#StrangerThingsFestiveFun

[sparkle-fiend]

Fruity Four Advent Calendar, Day 31: Bonus- New Years Eve

A big thank you to @unclewaynemunson for creating this event (and @thefreakandthehair for hosting the connected fic challenge)!!!!

This has been an absolute blast, I loved participating and seeing all the amazing fanworks created! 💖

[unclewaynemunson]

Eddie hated Christmas. He hated it ever since that time in primary school when they had to put on a nativity play and everyone but him seemed to care about that stupid Jesus story; he didn’t even know what it was about until his teacher pulled him aside to explain it to him (which only happened after Brad made fun of him for it). He hated it ever since that time they had to craft some stupid paper mache Santa, when he jumped on a table to yell at all his classmates that Santa wasn’t even real (after which his teacher scolded him and made him stand in the corner for the remainder of the day). He hated it ever since that time their classroom got a Christmas tree and his teacher demanded that he’d participate in decorating it, while refusing to let him bring a menorah from home instead.

He didn’t understand why he was forced to participate in this thing that wasn’t even his. He didn’t understand why his teachers never allowed him share the stories that his uncle always told him during the darkest days of the year: stories about the bravery of the Maccabees, the holiness of the Temple far away in Jerusalem, and the miracle of the candles. His uncle usually never talked much, but whenever they had a holiday to celebrate, he’d share the most wonderful and captivating stories in his slow, solemn voice. (Eddie had believed that his uncle was a rabbi until an embarrassingly late age).

When the first Christmas after he started dating Steve came around, he dreaded it. It was obvious to him that Steve was the kind of guy who’d care a great deal about Christmas. He’d probably want to do it all properly: hang a ridiculous amount of lights, have a big dinner, put presents under a neatly decorated tree... Eddie wanted to be on board with that, for Steve, but by G’d, he hated Christmas.

Little did Eddie know that Steve hated Christmas, too. Steve hated it ever since that Christmas dinner in some hotel in Paris, or Dubai, or maybe it was Buenos Aires, when his parents had systemically refused to talk to each other and the tension in the room was nearly sharp enough to cut the turkey without any knife. He hated it even more ever since his parents gave up on doing holidays altogether and Christmas became nothing but a check and a greeting card for him.

Eddie was baffled when Steve, on a dark evening in early December, told him how much he was struggling with the idea of turning the holiday around to make a new tradition with Eddie. Eddie laughed, full of relief, and told him he shouldn’t worry about it. They both delighted in the discovery that the other also hated Christmas, and Steve was genuinely excited to learn all about Chanukkah instead. Eddie invited him over to the trailer every evening, where they’d light the candles together and eat sufganiyot, and Wayne would tell them all the stories that were so familiar for Eddie and so new to Steve. And even though Steve didn’t share in their history, this tradition became theirs, more than Christmas could ever have.

[stevesbipanic]

Under the Tree

Finally my contribution for @thefreakandthehair spicy six winter challenge. This was a lot of fun, my prompt was “Um, I got you something.” / “You got me something?” Hope you enjoy!

The first Christmas after the defeat of Vecna was an important one. It was the first Christmas that they didn’t have to worry about seeing flickering lights or brandishing weapons. The kids could be kids, and the adults could be too.

Steve Harrington could count on one hand the number of good Christmas’ he could remember. He assumed that the Christmas’ before he was 5 were adequate enough, but, the year he turned 5 he remembers his mother baking gingerbread with him and his dad playing basketball with him out on the driveway Christmas morning. They never would again. When he was 19, he spent Christmas with the Buckley’s. It was a warm Christmas filled with love and laughter; one he’ll treasure forever. This year, age 20, Steve hopes to add another good Christmas to his collection.

Joyce insisted on hosting, and no one was going to tell her no. After all, the Hopper-Byers now lived in a beautiful house just on the edge of the woods, you could bike to Hopper’s old cabin which had now been turned into a sort of club house for the kids, Hellfire was regularly held there now that Eddie had graduated. Steve had spent all of November getting gifts for his family, not his parents, he hadn’t heard from them since they sold the house and moved to Washington after the earthquake. No, his real family, he spent weeks making sure everyone got the perfect gift. He had had to hide Robin’s gift at Dustin’s now that he shared an apartment with her and was quite the snoop, not that Steve minded, he liked how intertwined their lives were. He had thought of hiding it at Nancy’s new place, but she had become less tight-lipped about secrets since her and Robin had gotten together.

That was another new thing, Robin and Nancy, the two who fell together so perfectly after everything that happened. Steve was the least surprised, when they told him he’d claimed it made sense due to him having great taste in women, they knew he was joking. Steve knew because he could see how well the two of the complimented each other. Nancy was patient and happy to listen and let Robin work through a problem by rambling. Robin was supportive but tough when it came to both Nancy’s goals but also her health. They had both taken gap years to revaluate their goals and desires while also taking a well-deserved break. The future could wait another year for them to have time to heal hidden wounds.

Steve was glad there was no bad blood between them and Jonathan, they’d all repaired their relationships over the years, figuring out platonic and romantic loves and wants, Steve could call Jonathan his brother (he was suspicious that Joyce had filled out adoption papers somewhere) and let old demons lie. With Jonathan had come Argyle, someone Steve didn’t know how the party went so long without. Argyle was a steadying presence, reminding them that they’re not defined by what happened to them and telling deep truths, usually high but the fact still stood. Steve was glad the two of them had each other, he could see years of emotional weight be lifted off Jon’s shoulders whenever Argyle was around.

Even the kids had matured, and not just in the way that trauma matures someone. Steve could see them let go of childish desires like the first love romance between Mike and El that grew into more a relationship like Steve and Nancy, stronger as friends. Dustin still called Suzie every weekend but Steve knew they both had a good head on their shoulders, he liked to think any kid that came from them would probably solve all the world’s problems in a day. Lucas and Max had worked so much on their communication, understanding each other’s needs now more than ever.

Maybe it’s why Steve had spent so long making sure they all had the perfect gift. A small part of Steve that still held doubt, a grain of doubt so rooted inside of him from childhood that it may never leave. The part of him that worried about being forgotten and left behind, the part of him that drove him to always be useful. He’d gotten high with Eddie in the first week of December and poured his heart out to him about it, Eddie hadn’t said anything in reply, he hadn’t needed to, Steve could see in his eyes they shared the same fears.

Eddie’s gift had been the most important, for reasons Steve could only confront in the safety of his own apartment, huddled under blankets with Robin late at night. Reasons that simultaneously made him feel whole and completely exposed. In the end the gift had been a mixtape, a perfect blend of their music tastes woven together with Steve telling Eddie about how the songs make him feel, about life, about Eddie, ending with his final confession. Steve hopes he doesn’t hear it until he gets home.

The party is in full swing, it had snowed the night before leaving plenty of soft snow to play in, distracting the kids from asking about presents until after dinner. They had all gathered around the tree, slowly but surely passing out gifts. Hugs and thanks were shared amongst the group, Steve felt his heart fill with warmth with every piece of gratitude or handmade card sent his way. Eddie’s eyes had twinkled when he’d read the tape’s description as being “Eddie’s Mix”, a promise for later dancing across his features. Paper picked up and clothes changed, the kids had settled in front of the television with mattress’ pulled from every room. Joyce and Hopper had retired with promises of making breakfast in the morning. The remaining two couples had either joined the kids or disappeared for their own festive celebration, leaving only Eddie and Steve finishing the dishes in the kitchen.

“So, a mix tape, Stevie? Do I have to worry about an hour long “Last Christmas” brainwashing?”

Steve had laughed putting away the last plate, Eddie had come over to help wrap presents and Steve’s record had gotten caught on the same track, they both nearly lost their minds.

“I can’t promise no Wham! but I think Last Christmas has had enough of a turn this year, Eds.”

Eddie smiled and took the edge of Steve’s sweater in his hands, grabbing a blanket and leading Steve out onto the porch. The two boys sat in the cold, huddled together under the blanket, listening to the quiet of the woods. The quiet brought them so much peace, no calls for help, no creatures to go bump in the night, just them and their heartbeats.

“Um, I got you something.”

“You got me something?” 

Eddie chuckled, “Of course I did, sweetheart, just didn’t want to put it with the rest of the gifts, didn’t think it would fit.”

Steve raised an eyebrow at this, “What is it?”

Eddie looked nervous now, slowly he pulled off one of his rings, it was one of the simpler ones. Steve always thought it stood out against the skulls and horror of the others. A small black stone set in silver, vines slicing through the metal. Eddie took Steve’s hand and slid the ring onto his finger.

“You always play with this one when you’re upset about something, figured it’d be better if you had it even when I wasn’t around.”

Steve felt seen, Eddie had comforted him through a lot after March, offering words and touch and even his ring to make Steve feel better.

“Eddie. Thank you.”

“Of course, Stevie.”

“But wait, how couldn’t this fit under the tree?”

“Well, there’s a second part to it, if you want it.”

Steve had missed many things in his life, but he didn’t miss the question in Eddie’s eyes.

“I’d really like the rest of my gift, Eddie.”

Eddie leant in slowly, still giving Steve the opportunity to move away, to say no, to leave Eddie behind. Steve didn’t though, he was never going to leave Eddie behind, would never forget him. Their lips touched, cold from the night air, and it felt like the final puzzle slotting into place. Eventually, they pulled away, just enough to catch their breath, foreheads still touching.

“Yeah, you would’ve looked weird with a bow on your head under the tree.”

“Maybe next year I’ll do it just for you.”

Steve smiled, he couldn’t wait for next year, and every year after that he got to spend with Eddie.

[hotluncheddie]

Seasons change, but people don't.

or three times steve asks eddie to stay, plus one time he finally does.

