baby, but I think Eddie was just that hungry for you, he’s never even fucked a pussy before and he already has you about to cum.” He said, laughing darkly. Eddie groans from his position as you and Steve talk about him like he’s not even there. You let out a particularly loud moan when Steve attaches his mouth to one of your nipples, your back arching up, “Can’t anymore, gonna cum, gonna cum, fuck I’m cumming.” You gasp out, Eddie pulls away in shock as your orgasm overtakes you, you’re on another planet as you soak his mouth, he sticks his tongue out trying to catch every last drop as he moans obscenely.

Your whole body trembles as you reach for the both of them, silently asking for them to kiss you, Eddie crawls up next to you and takes turns kissing you, smiling as he watches you kiss Steve softly. “That was the hottest thing I’ve ever done.” He says, leaning over to kiss Steve when he pulls away from you. Steve smiles right back at him as they pull away from each other. “Who said we’re done, Big Boy?” He says, taunting Eddie with the nickname that he gave to Steve. A smile creeps its way onto your face as you lean back against the headboard, “Go on then boys, put on a show for me.” You say, Steve raises his eyebrows at your boldness shaking his head a little before he’s kissing your cheek gently, whispering how much he loves you into your ear. You gently rub his arm before pushing him towards Eddie, you knew they had wanted each other for a long time, and getting to watch this play out had to be the hottest thing you’d ever seen. Steve goes to grab Eddie, but before he can Eddie is leaning up towards you, kissing you softly before whispering a thank you, allowing Steve to pull him away, their bodies tangling together as they kiss. The roles have suddenly reversed and now it’s you telling them how they’re your good boys, telling them how slutty they are and laughing at the whines that escape their mouths. Their hands exploring places they never thought they would be able to as they float away in a peaceful bliss of each other. Smiling over at you every now and then and blowing you kisses.

Eddie was wrong, you thought. Steve still knew how to throw a hell of a party, he just needed a little spiked eggnog.

tag list 🏷️

@slutty-thevampireslayer @justsheerfilth1 @girlfuckthatwhore @lithium80sblog

[strangersteddierthings]

February 1

rating: G cw: none prompt: Love is letting someone take care of you

It wasn't a lesson Eddie learned easily, or all that willingly. No one had cared for him after his Mama had died. Not for a long time after.

He dad likes to pretend he'd tried. When Eddie was feeling generous, he'd even say he agreed. His parents were so in love it was almost sickening. Losing her must have broken the part of his Dad that knew how to love fully. He didn't turn mean, not like some dads did, but he definitely cared more about his next scheme than he did about the kid that looked too much like his Mama.

Wayne taught him that people who care about you take care of you. They take care of you when you're barely nine and have burned yourself on the stove twice this week, even if you think you should have learned after the first time. They take care of you when you've been caught stealing candy from Melvald's, and skipping school, and flunking senior year (and then doing that again), and even when people accuse you of murder.

Wayne has taught him that people that really, really love you are there when you need them, care for you when you need them.

And Eddie's heart aches that no one seems to have taught Steve that.

Eddie's trying. He steps in to help with "babysitting" duties, especially when Steve looks particularly run down. He started inserting himself into the Platonic Soulmate thing Steve and Robin have going because he wants to be an established replacement Temporary Soulmate while Robin's at college. (Being fair, this was Robin's suggestion. She's worried about how he'll be when she's not around to look after him.)

He's started hanging out with Steve without Robin, too. They get along well, it turns out. Eddie loves to talk and Steve loves to listen. But, more importantly, Eddie's good at getting Steve to talk. As a rule in general, Eddie isn't a good listener, but he could listen to Steve read him the phone book and never be bored. He tries to take an interest in Steve's hobbies. He doesn't have the hand/eye coordination for basketball, or the lungs for swimming laps, but he does have the energy to keep going even when he's bad at those things.

Steve seems to appreciate it, if the soft smiles he gives Eddie is any indication.

And it's not all up hill. Steve's got hangups that seem to crop up when he thinks he's failed at something. He's got a quick temper but it's never physical anger. He's only ever yelled at Eddie twice, and being fair, that first was deserved. Eddie's pushed too far, in his desire to help, not knowing the limit yet.

Eddie gets pissy, too, he's no saint, either.

There's been no fight they haven't gotten through, though.

But the lesson, the thing Wayne was really trying to teach him, comes when Steve gets sick.

No one but Robin has ever seen him sick. She's off at college now and it's just Eddie, fumbling to make soup and not dribble water down Steve's front while he holds the glass Steve is too weak to and Eddie forgot to get some straws at the store.

Steve tried to get him to leave only once. It was the third day in a row Eddie was there.

"You don't have to be here, you know," Steve had whispered, throat still feeling like he ate glass.

Eddie just met his eye and gave a small smile, "I do know."

Steve looks surprised, which is ridiculous, because he had to of known the answer Eddie would give. But then that surprise softens to a new look. Sappier, eyes a bit wetter, and Steve must not want him to see because his whole face scrunches with how quickly he shuts his eyes.

Eddie sets the sleeve of saltines down on the night stand and reached for Steve's hand. Just to give it a squeeze.

He finds he can't take his hand back when Steve tangles their fingers together and drags their joined hands to his face, where Steve rests his feverish forehead against Eddie's hand.

Steve teaches him that, yes, love is caring for someone. But sometimes, it's also letting someone else take care of you.

-

@steddielovemonth @i-less-than-three-you @nburkhardt @afewproblems @skepsiss

[steddieunderdogfics]

This week’s writer spotlight feature is:  @wynnyfryd! Wynnyfryd has 34 fics in the Stranger Things fandom and all of them are in the Steddie tag!

i don’t know, you figure it out

Plot Holes

biting you biting you biting you- oh! kissing you!

Satanic Ritual: DO NOT WATCH!!

She's got some of the FUNNIEST writing in this fandom, and it's very snappy too like. She's an editing demon for sure, she can take a concept that I'd think would take paragraphs to explain and find the right words to make it hit just as hard with like, two sentences. I also really really love how descriptive her metaphors are, really visceral sometimes, and she's really good at writing realistic life events but still making them fun to read about even when it's about like, devastating shit. The sex she writes is also intense as hell! -- @griefabyss69

Below the cut, @wynnyfryd answered some questions about their writing process and some of their recommended work!

Why do you write Steddie?

I am but a humble bisexual — I see two beautiful brown-eyed men makin’ beautiful brown eyes at each other, I go a little insane for two years. It is what it is.

