#also Vampire Stevie T

[zombieplaguedoc]

Me: *texts Vampire Steve at one in the fricking morning* Stevie, I know this is coming out of nowhere, but hear me out: (Vampire) Stevie Wonder.

Vampire Steve:

Vampire Steve: We really need to work on your staying up late habit.

ANTIS DNI, THIS POST IS NOT FOR YOU!

[lovebugism]

hiii idk if you’re still taking requests but can you do something smutty with steve in season 3 w his scoops ahoy uniform on after he gets home from work or something🙏🏼🙏🏼

like sub!babygirl!steve is so 🤤🤤😽😽 and a

dom!femreader 🫶❤️❤️ AND OMG HE HAS A MOMMY KINK😧😧 I BEG OF YOU

✶ ┄ OH, BABY !

summary: after a long day at work, steve harrington needs someone (*cough cough* you) to take care of him. pairing: sub!steve harrington / f!reader word count: 5.6k warnings: sub!steve, brief use of a mommy kink, r calls steve daddy like twice i think, mention of a breeding kink, 18+ mdni (ignore any typos, i am way too tired to proofread <3) a/n: hi, it's me again, turning a blurb request into a full length fic. also i can't stop writing for sub steve apparently. all i can say is baby girl is baby girlin real hard in this one lol thanks so much for your request! enjoy xoxo

( BLURB SLEEPOVER ) | ( MASTERLIST )

It’s sunset by the time his shift at Scoops concludes. He serves the last few remaining customers while Robin less than kindly ushers out the loitering teenagers that have stuck around all day. 

A group of moms clad in vividly colored spandex tells him “we’re being bad today” like some sort of mantra that makes them feel better about ordering plain vanilla ice cream. Some middle school aged girls with a mouthful of braces, crimped hair in pigtails, and absolutely wreaking of fruity perfume and daddy’s money try helplessly to flirt with him while they use a matte black card to purchase a banana boat sundae.

His last customers of the night are an old married couple, all gray and wrinkly and smiling like life’s still so new to them. They order one strawberry cone to share between them and hold onto each other’s shaking, frail hands as they make their exit.

Steve smiles as he watches them go. He sees a lot of you and him in them. He hopes by the time you both are all old and brittle, you’ll still be happy like that, still so in love.

Working in the downstairs abyss of Starcourt makes him feel crazy sometimes. With no windows and only manufactured fluorescent lighting for ten hours straight, it makes time feel less and less real.

Sometimes he’ll be in before sun out and cower like some sort of vampire when his shift is over. Other times, he’ll come out when it’s pouring down rain and be absolutely baffled at the sight of it because it was perfectly sunny when his shift started.

Everything else but ice cream all but ceases to exist in the hole of Scoops Ahoy — weather, time, life.

Even though it’s closing when he leaves, Steve doesn’t realize how dark it’s gotten outside until he’s walking through the desolate parking lot to his car. The bustling mall has fallen asleep with the rest of the town. The sky has long turned to a navy velvet, the stars and full moon bright white silk. 

It makes his limbs heavy and his eyelids heavier as his tired bones ache for rest.

Steve makes the longer drive out to the cabin rather than his own home to see you. Hopper’s out for some conference which means El gets to spend every ounce of her time at the Wheeler’s and you and Steve get to play house. 

He doesn’t bother to knock before he comes in. He shuffles through the entrance like his feet are made of lead and leans his weight against the door after he clicks it closed.

The sound of his arrival gets your attention from where you scurry around the kitchen. A smile pulls slowly at your face as you turn over your shoulder to look at him, placing a cover over a pot of something that smells like your infamous chicken alfredo.

“Hey, Stevie,” you greet with a beam and a sort of sunshine in your voice that Steve’s been missing all day.

His body relaxes for the first time since he got up this morning at the sight of you, freshly showered and in your pajamas for the night — an oversized t-shirt that definitely didn’t belong to you before, because it used to be his.

You look more like home than any four walls could ever be to him.

Steve tries his best to give you a smile in return, but it’s weighed down by fatigue and not all there.

You can see it all over him, every ounce of exhaustion on his lax and tired features. Slinging ice cream for less than grateful customers for ten hours straight has taken an obvious toll on him. The bright blue sailor’s uniform makes him look more boyish, but no less tired — or hot.

Your heart swells at how cozy he looks, fatigued and warmed and in dire need of being taken care of. It makes you glad that you started dinner earlier than normal, even happier that you’ve got the house to yourselves.

You exit the kitchen and walk the short distance to him, taking his scruffy cheeks in your palms and rubbing your thumbs against his cheeks.

“Hard day?” you wonder softly and smile to himself when you feel Steve nestle further into your touch.

The boy hums lowly in reply — neither a yes or a no, but a short hmph that means he doesn’t want to talk about it now. He doesn’t like thinking about work when you’re in his arms and all over him. He’d rather pretend like you’re the only thing that exists and let the rest of the world slip slowly away.

He turns his face to kiss the inside of your wrists. You smell like lavender, he finds, and it makes him that much more tired and needy for you.

His hands settle on your arms, fingers wrapping themselves just below your wrists. “Just tired,” he answers finally. “How was your day?”

“Better than yours, I’m assuming,” you quip with a smile. Your hands drag from his face, down the tense columns of his neck, and settle at the white lapel of his uniform. Steve lets you pull him down by his red neckerchief until his lips press against yours, the pillows of them far cozier than the bed and blanket he so craves right now.

He grows somehow heavier against you. He exhales deeply through his nose as his aching muscles start to relax, the warmth of it brushes against your cupid’s bow. His hands fall to your back and ball into your shirt as he clutches so ardently onto you, as though terrified he might have to go another agonizing ten hours without you.

Your smile contorts against his mouth. A laugh exhales sharply through your nose at this tired boy, exhausted and too willing to let you swallow him whole.

As much as you want to take care of you him, you want him to get a little food in his belly and fresh clothes on his skin.

He’s got freshly laundered cottons sitting in a drawer you cleaned out in your room especially for him and a pot of his favorite food simmering on the stove. He’ll be golden in an hour or more and you’ll happily take care of him then.

Steve whines when you pull away from him. The pathetic sound bubbles from his throat and his face screws up like you’ve actually pained him by not kissing him more. He ducks down, looming over you, as his lips chase yours.

You giggle at him, letting him kiss you — one, two, three quick pecks and a fourth sweeter, more drawn-out one he presses against you as the two of you stumble back into the living room.

“You need to eat first, okay?” you protest when you part from him again, lips clicking wetly as they separate. “You probably haven’t had anything all day.”

“I had half a banana in the break room at lunch,” he retorts, half-heartedly.

“Exactly,” you scold. “Go get changed and then we can eat, ‘kay?”

“If you wanted to see me naked so bad, you could’ve just said.”

You roll your eyes at him and how he’s still so sly despite being so damn tired. You push playfully against his chest and squirm out from under where he’d cornered you between his body and the back of the couch. “You smell like a sundae and cheap cologne—”

“Blame those assholes from Abercrombie.”

“—hit the showers, Harrington,” you tell him with a playful sternness, swatting him on the ass as you pass by him.

The action stopped surprising him a long time ago. He’d complained relentlessly about corporate and the stupid outfit they made him wear to work every morning until he realized how much you liked it. 

After that, Steve figured he could put up with the itching and the chaffing and the weird stares from other mall-goers. As long as it meant you being unable to keep your hands off of him, dropping to your knees in front of him before he left for work, visiting him at lunch because you just had to see him again.

“You comin’ too, or…?” he jokes in reply, already inching towards the bathroom, but secretly hoping you’ll say yes.

You refuse to amuse him, though, and instead tell him that you have to keep stirring the pasta so it won’t burn. He’s too tired and too excited to wash all the muck of the long workday from his body to beg.

You knew just what he needed — like you always do. He’s as good as gold by the time he gets out of the shower, smelling of your shampoo and practically glittering at how good he feels.

His skin gets to breathe for the first time all day when he slips on a pair of boxers and a faded forest green Hawkins High sweatshirt. They’re freshly washed. He can tell by how soft they feel and the way they smell of fresh detergent. 

It makes his heart swell. 

While he’s been slinging ice cream and questioning all of his life choices, you’ve been washing his clothes, folding them and putting the in their own drawer in your dresser. You’ve been cooking him his favorite dinner, knowing he hasn’t eaten all day, because you know everything about him. 

You do it all because you love him. You don’t have to think twice about it before you so effortlessly take care of him.

He swears you’ll feed him if he begs hard enough, but Steve hasn’t reached that level of tiredness yet. He does, however, force you to sit halfway in his lap while the both of you opt to eat on the couch in the living room rather than the kitchen table.

A repeat of Miami Vice plays on the tiny television across the room and you tell him about what you’d done on your day off in between shoveling forkfuls of pasta into your mouth with your legs slung into his lap.

Most of it was spent taking care of chores, a feat made harder without Hopper and El to take on the extra workloads but easier because their absence meant less shit to get done. 

You drove Dustin and Lucas to the Wheeler’s house later that morning, then doubled back across Hawkins when Max called and all but begged you to free her from the hellscape on Cherry Lane, as she so lovingly put it. You picked her up and dropped her off with the rest of her friends.

And even though they all swore they had rides back home, they’d called again some hours later and asked too sweetly if you could take them back across town.

You complain and grumble about it, but you do it for them anyway.

Because you take care of people. That’s just what you do.

“So you were a personal chauffeur for a bunch of kids all day?” Steve jokes and laughs to himself as he swipes a smudge of alfredo sauce from your chin with his thumb

“Basically,” you nod in reply.

When that’s all done — and the episode is over and the dishes are in the sink and your teeth are freshly brushed — you tell Steve to get into bed, and then to get his head out of the gutter at the look he gives you after.

He’s pleasantly surprised when you bring a whole basket of things from the bathroom and into your bedroom. He watches silently, obediently, as you light a candle on the far side of the room before climbing into bed beside him.

“Scoot down a little,” you tell him. “And take off your shirt.”