(my entry for @thefreakandthehair 's winter fic challenge! my prompt was "lets just stay here, watch the snow a little longer." and it turned into a lot of Eddie Munson being silly and spans all the seasons. 6.2k)

Ao3

✧*:･ﾟ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

Spring 1985 

Eddie feels like his skin is too small. His scalp is prickling and he’s had the worst fucking day, okay? His stupid math and science teachers are in kahoots, he knows it. He’s shit in both their classes and they hate him and have it out for him and there's nothing he can do now. His grades are too low, he cant make it up and they don’t like him so there's no way out. Not charming anyone, no sob story that could save his sorry ass now. He’s not graduating. Again. He has to repeat senior year. Again. 

And the added layer to his shit cake of a day? King Steve wants to buy from him. Today, right now. Oh ho ho is he gonna get overcharged sooo bad. Seeing as eddie has to postpone his wallowing to wait at his stupid little bench in the stupid woods behind the stupid school.  

The spring air is nice at least, a little breeze blowing through the trees and the bench is warm from the sun. He's only been waiting for about 5 minutes before the telltale rustles and snaps of someone coming towards his spot are heard. 

Steve the hair Harrington is here. With his long stupid legs and his stupid jacket and eddie is not! In the mood! 

‘Hey man’ Steve slumps down onto the bench across from Eddie with a sigh and, huh. He looks really fucking tired. Like, if Eddie were his friend he would be seriously concerned. 

Steve is not Eddie's friend.

‘Hey yourself. 30 bucks. Cool?’ Eddie gets the baggie out of his little black lunchbox and holds it out. Steve just kind of looks at it. ‘What?’ Eddie snaps. He doesn’t have time for this.

Steve flinches at his tone and looks at Eddie with his big puppy eyes (yes! Eddie knows Steve Harrington is a pretty boy jock and yes! Eddie has had his little gay boy fantasies about Steve Harrington and no! Eddie is not proud of it!) and ohhh my god Eddie does not have time for this!! 

‘Sorry sorry, yeah man. Here.’ Steve takes out the cash and hands it over, but still doesn’t take the bag. He shuffles around, sticking his hands in his ugly preppy jacket ‘You. You wouldn’t roll for me would you?.. I’ll pay extra.’

Eddie scoffs, god what a day! Now this! ‘Baby never had to roll for himself before? Oh! to be royalty. I don’t have time Harrington, go get one of your lackeys to do it.’ He stands and Eddie knows his voice is icy, that a deal in the woods doesn’t require so much bite but he can’t help it. He needs his shitty fucking day to be over.

Steve's cheeks redden and he picks at the table. Eddie was expecting a rise, that classic king Steve bite back. But he just looks kinda like he’s going to throw up? ‘I can roll. I. I could roll. My um, my hands shake. My hands shake so I can't roll anymore.’ And he looks sad, the puppy dog eyes just timesed themselves by like, 10. 

Eddie melts. He knows his heart is too soft and squishy, his dad always loved to tell him so. 

‘Hand it over Harrington. And change your face, you’re breaking my heart man.’ Eddie rolls his eyes and huffs and makes a big show of sitting back on the bench, like rolling a couple silly little blunts for silly little Steve Harrington isn’t literally going to take him 5 minutes. 

‘Sorry, sorry. Um thanks. Thank you man, really.’ Ugh, he still looks sad and now he looks guilty too! Fuck! 

‘You’re fine man, seriously. Okay? I’ve just had a shitty day, rolling your stupid blunts for you isn’t going to make it worse, promise.’ Eddie flashes his teeth, gets out his spare papers and starts rolling. The familiar movements helping him relax a little. 

‘Okay well, thanks still. Uh and sorry, sorry your day was shit dude.’ Eddie side eyes Steve and watches him scrub a hand over his face. He really looks like shit, how did Eddie only just notice?

‘It's whatever. I’m simply forsaken to haunt the hallowed Hawkins High hallways for another year. A travesty for everyone involved honestly.’ and Steve just squints at him for a second, before breathing out a ‘shit, man’ which makes Eddie bark out a laugh. Maybe this new king Steve is more entertaining than the last one. 

‘You wanna um, like, share? Now?’ And isn’t that a question, smoke up with the hair? Oh if Eddie of yesteryear could see him now.

‘Thanks for the offer your majesty but I have a prior engagement’ Eddie stands again and ignores that Steve looks a little disappointed… Weird fucking day. ‘Enjoy though. hope it helps you sleep dude, you look like you need it.’ Eddie packs up his things, he feels a stress headache starting and he really does just want to go home, play his guitar maybe. Build up the courage to talk to Wayne. 

‘Sure, of course. Yeah, yeah. Thanks.’ Steve grimaces, but the corners of his lips rise a little, in a self deprecating way. It looks real, genuine. It suits him, Eddie thinks, being genuine. 

‘No really, you kinda look like shit dude.’ Eddie can't help it, if he’s given a little he’ll take  a lot. Especially if it’s from pretty boys who don’t look like they’re about to beat the shit out of him. 

‘Get the fuck outa here Munson’ Steve rolls his eyes and is smiling like he's trying not to. Eddie’s lizard brain wants to eat him. Eddie’s Eddie brain still wants to go home, but the pit in his stomach feels a little shallower. He starts to walk backwards out of the clearing.

‘Hey, Eddie?’ Steve is looking at the two neat spliffs in his palm. Eddie slows his steps as Steve glances up at him. ‘Just. Uh. There's a lot worse things out there than repeating senior year a couple times, okay dude? A lot worse.’ And there's a fire behind Steve's eyes that Eddie didn’t know was possible. Intense, brave, harrowed.  

Eddie is frozen for a second, held by this person in front of him. Someone he thought he knew, because Eddie knows how to read people and Steve Harrington was always so simple. But this Steve Harrington? This is new. Eddie's stomach twists. He needs to go home. 

He bows deeply, flourishing his hand and spins on his heel… He might just keep an eye out for Steve Harrington from now on. 

Summer 1985 

This was definitely not what Eddie had in mind when he said he would keep an eye out for Steve Harrington. 

He’s ready to head home for the night, after selling from the back porch of cheerleader Stacy Hofferman’s big ass house. The party was to celebrate the coming school year or something equally asinine. But his pockets are fat with rich kid cash and bummed cigarettes he didn’t need, so theres a fucking spring in his step okay? Sue him.

Steve Harrington is splayed on the front lawn, like a starfish and is humming some, carnival song? Wasted. Maybe a little crossfaded, but he didn’t buy anything from Eddie this time so he hopes the near empty vodka bottle is the only thing coursing through those veins right now. He doesn’t need to add Steve Harrington to his conscience tonight. But Eddie is a curious guy, so he saunters over. 

Oh god. Oh no. Steve’s in shorts. Cut off jean shorts. Plus his hair still looks good, even all sprawled out on the grass. Fuck. Eddie hates him. He's still grappling with the memory of seeing Steve in that little sailor outfit at the mall. Now this! 

‘You gonna sing me a song Harrington?’ Eddie’s sneakers stop either side of Steve's head and he leans over a little. Watches as Steve's eyes try to focus, squint a little before recognition brings a smile to Steve's face, mischief to his eyes. Huh, okay that's new. Not bad, but definitely new.  

‘Daisy bell doesn’t have words Eddie’ Steve fucking giggles at him and okay, yep, yep. Wasted.

‘You got a ride home harrington? Might want to cut the party here, yeah?’ Eddie is a weak weak man and something about his first name coming out of Steve Harrington's mouth lights a little fire in his belly. Ugh. Disgusting. 

Steve's face falls a little and his eyes go unfocused again. ‘Nah, can’t be there right now man. M’ good here.’

‘Outside on the grass? You not gonna try getting lucky tonight king Steve?’ Something about Steve being out here alone doesn’t sit right with Eddie. Sure Steve isn’t as surrounded with starry eyed guys and gals after graduating, and maybe a little before then too. But surely he came here with someone who would be pulling him up and away at the end of the night, keeping some sort of an eye out for him. Not that that person would ever be Eddie, but still. It’s, you know, the principle of the thing.

Steve sucks in a breath that puffs his cheeks out, eyes going comically wide before letting the breath out, slow. ‘Nahhhhh dude, haven’t been lucky for a long time.’ and his eyes go unfocused, glassy in the streetlights. ‘Doesn’t feel the same now anyway, not fun like it used to be.’ Suddenly he looks much older, older than Eddie, older than any 19 year old should. Lost in thoughts that draw great shadows onto the planes of his face.   

His eyes snap back up to Eddie, the fog clearing a little. ‘Think the scoops ahoy uniform killed my chances off already anyway. Lots of good things to come out of the mall being destroyed, I don’t have to scoop ice cream in shorts for one.’  He laughs, a little hysterical, and Eddie kind of feels like he's intruding, like there's a lot more to what Steve is saying right now and Eddie is not privy to any of it. 

Eddie smiles though and shoves his hands in his pockets, pulling out his pack and a lighter, fiddling with them. Steve takes another long pull from the bottle, god that shit smells like paint remover. Eddie can almost see the hangover brewing under Steve's honey skin.

Steve’s looking at him again. Upside down, on some girls' front lawn. And then he sucker punches eddie, out of fucking nowhere. ‘Stay and stargaze with me? Whadayasay Munson?’ his smile is dopey and drunk, he's so drunk. Drunk Steve Harrington just asked him to stargaze. Eddie thinks maybe the rumours about Hawkins being cursed actually might be true. But it's Eddie who’s cursed. Cursed to be confused by pretty jocks who turn out nothing like he ever expected. 

‘Fraid not sailor, for I am Cinderella and the clock just struck midnight.’ Eddie amps up the theatrics, he's nervous. Steve Harrington can’t know how on the back foot he feels right now. Confusing, charming fucker. ‘I can also feel the old lady next door itching to call the pigs and I am not about to deal with their hairy eyeballs tonight. No sir, the summer air is too sweet for that.’ Eddie steps away from Steve, angling his back towards the street. He feels goosebumps rising, even in the heat. He wants to run.

‘You gonna be okay tho?’ Eddie can’t help it. Stupid. Steve Harrington turning his heart gooey for a second time. 