What’s your favorite trope to READ?

late-night moments of quiet hopeful hesitant intimacy over a shared joint or cigarette. Thin wisp of smoke between them, stars dancing in their eyes. Yeah. YEAHHHHHHH 

What’s your favorite trope to WRITE?

This isn’t really a trope so much as a dynamic, but I love a good dipshit 4 dingus dialogue-heavy scene. Don’t get me wrong, I think Eddie and Steve can both be very smart and knowledgeable in their areas of interest/expertise, but these are two young dudes with no access to the internet. I love letting them be confidently incorrect dumbasses. Just ‘yes and’-ing each other’s stupidity while an exasperated third character begs for mercy.

What’s your favorite Steddie fic?

Well, this question is impossible and furthermore rude. This question came into my home and didn’t take its muddy boots off. This question never mailed me a thank you letter for my lovely wedding gift. That blender was expensive; the absolute nerve. No but seriously, I think The Lathe by palmviolet is going to stay with me forever.

Is there a trope you’re excited to explore in a future work but haven’t yet?

I’m a big fan of doing canon divergence from different jumping off points — the beauty of having characters live in the same small town their whole lives is that you get so many great opportunities for these “what if our paths crossed sooner” moments.  I have some very loose notes for a S3 fic where Eddie is the movie theater employee who finds Steve and Robin in the bathroom after they escape the Russians, and I also have an old WIP set between S1 and S2 where lifeguard Steve rescues Eddie and then spends the summer teaching him how to swim. Would love to revisit those after I finish the trailer park AU (which I will be referring to as TPAU because my fingers are tired and because ‘toilet paper au’ makes me laugh.)

What is your writing process like?

Uhhhhh. 😂 I mean, for TPAU, basically just insert the scene from Dune 2 of Paul’s first sandworm ride: I’m shaking I’m sweating there is sand in my nostrils and I am surely about to die— oh wait, maybe I’ve actually got this? Am I actually doing it? Oh shit, look at me go!   For one-shots I like to use a more structured outline and bracket method. I start by dividing my doc into numbered scenes, with each scene getting a notes section and a prose section, like this:

This format gives me a lot of freedom to switch up the order of scenes and to move between scenes so I avoid writer’s block. I can also jump ahead to scenes I really want to write without making a mess of my outline. Once I have something written in the prose section of each scene, I go back and work on replacing each bracket with prose until there are no brackets left. Lastly, I create a new blank doc and copy the prose over in order so I can read the full fic and work on edits from there.  

Do you have any writing quirks?

I have been known to abuse a semicolon. And an em dash. And a conjunction at the start of a sentence. Yes, I do have ADHD.   I’m also a lyricist, so I feel like my prose tends to stray into poetry territory pretty often.

Do you prefer posting when you’ve finished writing or on a schedule?

When I’m finished! Which is probably why I tend to stick to one-shots; I get impatient and want to post stuff the second it’s ready.

Which fic are you most proud of?

‘i don’t know, you figure it out’ for SURE. I’ve never written a fic this long or stuck to a writing project this consistently in my life. Like ever. The last time I even came close was my first NaNoWriMo when I was 16, which was, uh… years ago, plural, and I’ll leave it at that. 😂

How did you get the idea for i don’t know, you figure it out?

“There’s a dead rat on his doorstep.” That’s it. That first sentence/scene popped into my head while I was bored at work, and then I started thinking, “hey, you know what? I don’t know that anyone’s ever done a fic where Max and Steve trade places for S4; that might be fun.”  And then NaNoWriMo was coming up, so I thought it would be cool to try live posting a fully improvised fic every day for a month to see how many words I could write. And then this tragic wet cat version of Steve Harrington grabbed me by the throat and took over my whole life.

When writing Satanic Ritual: DO NOT WATCH!!, what was something you didn’t expect?

How SAPPY these two got!! My god, boys, I’m trying to write smut over here, stop having a beautiful existential crisis! (I blame Briston Maroney for that though lol, I think I listened to ‘Body’ like 1400 times that month.)

What inspired Satanic Ritual: DO NOT WATCH!!?

@inklessletter posted this totally gorgeous art of Steve and Eddie recording themselves kissing, and I promptly lost my mind.  

What was your favorite part to write from biting you biting you biting you- oh! kissing you!?

This exchange: Steve: “What? I’m just asking!” Robin: “You’re being embarrassing!” Steve: “No, you’re just embarrassed. There’s a difference.” Like it’s just so them lmao

How do/did you feel writing i don’t know, you figure it out?

You know when you set out on a long hike in the summer and three hours later your calves are screaming and you’re covered in sweat and your sunburn’s starting to itch and this one horse fly won’t fuck off and your cell phone doesn’t even get service out here so literally WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO YOURSELF, and then you climb that last hill and look out on the most beautiful landscape you’ve ever seen in your silly little life? Basically that.

What was the most difficult part of writing Plot Holes?

Ooh, that one was fun! The only real difficulty was trying to keep it to a microfic because the concept could definitely be fleshed out to a full story — @griefabyss69 and I were joking around about “what if someone did ‘plot hole’ for the @steddiemicrofic prompt fill?” and then that fic just fell out of my head in about 15 minutes. 

Do you have a favorite scene and/or line from any of your fics?

For sure! I’m currently super proud of the graveyard scene in the most recent update of TPAU — I don’t write true horror often, but I love horror so it was really fun to give it a try! Favorite line from any fic is probably this reference to ‘You’re Divine’ in my fic Monsoon Season because I love uncomfortably-aroused prude Eddie, and his internal monologue cracks me up every time I think about it: Freddie Monsoon’s debut novel is called The Fourth Chime, and it is, as far as Eddie can tell, the first installment in a series of unapologetically filthy fuck fests about a man whose lover gets flung into an alternate dimension during an apocalyptic event and miraculously returns as some sort of… sexy bat-boy with a fucking horse dong and a bite kink. Critics are calling it “the most romantic novel of the last decade.” It’s me; I’m Critics.

Do you have any upcoming projects or fics you’d like to share/promote?

My main project right now is finishing TPAU if it kills me, but beyond that, I have a few one-shots for @subeddieweek in the works, including a collab with @griefabyss69 that I’m so so SO excited to share. It’s hot, it’s funny, I can’t wait for y’all to read it. 

Outside of these questions, Is there anything YOU would like to add?