He does it all without question. He rises, strips himself of his top, and tosses the thing mindlessly on the floor beside the bed. With his lean torso and bare chest on display, spotted with tufts of chestnut-colored hair and smelling of your body wash, he lazes back onto the bed again with his head on the pillows.

Steve holds his breathe when you straddle his chest.

“Comfy?” you ask him quietly.

He can only nod in response.

His eyes are wide, twinkling with love and curiosity. It makes you smile. He’s always so soft in his way, so compliant with you — and, fuck, if you don’t love how he looks when he’s underneath you.

You lean down to press a chaste kiss to the chiseled tip of his nose then reach for one of the many bottles stacked inside the wicker basket. You drip the rose-scented liquid onto a cottonpad and tell him that it’s cleanser.

“I thought I was already clean?” he retorts.

“Well, this shit is gonna make ya glow like a baby, Harrington,” you tell him and swipe the stuff up and down his face — across his forehead, along his nose, and around his stubbly jaw. “Which means it’s perfect for you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“Means you’re a baby,” you quip once, then smile lovingly down at him. “My baby,” you correct.

“Damn straight,” he hums with a soft smile, then shuts his eyes when you trade the cleanser for what you call a liquid exfoliator. He doesn’t ask what that means. He doesn’t say much of anything really, because he’s enamored with the way you dote on him.

Your day has been just as busy as his, maybe not as mind-numbing, but still busy. You’ve been bouncing all across town, trying to make sure a bunch of kids weren’t putting themselves in total danger — Steve knows firsthand how hard that can be.

And yet, you keep caring for him, like it’s more important than how tired you must be.

The way you’ve settled on top of him is just a bonus. It’s not as domineering as you usually are in this position, straddling your legs over him and forcing his face between your legs with your fingers tangled in his hair. He wouldn’t have minded if that’s what you’d done in the first place. He would’ve thanked you for it, really.

It’s comforting more than it is anything, the subtle weight of you on top of him, keeping him grounded.

You rub something that feels like lotion into his skin. The tips of your fingers massage his face — they dig softly into his temples, relieving all the strain there, then trace around his curve of his jaw. Steve sighs and melts into your touch. It makes you laugh.

“Look at you,” you giggle, all soft like the moonlight streaming in rays from the windows. Then you tease him. “My baby’s gettin’ all pampered tonight, huh?”

“That stuff smells really good,” he notes. “Think it’s safe enough to taste?”

You know he’s joking, but you flick him in the center of his freshly moisturized forehead anyway, when his tongue darts out the side of his mouth to lick around his lips.

“You’re such an idiot,” you scold with a laugh. “There’s no way we’re gonna be able to have a kid if you keep acting like one, Steve Harrington.”

The boy's eyes fly open. “…A kid?” he repeats in something short of a whisper.

You only hum in reply with a little shrug like you’re trying to play it all off. Like you didn’t just drop the biggest bomb on him and left him to pick up the pieces. Like it isn't the sweetest goddamn thing he’s ever heard in his life (even though you are sort of making fun of him).

“You want a kid with me?” he presses, eyes sparkling and full of hope.

“‘Course I do,” you shrug again, focusing on capping the moisturizer and putting it away rather than meeting his intense gaze. “Want anything and everything with you, Stevie.”

The boy doesn’t bother to hide the grin your words put on his face. He’s all but beaming from where he lays beneath you, trying to make sure he’s still breathing because his heart has started to flutter something fierce.

It was something the two of you only ever talked about in passing — usually him bringing up the idea of having kids and you swatting them all down.

“We’re too young,” you tell him. “We’re too broke”, “we’re too dumb.” The occasional “my dad is literally in the next room, he’ll kill you if he hears you talking like that” shuts him up real quick.

But here you are now, telling him you want a baby with him, that you want everything with him. It drives him absolutely insane.

“Yeah?” he hums in response, idle hands rising and settling upon your bare thighs, rubbing at the smooth skin there, petting you almost. The room gets suddenly and unbearably hot with the look he gives you, innocent and knowing and hungry.

You feel him shift from underneath you, the hardening cock in his boxers making it hard to stay as comfortable as he had been.

“You wanna be a mommy, honey?” he all but coos. “Wanna take care of our kids like you take care of me?”

Though his words set a fire in the pit of your stomach, the tone of them makes you roll your eyes. It’s like flipping a light switch when it comes to Steve. It takes next to nothing to turn him into a puddle of mush.

He’s always raring to go when it comes to you, and you’d be lying if you said it was totally invigorating. 

“What happened to my sweet, sleepy, baby Stevie, huh?” you tease, hands leaving his face to caress the ones he’s got resting on your thighs. “Thought you were too tired?”

He shakes his head defiantly. “Never too tired for you.” 

“I’m supposed to be taking care of you,” you scold with bubbly laughter when you feel his large hands trail up your legs. His finger falls beneath your shirt, the tips of them sneaking into the rounded hems of your underwear, all but cupping your ass to drag you further up his chest.

He’s practically salivating at the mere thought of tasting you. Of knowing that the only thing separating you from him is a couple of inches and the thin fabric of your underwear.

He knows that when he slides them to the side, you’ll be wet and needing him underneath, slick enough for his tongue to slip right in.

And, truth be told, oral sex wasn’t the easiest when you weren’t alone. It was too precarious of a position. If Hopper knocked on the door and barged in hardly a moment later, you needed to break away quickly.

So when your dad and little sister were home, it was easier to use your hands to get each other off. And, maybe, if Steve was real good, you’d let him fuck you.

But his mouth on you? There wasn’t enough good he could be for you to let him do that, not when your father was on the other side of the door in the living room. Because you’re pretty sure death would be easier than your dad catching Steve Harrington giving cunnilingus to his daughter. You’re pretty sure you’d die on the spot, anyway.

But Hopper is miles away. Your sister is on the other side of town. And you’re alone with your boyfriend, hidden away in a cabin in the middle of the woods. It’s the perfect recipe for the best sex of your life.

“Don’t care,” Steve murmurs, pressing kisses to the inner parts of your thigh when he settles you more intently over his shoulders. “Wanna make you feel good.”

“Yeah?” you croon. From below you, the boy notes the arched brow and knowing glint in your eye that usually means trouble. “Daddy wants to make mommy feel good, huh?”

Steve knows exactly why you said it. Why you chose to say it like that. It’s the same reason you brought up the kid thing in the first place. Because you knew it would drive him crazy.

And it’s not like you ever had to try to make him mental, all you really had to do was walk into a room and he was done for. But you didn’t just want to just make him go insane, you wanted to ruin him. 

And you know you’ve done just that when a groan spills from his mouth and two strong hands dig rather ruthlessly into your hips. He pulls you down without warning, pressing your clothed pussy closer to his face and dragging his nose between your covered lips. A moan leaves your mouth in a heavy exhale when the tip of it nudges your clit.

“Like being called daddy, huh?” you tease through bated breaths.

Steve nods in reply as he hooks a finger through the hem of your panties and slides them to the side, putting your pretty, glistening pussy on display for him.

He was right about what he said before — you were soaked. 

All but drunk on the sight of you, he presses open-mouthed kisses to your inner thigh. “Like the other thing, too,” he mumbles against your skin, like he’s hiding himself there.

“The other thing?” you question with pinched brows. The confusion ebbs like a rolling tide as you realize: “Oh. You wanna call me mommy, Stevie?” you ask with a joking lilt.

“Shut up,” he groans against you.

He’s pleasantly surprised when your hand grabs the strands of his hair like reigns, pulling him back just before he puts his mouth on your pussy. He’s even more stunned at the stern expression taking over your features, not nearly as playful as you’d been moments before.

Suddenly you’re ten feet tall, and he’s nothing more than an ant, at the mercy of your boot.

“That’s no way to talk to your mommy, is it, Stevie?” 

He shakes his head with glazed over eyes. “Sorry.”

“Sorry… what?”

There is an underlying tone in your voice, something teasing and yet somehow serious all at once. It’d make him roll his eyes if he weren’t lying beneath you like this. Now, with your pussy mere inches from his face, he isn’t quite sure how to be anything but obedient.

“Sorry, mommy,” he corrects.

A flip switches and you’re smiling again. “Good boy,” you praise and it makes his cock twitch in the confines of his boxers. Your hand guides him to your pussy again.

Steve’s always been good at oral. A little too good, actually. It made you jealous sometimes, to know that his technique has been perfected over years of experience.

“All the other girls were just practice for you, honey,” he’d soothe your seething rage with a wink and a tongue shoved deep into your cunt.

You believe him now, that every other girl was just an obstacle for him to get to you, because no one’s had him like this. No one will ever have him like this.

You’re the one who’s got him on his back with his mouth on your pussy. You’re the one who’s got him calling you mommy.

And it makes you feel like a fucking giant.

He wastes little time to envelope your cunt with his mouth. You feel the muffled grunt he lets out at the tangy and familiar taste of you. His tongue pushes into your cunt, licking you with the intent of devouring you entirely. His nose presses intently against your clit, prodding the little button as you ride his face. He encourages every thrust, guiding your hips up and down his mouth.

“Fuck, Stevie,” you whine and feel him smile drunkenly against your pussy, never ceasing his assault against your sensitive skin.

Your head falls back, suddenly too heavy to hold up. Your gaze settles on the ceiling, though you’re not exactly looking at it, and moans fall from your open mouth and into the heavy air — billowing laments in the moonlight.

“You make me feel so good,” you murmur to yourself, but to him especially, knowing he turns into a ticking time bomb when he’s praised. “Always make mommy feel so fucking good, baby.”

He groans against you, and it makes your hips twitch over his face.

Your head turns and your glazed over eyes fall on the hard cock trapped in his underwear. It’s more than apparent against the thin fabric with a wet patch of precum darkening the plaid cotton. The sight of it, paired with his lips wrapped around your clit, makes you moan most pitifully.

“Fuck, Steve,” you cry. “You’re gonna make me come. Holy shit, baby— gonna come so hard in your mouth.” The promise makes Steve double his efforts against you, wanting nothing more than to taste every drop you can give him. “I’ll ride you after, 'kay? Make you come so hard you can’t see straight. Fuck. I’m so fucking close.”