Steve sits up on his elbows and looks at Eddie, eyes suddenly frighteningly clear. ‘You’re a sweet guy Munson. Anyone ever tell you that?’ Eddie shakes his head. ‘My secret then. Eddie Muson, total sweetheart.’ he says it into the breeze and Eddie is set alight at the idea of being seen. Being more than the freak who has the goods so we tolerate him. 

‘Don’t go spreading my secrets now Harrington.’ Going for light but the tightness in his throat won’t let him, it comes out raspy. Eddis backs away to his van, parked at the end of the lawn. Steve just huffs a laugh and flops back down.

From the driver's seat Eddie takes his time lighting his cigarette and changing the tape. But his eyes are on Steve, as he gets up on shaky legs, swinging the nearly empty vodka bottle with him. He stumbles back into the huddle of bodies by the front door. Eddie lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. 

Steve Harrinton, full of surprises. Eddie drives home and half hopes to never see him again. Eddie doesn’t much care for surprises.  

Autumn 1986

Eddie shouldn’t be surprised, not now. Not by the Steve Harrington he went to hell with. Who dragged him back into the light. The boy with the nail bat who never seemed to stop swinging, not till Vecna was gone and the gates were locked up tight. Who’s hand still flexes like he misses the weight of the splintered wood, like he wants it back so he can protect the people he loves. Which by some divine intervention seems to include Eddie Munson of all people. 

Eddie shouldn’t be surprised, but he is. Steve Harrington is the single most confusing person Eddie has ever met. He’s obsessed with him. He’s on his way to falling for him. Head over fucking heels fucked for Steve straight boy Harrignton. Divine intervention indeed. 

Steve is waiting for him now, leaning on the hood of the beamer, picking him up after physical therapy, which is still kinda kicking his ass. What with the new colder temperatures making his bones ache and his dick nurse insisting that; no he couldn’t suck himself off before so he definitely won't be able to after, even with all the stretching he’s having to do. What fresh hell am I right? 

Steve is waiting for him, with his stupid long legs and his ugly jacket and the disgustingly fond smile he tortures eddie with because he’s already wrapped in his winter coat. Hood up against the wind because the last, last! Thing Eddie wants these days is to be cold and apparently that amuses Steve enough to look at Eddie like hes a fucking kitten or something. Horrid! 

‘Still a no?’ Eddie is scowling, he knows he is. He shakes his head and Steve's smile just grows a little wider. Fucker. 

‘Come on.’ Steve flicks his zipper and Eddie gnashes his teeth at him. He’s not even in that bad a mood. Steve looking after him sometimes just kind of makes him feel all fizzy, electric. 

It was worse before. Right after. When Steve was coming to visit him in hospital, almost more than Wayne, bringing Eddie things to read and generally being a ray of fucking sunshine compared to the staff and Eddie himself. He would sit with Eddie and Eddie wouldn’t want to talk because everything hurt. He would sit with Eddie and complain about the kids being annoying, bitch about his parents being the worst and bemoan the fact that he needed to find a new job ASAP and really didn’t want to get another shitty retail one. Wanted to find something he was really good at, maybe help people, look out for them the way he did Dustin and Robin, be something that was all him. 

And Eddie? He ate up every bitchy, snarky, earnest moment of it. Got to know Steve Harrington that was equally everything and nothing like who he had met before. But the real fucking cherry on top? Eddie talked too, just as much once he started healing. Talked to Steve with and about Wayne, his shitty Dad, how much he loves metal and Dungeons and Dragons, how all he thinks he’s ever really wants to do is tell stories that make people feel a little less alone. 

They talked and Eddie went and ruined it by letting his heart run away with itself. Fucking swan diving right off the ledge named ‘totally normal none gay feelings about Steve Harrington’ and into the pool of regret that is ‘I want to kiss him, I want to kiss him. Please God let me kiss him, it’s me again Eddie Munson.’ Pathetic. 

So sometimes, when Steve is being just lovely, picking Eddie up. Eddie’s blood boils in his veins and his scarred skin buzzes with the tension of not being able to hold Steve’s hand across the gear stick like he so desperately wants to. 

Eddie doesn't even have the energy to comment on Steve playing The Cure, making fun of him for letting Jonathan rub off on him too much lately (the four (+Argyle) of them hanging out regularly to smoke up). Instead, he internally makes fun of himself for feeling actually personally attacked by how relatable and familiar the whiny, lovesick lyrics sound. The sky opening up into a downpour just adding to the mood, pathetic fallacy up the wazoo today, apparently. 

But Steve is talking to him so of course Eddie listens, because it's Steve and Eddie is what? Pathetic. That's right. 

‘And then Dustin went on this whole spiel about how I should really be thanking him for everything he does. All the advice he gives me, that I did not, actually, fucking ask for. Can you believe the gaul of that kid Ed’s?’ and Eddie laughs at Steve because actually yes, yes he fucking can. 

‘Maybe we should go full revolt and tell Mrs. Henderson about it, really take him down a peg. She’s basically adopted you, she'd take your side for sure Stevie.’ Steve nods at the idea but he’s still scowling because getting wound up seems to be his go to reaction for most things, being vaguely annoyed is his default. Eddie is not happy to admit that this is something he also finds attractive about Steve Harrington. Did he mention he was pathetic? 

‘Well before that you talk some sense into him will you? He’s demanded I drive him over here tomorrow to hound you about something or other, don’t know what, he’s being all cagey and secretive about it. The little asshole.’ Steve is pulling into the dirt road driveway where Eddie and Wayne’s new little house sits. Just big enough next to the check and paid medical bills to make that NDA look actually very tempting to sign, yes, thank you, here was it?

Steve parks and the rain beats down on the roof, Eddie shifts to look at Steve's still grumpy face, grinning. ‘You coming in? We can brainstorm, get the little butt head to stop meddling and start respecting his elders. Or you know, we could get high.’ Steve's face morphs into that little smile again, the one he tries to hide, like he's fighting to stay grumpy. Eddie wants to bite him. 

Steve's face shifts again and what comes out of his mouth shifts Eddies very being into the fiery pits of despair. At least that’s what he would say if he was unhinged, which he is not. Not. One. Bit.    

‘Can’t man, I have a date.’ Steve waggles his eyebrows a little and Eddie feels his grin dim. The remaining smile stiffens. His face like wax. 

‘Oh. Well. I won't keep you then. Go get 'em tiger and all that jazz.’ Eddie knows it comes out weird, like he’s annoyed and upset. Which he is. But he knows he absolutely shouldn’t be. He just can't help it. Fuck!

Steve is looking at him, he looks all worried and confused. Of course he's confused, no reason for Eddie to act the way he is. Act like a freak. Eddie needs to get out of here. Save them both from the weird ass vibes his treacherous heart has caused.  

Eddie twists for the door. ‘Hold on Eddie, wait with me till the rain stops yeah? I’ll keep the heater running.’ Steve reaches out, hand on his shoulder. Eddie looks at his hand gripping the door handle and wishes. Wishes he could turn around and make a joke, say thank fuck because he doesn’t want to look like a wet rat from the rain, ask steve about the girl, maybe make fun of him if it seems like the really likes her. Anything. Wishes he could just be normal. Normal about Steve Harrington.

But he can’t. Steve has a date and Eddie’s heart hurts. 

‘I gotta go Stevie, enjoy your date.’ and Eddie steps out into the rain, jogging over to the front door, already sodden. He unlocks it and steps inside, doesn’t look back once. Leaning against the closed door he slides down into a crouch. He’s in love with him. Fuck.

Winter 1986 

‘Stevie? What the fuck?’ 

Eddie was expecting a night alone. It was the day before Christmas eve and Wayne had gone out with some work buddies. Steve was having some fancy dinner with his parents, Robin’s with her Grandma and the party had plans to all meet and celebrate here tomorrow. So, Eddie was going to sit and stare at a wall. Said wall was going to magically help him work up the courage to maybe kiss Steve’s cheek under the mistletoe that Robin had threatened him with. She knew all about his hopeless, disgusting crush on Steve and seemed to be reaching the end of her patience for Eddie’s chicken shit confession skills. 

The plan so far consisted of some amalgamation of making a big joke about it, throwing up before and after or maybe just staring at Steve until he gains the ability to read Eddie’s mind. In other words, the wall was giving him nothing apart from the urge to bang his head against it. 

The worst part of it all though? The devastating, world shattering part? Is that Eddie’s grubby little brain was starting to think that he might actually have a chance. Because Steve has been.. a little different lately. And while Robin has confirmed that he has not made any of these memories up in some kind of horny Steve Harrington fueled haze, she has also not explicitly told him whether Steve would actually be interested in dating a guy. So Eddie continues to torture himself with memories. 

Memories like when Steve got the new Wham! Record and started asking if he should try growing out his facial hair because ‘it looks really good right Ed’s? With the earring too? Think I could pull it off?’ and then blushing when Eddie said ‘He is a good looking dude… you do kinda look like George Michael, so, I guess?’ because Eddie is trying okay? Feeling the waters that are coming out to Steve. Him blushing seems like a good sign. Right? (Robin had rolled her eyes very hard at this story and Eddie had not appreciated the attitude.) 

Or at movie night last week Steve purposefully squished in next to Eddie, making Jonathan move further down. Before like, stretching and putting his arm along the sofa behind Eddie. But halfway through his arm was more, around Eddie's shoulders? And Steve was maybe, maybe twirling a strand of Eddie's hair through his fingers… 

There was also maybe the fact that Steve had started staying the night a lot more lately. He did a whole lot before too, but now it feels a little… different. He’s not just there because he’s a biblically accurate angel who helps Eddie change his bandages when Wayne has to work. Or because Eddie smoked him out too hard and he couldn’t drive home. Or even because he has to pick Robin up in the morning and her house is closer to Eddie’s now. No, now it almost feels like Steve stays the night in Eddie’s bed, with Eddie, because he wants to. 