First of all, as @wormdebut would say: I think you’re pretty. Thank you so much for all your hard work! I love this blog, and I love answering questions <3 Secondly: - Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. - Toss cubed sweet potatoes and parsnips, sliced sweet onion, and fresh garlic in a mix of olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary, and then spread in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet.  - Bake for ~40-45 minutes. (Potatoes and parsnips should be soft without being mushy when you poke them with a fork.) - Prep your sauce: I made a dijon drizzle situation by mixing olive oil mayo, a dash of dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a splash of water, but you could also add a little dab of hot sauce, bbq sauce, or different mustards. Basically just grab like four condiments out of your fridge and play around with the flavors you like until you make a mix that’s thin enough to pour. - Drizzle roasted veggies with sauce. - Enjoy a very tasty side dish (or do what I did and eat the whole sheet as a meal like some sort of parsnip goblin because you were too lazy to make the main dish after chopping all those veggies) okay thank you love you byeeeee

Thank you to our author, @wynnyfryd, and our nominator, @griefabyss69! See more of Wynnyfryd's works featured on our page throughout the day!

Writer’s Spotlight is every Wednesday! Want to nominate an author? You can nominate them here!

[rebelspykatie]

Royalty AU where Steve becomes king after his parents die and they set up an arranged marriage proposal with Nancy before they passed away. He goes to visit her with Robin. Steve is overwhelmed and doesn’t really want to get married at all, but definitely not to Nancy. Robin’s crush on Nancy is glaringly obvious and he starts to feel guilty about being the one that gets to marry her.

So he starts hiding in the stables and riding the horses to get away from the palace. Nancy’s stable hand Eddie notices and thinks Steve is being a little shit for not asking if he can go out riding, until he catches him coming back with tear stained eyes. He doesn’t say anything to him the first time, but it keeps happening. 

He finally talks to him and has a moment where he goes uh oh this guy is great, repeatedly telling himself not to fall for a betrothed king. He respects Nancy and doesn’t want to get in the way of this arrangement, but he feels something for Steve so fast. He finds out that Steve isn’t crying over his dead parents, who he actually really resented especially now that he’s caught up in this agreement, but over the situation with Nancy and Robin.

They start taking rides together and get lost in the woods for hours, sometimes having picnics, sometimes swimming in the lake. Eddie’s favorite is when he teaches Steve how to toss knives. He gets close under the guise of showing Steve how to do it, pressing their bodies close together and just breathing Steve in.

Robin brings up his relationship with Eddie one night and Steve just has a complete breakdown, crying over the expectations put upon him by his parents, the weight of running a whole kingdom on his own, and his unexpected feelings for Eddie. Robin opens up about her feelings for Nancy and they hold each other while they cry, thinking it’s hopeless.

Meanwhile, Nancy is scheming with Eddie to figure out how they can switch partners and get out of the royal arrangement. Nancy is meeting with legal advisors and having tea with dignitaries of both kingdoms to discuss the impact their severed relationship would have on trade relations and public approval of Steve if he marries someone not noble. Robin is a royal of some kind like a lady or duchess, so Nancy should be fine. Steve is all alone in his kingdom, so she wants to make sure he’ll be okay.

Eddie is speed running through royal lessons with Mike and Will, learning everything he can about Steve’s kingdom. He starts taking sword lessons from Nancy. When they finally confront Steve and Robin with their plan, both of them sit there in shock clutching each other and it’s like there’s one brain cell pinging back and forth between them as they simultaneously come to the conclusion that it means their crush likes them back.

When Eddie goes back with Steve, there’s an official celebration for their newly announced engagement. Once Eddie settles in, Steve finds out about the sword lessons and suggests Eddie become a knight, where he meets the group tasked with protecting Steve and the kingdom from danger. Dustin, Erica, Lucas and Max are Steve’s personal protection squad.

[harmonictechnicality]

Right - so we all know and love, ‘can you teach me how to shotgun?’ Steve and Eddie makeout scenes.

But may I suggest, ‘there’s a heatwave in Hawkins so we should freeze-kiss each other’ Steve and Eddie makeout scenes.

Like it’s so damn hot in Hawkins, even the air conditioning unit in Steve Harrington’s rich, suburban home isn’t working.

Steve and Eddie planned to hang out all day. Swimming in the pool or watching reruns of whatever is on tv that afternoon…

But the scorching heat is making it impossible to do anything besides laying flat on the floor.

As the day goes on, Eddie gets badly burnt and Steve tries to cheer him up.

“The redness just makes your tattoos look way more badass.” He tells him, while grabbing extra ice packets out of the cooler.

“This is hopeless, Harrington.” Eddie takes the ice, setting it over the burn on his thigh.

“What’s hopeless?”

“Savoring the chill hangout we were supposed to have today. It’s fucking brutal out there.”

But Steve doesn’t want to stop hanging out with Eddie. His hair is sticking to the back of his neck and his clothes are a pound heavier from how drenched he is.

So yeah, he feels gross as hell. But he wants Eddie to stay so they can be cranky and miserable together.

Eddie downs another water bottle, let’s it crackle into his fist.

“I hate summer.” He grumbles tossing the empty bottle aimlessly.

“You hate all of summer, just because of one heatwave?” Steve teases.

Eddie rolls onto his stomach and scoffs. “Yeah - because practically every day has been hot and sticky and gross.”

“Yeah well…” Steve shrugs. “That’s how this season typically goes.”

“It just sucks because I had plans.”

“Plans?”

“Yeah.” Eddie gets up, inspects their drink supply. “And they were good too - you would’ve loved them.”

“How do you know that I - personally - would’ve loved these mysterious plans?”

Eddie hides a smile through tucked lips. “Cause they heavily involved you. And I know just how self-absorbed you can be.”

“I do love shit that involves me.” Steve can’t deny it even a little. Loves to be the center-sun of everyone else’s solar system.

Hates the actual sun right now though.

“Out with it, Munson.” He kicks at Eddie’s bare foot with his own. Because socks of any kind during this weather would’ve be outrageous.

Eddie walks back over, tossing his hair into a messy ponytail.

“I was finally gonna put my moves on you.”

“Put your moves on me? Who are you - John Travolta?”

“Would you be into that?” Eddie snaps back with a grin.

Steve attempts to swat away how flustered that just made him. Stampers his words a bit before recovering. “So what was your move gonna be?”

Eddie tilts his head to the side. “I was gonna ask if you wanted me to teach you how to shotgun smoke to each other.”

Oh shit. Steve already knows how to do that - he learned after homecoming freshman year.

But he totally would’ve played dumb so that he’d have an excuse to kiss Eddie.

“However, there’s no way in hell I’m smoking a joint right now - it’s way too hot for that shit.” Eddie determines, sorta saddened by that fact.

Steve glances at the ice pack on Eddie’s thigh (okay, he was looking at Eddie’s thigh and the ice pack just happened to be there - but whatever).