You figure his muffled whine is an affirmative.

“If you make me come now, maybe I’ll let you come inside me—”

You barely get to finish your sentence before Steve’s wrapping his arms around your thighs and keeping you pressed against his face. His tongue works overtime inside of your cunt, attentively flicking against every part of your velvet walls that it can reach, while his nose nudges your clit most relentlessly.

It has you reaching your climax within seconds, hips jerking against him while his hold on you tightens. Steve only lets you go when he’s certain you’ve ridden out every inch of your orgasm.

You’re shaking and half-numb when you unfold your body from his and settle next to him on the bed. You press yourself over him as your lips swallow his, tasting yourself on his mouth that glistens with you.

Your torso is splayed over his bare one, knees digging into the mattress at his side as you arch your back to push yourself further into him.

“Was that good for you?” he mutters after you’ve pulled away, sliding the tip of your nose up and down the bridge of his.

A laugh escapes you in a sharp scoff. If he couldn’t have felt how good it was for you — after you all but writhed against him — surely he must’ve tasted it dripping like honey from your cunt.

“It’s always good,” you assure him, then murmur more quietly, “Always so good for mommy.”

You keep the promise you’d made him no more than minutes beforehand. You pull down his boxers at the same time he’s trying to get you out of your shirt, and it’s just a mess of yearning limbs until the both of you are naked.

You rub yourself over his cock a few times, getting it all slick with you in the place of lube, because you know taking him is never an easy feat. The stretch of his dick inside you is always delicious but fuck if it doesn’t burn. It’s like fire in every sense of the word, hot and filthy paired with a distant ache.

Steve lets you set the pace as you get used to his length nestled deep inside your velvet. His hands rest compliantly on your hips as you grind against him, honeyed gaze fixed on your fucked out features as you take him — brows pinched, eyes squeezed shut, bottom lip trapped between your teeth.

Then, when every inch of him is snug in your cunt and your senses return to you, you deny him of his want to touch you. Your fingers wrap around his wrists and push them into the pillow on either side of his head. “Mommy didn’t say you could touch her, did she?” you purr to him as you lean over him. He shakes his head obediently, if only it meant that you kept fucking yourself on top of him.

And you do. Most ardently.

You keep your bare chest pressed against his fuzzy one, nose-to-nose as you slide your hips over his. And even though he’s had you like this before (in this position and many others), it feels brand new every time. It’s like he’s never felt you before despite how familiar you feel.

It triggers his body into a sense of fight of flight, as though frightened he’ll never get to have you again. It leaves him fucking you like it’ll be the last time he’s inside you, every fucking time.

It never is, though — obviously. Most times he only has to wait a couple minutes or more before he gets to take you again.

But now, with his hands balled into fists beside his head and your’s braced on his chest, digging into the patch of hair there as you rock back and forth on his hard cock — the tip of it nestled deep inside of you and hitting every sweet spot that makes you keen — has left him an absolute wreck beneath you. 

He’s chasing his pleasure like he’s never felt it before. Like he won’t feel it again.

“Your cock feels so good, Stevie,” you moan above him.

“‘M not gonna last long, baby,” he mutters between harsh and labored pants.

“’S okay… I want you to come,” you promise and press a too sweet kiss to his swollen, pink lips. You move your hips more intently over him. The sound of skin slapping against skin fills your bedroom. “Want you to fill me up.”

“Yeah?” he breathes out in something short of a whimper. His eyes are glassy and his brows are furrowed and it takes everything in him not to fuck up into you — because he wants to be good, he wants to be good for you. 

“Yeah… Want you come in me… Fuck me until it takes,” you babble over top of him, knowing exactly what it’s doing to the whining boy beneath you. “Wanna give you a baby— fuck— I wanna make you a daddy, Stevie.”

A whine spills from his throat. His toes curl into the fabric of your comforter, eyes rolling back into his head, body tensing as he digs his fingers into the skin of his palms that still ache to touch you.

Your name spills from his mouth along with a string of curses and pretty little cries when he stuffs you full of his come.

You happily accept every load he shoots into you as work him through every aftershock of his orgasm. Yours doesn’t come so easy — you roll your hips over yourself and rub your clit until you’re twitching right along with him. 

You come down from your highs together with a tender softness. You lay over him, one hand combing through his curls and the other stroking softly at his sweat-slicked bicep. You watch with heavy eyes as his orgasm rolls over him. 

His chest rises and falls with every heavy breath, stuttering when another pang of pleasure hits him all of a sudden. “Fuck,” he whines harshly into the heavy air.

He’s happy you don’t deny him when his arms wrap around your waist, hands rubbing up and down the expanse of your slick back.

You press tiny kisses to his face as he comes down — his nose, his cheeks, his forehead his stubbly chin and jaw. You press one, two, three pecks to his lips before you slide off of him, then laugh when he whines.

You’re gone for hardly more than three minutes, but to Steve, it feels like an eternity’s gone by.

You return from the bathroom, wiped freshly clean, and blow out the nearly burnt-out candle on your dresser before you slither back into his side. One of his arms curls beneath your shoulders to pull you closer to him with his other rests on the back of yours that’s settled on his chest.

You share one pillow, noses inches away from one another’s, while you bask in the warm moment and the sex-coated air around you before you have to break it.

“You know I’m still on the pill, right?” you ask him.

He nods.

“And that we’re—”

“Way too young to have a kid right now?” he finishes for you, though the idea makes him sad. He nods.

“Yeah… And—”

“Too broke? I know that too.”

“Also my—”

“Your dad would kill me if I got you pregnant?”

It makes you laugh. You hadn’t realized you’d talked about having kids this many times — at least, not enough for him to memorize all the reasons why it’s not the best idea right now.

“Yeah, I know it’s not happening any time soon,” Steve says with a sigh. “I like to pretend, though. Plus, it’s not even about that to me, you know? I just… I just like being with you and… everything.”

Everything, you repeat to yourself. A word that means so much and nothing at all.

No one knows what everything means, they just know that it’s a lot, a whole lot. That’s what makes it so special. Steve wants it all with you — the overbearing dad, the sister with powers, the teenage kids who never let you have a single second to yourselves when they’re around. 

It’s a lot sometimes, most times, but he’ll weather it all with you.

“You like being with me?” you echo just to see him nod.

He does. “I love being with you,” he corrects.

“Love calling me mommy, too, huh?”

He realizes then, the sincere moment was just a set-up for that stupid joke. He groans and flops his head back on the pillow, but makes no move to distance himself from you.

“Oh, my god,” he moans in annoyance. “Am I gonna have to deal with this the rest of my life?”

You nod. “Sorry, Harrington, but I’m never letting that shit go.”

Good, he thinks to himself, even though he pretends to hate it because it makes you laugh. He never wants you to stop.

[puppy-steve]

january fic rec

so i figured that instead of waiting until december to make a big long post of all the fics i read throughout the year, i'd break it down into monthly recs instead. i barely read anything at all last year, and it makes me feel awful every time i think about it, so hopefully this method keeps me on track so i can make some headway on the hoard of fics i have saved.

this also helps to boost fics that might've been missed or overlooked in the chaos and carnage brought by the passage of time.

these will include tumblr fics as well as ao3 fics!

general warning: smut will be included in these so please read at your own discretion and heed any warnings and tags!

▸ january fic rec - b sides

break the ice (i can't take anymore) - T, 2.2k, complete @matchingbatbites

tags: hockey au, established relationship, shower sex, secret relationship

“I’m surprised you’re still here,” Steve says as he leans into Eddie’s creeping touch, the little bit of contact more of a tease than anything. “Thought you’d be back at the hotel by now.” Eddie grins up at Steve and tugs him closer. “And miss the chance to congratulate you properly? To show you how proud I am of you?” Steve full on shudders at that, his mouth drops in a soft gasp and his hands push up into Eddie’s hair. “Eddie…” “I am, Stevie. So proud of you, my baby.” He leans in and presses a kiss to Steve’s jersey-covered sternum. “Tell me what you want, princess. Anything, and it’s yours.”

what's mine is yours (to leave or take) - M, 8.2k, complete @thefreakandthehair | througheden

tags: modern au, baker eddie, nurse steve, waitress-inspired, getting together

Eddie's an amateur baker who desperately needs a healthy dose of hope. He finds it in the bottom of a pie dish and the hands of Steve Harrington.

Tax Time - T, 922, complete @simplebtromance

tags: modern au, established relationship, domestic fluff, competence kink, appalachian eddie

Eddie throwing his hair back into a hair clip he stole from Chrissy, face determined as he opened up his laptop on their coffee table, that used to be his Memaw's, and got the binder of bills and receipts out to do his and Steve's taxes. (He still feels gooey and not very metal when he sees Steve Munson on any paperwork or mail, they've been married for over 3 years now and he doesn't think it's gonna stop any time soon)

group hangout - E, 3.3k, complete plutorose

tags: modern au, college au, dom/sub, first time

When Steve and Eddie start seeing each other, Robin meets Eddie's roommate for the first time.

A Little Show - E, 4.1k, complete ItCanBePalped

tags: exhibitionism, pre-threesome, dom/sub

Chrissy and Robin can't wait to get their hands on each other. Unfortunately, the room they find is already occupied. Or maybe that's "fortunately".

BABY SAID - E, 3.8k, complete dartlekey

tags: t4t steddie, transmasc eddie, transmasc steve, college au, bathtub sex, scissoring

Drenched by a sudden downpour and locked out of the youth hostel they were supposed to be staying at, university students Steve Harrington and Eddie Munson find themselves unwittingly and very much against their will trapped in night-time Rome together, and sharing a cramped hotel room. And a bathtub. Things kind of escalate from there.