God, Eddie wants to barf on himself for even thinking that! But Steve just, doesn’t go home. Instead he shuffles in beside Eddie, in borrowed sweats and having used the toothbrush that’s Steve’s in the bathroom. Snuggles down into Eddie’s pillows and slings a leg over both of Eddies. He’ll look all sleepy and soft and mumble out ‘night Ed’s’, like it doesn’t make Eddie want to clamber on his roof and howl at the moon. 

Eddie is busy replaying these moments in his mind like the most depressing, angsty, pining VHS tape. So, hearing the walkie Dustin had given him crackle from under his bed, well, it makes Eddie near jump out of his own skin. 

‘Shit. Shit. Hello? Um, hello? Over.’ Eddie’s hands are shaking as he fumbles with the walkie. He’s barely used it since everything ended, much preferring the telephone like, you know, most people! 

‘Hi, um, hey Eddie..’ Steve’s crackly voice could be heard through the little speaker. Eddie stands up, taking a calm down lap of his room, his heart still beating fast. ‘Stevie? What the fuck?’ 

‘Sorry, sorry, this is dumb, sorry. Sorry I’ll, I’ll just go.’ Eddie peeks through his bedroom curtain. Steve, illuminated by the dash light in the front seat of his car, is on the front drive and Eddie can see the walkie gripped tight in both hands. Steve rocking slightly. 

‘Oh Stevie.. Come in sweetheart, why are you still outside?’ Eddie’s voice is putty soft because something is wrong. All his fears have been switched for concern as he descends the stairs to the front door. Ripping it open to find Steve with his hand raised ready to knock.

‘Hi’ Steve’s smile is sheepish but Eddie can see his eyes are rimmed red like he’s had the shittiest fucking night. And now he’s embarrassed? Fuck that!  

‘Come in, come in come in. Sit down Stevie I’ll get you some tea.’ Eddie putters around the kitchen, making tea as efficiently as possible to not keep Steve waiting, but also wanting to give him time to settle. 

He was expecting Steve to be sitting on the couch, but Eddie finds him by the big bay window that looks out over the small backyard and further fields. It’s a nice view and the space is already set up with some blankets and cushions: Eddie likes to read here. Fat snowflakes have begun to fall outside. Steve has a blanket draped over his shoulders, he’s facing the window but his eyes seem to focus on something a million miles away.  

‘Here. Take this doll, it’ll keep you warm.’ Eddie hands over the steaming mug and Steve cradles it in his hands, giving Eddie a ghost of a smile. 

‘Penny for your thoughts?’ bumping shoulders with Steve he waits. Looking at Steve's profile in the soft lamplight. There are ghosts in his eyes and a tension in his shoulders that breaks Eddie’s heart. His brave friend Steve.    

‘I just.. Do you ever feel like you weren't made for the real world? Ugh this.. I dunno what I'm saying.’ Steve runs a hand over his face and looks embarrassed. Eddie wishes he could just get it, understand without words so he could help, but life doesn’t work like that. He waits, taking Steve’s hand in both of his. The corners of Steve’s mouth twitch and he looks at their joined fingers. Eddie watches as he takes a deep breath. Eddie thinks he’s beautiful. 

‘Its, it's just. When we were there, in that. When all that happened to me. Obviously it was horrible. Terrible. But, for a little moment? I liked it. I liked having a role, a job to do. I knew the stakes and I knew that the only, only important thing was keeping everyone alive. There was nothing more important than that.’ Steve is looking out of the window again. His eyes are fiery and raw. Eddie so often forgets how much Steve has seen, has been through. 

‘All my life I've been told what’s important and what to care about. Which ended up being a lot of not caring or only caring about really really unimportant stuff. And I just can't do that again. I can't be what my parents want. My fucking, my Dad man, it’s never enough, watever I do. He made that fucking clear tonight.’ He grimaces and Eddie hopes he never meets Harrington senior because he’s getting decked and Eddie thinks he’s finally on Hopper’s good side so maybe that’s not the best idea. Although, he thinks he can make a pretty good case for himself.  

‘I don’t think I can be what anyone wants. Guess I just dunno who I really am. Never have never will… But for a second in that hell, I was somebody. Maybe somebody. And now it's out here again and everyone has all these dreams. And I'm so so happy for them because you all can do anything. Every one of those kids has such a bright future. But I dunno how to do it, Ed’s. I hate it. I dunno how to live as just Steve anymore.’ Steve’s eyes have filled with tears and the hand Eddie’s holding trembles slightly. Eddie lays a soft kiss on his palm. 

‘Steve Harrington you are so good.’ Eddie steels himself to look directly in Steve's eyes, making sure he understands. ‘You are free. You are free and that means you can do anything you want. Anything. Doesn’t matter how long you take to figure yourself out, or work out what it is you need. There are no rules okay? None, and anyone who tells you differently is lying. Especially if it’s your cunt dad, okay?’ Steve's pretty pink lips part and his cheeks are rosy, he really looks like he's going to cry. He also looks like that brave boy who swung a bat at the devil. He’s miraculous. 

‘The ‘real world’ doesn’t exist and most of the expectations people have are bullshit. I should know, I don’t think I’ve ever done one thing that was expected of me in my whole life, honey. Guess you’re just a freak like me.’ Eddie grins with all his teeth. Steve's mouth opens and closes a couple times, eyes wide. Before he’s looking down at his lap and smiling, a few tears spilling out and dropping onto his jeans. ‘Your role is to be you Steve. Nothing more, nothing less. People love you for you, not for what you did, even though it was fucking incredible. They’re alive because of you but they love you for being you.’ Eddie takes a deep breath and swallows the ‘I love you’ on his tongue, not tonight.. But soon, he’ll do it soon. Pinky promise. 

Steve has let more tears fall and he’s looking at Eddie like he's special. ‘Okay?’ Eddie squeezes their hands and Steve nods. ‘Yeah, yeah I’m. It’ll be. I’ll be okay.’ But Steve’s face crumples up again with a small choked sob. He sets down the mug heavily on the floor and covers his eyes with his forearm, folding in on himself. Succumbing to it all for  a moment. Letting himself cry.

‘Oh Steve. Tell me what you need, baby.’ Eddie holds their joined hands tighter and tries to suck up all of Steve's sadness through the skin of his palm. Steve sniffs all snotty and rubs at his eyes with his sleeve. Before, finally, looking at Eddie with his pretty brown eyes and his dumb hair and his moles. Eddie’s heart feels loud but Steve's tear stained face looks more calm than he’s seen for a long time. His brave, beautiful, miraculous friend Steve. 

“Let's just stay here, watch the snow a little longer." Steve says it softly, the moment feels like glass. The two of them in a snowglobe, safe on a shelf. Together. 

‘Of course Stevie. As long as you want. I’ll stay.’ Eddie means it, in his bones, he wants nothing more than to stay in this moment a little longer. Steve asks Eddie to stay and Eddie knows now that he never, ever wants to leave again. 

— 

Morning light filters through the blinds and Eddie shifts, consciousness swimming in that slow way only deep deep sleep can bring. He feels breath on his neck, the weight of an arm over his chest, a hand on his heart, socked feet tangled amongst his bare ones. 

He had taken Steve’s hand last night, after they’d watched the snow leave a blanket over the view from the window. After Steve's tears had dried and his eyelids had begun to droop. He’d lead Steve upstairs and they laid down together, wrapped in eachothers arms. Steve had fallen asleep first and Eddie let himself have a secret selfish moment where he stared down at the boy in his arms. Thought about how much had changed, but how, actually, the Steve in his bed had always been the Steve he knew, he just wasn't ready to see it yet. 

Eddie is looking at him now, there's sleep crusted in his eyes and drool on the pillow and Steve's hair is sticking up in an alarming number of angles. He’s so ugly and soft in the mornings. It makes Eddie feel good. Happy. 

They laze in bed, waking up slow and taking their time before starting the day. Eddie is on his back staring at the ceiling and Steve is leaning up on one elbow so he’s looking down at Eddie. He's staring. Eddie is trying to be very cool and calm about it. Very cool. Very calm. That's right!

‘Oh shoot.’ Steve snaps his fingers ‘I um, forgot your present at home, kinda left in a rush. Sorry.’ He looks genuinely sorry. Eddie doesn’t really care, because just having Steve here is gift enough. Yup, that's how Eddie Munson feels. It’s gross, he knows. 

‘Guess I’ll have to end it all then’ Eddie says with a casual shrug. Steve snorts and shoves him like he doesn’t find Eddie's dramatic’s hilarious. 

‘I do have something I can give you now though. A gift of sorts.’ Steve taps a finger to his chin and looks so mischievous. The light from outside hits the back of his hair so it glows, like a halo. Eddie wants to kiss him so bad. Kiss the angel boy in his bed. Shit.

‘It better not be a wet willy. Toby Hamelton gave me one once in the fifth grade and I literally punched him in the face on reflex Steve it was so fucking gross.’ Eddie knows he’s rambling but it’s the only way he won’t kiss Steve right now. Right on his pretty pretty pretty face. 

Steve smiles at him so softly, so sweetly, like Eddie isn’t being super weird right now. Smiles at Eddie and leans in, ghosts his mouth so so close over Eddie’s, looks into his eyes. Eddie’s breath hitches and he can’t move but he swears he feels his pupils dilate. 

Steve must see it too, because he closes the gap. Eddie’s eyes slide shut and his hands and feet tingle, there are fireworks going off in his ears and his lips fizz and he’s overwhelmed in the best possible way. 

He’s kissing Steve Harrington. Eddie Munson is kissing Steve Harrington. Steve Harrington is kissing Eddie Munson. 

Eddie pulls out of the kiss with a tiny gasp ‘You didn’t suddenly gain the ability to read my mind did you?’ Steve looks so perplexed, eyebrows furrowed and lips in a little ‘o’, staring at Eddie’s mouth. He gives a small shake of his head. ‘Okay good, good yeah. Good.’ 