He gets an idea.

“I have a game to help us cool off maybe.”

“Oh yeah?” Eddie looks mildly interested again. “Spill it, Harrington.”

Steve sits next to the cooler, motioning for Eddie to join him. “It’s called freeze-kiss.”

Eddie blinks hard. “What are the rules?”

Steve takes in a breath, letting it out as he explains:

“You set a timer. Put a piece of ice in your mouth and pass it back-and-forth to the other person’s mouth until melts. Then you check the timer to see how long it lasted.”

Eddie rolls his eyes, tries to cover the goofy smile on his face with his hand. “That sounds a lot like a make-out game.”

“Oh, and shotgunning isn’t a make-out game?”

“You got me there.” Eddie admits. He picks up a piece of ice from the cooler, placing it between his teeth. “Are we’re doing this or what?”

Steve sets the timer on his watch and leans in.

“We’re definitely doing this.”

Eddie closes his mouth around the ice and bends lower to meet Steve in the middle.

At first, Eddie let’s it be just that. A kiss.

No ice. No game. Just their lips that are damp from sweat and the lingering bits of water off the ice.

But after they explore what the just-kiss feels like, Eddie opens his mouth and dips Steve’s chin to pass the ice at a better angle.

The coolness of the ice is mixing with the warmth of Eddie’s tongue. Steve can’t compute which temperature feels better anymore. Just needs more of both sensations.

Steve takes the ice fully, closing his mouth around it and chasing Eddie’s lips back over his own. The kiss is extra wet now from how melty it’s all getting from this heat.

The summer heat, sure. But right now, it’s mostly their heat.

Eddie tugs at Steve’s shirt, impatient to get him closer - even if they’re both sweaty messes. Steve opens his mouth just slightly, yet Eddie’s tongue is already pushing it further. Greedy to take the ice back with no help.

And because Steve is a brat, he closes his mouth over the ice. Refusing to let Eddie take it.

“No fair.” Eddie whines, mouth hovering over Steve’s. Coaxing him to open back up with small little pecks at the corners of his mouth.

Steve holds Eddie by the neck, keeping him still to share the piece again. Eddie opens, taking it quickly, but keeping his tongue over Steve’s longer than the transfer really needed.

There’s not much left to the ice, it’s just a thin layer now being swapped around by tongues and lips and spit. The brief chill moving with it - each of them fighting to feel that polarizing mix of hot and cold back in their mouth.

The ice is long gone by now, but they’re still kissing the same way - as if it were still there. Open mouths and swirling tongues. Nothing has changed except for the point of the kiss in the first.

Now it’s just kissing to kiss.

Steve never even stopped the timer on his watch.

So even though their excuse to kiss has melted away, this moment together is very much frozen in time.

[lisafrnkenstein]

Steve is thirteen when they send him off to summer camp for the first time. It’s not really a summer camp though, it’s a study camp; a glorified summer school — and in Steve’s mind, a punishment specifically for all the kids who get bad grades.

He drags his suitcase into the door of his cabin, and peeks curiously into the other bed there to see who he’s going to be bunking with for the next two months.

What he’s greeted with is a head of long, curly hair, and a set of big, brown eyes perched over a freckled nose.

Steve swallows thickly in shock. The rooms are co-ed?!

Steve runs a nervous hand through his hair, a habit as much as it is an effort to smooth back his humidity-frazzled do, and he straightens his shoulders.

“Hi,” He says, extending an open palm. “I’m Steve. And you’re…cute.”

Those eyes grow even wider in surprise, but the kid takes his hand and shakes it.

“I really like your hair,” Steve says. “It’s pretty.”

“I, uh - um,” The kid says, throat clearing. “I’m Eddie.”

Steve blinks.

“You’re -“

Eddie takes in his dumbfounded expression, and he throws his head back in a barking laugh.

“Dude! Did you think I was a girl?!”

Steve can feel his cheeks grow warm, and he looks down at his feet, too embarrassed to even make eye contact.

Eddie peers up at him, his mouth still twitching.

“Fine, let’s make it even then. I think you’re cute too.”

That gets Steve to look up, and he catches the playful expression on Eddie’s face, unable to help himself from matching it with a hesitant smile.

“So what are you in here for?” Eddie asks, flopping back on his bed and patting it in signal for Steve to join him.

“Ugh,” Steve pouts, his nose wrinkling as he sits down. “English. Writing and spelling sucks, and I hate reading. How about you?”

“Math,” Eddie sighs. “I’d gladly take writing and spelling and reading over numbers that just get all jumbled up and make no sense.”

“What!” Steve squawks. “But math is the easiest! It always stays the same and you follow the same rules for every problem!”

“Say,” Eddie says, mouth quirking up. “Sounds like we could help each other out.”

Steve looks down where Eddie has jutted his hand out, a mirror to his own earlier greeting.

“Alright,” Steve agrees, shaking it.

Hand in hand, pack made, seals the fate of two boys stuck in camp that summer. They spend their free time from then on bonding, hard and fast.

Skinned knees and swimming lessons. Shared homework, and Eddie reading aloud from all the books he’d brought with him. Sneaking into the kitchens, when all the counselors are turned in, to steal snacks — sweet and salty treats alike, that they giggle over while they construct pillow forts between their sides of the room.

Eddie shows Steve how to strum a few chords on a beat up acoustic that one of the adults brought with them to play around the campfire, and Steve teaches Eddie how to avoid getting tagged in capture the flag.

They swap clothes when they run out of clean things and don’t feel like washing just yet, Steve in Eddie’s flannel one week, and Eddie in Steve’s t-shirts the next.

Steve shows Eddie the best way to capture bugs without hurting them, from butterflies to ants to larger beetles. Eddie shows him the best way to set them loose in other cabins during prank wars.

They take showers at the same time, occupying stalls on opposite sides, both competing to see who can sing the loudest at the top of their lungs while they lather up their hair.

They take canoe trips, with talks of things like birthdays:

“Mine’s on the fourth!”

“No way! Mine is the twenty sixth!”

“That officially makes July the best month.”

And late night conversations, shared after lights out, two boys tucked into the same bed:

“My dad doesn’t care whether or not I pass next year and get into high school,” Eddie whispers. “I think he’s hoping I drop out so I have to come help him run jobs.”

“Mine cares way too much how I do,” Steve whispers back. “Even though he doesn’t really care about anything else. I think I could be dying and he would just ask me how my grades are.”

“Dads are assholes.” Eddie proclaims, and Steve feels a rush of deja-vu out of nowhere.