Love from the other side - M, 6.2k, complete @sidekick-hero

tags: modern au, nurse steve, vampire eddie

In his mind Steve goes over the things he knows. Eddie is a vampire. A vampire who killed another vampire to save Steve’s life. To save Chrissy’s life. Eddie is dying. He may already be dead, but it looks like vampires can die again. Permanently. Eddie wants his blood.

the devil's water, it ain't so sweet - E, WIP hesjustlikemefr

tags: modern au, sugar daddy eddie, sugar baby steve, transmasc steve, slowburn, age difference

After Steve's parents cut him off financially, Robin comes up with a brilliant plan for Steve to be able to pay his bills. SweetShoppe, the most professional sugaring app on the market. Steve is skeptical, until he comes across the profile of Eddie Munson, a music producer and the hottest guy Steve has ever seen. Maybe this wasn't the worst idea after all…

like rabbits - E, WIP crybaby

tags: alpha eddie, omega steve, daddy kink, dom/sub, established relationship, pussy drunk eddie

Steve shaves his pussy and dresses up as a Playboy Bunny. Eddie handles it well.

usa hockey is do or die - E, 4k, complete @steddieas-shegoes

tags: hockey au, dom/sub, established relationship

“Everyone expects a lot from Team USA captain Steve Harrington and his first alternate, Tommy Hagan, but everyone’s a bit shocked at the choice for second alternate. What do you have to say about Eddie Munson being the pick, Jack?” Steve already felt anger bubbling under his skin, the annoyance of the last few weeks finally reaching a boiling point. “Well, we all know he’s one of the best goalies out there, but it’s rare to see a goalie with an A or C. I’ll be honest, I was surprised he was chosen over Gareth Emerson, who showed us three shutouts in the last month at Boston University. Eddie’s been proving himself in the AHL, but I don’t think he’s got what it takes to get the boys to gold. I hope I’m proven wrong, but his careless attitude makes me think he isn’t leading these boys to a victory they want.” The tv in the hotel room snapped off and Steve stood up, pacing the carpeted floors with his fists clenched at his sides and a scowl.

driver roll up the partition please - E, 4.5k, complete @steddieas-shegoes

tags: modern au, rockstar eddie, bartender steve, semi-public sex, light dom/sub

The bow tie around Steve’s neck was choking him. It had to be made for children, but when he’d asked one of the waiters before they went on the floor, he shrugged and said they all were like that. But the lack of oxygen to his brain didn’t excuse the way he nearly dropped a glass of a half-shaken, half-stirred -yes, really- martini when the hottest man he’d ever seen walked up to the bar. He was chatting with a few people, smiling at them like he was truly happy to see them even though he was dressed like someone who was crashing the party. Steve had done a few events like this before and was never disappointed with the eye candy, but this guy was something else. His curls were perfectly maintained, falling just right along his shoulders. Did they say the hair was the curtain to the soul or was he just that enamored?

steve tells eddie about his fight with billy - T, 4.6k, complete @solarmorrigan

tags: post-s2, canon racism and violence, mentions of drug use

“Motherfucker,” he hisses, shaking his hand out, because it had hurt, and then he winds up to do it again, to make it hurt more, because at least he’s in control of that much, at least it’s anything but what he’s feeling right now. “That’s a good way to break your hand, y’know,” a voice comes from the doorway, startling Steve into pivoting and aiming his fist at whoever is coming after him now.

doesn't have to be anything, but i could be everything - E, 4.1k, complete | part 2 @steddieas-shegoes

tags: camboy steve, rockstar eddie, modern au, daddy kink, dom/sub

Steve being a content creator ( cosplay, streamer, YouTuber, onlyfans, webcam boy, illustrator anything in that ballpark) that keeps on getting these messages and blocks them only to be accosted at a convention by this person and Eddie being a low key fan or what ever randomly stepping up to help out

first kiss - T, complete @mcdynamite

tags: first kiss, pet names, getting together, fluff

Kissing has never done all that much for Steve, if he’s honest. It’s just not really something he’s ever given much thought to before - the way someone kisses - despite the fact that he’s locked lips with plenty of people. For him, kissing has always been something nice, but not particularly special. It’s never been earth-shattering. Never taken his breath away, the way people talk about in movies and books. It’s just a way to be closer to someone, and it’s nice, but it’s never anything more than that. Then, Steve kisses Eddie for the first time, and suddenly he gets it.

Good Morning, Daddy - E, 906, complete unholy_forest

tags: dom/sub, morning sex, daddy kink

A short and sweet oneshot of loving, sleepy morning sex between Steve and Eddie.

girls of your dreams (you know what i mean) - E, 2/2, complete @maxineholtzmann

tags: figure skating au, hockey au, threesome, established ronance

The two of them continued, kissing quietly. Chrissy wondered how far she could let this go before they realized she was awake. She ached to touch herself, listening to the panting and low moans now coming from the other bed. Fuck it. Chrissy rolled onto her back and Robin and Nancy froze. She looked over at them, Robin on top of Nancy, pinning her hands above her head. The kissing sounds Chrissy had heard were clearly actually Robin working on Nancy’s nipples with her mouth–both of the cups of the negligee had been pulled down leaving breasts exposed. Chrissy sighed. Slowly moving her hand down her body between her legs she said, “You don’t have to stop as long as I don’t have to stop.” Chrissy started circling her clit with her fingers, arching her back. “Are you sure?” Nancy asked, still panting. “Does it look like I’m not sure?” Chrissy said, using her other hand to fling the blankets back, spreading her legs and making sure Robin and Nancy could see where her hand had traveled.

Your Love Calls Me Home - T, 1.8k, complete @simplebtromance

tags: modern au, long distance relationship, online dating

Steve and Eddie have been in a long distance relationship for three years, and they're finally meeting.

Buckingham revenge program™ - E, series, WIP thequeermoon

tags: oral sex, strap-on sex, dirty talk, semi-public sex

It was all murmurs and unsteady breaths between them, and they barely touched. Outside the door the group laughed suddenly, startling the both of them. Just then they realized how close they were. Just a little step and their bodies would've touched. "Right, okay… " Robin coughed a bit, going slightly backwards. " …do you want to-" She didn’t get to finish that sentence. Chrissy, in full panic of losing the only chance she might have, threw herself at her lips, kissing her. It lasted so little that Robin had no chance to answer it, but it felt like eons. Chrissy opened her eyes, watching at her. Her cold hands on her face, her lips red, slightly parted to show these little teeth Robin thought were so endearing.

Swift Wings and a Brave Heart - T, WIP @paperbackribs

tags: werewolf steve, bat eddie, shapeshifting, found family

The beast stops, gaze narrowing at the pulse pounding in Eddie’s neck, and he quickly slaps a hand over it, trying to limit the temptation of the tasty-blood slash fresh-meat vibe he must be giving off. Robin scowls at Eddie, stepping forward to bury her hand comfortingly into the plush of its furry neck. “Don’t listen to him, Steve. He’s just being a big baby." Eddie has never been a normal type of guy, but he's owned it: he's a gay metalhead in the heart of small-town America and nothing's going to phase him. Nothing except being told that his recent demo-bat injuries might turn him into a shapeshifter like Steve Harrington.

safe and warm - E, 958, complete @steddieas-shegoes

tags: dom/sub, cock warming, pet names, coming untouched

Steve on his knees was a sight he would never get tired of. Something about the way his eyes closed, a rare sign of relaxation spreading over him, made Eddie wish he could be like this all the time, that they could always be like this.

new year's kiss - G, complete @steddieas-shegoes

tags: new year's eve kiss, getting together, pining

He hides in the bathroom, looks at his reflection in the mirror and tries to smile. He used to be so confident, used to be able to tell himself to make a move and make it successfully. But it used to not matter, not like this does. No one has ever mattered the way Eddie does.

first choice - G, complete @steddiealltheway

tags: nye, getting together, pining

Steve runs a hand through his hair and turns back to his abandoned stack of tapes only to turn back around as soon as the bell above the door rings. He turns around with a heavy sigh as soon as he realizes who it is. "Great to see you too," Eddie says with a humorless laugh. Robin cuts in before Steve can. "Don't take it personally. He's just unsuccessful in his mission to woo a lady and get a New Year's kiss." "Really?" Eddie asks, leaning across the counter. "I think I'm coming across as desperate." "Because you are," Robin adds unhelpfully.

holes on the house - M, 404, complete @cranberrymoons

tags: modern au, meet cute, food truck owner steve

There it is: a bright pink truck with an open side, glittering under the streetlight with a loose line of people waiting to order, The Hole printed on the side in white stylized script.

alpha/omega true mates - G, complete @stevieschrodinger

tags: omegaverse, alpha eddie, omega steve, true mates, canon divergence

Eddie, fucking excited as all hell to meet his Omega finally, opens his envelope to find Steve Harrington's name starring back at him and Eddie just. He just can't. Steve's one of the biggest bitches at Hawkins high. And even if Eddie can, sort of, get past that, Steve's a snob. He lives in a fucking mansion and has a nice car and preppy clothes and yeah...Eddie is going to get rejected stone cold and that would be fair because he doesn't have a single thing to offer and Omega like Harrington. Eddie burns the envelope.

henderfam - G, complete @loveinhawkins

tags: canon divergence, eddie lives, steve and dustin behaving like brothers, pre-steddie

God, I love you, Eddie thinks. Maybe some would say that’s too big a declaration to have even in his own head for a mundane, sleep deprived afternoon in hospital. He doesn’t care.

play nice - M, 387, complete @wormdebut

tags: daddy kink, dom/sub, possessive eddie

Eddie has died and gone to Heaven. (If that Heaven is covered in leather and latex…that’s his business.) This is the only explanation, he thinks, as he stares at his boyfriend. His very hot, very muscular, very unclothed boyfriend. Decked out in only a strappy harness and the sluttiest little leather shorts Eddie has ever seen.

need - E, 404, complete @wormdebut

tags: dom/sub, anal fingering, hot boys whimpering

His eyes flick all over Steve’s perfect fucking body, stopping to admire that beautiful cock. “Christ—I’m gonna tear you apart.” His eyes snap up to look into Steve’s perfect blown out ones. He’s perfect, Eddie’s boy.