Eddie goes back in, lifting a hand to Steve’s jaw, holding him softly while he sucks on his bottom lip. Steve is good at kissing, Eddie thinks he could write a whole album about this kiss alone. Maybe he will. He feels like he can do anything! Maybe he’ll kill God later, after breakfast. Why not? Ha! 

They break apart for breath and Steve's pupils are blown wide, Eddie wants to drown in them. He feels giddy, maybe a little hysterical. ‘You know, before you came over yesterday I was working up the courage to kiss your cheek under the mistletoe.. Which seems super lame and embarrassing now that I think about it. Forget I said anything actually. Yeah, uhm so... Anyway, thank you. For. For the gift.’ Steve is loosing romance points for every stupid word he lets Eddies say. 

‘That is pretty lame dude’ Steve smiles sweetly and Eddie knows it's lame and Steve is probably joking but he doesn't need to to be told that right now. Nasty boy… Also.

‘Dude? You sully this rapturous moment, nay my very existence! By calling me dude?’ Is that normal? Do people do that after they kiss? Surely Steve doesn't call girls he kisses dude. Oh no, Eddie’s spiralling. This is a spiral.

‘Eddie’ Steve tries but Eddie’s brain is filled with static. Eyes boring holes in the ceiling, hands flailing. 

‘Steve Harrington kisses Eddie Munson and calls him dude, well I never!’ The gaul! The gumption! The audacity! 

‘Eddie!’ Steve places his hand on Eddie’s cheek, turning it so they're looking into eachothers eyes. 

‘Yes?’ Steve is so pretty and his palm is so warm.

‘I really really like you Ed’s’ and Steve must be able to read Eddie's mind because those words are like a balm on his soul. He feels his cheeks dust pink, all the fears and embarrassment float. Steve likes him back.

Leaning back onto his elbow Steve looks back down at Eddie on his back. The same as before but so so different. ‘Happy Christmas Eddie’ Steve's smile is dopey and perfect and this is the best Christmas ever.

[undreaming-fanfiction]

So, I adore the Fruity Four Advent Calendar that @unclewaynemunson posted. I am also crazy busy and kind of stressed out, so I didn't want to start something that would end up stressing me even more.

So what did I do? I bought the teeniest tiniest notebook I could find (seriously, it's like a bottom of a bottle or something) and decided to scribble my way towards happiness. Will it be childish? Yes. Will it be simple? Also yes. Will it bring me joy? I fucking hope so.

So, have a set of Fruity Four Christmas lights. BTW, the thing behind the ice cream is a pen for Nancy's journalism, but my marker betrayed me.

[withacapitalp]

Day One- Christmas Lights

Eddie’s favorite part of Christmas had always been the lights. 

They just made everything look so cozy. Big, small, white, rainbow, it didn’t matter. He loved them all. 

All his life Eddie had held a secret dream close to his heart, a quiet silly one that made things easier when his Dad would run off, or his Mom would leave him behind. Eddie would dream about the house he was going to have one day, and how it would look at Christmas time. 

There would be a big open living room with squashy comfy couches and wide floor to ceiling windows. He liked to dream about a pretty cherry wood upright piano in one corner, and a nice TV in the other. The Yule Log would be playing on the screen, the volume turned down real low to make sure no one woke up. A dog asleep in a warm bed in front of the fireplace, and the kids piled in mounds of blankets around a half finished board game. 

But the most important part of the dream was the tree. A massive pine with dark spiny branches and a beautiful foresty smell that would permeate through the whole house. There would be ornaments of all kinds- shitty silly ones made at school, special crystal ones that would have to be hung with care, dollar store baubles that were big and slightly gaudy. 

And, the best part, rings and rings of soft white christmas lights, twinkling and gleaming and bathing everything in a wonderful golden glow. 

That was Eddie’s actual dream. Not visions of chaotic rockstar glory like all his friends thought. Just a home, a tree, and a family to share it with. 

Tonight wasn’t exactly Eddie’s secret childhood dream. 

Steve’s house wasn’t warm by any means. There was too much quiet in it, too much loneliness. There was no upright piano, no TV, no dog. 

But there was a tree. A tree that had been put together with care by their family. Fifteen people clustered around one absolutely enormous tree, climbing up slightly terrifying ladders to hang expensive rich people ornaments that Steve hated with an extreme passion. 

And lights, of course. Eddie had brought them himself just to make sure the lights would be absolutely perfect. That mattered the most, and Steve would always indulge Eddie’s little needs.  

When they had finished with what decorations Steve already had, the kids had busted out the popsicle sticks, glitter, and glue. Dozens of absolutely terrible snowflakes and picture frames had been sloppy crafted together, splattered on the glorious looking tree like a toddler’s scribble on the Mona Lisa. Eddie loved the discordant energy of it, and Steve had been ecstatic to see it.

It still looked pretty now, even prettier with the dark night pressing up against the big glass doors. 

This wasn’t Eddie’s dream. The couch they were sitting on wasn’t terribly comfortable, but everyone else had managed to fall asleep on it anyway. Even Steve was out, lightly snoring against Eddie’s shoulder as he curled up in his arms. When Eddie let himself look away from the lights and down at the man nestled up against him, a rush of stupidly heavy love would barrel him over, flooding him with warmth and joy. 

He had never let himself dream about someone to share his home with, someone to raise those faceless kids he had always craved. Even in his wildest dreams, Eddie never thought he would get to have someone like Steve. 

It wasn’t the same as what Eddie had always wanted, but there was a tree, silly ornaments, and a family to share it all with. A love to share it all with. 

It wasn’t his dream. It was so much better.

[redrosydiaz]

i wish i knew how (your eyes are like starlight now)

MacksDramaticShenanigans

“Mistletoe!” Robin cheers, and Steve’s heart stutters so hard in his chest that he thinks it might crack his ribcage and drop right out the bottom of his stomach.

His eyes fly up, and, sure enough, there hangs one of the many sprigs hung all around the apartment. Small and inconspicuous, but unmistakable. That ridiculous little plant has no idea that it’s just turned Steve’s entire world on its axis.

Across from him, Eddie’s eyes are trained up too, big and round and wide where they stick on the mistletoe. His lips are parted in surprise, and Steve can’t help but stare and think am I going to kiss those now?

When Eddie finally tears his gaze from the plant and lets it flicker down to Steve, a pretty pink dusting blooms across the bridge of his nose and spreads into the apples of his cheeks when he finds Steve already looking back.

Steve spares the mistletoe one last quick peek before he takes a deep breath and steels himself. This is it. He sticks his hands on his hips, aiming for casual, and asks, “What do you say, Munson?”

Or, Steve makes a promise, Robin likes to meddle, and the spirit of Christmas strikes (out) again. And again. And again.

(Until it doesn’t.)

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

written for the prompt "how much mistletoe did you put up?" for @thefreakandthehair's Spicy Six Winter Prompt Challenge! 🌿🍒

happy holidays friends, enjoy!! 💕

[kkpwnall]

where's the spark? | 6.4k

It’s been three, almost four weeks since the disaster of the gift exchange party (not that he’s counting), and Steve hasn’t seen or heard from Eddie since. He doesn’t know when he’s coming back, or if he even liked his present. Tonight, there’s a bonfire at the Byers-Hopper’s and Steve’s resigned to sulk play fifth-wheel between two happy couples. That is, until Eddie and the rest of the band arrive… Now he has to play ninth-wheel and somehow deal with the fact that Eddie’s actually wearing the gift Steve got him. But he’s probably just being polite, right?

written for lex's spicy six fic challenge and the prompt 'bonfire'. featuring pouting, pining, and presents.

For maximum ambiance: a bonfire and a playlist

shoutouts to the squad @thefreakandthehair @solosnail @flashyysins @legitcookie @corrodedcoughin. this one really took a village and would not exist without y'all

🔥 [read on ao3] 🔥

[henrystars]

I Got a Feeling This Year’s for Me and You

“How the fuck can you hate Christmas?” Eddie pipes up as soon as the bell jingles again, signaling that it’s just the three of them once more.

Steve shrugs again and pushes off the counter. It’s not like it’s a secret, the whole him hating Christmas thing. It’s just. It’s kind of embarrassing, is the thing. Something that always tugs at the back of Steve’s mind whenever it comes up in conversation. He knows he had a fucked up childhood, that his parents were subpar at best, but something about even Christmas being sullied - the so called time of love and family spirit - something about admitting to that has always rubbed him up the wrong way. It had taken Robin almost a full bottle of wine to get it out of him and even then it’d still been hard to say the words out loud.

or; a non au where Eddie helps Steve get into the festive spirit.

written for the prompt “I know you hate the holidays but…” for the winter event hosted by @thefreakandthehair and @unclewaynemunson

[sparkle-fiend]

Fruity Four Advent Calendar, Day 21: “Midwinter Night”

When they come across the tree in Walmart, Eddie practically starts to vibrate with excitement. "We gotta get it, Steve, please. Please, please, please. I need that tree."

They're shopping for decorations for their first ever apartment together, and they do need a tree, but... "Why that one?" It's obviously artificial, 7 ft tall and solid white. 

"We never had space for a real tree, so Wayne got a little plastic one that fit on the coffee table. It looked just like this one." Eddie waves his hand at the tree in question, like a magician showing off a trick. "I loved that thing." 

Looking at his boyfriend's bright, hopeful face, Steve easily concedes. 

They add some ornaments, a string of rainbow-colored lights, and a tinsel star to complete the recreation of Eddie's childhood tree. 

Once it’s all set up, they stand back and admire the way the lights shine pink, blue, yellow, and green against the white branches. It does look pretty; plus, Steve’s father would hate it - which adds to the appeal. 

(Sometimes the flash of colored light makes his heart race, bringing to mind the memory of a charging demogorgon, or the burst of fireworks against melted flesh in the atrium of Starcourt mall - but Steve ignores it. It'll be fine.)

It is fine... until it's not.

***

Steve comes home, tired and feeling the start of a migraine. He heads through the living room toward the kitchen, intending to grab some water and a Tylenol - when the upstairs neighbor cuts on a vacuum. The muted roar doesn't sound much like a demogorgon, but with the Christmas lights twinkling nearby it's enough to trip something in Steve's weary brain.