“Yeah,” he agrees, quietly, his hand slipping into Eddie’s where it rests between their heads. “But who needs ‘em? We got each other now.”

“Forever,” Eddie says back, squeezing his fingers.

Forever, as it turns out, only lasts the duration of camp. They send each other off with tearful goodbyes, promising they’ll see each other in school, their last year together before Eddie graduates up.

But Steve doesn’t see Eddie that year. He tries, again and again, posting himself right beside Eddie’s locker, but the boy never shows himself. If Steve didn’t know any better, he would think it’s because he’s avoiding him.

He asks around, and the teachers all confirm he’s in attendance, at least most of the time. They don’t share any classes though, so it’s hard to catch him when he appears to be taking no extra-curriculars, doesn’t ride the bus, and avoids his locker at all costs. Even lunch he apparently eats in his “secret spot,” which nobody can really tell him the location of, only that it exists.

But Steve’s not one to ever give up on people, so he tries a different approach. He starts writing notes, scribbles of thoughts on scrap pieces of paper that he shoves between the slats of Eddie’s locker. Notes soon graduate to letters, and Steve flexes all the tips Eddie ever gave him on writing; expressing how much he misses him, and still wants to be his friend.

“I’ve never had a friend like you,” He writes. “The only other friend I have is Tommy H. and mostly I’m nice to him because sometimes I think if I didn’t pretend to be his friend, he might get real mean and nasty. But I miss talking to you. I miss telling you secrets. I miss when it was just the two of us in our cabin. I miss you letting me play with your hair, cause honestly it still is the prettiest.”

Steve doesn’t get a reply. He has no way of knowing if Eddie ever got a single thing he wrote, not before the year is up and Eddie is presumably graduated.

The year after Steve spends in a countdown, waiting for the day he gets to the high school. Waiting for a chance to see his friend again, to see if he’s over whatever made him avoid him.

The day rolls around, and Steve sets foot into Hawkins High for the first time, fifteen and just barely grown into his broader shoulders and newly acquired height.

Eddie, on the other hand, is sixteen and still gangly as a newborn colt; all long, skinny legs and knobbly joints, towering over most of the other kids, so Steve spots him easily.

His ears stick off his head like they don’t belong there, no longer hidden by a mass of bushy curls. His hair is shorn short, worse even than a military buzz.

“Eddie!” Steve calls, excited at the sight of him.

Eddie freezes at the sound of his voice, his head turning slowly until he catches Steve down the other end of the hall.

He runs. Books it to the nearest bathroom at a ridiculous speed, and Steve feels his stomach sink as he follows after him, glancing beneath the stall doors until he spies a pair of worn, red sneakers beneath one.

The bell rings and then it’s just them there, late for class.

“Eddie,” Steve says, fighting the hot prick of tears in his eyes. “Can you at least tell me what I did wrong?”

There’s a pause, and then the stall swings open slowly.

“It’s not you, Stevie,” Eddie’s voice croaks. “Never you.”

“Then what?”

“I didn’t,” Eddie trails off, choked up. “I didn’t want you to see me like this.”

Steve doesn’t know how to translate that for a solid twenty seconds, an awkward silence as he tries to make sense of it. And then it clicks.

“Eddie,” He says softly, “It’s just hair.”

Eddie’s face pinches, and then he crumbles.

It’s not pretty; it’s loud and it’s snotty, and there are a few sobbed “missed you”s smeared into Steve’s shirt as Eddie collapses forward, but he doesn’t care; not with Eddie in his arms.

“No one has ever looked at me like you did before,” Eddie heaves between heavy breaths, clutching either sleeve of Steve’s polo. “You said - my hair - you thought I was pretty. I didn’t want that to change. Dad cut it right after I got back and I thought…I don’t know. I didn’t want you to see.”

Steve takes a steadying breath and pulls back, just enough that he can take Eddie’s face between both of his hands.

He’s lost the freckles mostly, but his eyes are just as big as ever, framed with long, dark eyelashes, tears clinging to them.

“Do you think I spent a year cramming notes in your locker because of your hair?” Steve asks.

“Uh -“ Eddie manages, a little stunned.

“I think,” Steve says, clearing his throat and trying not to sound half as awkward as he feels, “That your hair doesn’t matter, because you’re still pretty.”

Eddie’s eyes refill with fresh tears.

“Really?”

Steve carefully swipes under his eyes with his thumbs.

“Mhm. I think - well, maybe not right now, because you’re a little bit gross, but -“ He breaks off into a bit of watery laughter, “But you’re definitely still the prettiest guy I’ve ever seen. You’ve got the cutest eyes in the whole school, and your dad is a fucking asshole for what he did, but it doesn’t change that you’re my best friend.”

Eddie hugs him tight, burying his face into the now soaked material of Steve’s shirt, like he’s afraid to ever let go of him again. And maybe Steve cries a little too, over spending the last two years thinking his best friend hated him.

They work together that year to help Eddie get on his own feet making money — dealing — and Eddie makes enough to get out from his father’s roof so he can grow his hair out again. His uncle is more than happy to make space for Lila’s kid, and doubly so just to keep him away from Al.