bake off - G, complete @hairmetal666

tags: gbbo au, baker steve, rockstar eddie, tv host eddie

Steve who goes on a Bake Off type show after Robin, Dustin, and Max set him up as a contestant. He doesn't want to, doesn't think baking or cooking should be stressful, but he's been wallowing since his knee surgery took him out of work and basketball, since his divorce. His first day on set, he's totally gobsmacked by the sexy host with all the tattoos and long, curly hair. Just, cannot take his eyes off the guy, blushing and stammering whenever he comes around to do interviews, obviously can't stop starring.

talk it through - G, complete @strangersteddierthings

tags: established relationship, insecurities, future fic

“I think we should break up,” is what Eddie blurts the moment Steve opens the front door to reveal him. Steve’s first reaction is anger -how dare he?- but he doesn’t do anything with that anger. Instead, he takes a deep breath through his nose, crosses his arms, and looks Eddie over. He’s breathing heavily yet his van is parked along the curb. He didn’t run here. His hair, while never tame, looks rougher. He is fidgeting but in a nervous way, not his usual too much energy way. His eyes are wide and scared. It’s the last bit there that drains Steve’s anger. Something’s happened. He drops his arms and says, “well, you’re not dumping me on my porch. Get in here.”

frat steve - G, complete @strangersatellites

tags: college au, established relationship, frat steve

when he gets there he’s met with two guys, freshman surely. letters emblazoned across their cutoff muscle tees and hats turned backwards and perched, very stupidly if eddie shares his piece, atop their heads. they stop him with a hand up and friendly smiles and mock bravado “three actives,” bro number one states. eddie barely holds back an incredulous laugh. “you cannot be serious.”

flirting - T, complete @jewishrat420

tags: pining, pet names, flirting, "first of all my name is baby so jot that down"

"Don't call me that." He chances a look over at Eddie, at the risk of appearing as vulnerable as he feels, and to his distress, he can't get a read on the man. His dark eyebrows furrow, brown eyes squinting slightly, and his lips part like he wants to speak. He licks them. Steve's eyes follow the motion unintentionally. "Call you what?" Eddie says on an exhale. "A brat?" Steve shakes his head. "Harrington. Don't like it when you call me that."

kink discovery - M, complete @eddywoww

tags: hair pulling, dom/sub, getting together

He touches him the second time. When they’re all hanging out and the lights are low and Steve does it again and Robin only halfway gives him a weird look. It doesn’t stop Steve form blinking tired eyes up at Eddie, watching the way he gulps and hovers a hand over Steve’s face. “I like when people pet my hair,” He says unhelpfully, so high he can barely concentrate. Eddie makes a soft noise and blinks down at him. “You should- you should do that.”

cherry - M, complete @eddywoww

tags: omegaverse, tattoo artist eddie, alpha eddie, omega steve, age difference

And then he gets into Eddie’s studio and like- okay, Steve has always had a type. Older men, men who wore suits, men who worked with his father. Unattainable, already mated. Steve sort of assumes this guy is mated too. He looks like it, has a bite that’s weirdly faded on his neck. But Steve can’t smell an Omega on him. Or a Beta or an Alpha. No one. So sue him if he gets a little flirty. It fuels his self esteem, knowing they can look but he won’t let them touch.

eddie lives - T, complete @bonitabreezy

tags: canon divergence, steve carries eddie out of the upside down, eddie lives (but not without consequence)

Any part of him that had leaned into the idea that it was over and that they were safe was immediately washed away at the sound. His blood started to zing with adrenaline once more and he became hyper aware of everything around them, scanning the trees for danger. “Was that--” Nancy started, her shoulders a hard line, her hands no longer shaking. “Dustin,” Steve said, and he took off running.

4+1 - G, complete @steddieas-shegoes

tags: 5+1, steve carries eddie, eddie carries steve, eddie recovering from the bites

four times eddie gets carried and one time he does the carrying

▸ more fic recs ▸ more ficlets

[magicalmysteries777]

The Bloody-Handed and The Anguish of Loving Them - Chapter 4.

Summary: Almost a year has passed since Eddie Munson died and it feels like the only person that isn't moving on is Steve.

After spending the night studying a Dungeons and Dragons handbook, Steve is convinced he's figured out how to bring Eddie back. Not only that, but defeat Vecna once and for all too. Now he just has to prove it.

Pairings: Steve Harrington x Vampire Eddie Munson

Masterlist: Here.

Chapter: 4 of 10.

Chapter WC: 3937.

CW: Descriptions of violence, blood.

This story can also be found on AO3 here.

Taglist: @ohmeg 🖤

March 24th, 1987.

It was like something straight out of one of the horror movies that Robin would force him to watch at work to pass the time. The type of scream that makes you feel like your whole world is standing still, everything happening around you suddenly in slow motion. At least that’s what it was like for Steve as he turned to face whatever Nancy had screamed at, only to find himself looking at the reanimated corpse of none other than Barbara Holland.

The Upside Down had not been kind to Barb. Her once-fair skin was now waxy and discoloured by dark, purple veins covering every inch of her skin. Numerous cuts and sores on her body were oozing a thick, black substance, illuminated slightly by the flickering torchlight as she moved closer toward the group. Her eyes were dark and sunken, locked on Nancy.

“Why did you leave me, Nance?” she asked, her rotting body inching closer still. “Wasn’t I a good enough friend? I tried to warn you but you didn’t listen to me.”

“I didn’t mean to, I swear,” sobbed Nancy.

“It’s not really Barb, Nance,” Jonathan tried reasoning with her.

“Why didn’t you listen to me? I tried so hard and you just left me there. You left me there, alone, and then that thing took me.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know. I didn’t mean t-”

“I died, Nancy, and it’s all your fault. Too busy with ‘King Steve’ to worry about me.”

“Jonathan, when I say so, get everyone out of here,” Steve demanded in an instant, his eyes locked on Barb, ready to intercept any sudden movements.

“I’m staying with you,” Dustin declared, grabbing his weapon in preparation to fight.

“I don’t think so, kid, get out of here,” Steve answered firmly, adjusting his stance.

“But-”

“Now, Jonathan,” Steve shouted, lunging towards Barb and dragging her down to the ground.

The sound of shuffling footsteps and protests from the group echoed around the cave whilst Steve fought to keep Barb on the floor. He was inches from her now, face to face. She grinned up at him wickedly, taunting him. Only when he was sure everyone else had vacated the cave did Steve release his grip on Barb, darting to the exit and blocking it. He wasn’t trapped with Barb, Barb was trapped with him.

“Poor little Steve,” Barb began in an excruciatingly calm manner as she rose to face him again. “Just can’t seem to get anything right, can you? You try and try but you always fail.”

“Shut up.”

“You know I’m right. Look at you; infamous ‘King Steve’. What do you have to show for yourself? Friends that barely trust you, a drinking problem, no job, no girlfriend - you lost her to Jonathan, of all people. Come on, Stevie, where’s all that wit you used to have? All that confidence you’d swagger down the hallway with?”

“I-” Steve stammered.

“Bat got your tongue?” she cackled. “Your own parents don’t even want you, do they? They ran away to the Beach house without you and just send you a cheque every couple of months so they don’t have to deal with you any more.”

Barb inched closer and began to speak again, the voice coming from her lips no longer her own. It twisted and distorted until it settled into the familiar tone of Steve’s father.

“You’re pathetic, Steve. No job, no friends - just drinking your life away, locked in your bedroom crying all the god damn time. You were always the same. No drive, no ambition. You’re an embarrassment. The only thing you’re good at is being a punching bag.”

“Fuck you!” Steve spat, swinging his bat as hard as he could at Barb’s head.

She swayed slightly, her legs faltering as more thick, black liquid began to ooze from the nail holes. Eyes and smile growing wilder, the voice distorted again as she began to speak. Low and tainted with cruelty, almost like a growl.

“Do you really think you can kill me, Steve? The odds are against you. All of you. They always have been.”

“Not this time,” Steve cried out as he lunged towards her, dropping the bat whilst he did so. With as much force as he could gather, he swung his fist straight at Barb’s face.

The decaying body, still weak from its earlier blow with the bat, landed on the floor in a heap. Steve rolled Barb onto her back, the anger intensifying inside of him as he struck his fist at her again and again until her corpse went still once more.

Covered in sweat and the thick goo spilling from the multiple wounds he had inflicted on Barbara, he slowly rose to his feet. It was a few seconds before Steve’s breath steadied, the adrenaline still coursing through his veins.

“You can’t protect them,” the mangled corpse whispered feebly.

“I can and I will.”

“Well, you’re not doing a very good job right now, are you?”

Steve glanced over his shoulder as the cries and screams from his friends on the surface suddenly filled the room, echoing off the walls, as though he had been trapped inside of a bubble that had just popped.

Steve grabbed his bat from the ground and set off in a sprint, weaving his way through the winding hallway back to his friends. The nearer he approached, the clearer the screams were getting.

“Jonathan, behind you!”

“Get off me you little fucker!”

“El, do something!”

“I’m trying.”

“There’s too many!”

Steve emerged from the cave with his bat raised high, ready to strike. His eyes locked straight on Dustin, desperately trying to fend off a demobat that was clawing viscously at his skin. He darted forward, grabbing the bat by the tail and swinging it down to the ground before he plunged the nails on the tip of his baseball bat straight through it. The deafening screech it let out was soon cut off by something far more horrifying.

“Harrington.”

He craned his neck so quickly that getting whiplash was a real possibility.

“Is that…?” Dustin asked, nervous.

“Yup. Hargrove.”

Steve glanced around quickly at his friends, his long-range vision obscured slightly by the sweat dripping into his eyes. El was fending off the majority of them with her powers, defended by Mike and Will. Nancy and Jonathan were huddled together taking on the latest swarm of bats. Robin, Lucas, and Erica were lost in the chaos. A sense of overwhelming dread washed over Steve as his attention turned back to Billy.

Billy smiled manically as he charged towards them, his eyes black and his rotting skin covered in dark veins, just like Barb. Steve readied his bat, bracing himself for whatever was to come. He swung as soon as Billy was in arms reach but felt no connection. What he did feel was Billy’s fist landing straight on his cheek, a searing hot pain spreading through his face, and his ass hitting the floor.