He's not in their apartment anymore. He's in the dimly lit hallway of the Byers' house, the smell of gasoline burning in his nose. The lights are flashing, which means the monster is coming - but he doesn't have his bat. He fumbles around the coffee table, searching... it was just here a minute ago, right? His heart is pounding like a drum, pulse rushing loud enough to muffle the voice calling his name.

"Steve? Steve?!"

He can't tell if it's Nancy or Jonathan, but they sound frightened. "Hold on Nance!"

Warm hands grip him by the shoulders. "STEVE!!"

If he doesn't find that bat they're going to die, and it'll be his fault... all his fault... 

"Please baby, come back to me. It's okay - you're okay."

It's not Nancy or Jonathan. Not Robin or Dustin or Erica calling his name.

It's Eddie leaning over him, dark curls falling like a curtain over Steve's face. His cheek is smudged, and for a second Steve thinks it's blood. They're back in the Upside Down and Eddie is bleeding out under his hands...

"Steve," Eddie says softly. He's warm and healthy, wounds sealed into scars; and the smudge on his cheek is just sauce. 

Because he was in the kitchen cooking dinner. Steve can smell it now, sausage and tomato and garlic.

"Can you tell me what happened?" Eddie asks gently.

Steve tries to explain without mentioning the lights, but Eddie knows him too well. He asks just the right questions to work it all out, and the look of guilt that crosses his face hurts worse than a blow to the head. 

Eddie gets up and goes to the tree, yanking the plug from the wall and plunging the room into gloomy darkness. "Ed, you don't have to do that..."

"I do Steve, I absolutely do.”

Steve sighs. It's the night of the winter solstice - the longest, darkest night of the year. It'll be even darker with the tree stripped of lights. "At least wait until tomorrow."

Eddie pauses his task of carefully unwinding the light strands from the tree without disturbing the ornaments. "Come here." He tugs Steve off the floor and maneuvers him onto the sofa. 

"Lay down for a minute, okay? I got this." He fetches a cool cloth and a glass of water, along with the Tylenol Steve originally meant to find.

"What about dinner?"

"It's done. I'll just pop it in the fridge, and we can eat when you're feeling better."

Steve wants to protest, but the pain in his temples has escalated to a blinding pitch. He agrees to close his eyes for just a minute - drifting off to the sound of Eddie humming softly in the background.

He wakes to the same sound and assumes that only a few minutes have passed; until he sees the clock. "Two hours? Shit, you shouldn't have let me sleep so long!"

Eddie shrugs. "You needed it. Besides, I had to run an errand."

He leans behind the tree and plugs a cord into the outlet, filling the room with a soft yellow glow. Apparently, Eddie had replaced the lights while he slept.  Clear, simple bulbs - no frills or flashing patterns. "Are these okay? Be honest." 

Steve nods. It's not as pretty as it was before, but it's comforting; like the lamp he used to keep by his bed. 

Eddie reheats dinner and they eat it straight from the pot, so there won't be more dishes to worry over. The plan was to watch a movie, but Steve is still exhausted even after his nap - worn out by the headache and the panic attack; so they just cuddle together in front of the tree.

Curled against Eddie, head resting easy on his boyfriend’s shoulder, Steve says, “I'm sorry about the tree. It doesn't look like the one you had growing up anymore."

Eddie puts an arm around him and squeezes. "I like this better. We're making a new tradition."

[unclewaynemunson]

Hallmark movie AU where Nancy is the successful journalist begrudgingly returning to Hawkins from the big city, and Robin is the smalltown girl who owns a Christmas tree farm and teaches her the true meaning of Christmas. While she and Nancy are having a snowball fight with Holly among the trees, her coworker Steve runs into Eddie, who returned to Hawkins with nothing but broken dreams of stardom and is about to learn the lesson that love and family are actually more important than fame all along.

[shares-a-vest]

Fruity Four Advent Calendar, Day 23: Gifts

Prompt List

I was totally a day ahead of myself with the Nativity prompt and I wrote this out in one go. Just a steddie-being-dumb ficlet.

"Eddie, what is this?" Steve asks.

He heaves himself up from a kneeling position on the floor, back almost giving out after packing up Christmas decorations.

It is the 28th of December and he has decided it is probably time to pack away everything, thinking he could only extend Christmas on for so long. It has been the best Christmas Steve has had, maybe ever. Everyone gathered at his house throughout the Christmas period, hanging decorations and hanging out. He'd hosted a dinner party with Eddie, Nancy, Robin, Johnathan and Argyle while he was visiting for Christmas. He had invited over Max and Dustin to help with their Christmas wrapping. He did a lot of baking and cooking seeing as his mother wasn't around hogging the kitchen. Wayne came over with Eddie for a roast pretty much any night before his set of night shifts.

"What is it?" Eddie asks, not looking up from the Christmas lights he is absolutely, totally packing with neatness into their assigned box.

"This!" Steve says, holding out a small, red box in his direction. "It was just sitting on the mantlepiece behind that terrible photo of me from fourth grade."

He makes a face at the goody-goody-looking school photo of his younger, incredibly lame and chubby-cheeked self.

Eddie looks up. His eyes go wide with panic as his brows disappear under his fringe.

"Nothing!" he shrieks, shooting upright, entirely suspicious.

He bounds forward, crossing the Harrington's living room and attempts to snatch the box away. But Steve blocks him, holding his arm up to keep the box from his reach. And damn it, his strong, muscular arms are just ever-so-slightly longer.

"Is it for me?" he teases, bopping Eddie's nose with his free hand.

"No!" he whines, still trying to reach for the box.

They tussle and Eddie practically jumps on Steve in an attempt to reach the gift. They immediately lose balance and fall to the floor. The box rolls out from Steve's grasp and Eddie lunges over him for it as they scuffle like overturned turtles in the middle of the living room.

Eddie of course, begins to play dirty, running a hand up under Steve's sweater and nosing into his neck, making him squirm.

"Stop!" Steve begs through laughter as Eddie begins to tickle him.

"I gotta get that box, Stevie," he says through gritted teeth, trying to reach the box again.

He rolls them over so he's under Steve, a weird move that is probably going to give his former-wrestling team member boyfriend the upper hand but he's a fraction closer. He reaches out his fingers, outstretching them as much as possible, poking his tongue out for some extra power.

Steve reaches over and pins his wrist to the floor.

"If the box is for me, dude, why would you hide it in my house?"

Eddie looks up at him, floundering completely. He huffs a breath trying to move hair from his face. But with his free hand, Steve does it for him, shifting his bodyweight so his very nice and athletic body is keeping Eddie on the ground.

Steve chances a glance at the red box and catches a glimpse of the ring on Eddie's middle right finger.

"Is it a ring?" he asks, voice quiet, eyes glazed over as he stares beyond the polished flooring.

Eddie screws his eyes shut, relenting, his body going weak under Steve's hold.

"Yes."

Steve slides off him and sits on the floor in stunned silence. For Eddie, it is the most optimal move because he can now cower into himself, crawl up into a ball on the floor and die of embarrassment.

They sit in silence, punctuated only by nervous, shocked breathing for a good few minutes before Eddie wills himself to speak.

"It was just a ring. Not an engagement ring or anything. I just know you like my plain one," he mumbles before uncoiling himself and looking over to a misty-eyed Steve. "But then I thought, this is stupid and looks like a fucking purity ring or some bullshit. And if I gave it to you while everyone was here they'd think it was an engagement ring."

"So, why is it still sitting here?" Steve asks, throat dry. "You could have explained all that. And... I'd understand."

Eddie knows what that fleeting pause means. They were both so goddamn dumb about their feelings and how much they meant to each other. Even though they were dating. They were inseparable. And they so obviously wanted to spend forever together.

"I forgot where I put it," Eddie admits meekly, grunting as he sits up and crosses his legs to face him.

Steve just bursts out laughing, doubling over and falling back to the ground. Eddie giggles and reaches for the box, slapping an exhausted hand over it to slide it to himself.

"You are so stupid!" Steve shrieks, tears prickling as he laughs.

"My forgetfulness is clearly a detriment to my entire existence."

He scoots over to his laughing boyfriend and attempts to get him back up. When Steve finally moves and wipes tears from his eyes with his sweater sleeve, Eddie has the gift ready for him.

[thefluffychipmunk]

Snow Ball 1978

Fruity Four Advent Challenge, Day 22! Hawkins Middle Snow Ball! I finally wrote something! So I missed several stories I had planned, for several days over the past few weeks, because writers block is kicking my ass. But this one came pretty easily. And I'm so glad it did because I was starting to get mad at myself. Maybe I'll get those other stories out. Incredibly late. Maybe I won't. That's okay. I managed this one. And I had fun writing it. That's what counts.

    Steve was tired of this stupid dance already and he’d only been here half an hour. Three different girls had asked him to dance and he’d given them one dance each before retreating back to the bleachers with Tommy and Carol. They continued to mostly ignore him in favor of each other. He didn’t know why he was there at all. 

A seventh grade girl asked him to dance and he waved her off. Sixth grade was hard enough without having to worry about girls, but it seemed like all any of them was thinking about was him. Being the popular kid in elementary school was fun. Being the popular kid in middle school seemed like nothing but trouble. 

“Steve! Look at the freak!” Carol nudged him and pointed towards the door, not even trying to hide her laugh. There was a boy walking in, tall and lanky, in the darkest suit Steve had ever seen. It didn’t seem to fit him quite right… too long in the jacket, too tight on the shirt collar, too short on the pants. And he was wearing beat up dirty sneakers instead of dress shoes. His hair was brown and curly and all over the place. Completely unruly. He had a small bouquet of half wilted flowers clutched in his hand with a death grip. He was a mess. An absolutely beautiful mess and Steve couldn’t stop staring. 