Steve is there to see every stage of growth, from messy curls to a chin length bob, and just as pleased to tell him that he still likes it every step of the way, no matter how it looks.

~~~~~~~~~

Steve opens his eyes to the sun streaming in, and just like that, the dream is gone. Torn away by the light permeating behind his eyelids, even as he groans and tries to go back to sleep, to chase the world where he and Eddie…

Steve pops up, sitting ramrod straight.

Where they had been…what? Best friends? Steve doesn’t think sending a year’s worth of locker notes and calling your friend “pretty” looks so strictly platonic, which only serves to make this new dream even weirder.

Eddie is…is his dead friend who was barely even a friend. His fists clench in his bedspread, and he fights against the lump that lodges in his throat as he tries to convince himself of that fact.

But their closeness, the way they had been with each other…it felt so real. It lingers, in a way that leaves Steve short of breath as it collides with reality, this world where Eddie is gone and was never his.

He lays back down, arm extending over the empty space in his bed. His fingers trace the absence of a body that was never there, the phantom feeling of another hand in his wrenching a tight gasp from his lungs.

He wonders what it was he must have done to earn this, that his brain invents new ways to wallow in a misery he should have never known. It’s the second one now that he's remembered, and he feels daunted by the prospect of what that could mean.

read the fic on ao3

[rogueddie]

what if steve likes sports so much because he likes figuring out how to work with rules, and thats why he was involved with so many different sports? as soon as he figured out the rules and got used to them, he got bored. from baseball to swimming to basketball...

and one day, whilst waiting for eddie to come out the shower, wayne asks if he wants to play a game of chess. and he slowly starts teaching steve the rules and hes so curious. so whenever he has free time and wayne is home, he asks if they can play. and he gets very good, very fast. he's not even nerdy smart about it, he just like the strict rules and figuring things out like a puzzle.

[oneforthemunny]

janitor!eddie munson x reader blurb

eddie au where he starts working at hawkins elementary as a janitor. steve is a fourth grade teacher there and gets him the job, something with benefits and better hours than selling weed and working at the plant.

eddie's nervous being in a school. he graduated a few years before and vowed to never go back. it was no secret he'd been severely mistreated in his school days, but steve assured him they were elementary school kids- they wouldn't care.

he finds its a pretty easy job. sweep the halls, scrub the desks from any doodles, change the trash. the worst part is when a kid throws up, but that's not as common as he thought. as it would turn out, elementary school kids are pretty clean and tidy- he supposes it's the age.

they're also pretty sweet. always high-fiving 'mr.munson' in the hallways, and cheering when he'd come in to fix the pencil sharpener. it's the first job eddie has that he looks forward to. especially, when he gets to see you everyday.

steve introduced you two, in the teacher's lounge. eddie was sitting at a table with him, lunch pail with a ham sandwich he'd thrown together that morning. you'd waltzed in, sunshiney and smiley, chatting with another teacher. he'd noticed your skirt, how bright it was, bright and pink, hitting your calves at a respectful length. it made you look so cheery, happy, instantly brightening the space you walked into.

"y/n," steve called, waving at you when you grabbed your lunch bag out of the fridge. eddie's breath caught, feeling like the sandwich doubled in size ever bite he took. you grinned warmly, excusing yourself from the other teachers and walking over to steve.

"hi, steve." you greeted, taking a seat at the round table between the two of them.

"y/n, this is eddie. he just started her as the new custodian." steve said.

eddie wanted to roll his eyes, and give his usual response, "custodian. pssh, quit fancying' it up on my behalf, harrington, I'm a janitor."  but he couldn't. not when you looked over at him, eyes lit up and smiling.

"oh, it's so nice to meet you." you laughed, introducing yourself. eddie wiped his hands on his navy coveralls- the school had insisted he wear- clammy hands shaking yours.

"we're hallmates." steve teased, joining you in a laugh.

"we teach fourth grade. mr. harrington does math and science, and I do language arts and history." you said with a smile so wide eddie couldn't help but match yours.

eddie wanted to reply, but his head was swimming, blushing so furiously he was sure it was rising up his neck. "so, are you from hawkins too?" you asked, looking at eddie.

he nodded, clearing his throat gently. "y-yeah. I went here actually... back in the day. it-it's been a while ago, obviously, you knew that." eddie rambled, running a hand down his face.

you smiled, steve giving eddie a knowing smirk over her shoulder, making eddie blush even more. "a-are you from here? I haven't ever seen you around, but ya know, that doesn't mean anything. I mean, you could've been homeschooled, right? we're you homeschooled?" eddie stammered, mind whirring and buzzing. he couldn't stop rambling, spilling out the words as he looked at you.

you shook you head. "no, I wasn't homeschooled, and I'm not from here." you smiled, and eddie swore he saw you blush a little.

the next few weeks, you two talked in friendly conversation. you always greeted him with a cheery and bright 'hello!'. when he'd get your trash during your planning period, you would chat with him, asking about his weekend. he liked that you didn't fake conversation or ignore him like some of the other teachers did- the one's who remembered the outcasted munson boy from his time there as a child.

it wasn't until one day after school, eddie was pushing his cleaning cart, making his rounds through the classrooms, that he saw you. "hey, eddie?" you called, poking your head out of the classroom.

eddie was surprised you were still here. school had been out for a while, all the other teachers and staff had gone home.

"could I get your help, please?" you asked, biting your lower lip. eddie's heart pounded. "if you're not busy."

eddie pushed his cart to the side, making his way down the hallway to you. he liked that your door was always decorated, pictures that your student's had drawn surrounding your name and room number, colorful and inviting on the usual dull, wooden door.

"surprised you're still here." eddie grinned.

you laughed, shrugging softly. "yeah, well, I've been doing this," you pushed the door open, revealing the classroom.

eddie's eyes bulged, your room looked like a red and pink bomb had gone off in it. paper mache hearts, painted cupid's from the 60's, construction paper links of red and pink draping each of the student's desk.

"wow," eddie said, looking around him.

you smiled sheepishly. "I've been a little busy, can you tell?" you giggled.

eddie gaped, fingers trailing over the lace doilies around the hearts. "you, uh, you like valentine's day, huh?" he asked.

you shrugged. "it's alright. I'm sure it better when you have someone to share it with." eddie's head whipped around, shocked. no way you were single.

"I just like to go big like this for holidays, all holidays. it makes the kids happy, especially in the cold months. they always get kinda sluggish and sad, so if I can do this to make them happy, then I will." you said simply.

eddie smiled. "your kids are real lucky to have you." he said. "I woulda killed for a teacher like you. I had teachers like mrs. burns." he shuddered. you cringed slightly. that pre-historic woman was still teaching. eddie had thought he was being haunted when he first saw her this year.