His hand shot to nurse his cheek, his head throbbing and woozy. He opened his eyes and saw Robin jabbing at the bats with her spear, Heather lurking in the trees behind her.“ Robin, look out!” he cried as loud as he could.

He watched as Robin narrowly avoided being ambushed before Billy’s foot in his side forced his eyes closed as the pain spread through him.

The screeching and screaming seemed to get louder when Steve’s eyes were closed. Perhaps it was his senses overcompensating. Perhaps they were louder.

He heard Erica shouting obscenities, Nancy and Jonathan shouting directions between them, El yelling as she strained her powers, and Dustin, he was shouting too.

He forced his eyes open and found Dustin attempting to drag Billy away from him. Billy fought himself free of his weak grasp and turned on him. Dustin was on the floor in seconds, screaming and writhing in pain as Billy repeatedly kicked him. In that moment, Steve saw red.

He grabbed his bat and heaved himself off the floor, swinging straight for Billy. Billy swayed slightly upon impact, his knees buckling momentarily. Steve pushed with as much force as he could muster and tackled him onto the ground, away from Dustin.

Billy fought back, violently.

Steve couldn’t keep track of which parts of him hurt any more, everything blending into one gigantic, throbbing ache across his entire body. Blood and sweat dripped down his face as he loomed over Billy, landing punch after punch on his smug face. In a matter of seconds, the roles were reversed. A loud crunch indicated something was broken on the fifth hit that Billy landed. His vision blurred as blood began to pour from his nose, leaving a copper taste in his mouth. Billy hit again and again, knocking a tooth loose, and then he stopped.

Steve didn’t see it happen, his eyes forced closed by the blinding hot pain radiating from his broken nose, but a crack loud enough to make his ears ring, a gush of cold wind left behind by the swing of the bat, and the weight on top of him drooping off to the side all indicated someone had taken Billy out.

“You okay? We’ve got to get you up,” Lucas urged, already trying to pry Steve off the ground.

Steve spat out his tooth along with a mouthful of blood and got to his feet as quick as he could, his face scrunching up in pain as he tried to straighten his back. Lucas was back by Erica’s side fighting off a Demogorgon before Steve could finish muttering his thanks.

He began fighting his way through another swarm of demobats, each one letting out a deafening screech whilst they met their end at his hand. Robin’s screams were getting louder and more panicked, but there were still too many bats in the way - he couldn’t get to her.

The bats flew closer, circling him. He could barely see three feet in front of him, blindly swinging his weapon at the increasing swarm of flapping wings in his face. Nancy was the next to let out another blood curdling scream.

Steve fumbled backwards, almost tripping over his own feet as he tried, and failed, to navigate his way back to his friends side.

It was as though his senses were scrambled. No idea which way was left or right. No idea where his friends were. No idea if they were hurt, or worse. He couldn’t even tell who’s scream belonged to who any more over the sound of hundreds of flapping wings around him.

As though they could sense Steve’s growing state of confusion, the bats intensified their attack.

A tail wrapped around his throat, squeezing and coiling like a snake with a mouse. He clawed at the bat, desperately trying to free himself of its grip as his chest began to tighten. Steve dropped to his knees and the rest of the swarm dispersed in search of other targets, allowing him to finally lay sights on his friends for the first time in what felt like hours.

His throat burned more intensely with each unsuccessful breath, managing only coughs and splutters whilst he watched his friends fight so valiantly for their lives.

Steve was no stranger to the current predicament he’d found himself in; he knew what was going to happen if he didn’t find himself free of the bats clutches soon.

His hearing would go first, then his vision, then he’d pass out and then - well, a forever of nothingness, he expected. Nancy had rescued him before it had gotten to that point.

He coughed again, trying desperately for just one tiny breath to give him some strength, but the bats grip was too strong. It was going to kill him. The screams around him were getting quiet, drowned out by the sound of his rapid heartbeat thumping in his ears. He had to do something. Anything.

Steve reached out, grabbed a small rock off the floor and threw it at the closest person. El turned, her eyes widening at the sight of him. She raised her hand and pointed it in his direction, letting out a loud cry as she focused her energy.

All he felt was a large gust of wind and a momentary sense of calm before his body hit the ground, fading in and out of conscious.

-

“Steve? Steve?! Are you alive?” asked a frantic Dustin, tapping at the side of Steve’s face in an attempt to bring him round.

Steve let out a groan in response, blindly waving his arm to fight off the painful jabs. “Yes I’m alive, can you stop hitting me?”

He lifted his head and opened his eyes slowly, a headache from hell already starting to creep in. A quick headcount revealed everyone was still alive, allowing his head to fall back again in relief.

“What the fuck happened back there?”

“I have no idea, they came out of nowhere.”

“It was an ambush.”

“We almost died.”

“Where did they even come from?”

“The trees, I think.”

“Hey, does this cut look funny to you?”

“That’s the least of our worries right now, Robin.”

“Rabies are a real possibility.”

“Did you you see me knock Billy out?”

Billy. Steve shot up, wincing as he did so, and looked around.

“Hey, not so fast. What are you looking for?”

“Where’s Billy?!” Steve asked, panic in his voice again.

“Calm down, man. He’s dead. Blasted off into the trees thanks to El,” Mike answered idly, wiping at a cut on El’s forehead.

“He’s not dead, you idiot.”

“What?”

“He’s not dead, he’s undead.”

“Wha-”

“Fuck. We’ve got to go. Now,” Mike declared, scrambling to his feet.

Steve stood as quickly as his sore, aching limbs would let him and tiptoed towards a clearing in the trees, the rest of the group following behind him.

“Would somebody please explain what’s going on?” Nancy asked in a hushed tone. Steve spun around on the spot to face her.

“Undead. Thrall. Minions. Servants. Whatever you want to call them. Brought back and inhabited to serve a purpose. That’s what Billy and Barb are, Nance. They go down and they get back up, over and over again, which means-”

“which means you can’t win. Isn’t that right, Harrington?” Billy finished with a taunt as he staggered towards them.

He wasn’t alone. One by one, more of the undead emerged from the trees, grouping with Billy. Heather, Barb, Mrs Driscoll, Chrissy, Jason, Fred, Patrick and many of the others that had fallen at Vecna’s hand over the years.

The group backed up instinctively, huddled together.

“What do we do?”

“I don’t know.”

“What do we do?!”

“The scroll,” Dustin declared, snapping his fingers at Mike. “Backpack. Give me the backpack.”

Dustin pulled the two scrolls they had taken from the cave and opened them, quickly scanning each one as as the rest of the group watched in horror as the undead army crept closer.

“Hurry up!” Steve snapped.

“Here, this one,” Dustin instructed as he thrust the scroll into Wills hands.

“You’re really serious about this? I-”

“No time to argue,” Steve told Will, manoeuvring him to the front of the group. “Spell first, spiral later.”

Will adjusted his stance and raised his arm, taking some inspiration from El, before closing his eyes. A small orb of neon yellow light appeared in front of Wills hand, floating in the air.

“Acido.”

Acid erupted from the orb, spurting forwards and covering the undead. They screeched as the acid began to bubble through their rotting skin, flesh and goo oozing to the floor in piles.

“Run!” Steve instructed, setting off as fast as he could manage in the opposite direction.

-

Steve didn’t stop. No quick stops to catch his breath. No turning around to check they weren’t being followed. He just kept running. They all did. Weaving their way between trees and dodging vines, clambering overs rocks and fallen trees. Only when they found themselves staring at the “Forest Hills Trailer Park” sign did they eventually fall still.

Steve winced as he wiped the sweat from his brow. The adrenaline was beginning to ware off, allowing him to start feeling the true extent of his injuries. Saying that everything hurt would have been an understatement - it felt like his whole body was on fire.

His nose was broken, that he was certain of, but he suspected a couple of ribs might be too. He ran his tongue along his teeth to double check he’d only lost the one - he had. The rest of his injuries were just cuts and bruises, most of which Steve was sure would look a lot better after a good shower and some antiseptic.

The rest of the party didn’t look much better; they too were covered in sweat, blood, cuts, and bruises.

“Reckon it’ll scar?” Lucas asked, shoving his bleeding arm into Dustin’s line of sight.

“Yeah. What about mine?” Dustin answered, gesturing to a bite mark on his arm.

“Yours is so much cooler than mine.”

“Neither of them beat the one on my leg from last year,” El teased.

“Too right,” Mike agreed, clutching at a stitch in his side.

“Did we establish whether or not Demobats carry Rabies?” Robin asked no one in particular as she stared down at a deep cut on her hand, panicked.

“No rabies, Rob. You’re okay, deep breaths,” answered Jonathan, his attention still on Nancy while he gave her a thorough check over. He’d gotten quite good at Steve’s job in his absence.

“Guys,” Erica spoke quietly.

“Are you sure? I don’t like the look of this,” Robin grimaced.

“I’m sure.”

“Guys,” she repeated.

Conversations quickly ceased, everyone turning to face a clammy, ashen-faced Erica.

“I don’t feel so good,” she told them, lifting her bloodied hand to reveal a large chunk of flesh missing from her upper thigh.

“Oh, shit, mom’s gonna kill me if you die,” Lucas muttered whilst he took a closer look at Erica’s leg.

“I’m not gonna die, moron,” she retorted, her voice faltering.

Nancy pulled a small first aid kit out of her backpack and bent down to inspect Erica’s leg, patting at it gently with some gauze. Steve’s eyes widened as a phrase from a book briefly passed through his thoughts. ‘Lesser Restoration.’

“Spell slots,” he announced, spinning Mike around on the spot and reaching in to his backpack, producing the familiar textbook they’d all been studying from less than twenty-four hours earlier.

Steve flicked through the pages quickly, eyes scanning the pages frantically before he found what he was looking for and shoved the book under Nancy’s nose.

“What do you expect me to do with that, Steve?” Nancy asked, still dabbing at Erica’s leg.

“Read.”