The boy was looking everywhere, giving each face no more than a second long glance. Steve couldn’t look anywhere but at him. His heart was hammering in his chest and his stomach was doing flips. He didn’t know what that meant but he was pretty sure it wasn’t good. 

“Where’d he get that suit? The funeral home?” Tommy laughed. 

“I bet he stole it off a dead body.” Carol was ridiculous. Steve tuned them out. He didn’t like it when they got mean like that. So the kid’s suit didn’t fit right. That shouldn’t matter.

He watched the boy finally find what he was looking for and stumble his way over to a group of girls on the other side of the gym. He tapped a girl on the shoulder and smiled as she turned. Steve’s stomach dropped. He didn’t want that boy to be talking to that girl. But he couldn’t figure out why it should matter. It shouldn’t matter. He didn’t even know him. He knew the girl, she was a total snob, but that shouldn’t matter either.

The boy held the flowers out and the girl laughed. It wasn’t a nice laugh. Suddenly all the girls in that group were laughing. The boy’s face fell. Steve didn’t know what was going on. He couldn’t hear much over the music, but he could tell it wasn’t good. Something about a joke and stupid and freak. Freak. Everyone kept saying that word and finally a boy came forward and knocked the flowers to the floor. The beautiful boy, the one they kept calling freak, pushed the other boy and suddenly there was a fight on the dance floor. Kids crowded around, teachers scrambled to intervene, even Tommy and Carol stopped what they were doing to join the chant. 

The principal was finally able to push through the crowd of kids and snatch both boys by their shirts. He hauled them up and dragged them right past the bleachers towards the door. Right by Steve and Tommy and Carol.

“He started it! He punched me first!” Steve recognized that kid. His name was John and he was nice to Steve and Tommy and some others, but mean to pretty much everyone else. 

“He knocked my flowers down!” The freak tried to defend himself. His voice cracked. He looked like he was going to cry.

“Yeah well you shouldn’t have brought flowers for my girlfriend!” John yelled. 

“Well your girlfriend shouldn’t have invited me to the dance!” The principal shook them both and dragged them out of the gym. Excitement over, kids started dancing again. Steve was smart enough to know what happened. He’d watched stuff like this happen before. The girl had invited the boy to the dance as a joke. He believed her. She just wanted to embarrass him. And it worked. It always worked. Steve felt sick to his stomach.

“I need to take a leak.” He shoved his drink at Tommy and stood up.

“You okay? You look like you’re going to ralph.” Carol asked. 

“Yeah. Too much punch. I’ll be back.” He waved her off and left the gym, his hands in his pockets. He didn’t go to the bathroom though. He grabbed his coat and wandered the halls looking for the boy. 

He saw the principal lead John back to the gym, but the other boy was nowhere to be found. Steve kept wandering. He finally found him by the payphones outside. He was glad he’d had the forethought to grab his coat.

“Please, Uncle Wayne? Dad just dropped me off, you know he won’t come back to get me already.” He was quiet for a minute, tapping his foot and drumming his leg with his fingers. “He’s probably at the bar.” Another beat. “Yeah, okay. I’ll be outside waiting. Thank you.” The boy hung up the phone and leaned his forehead against it.

“You okay?” Steve asked. The boy jumped about a mile and glared at him.

“Why do you care?” he asked suspiciously. Steve held his hands up in what he hoped was a non-threatening gesture. 

“What they did in there was mean. I just wanted to check on you. I’m sorry.” The kid visibly relaxed. He moved towards Steve but stopped just short of the door, leaning against the wall. Steve let the door close behind him and joined him. He was at least a head shorter but he tried to look like it didn’t bother him. Like he didn’t care that he was still small.

“You’re a little shrimp of a kid, aren’t you?” The other boy looked down at him. Steve frowned.

“I’m only eleven. I’ll grow.” The kid laughed. 

“Yeah, well, I’m nearly thirteen and I can’t seem to stop growing. You’re a sixth grader then?” He asked. Steve nodded. “You like it here?”

“It’s alright.” Steve shrugged. The kid hummed in the back of his throat and put his shoe up against the wall, bending his knee and leaning his head back. Steve mimicked him.

“That’s good, I guess. Me? I hate it. But I won’t be here for long. My dad, he’s going to get his big break soon and then he said we’re out of here. He’s taking me to California and I’m never coming back.” The boy slid one hand right off the other with a whooshing noise. Steve nodded, not sure what to say. They were quiet for a minute, the kid twiddling his thumbs and Steve chewing on his bottom lip.

“You can go back to the dance, y’know. I’m just waiting on my uncle.” 

“I can wait with you. It’s a lame dance anyway.” The boy looked at him long and hard, humming in the back of his throat again. Steve had no idea what any of it meant. But every time the kid looked at him, his heart stuttered and his stomach jumped.

“Yeah, dances are pretty stupid. All fancy clothes and terrible music.” 

“I like some of the music. Don’t really like the clothes though. My mom made me wear this.” It was a lie. His mom hadn’t made him wear anything. He’d picked it out himself. She hadn’t even known there was a dance, nevermind that he was going to it. Tommy’s mom had given him a ride. He wasn’t about to tell this kid that. He didn’t want to seem pathetic. This kid was cool. Steve wanted to be cool too. Cool for him.

They were quiet again for awhile, Steve wasn’t sure how long. At some point the kid started shivering. It was the middle of December and he didn’t have a coat. Steve handed his own over. It was too small by a lot but the boy put it on anyway. He stomach did that flip flop thing again seeing the boy in his clothes. If he were a little bit taller, a little bit wider, he could share all his clothes. He really really wanted to hand over everything. 

“Why did they call you a freak?” Steve finally asked. He knew he probably shouldn’t have, but it was cold and it was quiet and they were waiting an awfully long time.

“Because I am, I guess. I don’t conform to what they think I should be. I have to be myself, y’know?” Steve didn’t know. Not really. He wasn’t ever allowed to be himself, not even at home.

“I don’t even know who myself is.” He hadn’t meant to say that out loud.

“You’ll figure it out one day.” It was Steve’s turn to hum. He wasn’t so sure about all that. His life had already been planned out for him. He didn’t dare step out of that little box.

“I’m sorry they were so mean.” He didn’t know what else to say. The boy squinted down at him.

“Why are you apologizing? You aren’t the one who lied. Besides, girls are stupid and you aren’t a girl.” Steve tried to stop a laugh and it came out more like a cough. The kid thumped him on the back a few times.

“I was just thinking the same thing.” he choked out. The boy looked at him, hand stilled on his back. “Girls. They’re stupid. They all want to dance with me and make googly eyes and put notes in my locker. But I don’t want to talk to them. I don’t want anything to do with them.” 

“You might change your mind one day.” 

“Did you?” The boy laughed at him.

“No. Boys are better.” Steve got the feeling they were talking about two different things, but he kind of hoped they weren’t. Steve didn’t want to change his mind about girls, even though he knew he was supposed to. His parents made it very clear what was expected of him, what was acceptable and what wasn’t. And the way he was feeling right now was far from acceptable. But he didn’t care, not right this minute anyway. His parents weren’t here and this boy was. He wanted the way this boy made him feel, with butterflies and his heart beating every which way. 

“There’s my uncle.” The boy pointed to the parking lot by the high school. An old truck was rambling its way down the lane to the middle school. He handed the coat back to Steve. “It was nice talking to you. Thanks for waiting with me.” They both pushed off the wall and Steve moved back to the door. He hesitated, his hand hovering over the knob. He didn’t want this to be it. He liked this boy. He wanted more.

And suddenly he knew what all those feelings meant. What more meant. What he wanted to do.

He turned back to the boy. Grabbed him by his ill-fitting suit jacket. And tugged him down to his level. He leaned up on his tip toes and kissed him. It was fast and it was awkward, the surprise of it meaning he didn’t really get a kiss back. But that was okay. It was Steve’s first kiss and he’d been the one to initiate it. And he loved it. It was soft and warm and sent electricity tingling all the way through him, right down to his toes. 

“I’ll see you Monday?” he asked, walking backwards to the doors. He didn’t even know the kids name, realized he’d never given his either, but that didn’t matter. He’d find him.

“Yeah…” the boy whispered, reaching up to touch his lips. Steve beamed at him and vanished behind the doors, back into the school. He practically ran back to the gym, back to Tommy and Carol, and though he didn’t tell anybody why, he was smiling for the whole rest of the night.

He spent all weekend planning out what he was going to say. How he would find the seventh grader in the hallways when the sixth graders weren’t supposed to interact with them.

But then he didn’t see the boy on Monday. Or Tuesday. Or the whole rest of the days before winter break. He looked for him, even asked about him a few times, but nobody knew what happened. Rumors flew about the freak, about where he went and what happened that night. Some said he’d been suspended. Others said he’d been expelled. A couple people thought he got arrested or he ran away from embarrassment. Steve knew none of it was true. He’d just have to wait.

He didn’t show up to school for the second semester either. Steve gave up looking. Gave up asking. Eventually, everybody else gave up caring and the boy vanished from middle school gossip. When a boy showed up in eighth grade, at the start of Steve’s seventh grade year, he didn’t think much of it. The kid had the same brown eyes, but his hair was buzzed and he was shorter than Steve. And sure, Steve had shot up several inches over the summer, but his boy must have as well. This kid couldn’t be him. This kid wasn’t friendly. He was mean. Angry. Steve ignored him. 

Eventually he’d forgotten. Forgotten what the kid looked like, what he said, what he did. Forgotten all about that sixth grade Snow Ball dance. He didn’t forget the kiss, though, or the way it made him feel. He spent the rest of his middle and high school years chasing that feeling. Trying to find it. And somewhere, in the back of his mind, subconsciously, he remembered that boy. Remembered the curly brown hair and the honey sweet brown eyes. Remembered the smile and the butterflies. Subconsciously he knew he could find it, that electricity, if he just kept looking for soft brown curls. For soft brown eyes.