"I- thank you." you said, blushing, hiding your smile. "I had a teacher once, ms. mccason, and she really inspired me to be a teacher. she was always so fun, and exciting, made me actually want to come to school." you gushed. eddie watched you, carefully, happily. he liked seeing you like this.

"she would decorate like this, and- oh!" you turned, grabbing some of your decorations. "that's why I needed help, actually. she would always hang the decorations from the ceiling, and I thought that was the coolest thing, and I wanted to do that, but I can't exactly reach to put the cupid's up." you said, looking at eddie hopefully.

eddie nodded, pulling out a chair, stepping carefully onto it with his heavy work boots before pushing up on the ceiling tile. you handed him one by one, chatting with him as you went. about school, how he met steve, what you liked to do outside of school, even eddie's band.

"I play at the hideout, sometimes." eddie said, hanging the last one before stepping down. "uh, you should come sometime."

your eyes lit up. "yeah?" you asked.

eddie nodded, cheeks flaming. "yeah. I-i mean, if you want to." he blushed. "we play every tuesday. sometimes we get the thursday or friday spot. just depends if tony's being a dick or not." he muttered and you giggled.

"yeah, I'd love to come sometime." you smiled, swaying slightly, hands clasped in front of you.

"cool." eddie grinned. "I'd love to see you there."

you had gone, the next tuesday. steve joined you with his friend robin and dustin, two mutual friends of eddie as well. the three of you made up most of the crowd, but eddie didn't mind. he was just happy you'd showed up.

the two of you stayed crowded in a booth, even after everyone else left, sharing beers and giggly stories. you didn’t care that it was a school night, too caught up in eddie. he kissed you when he walked you to your car that night, boozy and blushy, stammering apologies and wide eyed when he pulled away.

you grinned, pressing a kiss to his cheek. on friday, you had your valentine’s day party. students hyper on exchanged candies, little cards tucked away in their handmade boxes.

you stayed late, pulling down decorations before the weekend, perking up when you heard eddie’s cart squeak and wheel down the hallway.

“need any help?” eddie asked, leaning in the doorway.

he helped you pull down each decoration, sharing heart shaped suckers and conversation hearts that were left in your own valentine’s day box.

“oh,” you said, spinning around, and opening the top drawer of your desk. “I almost forgot.”

you handed a small, red envelope over to him. your pretty writing scrawled on the top.

‘to: eddie’ with a small heart besides his name.

he’d blushed, laughing when he opened it. a cartoon guitar with flames and hearts that read, ‘you rock, valentine!’ in obnoxiously large font. beneath it, you’d scribbled a little note.

‘thanks for the best night out. you do rock. wondering if you’re free saturday?’ your number in the following lines.

eddie looked up wide eyed at you. you winked, blushing towards him. “if you want to go out again.” you shrugged. “I’d love to spend valentine’s day with you. maybe go to the movies? or the bowling alley?”

eddie nodded, blabbering yes while blushing so hard he was sure his cheeks would melt right onto the ground.

you waited for him to lock up, walking you to your car. he promised to call the next morning, and he did. when he showed up at your little town house, he greeted you with a dozen red roses, his blushing cheeks matching them.

[alivingfire]

he'll see i'm not so tough

a @steddiebang fic

author: alivingfire artist: @knitsforthetrail betas: hibiscus & @hamiltonsteele

150k | explicit | tags: steve as kas the betrayer; secret relationship since s2 planned posting dates: november 21-december 2

When Steve gets trapped in the Upside Down, Vecna offers him a deal: become lieutenant of the monster armies and gain some of Vecna’s power, in exchange for being the bait to lure his friends back to rescue him. Steve takes the deal, believing wholeheartedly in the Party’s ability to save him and finally kill Vecna, but discovers quickly that his power to infiltrate the memories and dreams of people in the real world is very limited; in fact, he can only visit one person in his new monster form. 

Thus begins Steve’s haunting of Eddie Munson, who, coincidentally, has been in love with Steve since they started secretly hooking up after a Halloween party in 1984.

“Something wrong, Munson?” says a voice, and Eddie yelps and rolls out of bed. 

When he pops up on the other side, he sees a very alive Steve Harrington perched on his own bedroom windowsill. His face is exaggeratedly wild and sharp, and his hair is windswept. His skin is silvery-blue in the moonlight. His fingernails are dark and long and curved like claws. He’s in a Hawkins Swim t-shirt and light wash Levi’s, and there’s dried blood on his bare arms.  

He’s like the film negative of a boy Eddie knows by heart, like a cover version of his favorite song.  

And then he smiles, and his teeth are sharp.   

“Hey, babe,” Steve says. “Did you miss me?” 

Eddie, bravely, faints. 

longer excerpt under the cut:

The vine around his left wrist uncurls, and Steve lifts that arm automatically to see his palm glowing like a lantern, and more than a dozen strings of light shooting straight up at the sky. The strings are golden-hot and hard to look at, too much on Steve’s overloaded senses.

“Look at that,” Vecna says, moving that large clawed hand from Steve’s face to wrap around Steve’s free wrist. “That’s a power I never gained, try as I might. All that love and affection you have for your friends has connected you securely to them. Even as a dead man, you have ties to the world above. Eleven did not plan for that. Could not plan for that.”  

Steve stares at the lights, too, and the more he looks, he feels like he can see differences between them. One seems weaker than the others and looks like wood smoke and has a ruddy red tinge that, for some reason, Steve knows is the string tying him to Will Byers. One is pinkish and looks wrapped in lace: Nancy. Robin’s looks like water dripped with nail polish, swirls of navy blue. He can pick out Dustin’s, then Lucas, El, Max, Jon, Erica, even Mike. Eddie.

He can’t think about this. He rips his gaze away. 

“Why are you showing me this?”  

“I can teach you how to visit them. How to talk to them,” Vecna says. “Through dreams and hallucinations, yes, but you could see them, and they could see you. See that you’re alive.” 

“But trapped.” 

“Yes,” Vecna says. “The only way either of us could ever truly leave this place is if Eleven opens the gates back up, or if Max dies to finish the ritual I began. And I’m assuming you’re not willing to do that second option.” 

“Fuck you.” 

“As I thought. So, here is my deal: if I give you my powers, it would not be for free. You will act as my lieutenant here in this realm. You will control the beasts in my stead, and do as I command. If you are convincing enough, your friends will come to rescue you, and when they do I won’t make you fight them, but I will be there to welcome them, and this will finally be finished.” 

“Then why would I do this?” Steve laughs, incredulous. “Why would I draw them here, if they’re just going to die for it?” 

“Because you doubt me when I say that I would win against them,” Vecna says. He lays it out like a winning poker hand. “You believe in your friends. You believe they could beat me. And if they do, you could be saved.” 

“And if I say no?” Steve asks. 

Immediately, the pain comes pouring back, his vision going blurry, the colors fading from the world, his mouth filling once again with blood. His thoughts are slow and dripping. He groans and slumps forward, barely held up by the vines around him. 