Nancy peered at the book, rolled her eyes, and repeated aloud the phrase that Steve was pointing at. “Te absolvo.”

A glowing, golden orb of light appeared in the space in-between Erica’s leg and Nancy’s hand, shone for a couple of seconds, and quickly faded.

The colour quickly seeped back into Erica’s face.

“What the hell?” Nancy asked.

“Steve, you’re a god damn genius,” Dustin beamed. “Nancy, remember when you used to babysit us and we forced you to play D&D with us? We made you a Cleric so you could just follow us around and heal us up.”

“Lesser restoration,” Mike and Lucas announced, both putting the puzzle pieces together at the same time.

“Nancy just healed Erica’s bloodlessness.”

“When did Harrington get so smart?” Erica asked with a smirk, adjusting her leg so that Nancy could finish tying the bandage.

“Its amazing what can happen when you pick up a book,” Steve answered. “Anybody else dying before we go do some reviving?”

-

It was a harrowing experience, staring down at the make shift headstone he’d help place on Eddie’s grave.

Dustin had made the stone. He’d sat just outside the trailer, almost a whole year ago, tears streaming down his face as he etched ‘R.I.P’ into a large, flat rock he’d found. Steve had carried it over to the burial site and wedged it in place; Dustin’s leg was too busted to carry anything other than his own weight. Steve had placed an arm around Dustin’s shoulder as they paid their final respects, pulling him into his chest as he cried, in the hopes that Steve’s tears would remain a secret.

“You ready?” Dustin asked, creeping up beside him with a shovel in his hand.

“As I’ll ever be.”

Despite have two shovels, it took a surprisingly long time to dig the hole. The kids (except for Erica, who was ordered to rest by Nancy) took it in turns at first, each lasting about ten minutes before moaning they were tired and handing the shovel off to the next person. Steve wasn’t at all surprised, knowing damn well that they spend every moment of free time huddled around Mikes table playing D&D instead of going outside and doing things that would build stamina.

Steve and Jonathan did the rest of the digging while the party idly discussed their theories surrounding the fight they’d just narrowly escaped from. After an hour, Jonathan stuck his shovel in the dirt and wiped his brow before turning to Steve.

“You’re sure this is where he’s buried?” he asked.

“I buried him myself, of course I’m sure.”

“How far down did you go? We must be seven feet deep by now.”

“It can’t be much further.”

They dug for another half an hour before Steve finally caved and climbed back out of the hole, sat next to Robin and took a much needed drink from his water bottle.

“What’s taking so long?” Dustin asked.

“He’s not in there, kid.”

“Of course he is, we’re the ones who put him there.”

“I’m telling you, he’s not in there.”

“You must be digging in the wrong place.”

“I’m not.”

“You have to be,” Dustin snapped, his voice cracking. Steve looked up and was met with a teary gaze.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. Come on, you can double check.”

Steve lead Dustin to the edge of the freshly dug hole and waited for him to speak, swaying impatiently on the backs on his heels. The rest of the party made their way over in dribs and drabs and stared absently into the emptiness.

“I don’t understand,” Dustin sniffled.

“How has he just vanished? Bodies don’t decompose that quickly,” Will asked.

“Decomposition could be quicker here, you saw how fast the plants rotted over at Merrill’s,” Nancy suggested.

“Are you sure this is the right spot?” El asked.

“One hundred percent,” Dustin answered.

Steve stayed silent as the others discussed amongst themselves, his eyes fixed on the empty hole in front of him as he got lost in his thoughts.

How the hell was he supposed to revive Eddie’s body without his body? He’d definitely buried him there, so where was he? If he couldn’t find the body then he’d-

It was subtle, the darkness shifting over them, but Steve’s defences were so high that it didn’t go unnoticed - neither did the temperature drop, or the creeping feeling that they were being watched. He took a couple of steps back, breath held, his eyes still fixed on the ground in front of them. Wings. Steve gulped before slowly turning to face whatever was casting the shadow.

He wasn’t sure what he’d being expecting, but it definitely wasn’t a head of dark, messy curls and a pair of red eyes staring down at him.

[bluedalliances]

My steddie TOP 10+1 of January

Here are some of my favorite readings of January in no particular order and with some things that are not trigger warnings but I usually like to know. 

Take the money and run by thisapplepielife

This is the first fic I read this year and it became one of my favorite ever. Eddie and Steve go on a road trip and fall in love across the country. It’s sweet, it’s funny, the characters are on point, and every detail is considered. I can’t explain how good this is.

ALSO, THE REFERENCES ARE AMAZING. 

140k / period-typical homophobia - internalized homophobia / Happy ending / Rated E

that'd be the end of the last man on earth by pbandjeremiah

Years after everything goes down, Steve is in a plane from San Francisco to Chicago and Eddie Munson sits by his side with his two kids. Four hours of softness, good care of children and Stevie craving a family.

I actually cried with this one because of how beautiful it is and how nicely it portrays the wishful daydreaming of being a part of something. 

9k / Happy ending / Rated M for like two seconds

Promise To Try by LocalCryptid7

Steve finds out the kids are hanging around Eddie and doesn’t want them to get in trouble. So he helps him get a job and graduate. They fall in love along the way. 

This has everything. A slow burn canon rewrite, with realistic temporal setting, lovely Wayne Munson and great relationships, soft moments, fun moments, hurt moments, comfort moments, the whole deal. There are some heavy themes, tho, so mind the tags, they are great tags. 

84k / Happy ending / Rated M

The Sun Is Gone, but I Have a Light by OfmdLins

THIS VAMPIRE AU IS LITERALLY SO GOOD. I’d pay for more of it. It’s wonderful, cute, funny, good consent talk, spicy time, and amazing ending.

“Chicago, Illinois, 1993. Eddie follows the recommendation of another vampire to visit a 'donor,' a human who lets vampires feed off them for a living. What he's not expecting is for said donor to be a ghost from high school past in the shape of Steve Harrington.” 

I’m begging you, read this. 

10k / Open but really good and soft ending / Rated E

A Hawkins Hallmark Christmas by Appledagger

They play Secret Santa and Eddie is decided to give Steve the best gift of his life, but to do it, he has to get to know him. Chaos, family time, pining and going around forgotten secrets. So good it hurts. Also! It has pretty good communication, I always enjoy that.  47k / Happy ending / Rated M

nothing quite like this by ashleigh

Wayne doesn’t like Steve. But maybe it’s a matter of time. A study of Steve Harrington and his relationship with Eddie from Wayne’s eyes. Steve is the softest boy ever and he grows into people. 

5k / Happy ending / Rated M

waters so inviting by monstrousfemale (stresslinesandcigarettes)

Steve teaches Eddie how to swim, but no time is enough if it is by his side. So, pining, they both think it’s unrequited, swimming, softness, smut, what else do you want?

28k / Happy ending / Rated E

We'll Know for the First Time by Kikiz

They are friends. But one day, Steve realizes he’d choose Eddie over any date. Until then, oblivious boys pin for each other and share platonic intimacy. It’s very fucking cute. 

This is a fix-it post-canon fic, slow burn, pining, fluff, smut, a homegrew graduation and all the love Eddie deserves. 

41k / Happy ending /Rated E

I've been trying to figure you out, tell me then would you lend a hand? by eloquent_fairy

Where Eddie discovers Steve is not what he thought and wants to understand him. From preseason 4 to fix-it fic. He’s stubborn about it, but gets there. I laughed, cried and (mentally) screamed with this one. So many feelings and such a wonderful character study.

FOUND FAMILY MY FRIENDS

30 k / Happy ending / Rated T / Part of a series! 

linger by yournowheregirl

Alternative universe. College Au. Rivals (kinda, not realy) to friends to lovers. Classic misunderstandings and angst. If you feel like stressing out with a lovely fanfic amazingly written, this is for you, my darling. 

They fight for the same desk at the library and somehow become suddy buddies, but then become more. Idiots in love and protective ronance <3 

45k / Happy ending with lots of angst before / Rated T 

some nice young satanist by heuniversesaidiloveyou

It's 1991, Robin and Steve have moved to the big city and have an annoying metalhead neighbor. That’s how they meet Eddie again after 5 years. Ft. going out, experiencing queer joy and falling in love while trying to get over their past.

This one has angst and people getting hurt from internalized homophobia. Mind the tags!

 40k / Happy ending

[wh0lemilk0vich]

misha rhat was ssooo good !!

i have this image in my head of eddie letting steve’s blood drip down his chest like if he bit his neck or shoulder, restraining himself until it dribbles down his soft pecs and belly before licking fat wet stripes up to get all the blood hhnnnggghhh

or maybe because eddie gets him into a nice subspace, woozy and lightheaded from the blood loss that steve will sort of just eat anything that’s put in front of him, trying to be good for eddie, whilst the latter bites and sucks and just HRUSHIAHDJHD

eddie is just so fucking obsessed with his stevie, so possessive and overwhelmed by him. i cna imagine them hanging out with the party before this wave of bloodlust and adoration comes over him, dragging steve off to the bathroom to feed and come in his pants. he’s so so enamoured with his curves and how he looks in his stretchy jeans that frame his ass and hug his hips so fucking perfectly, how when steve sits he can see his round belly sit on his thighs, his lap, how when he reaches you can see bites and hickeys.

despite being generally submissive steve loves the power he has over eddie, knowing that anything and everything he does sets ed off

idk i have so many ideas about vamp chubby chaser eddie and chubby brat stevie but i don’t know how to express or format it well hahaha

i enjoy just bouncing ideas back and forth with you though! 🪱

Ahhhh I'm screaming internally at the thought of bite marks and hickeys and bruises all over Steve!!! The perils of a vampire boyfriend with an oral fixation.

Yes wormie you are sooooo right about the stretch. Obviously he's going to have tum showing and there are purple tender marks low on his belly, at the softest parts, but also his hips, and you can see them peeking out below his short shorts on his inner thighs, or if his collar got pulled down or if he wore a shirt with the top buttons undone imagine his *d e c o l l e t a g e* (lol my favorite word, I love chubby boys with boobies) all the scattered bruises and bites.