[princess-josephina]

Fruity Four Advent Calendar 1-12: Christmas lights

Thought I'd jump straight (HAHA) onto the first wagon of @unclewaynemunson 's Fruity Four Advent Calendar train. Hope it's ok this one's just Steddie, I couldn't fit in the girls without making it ridiculously long and chaotic.

UPD: now also on AO3.

"Steve? What the hell are you doing?"

Eddie's back from the grocery store with some food and finds Steve back on the roof, taking down the enormously long lights string they'd just spent 2 hours putting up (a little too close to potentially breaking their necks several times). Steve turns to look down at him and wobbles for a second, giving Eddie a mini heart attack before he catches his balance again.

"It's broken!" He shouts, sounding frustrated. "It's not lighting up. Guess it might have died, from like, lack of use? We hadn't used this one in years."

"Oh my god, Steve, are you serious?!" Eddie yells back at him. "Leave that and get back down here."

Eddie grabs the cable, sighs with relief when Steve's safely reached the bottom of the ladder, and then follows the cable's length until he reaches the end, lying on the garage floor by the power socket. He crouches next to it. Steve leans over his shoulder to see what he's doing.

"Did you check that the socket's working?" Eddie inquires, and Steve rolls his eyes.

"Ugh… Yes?" He gestures at a small lamp on the counter nearby. "Tried with a lamp. It worked, so the socket's fine." He crosses his arms on his chest, defensive. "I'm not an idiot, Eddie."

"Never said you were, Stevie," Eddie glances at him and replies in that strange, patient tone Steve's never sure what to do with. "Just making sure." He fiddles with the plug in his hand. "Probably just blown fuses. These things die all the time. You got tools here?"

"Like what?" Steve asks, and feels foolish when he understands, a moment later, what Eddie meant.

"I need something small. Like a tiny flathead? Tweezers would work too."

Miraculously, Steve actually produces a dusty toolbox from somewhere in the back of the garage and hands it over to Eddie, who quickly rummages through it and then works to open up the lights plug, sticking out his tongue in concentration as he always does. Steve doesn't ask questions, figuring he shouldn't distract Eddie, but Eddie motions for him to come closer anyway and starts talking.

"See these two tiny things?" He says, and Steve has to lean over to see, resting his hand on Eddie's shoulder for support. Eddie keeps explaining, simple stuff that sounds obvious, really, but no judgement or condescension in his tone. "Those are electrical fuses. They're like… safety measures, to protect the whole cable from overcurrent, you know, so your house doesn't burn down. And yeah," Eddie holds the tiny thing between the fingers and raises it closer to his face. "See how it's all brown inside? Yeah, this baby's dead, rest in peace." Eddie quickly extracts the other fuse, too, and shoves them both in his jeans pocket. "I'm gonna drive to the hardware store and get the replacements." He grins, holding his arm out to Steve from the floor, and Steve grabs it to pull him up to his feet.

"So that's gonna… fix the lights?"

"Well yeah, if it's just the fuses, if that doesn't work then the problem's somewhere in the cable itself, I'd need to borrow a voltage tester from Wayne and…" Eddie stops talking, because Steve is giving him a strange, open-mouthed, awestruck look. "What?"

Steve looks away, shakes his head and laughs.

"Nothing. That's just… awesome. That you know all that. I thought we'd have to buy new lights."

"Jesus, rich people." Eddie rolls his eyes and then narrows them at Steve, his expression somewhere between exasperated and amused. "Do you really just buy new shit every time the old one breaks?"

"Yes?" Steve shrugs and rubs his chin, at least having the decency to look sheepish. "I mean, unless it's big stuff like a fridge or a TV, then my father gets a handyman to have a look…"

"…Who spends 15 minutes intensely looking at its insides and then tells you some super complicated detail needs replacing and it will cost you 80 bucks, when ninety percent of the time it just needs a new power cable?" Eddie grins. "Wayne worked as a handyman for some time, I know the drill. You know, if the rich people of Hawkins were to willingly let the town's satanic freak into their homes, I might consider a career change. Easiest money in the world, apparently."

It's just a short drive to the hardware store and back, and 30 minutes later Eddie's replacing the fuses while Steve sits right by him on the garage floor and watches his hands work, fascinated. As if Eddie was casting some high level wizarding spell, not doing basic household repairs every kid of Eddie's income level learned when they were 10 years old.

"Okay, fingers crossed, Stevie. Here we go."

Eddie plugs the cable into the socket and they glance at each other briefly before jumping up at the same time and racing outside, Eddie slipping on some ice by the garage entrance and Steve catching him, and they both laugh, arms still around each other, as they look up to see Steve's house all brightly illuminated with multicolor lights in the winter dusk.

"You did it!" Steve shouts, shaking Eddie's shoulders and grinning at him, delighted and overjoyed in a way that makes Eddie's stupid heart melt with fondness. "You saved Christmas, Eddie!"

"Uh. I just fixed some stupid lights. No biggie," Eddie flushes, not knowing what to do with himself when Steve looks at him like that. He glances back up at the lights and twirls Steve's scarf between his fingers because he needs to keep his hands busy with something, so they don't do something stupid. Like grab Steve's cheeks, all bright rosy from the cold.

"That's just it", Steve's voice is quieter now, and he keeps looking at Eddie intently. "You always make everything better and act like it's no big deal."

What the hell is Eddie supposed to say to that? Before his brain can even comprehend the words, suddenly it's Steve's hands bracketing his own head, fingers warm against his freezing ears; shit, Eddie might never get to see the best Christmas he'd probably have had in his entire life, because he'll be dead of a heart attack. "You're fucking amazing, Eds, you gotta know that." And then Steve's staring at his lips, and hey, maybe Eddie doesn't need to die.

Feeling stupidly brave, Eddie tugs on Steve's scarf, and Steve moves easily, no resistance. Two clouds of breath mingle into one in the cold air between them. "Stevie. Sweetheart," he murmurs; Steve bites his lip and ducks his head at the endearment, god yes, please let him be right about this. Eddie leans in, heart thundering in his chest.

Steve's lips are cold, but the inside of his mouth is deliciously warm, tastes like cigarettes and mulled wine they'd shared earlier. Eddie shivers and swallows back an embarrassing moan, and thinks fuck, maybe Jesus doesn't actually hate the gays, because Steve is kissing him back, and if that's not an early Christmas miracle, Eddie doesn't know what is. And goddamn, that boy knows how to kiss. Eddie's blood feels like an electric current, and he's all weak in the knees and wobbly, all that stuff straight out of romance novels he never thought was real.

It's almost dark outside, but the Christmas lights are so bright they are both in plain view here, in Steve's front yard, and yet it seems like Steve doesn't even care, doesn't stop kissing him and doesn't hurry at all when he walks them backwards into the garage, until Eddie's back hits the wall; that makes Eddie jump in surprise, and they finally break apart.

Steve looks at him with the brightest smile Eddie's ever seen, all pure wonder and fondness, and Eddie's glad to have the wall for support. He's literally swooning, dammit.

"Just so you know…" Eddie giggles, knuckles brushing Steve's cheek, no longer cold to the touch. "You're fucking amazing too, Stevie. Just a different... area of expertise, so to speak."

[hopecorps]

FLICKER

for the fruity four advent calendar 1-12: christmas lights

It's almost 1988 before anyone realizes that there are no Christmas lights in the Harrington house.

Or, well, Nancy almost noticed in 1983. Back then, it was hard, being in Steve's house after everything, and he would always offer to come over or pick her up or drive her around, just to get out. If she ever ended up at his house, it was dark and empty and his parents weren't home.

Steve spent Christmas at the Wheeler's that year, no questions asked. Nancy wasn't really in a place to pry. She didn't know much back then about his home life, never tried to push past what she knew was just a front for him.

No one was really around to notice in 1984.

In 1985, Robin almost noticed. She spent a few nights at his house in December, as she did for the months leading up to it, and didn't say anything about the sad impersonal Christmas tree that looks like it was taken right from the mall.

Steve told her everything he wanted to. She figured that he'd mention it if it bothered him.

Eddie didn't notice in 1986, mainly because Steve spent most of the year at his bedside, helped Wayne push the tree up against the wall and watched the kids decorate it.

So it's December of 1987 when the four of them have started spending most of their time at the Harrington residence, door always open for the kids, a year after his parents came back for the last time. It's December and Steve's house is colorless and cold, and Eddie is under Steve's arm and Nancy and Robin are cuddled under a blanket , and they're all watching A Christmas Story and someone finally says something about it.

"Steve?" Eddie pulls his head back from Steve's chest. "Where do you keep your decorations?"

Steve blinks. "Oh, I don't actually know. My parents either always hid them or bought new ones every year."

"Hid them?" Nancy asks.

"Yeah. I was a destructive little shit when I was a kid, I guess. I'd always try to help with the tree and the lights and I sort of just ended up getting in the way."

Robin stares. "So you've never even decorated?"

"Nah, but it's okay. It's not my thing. It's not like it's my favorite holiday or anything."

And, well, the others are way more concerned than Steve seems to be. He falls asleep on his big ugly couch and they've been the four of them for so long that they don't have to say anything out loud.

Steve and Robin come home a few days later from their volunteer shift ls at the Hawkins shelter, find Eddie and Nancy already in his house with boxes of garlands and tangled up lights and tinsel and a cheap tree from two towns over.

It takes a bit for him to join the circle of them, blasting Christmas music from his dad's big old radio, singing together, letting him come to them.

He never had something like this. Holiday decorations were always mysteriously there one morning and mysteriously gone the next. But he watches Eddie sit tangled in the lights, cursing and struggling and plugging and unplugging them because a single one of the bulbs had gone loose.

Steve watches Eddie and he watches the halo of Christmas lights glow once he's fixed the damn things. He nearly ruins it by getting down to his knees, grabbing the lights like reigns and pulling Eddie in for a kiss. Not their first and not their last. Significant all the same.

The Harrington house lights up that winter, like a real house. One with a family inside.

[undreaming-fanfiction]

Entry no. 2 for the Fruity Four Advent Calendar.