“Then I leave you like this,” Vecna says. “It won’t take long for you to die. Your friends will never know what happened to you, and I will spend as long as I need to working to get back to the other world without you. And I’ll have help, because your friends cannot keep the government from meddling once more. Every crack they make in the barrier between worlds is one I can exploit. I will get through some day. At least this way, you have a chance to stop me. You have a chance to live again.” 

Steve breathes unsteadily and looks back down at his palm. He thinks about those tiny connections to people that he loves, and thinks about leaving them to fight this fight without him. 

It’s stupid. He isn’t the person who should be making this deal. He knows that Vecna manipulates and twists to get what he wants. But his logic makes sense, too. 

Steve doesn’t know what to do. He’s not the planner. He’s not the right one to choose this. He’s- 

Two weeks. Robin, Dustin, Eddie, Erica, Max, Lucas, Eddie, Jon, Will, Mike, Eddie, Joyce, Claudia, Wayne, Tommy, Carol, his parents, Eddie- they all think he’s gone. He remembers how he felt when Hopper died. He can’t- 

His jaw creaks when he opens his mouth. 

“Fine,” he says, pain cracking his voice into something horrible, weak, pathetic. He sucks in another breath. “It’s a deal.”

[abellmunsonmovie]

Steddie Headcanons 1.

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Every once in a while steve will do a hair mask and will make eddie do it with him Steve has to tell eddie to put his seatbelt on  When they have to go to dress formal and wear a suit and tie they will do eachothers ties:( Eddie teaches Steve acoustic guitar Steve gets runs cold and Eddie is his own personal heater Eddie will make Steve coffee for work in the mornings They use “Man”, “Bro”, and “Dude” but romantically Eddie will slap Steves ass when he walks by  “Can you not” steve says slightly  annoyed “Can’t help it, you’re irresistible babe” Eddie says smirking

Steve will always get dressed to go anywhere, where Eddie will just go out in a tshirt he’s been wearing for 3 days and basketball shorts, and Steve will be like “You’re really gonna go out like that?” Eddie putting his hair up in a pony “Dude, we’re going to the grocery store” On days where Steve is off work, they’ll lay in Eddies bed all day and make dinner together Eddie loves head scratches and Steve loves back scratches  Eddie will make up little songs about Steve

Modern!Steddie would like Glee, SUE ME IF YOU DONT AGREE (eddie would like blaine and steve would like kurt…) I think Steve likes to have a camera on him and he’ll take cute polaroids of them tg Listen  I don’t think Steve is a skin care connoisseur or anything BUT I think he showed Eddie a few things like moisturizer and different face washes and they’ll do their skin care tg After Eddie got attacked by the demobats, Steve would help Eddie change his bandages Steve taught Eddie how to swim  If they get into a fight the next time they see eachother they’ll say “Edward…” “Steven…” If they bicker in front of Robin she’ll say  “Are you guys gonna get a divorce?” Modern!Steddie would love Chappell Roan Eddie HATES olives and Steve loves them  They’ll slow dance after cleaning up the kitchen together When Eddie can’t sleep, he will count Steve’s freckles The sound of Eddie’s heartbeat calms Steve down and makes him sleepy They both love the rain Steve has anxiety and Eddie knows just the right things to say to calm him down Also one of Steve’s anxious ticks are playing with Eddie’s rings

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Steddie has my soul forever<3 -Bella

[wynnyfryd]

For the WIP game: Cry!

thank you for the ask and we’re not gonna talk about how i couldn’t be bothered to capitalize this when i wrote it lmao. little snippet from a lifeguard steve au i started working on a month or two ago where steve teaches eddie to swim during the summer between seasons 1 & 2

steve runs and dives off the board, gets his arms around a panicking eddie munson at the bottom of the pool. kicks off hard and races them up to the surface of the water.

eddie comes out choking, his face bright red and he might be crying but it’s impossible to tell when his face is soaking wet. “please stop fighting me,” steve grunts as he hauls him to the edge of the pool, swimming with one arm wrapped around eddie’s waist, and he gets them both out of the water and eddie’s fucking shaking, his breath coming in wet punctured gasps.

steve blows his whistle. “alright, that’s it! swim’s over, everybody out!”

“aww, come on—”

“GET OUT.”

steve turns his attention back to eddie, sits him upright and strikes the heel of his palm against eddie’s back in case he has fucking water in his lungs.

“are you okay?” steve asks. he moves around to eddie’s front, squats in front of him, hands on eddie’s shoulders as he assesses him.

eddie’s eyes are so wide. impossibly huge. kind of… beautiful? and steve shakes the thought from his mind, because it’s probably just that the guy looks a bit like nancy, who steve’s barely seen all summer because she’s been off at some writing camp, and anyway, it doesn’t really matter because he still needs to make sure eddie’s not about to asphyxiate and die. “hey, eddie, right?”

eddie shakes his head yes.

“can you take a deep breath for me, man?”

eddie does. tries, anyway, the breath coming back out around a high, panicked whine. “fuck,” eddie whimpers, and steve knows this is maybe crossing a line — he barely knows the guy — but he’s crying and the pool is deserted now and steve thinks back to that night with the demogorgon. how he wished someone had held him after.

how nancy just went home.

he pulls eddie into a hug, his soaked shirt and hair clinging to steve’s bare skin, and eddie leans into it immediately, throwing his arms around steve’s middle and clinging for dear life as he cries and cries and cries. “i’m sorry,” he shudders, “i’m sorry i’m sorry, i’m—”

“it’s fine, alright? you’re good, man, it’s all good, everything’s good.”

when eddie’s panic recedes, he pulls back from the hug, turns those bright, big eyes on steve again, head on and pleading. “thank you,” he says, “you fucking— shit, harrington, i think you just saved my life.”

“don’t sweat it, man. just doing my job.”

(while i’m here if you want to read a completed lifeguard steve fic, may i recommended @messessentialist’s latest fic because it’s EXCELLENT)

[madelynraemunson]

hi angel 👼

i see youuu toooooo

i missed the boys! i’m doing a reread 🤩🥹

hey mais! we’ve missed you, here’s a postcard from us! 🩶

i’ve missed this universe so much and i’m sure once my brain is done being mush, i’ll delve back into it soon. but in the meantime, here’s an update on how the CMWYW peeps are doing this summer 🤭

• shy girl & max went back to san diego to visit billy

yes they brought the hellfire gang with them

• eddie and argyle LOVE the carnival bumper cars. steve not so much.

• shy girl and max are doing their best to fix their relationship with billy. the three of them like surfing together and eddie thinks they look so badass. their dynamic isn’t perfect, but the effort is there. it’s all the three of them have ever wanted this whole time.

• steve can never have too much sunscreen. the younger boys learned this the hard way. he’s been chasing them like a maniac talking about the harmful rays. someone stop him. he’s being a full on mother.

• henry gets sunburnt really easily. like… real easily 😭 poor creel

• dustin’s hyperfixation at the moment has been IN-N-OUT & fish tacos. also someone teach that boy how to swim PLEASE. eddie is TIREDDD of having to play lifeguard when they’re fighting waves at the beach

•the locals keep thinking argyle speaks spanish but he doesn’t. he’s a “yo sabo” kid till the very end.

• the group loves a good beach bonfire 🥺 eddie knows how to play just about any song on guitar so they’ve been ending their summer nights making s’mores, smoking weed (the older adults), singing campfire songs, and telling scary stories.

looks like shy girl and max got their “san diego summer” after all. and it seems like a new family also came with it as well ✨