I love the image of Eddie dragging Steve away to the bathroom sloppy making out, turning into feeding, turning into worshipping Steve's body while he's all woozy and heady, turning into a sloppy bj while he furiously fists his own cock. Never stopping, never needing a break, just swallowing Steve over and over again until he spills over with a cute strangled moan trying not to be so obvious (even though they couldn't be more obvious)

Eddie feeding Steve his blood too, cause he knows that does a number on mortals. And then getting him a bunch of snacks and some juice. Steve may look pale, but he'd be blushing fiercely.

Wormie please send more 😭

[stenka-razin]

Grammy Live Performances Reviewed

Dua Lipa: it was fine, but I don't remember much of it. Didn't help that I don't think I know these songs at all.

Luke Combs & Tracy Chapman doing Fast Car: Dunno why this was second, eyes were pissing tears immediately. This is one of better ideas for a Grammy Performances. You have all these artists under one roof, make 'em work together! Anyway, it was good.

SZA: SZA was good and the choreography was solid. I don't know much SZA though, but it sounded nice enough.

Billie Eilish: (sharp inhale into the mic) why (sharp inhale into the mic) did (sharp inhale into the mic) billie (sharp inhale into the mic) eilish (sharp inhale into the mic) sing (sharp inhale into the mic) like (sharp inhale into the mic) this? Seriously sounded like she ran a 5k before singing. Also I didn't like the song.

Miley Cyrus: Miley did Flowers, a song I think is whatever, but her performance was fine enough. Except she kept making incredibly cringe adlibs. Like when she admonished the crowd "don't act like y'all don't know this song." That became a running gag for us. Not great but I laughed a lot.

Olivia Rodrigo: If you buy the Olivia Rodrigo/Taylor Swift feud rumors, you'd half to imagine that she was quietly seething all night. She performed Vampire, a song allegedly about Taylor Swift, right before Taylor won an award they were both nominated for and announced a new album. Olivia proceeded not to win anything. Anyhow, her performance was fine, but the song is not my thing. She didn't overunder sing it like Billie or do stupid crowd engagement like Miley at least.

U2: U2 did a new U2 song. I don't super care, but always good to see them still remaining defiantly in their own lane. But really this was less about the music and more a glorified ad for Las Vegas' Sphere. I think I would throw up if I saw a show in that thing. Maybe that's the point. Dead & Co have a residency in there and I'm wondering how that'll be. It seems like a venue built for artist with sick ass laser light shows. Not meandering psyched tinge bluegrass jams. I just don't get Vegas I guess. Last time I was there for a layover that took forever and some dude attempted to shoot his family in the parking lot of the airport. Bad vibes man. Oh I was talking about U2?

Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox, Wendy & Lisa, Jon Batiste, Ann Nesby, Cory Henry, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, and Fantasy: Woo! Yeah this was the immemorial segment, and really it was a series of consecutive performances. Notably, Stevie Wonder dueted with Tony Bennett's ghost. Annie Lennox did Nothing Compares 2 U and called for a ceasefire, and it climaxed in Fantasia's big Proud Mary romp. Also for some reason in the middle we got a 20 second clip of Jimmy Buffet. No other deceased performer got a standalone sound bite so it was weird. All in all it was pretty good, though ran sacharine as you can expect these in memorium segments to.

Joni Mitchell, Brandi Carlisle, others: Joni's still got it! She did Both Sides Now, backed by a band consisting of wiki tells me are accomplished musicians int heir own right.

Travis Scott & Playboi Carti: This SUCKED! First off, both these dudes music is entirely production driven. That's fine (I mean, more so for Scott since he actually does a lot of his own beats) but it absolutely does not translate to compelling live shows. Travis Scott is so fucking corny, he's out here in his fake muscles trying to hulk out, when he looks like a withered pillhead. Also I have no idea why you'd book a performer where every other line needs to be muted out of the livestream. Anyway, he can't rap for shit and this was god awful.

Burna Boy, 21 Savage, Brandy: This was great! I didn't know much Burna Boy but this was a fun performance and everyone was very good. Brandy is still great?

Billy Joel: It's no surprise Billy Joel can still perform. For all the to do about him not putting out new music for decades, it overlooks that he's still on the road constantly. But yeah, the new Billy Joel song sounds like an old Billy Joel song, so that's probably for the best. Then he did You Might Be Right, one of those consummately uncool songs that I enjoy anyway.

[sidekick-hero]

About me tag game

Tagged by the lovely @scarcrossdlvrs 💜

Favorite color: all shades of purple

Last song: Take Your Pick [Feat. Corpsegrinder]

Currently reading: Weakened Like Achilles, with You Always at My Heels (also listening to The Song of Achilles funnily enough but because of vacation shennanigans that's on hold right now)

Last movie: Red, White and Royal Blue with my two best friends, it was a glorious ladies night even if I prefered the book over the movie

Sweet/spicy/savory: Bee I have to steal your answer: savory or spicy (spicy to the front of the line pls). i have to be in the right mood for sweet stuff. And I need to add my own controversial take: mixing sweet and savory (like pizza with pineapples) IS A CRIME

Currently working on: Bee, stealing again because same: my fucking steddiebang T^T i can't wait to be done with this damn thing and never touch it again - just thinking about it gives me a headache

Adding What I want to work on instead:

Sex Club Meet Cute fic

Steve and two Eddie's PWP

My own take on the free use trope for Steve

The next chapter of my FWB steddie fic

A wonderful Tigareth idea I got permission from @steves-strapcollection to write

Closing Time

Hunter and Prey (Vampire Steve/ Hunter Eddie)

I wore his jacket for the longest time - B-Side from Eddie's POV

A sequel to my monter!eddie fic

Yeah, Big Bang needs to be done.

Tagging with zero pressure: @legitcookie, @yournowheregirl, @thefreakandthehair,@stobinesque, @spooky-stevie, @sentient-trash, @starryeyedjanai

[deadcactuswalking]

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 30/12/2023 (Christmas Garbage)

Content warning: Brief references to murder, racism and unlawful sex acts. Merry Christmas!

Yawn, it’s a Christmas episode. It’s not even Christmas anymore - the tracking week included Christmas Day. “Last Christmas” is #1, of course it is. Skip this one is my personal advice. Christmas Christmas Christmas. REVIEWING THE CHARTS.

Rundown

So, there are a few new arrivals today, but it’s also a week of mostly just festive music the week after festive music mattered so I’ll have a bit of a different approach, one I’m sure will be made up for with next week’s: Less than a fifth of this week’s chart are non-Christmas songs, I’m going to be mostly in chart nerd form rather than expressing much of my opinion, which is kind of how this series has been moving towards lately? Next episode will be the rush of new and old songs thanks to the end-of-year gains and Christmas collapse, so that will be more of a classic episode when it comes to dishing out intros and opinions on different genres and artists, the usual. For now, well, let’s just run down what we have here. Rounding out the top five are Brenda at #5, Ed and Elton at #4, Mariah at #3 and Sam bloody Ryder still hogging up #2.

Let’s continue with rounding up the Christmas songs. The songs entering the UK Top 75 for the first time this year in this week, but have already entered the top 75 previously, are “Cozy Little Christmas” by Katy Perry at #70, “Mistletoe and Wine” by Cliff Richard at #69, “Please Come Home for Christmas” by the Eagles at #68, “Santa’s Coming for Us” by Sia at #66, “Santa Baby” by Kylie Minogue at #64, “Christmas Wrapping” by the Waitresses at #62 (one of my personal favourites) and “My Only Wish (This Year)” by Britney Spears at a new peak of #59, “Come on Home for Christmas” by George Ezra at #56, “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas” by Perry Como at #54, “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” by Bruce Springsteen at another new peak of #47, and “Christmas Tree Farm” by Taylor Swift at #46… and speaking of new peaks, “What Christmas Means to Me” by Stevie Wonder at #76, “Jingle Bells” by Meghan Trainor at #48, “Santa Baby” by Eartha Kitt at #44, “Little Saint Nick” by the Beach Boys at #43, “A Holly Jolly Christmas” by Burl Ives at #40, “The Christmas Song” by Nat King Cole at #34, “Winter Wonderland” by Laufey at #26, “Sleigh Ride” by the Ronettes at #20 and “DJ Play a Christmas Song” by Cher at #18, as well as Jorja Smith’s cover of “Stay Another Day” at #16 and “Let it Snow” (three times) by Dean Martin at #13 and finally, it took a while but “Santa Tell Me” by Ariana Grande reached the top 10 at #8.

I questioned the point in listing the notable dropouts - songs exiting the UK Top 75, which is what I cover, after five weeks in the region or a peak in the top 40 - since they’ll all be back next week but hey, if I can list a bunch of Christmas songs by dead people in succession, why not secular songs by those very much still with us? With that said, we bid adieu to that terrible cover of “I Wish it Could be Christmas Everyday” by “Creator Universe”, and then bid a probably temporary farewell to “Stop Giving Me Advice” by Lyrical Lemonade, Jack Harlow and Dave, “You’re Losing Me” (From the Vault) by Taylor Swift, “Surround Sound” by JID featuring 21 Savage and Baby Tate, “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims, “exes” by Tate McRae, “Northern Attitude” by Noah Kahan with Hozier on the duet version, “Runaway” by Ye featuring Pusha T, “Can’t Catch Me Now” and “vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo, “On My Love” by Zara Larsson and David Guetta, “Water” by Tyla, “Strangers” by Kenya Grace, “I Remember Everything” by Zach Bryan featuring Kacey Musgraves, “Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift and finally, “Sprinter” by Dave and Central Cee. So, yeah, big bloodbath this week but one that involves a revival for the next.

So, time to “review”, isn’t it? We have some new arrivals, most of which are Christmas songs, let’s trodge through them.

NEW ARRIVALS

#74 - “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” - Dean Martin

Produced by Lee Gillette

So, firstly: I’m going to be getting the vast majority of my info from the horse’s mouth, so to speak, the Official Charts Company’s archive: it may sometimes be inaccurate or awkward in its formatting but I know charts well enough to notice when something doesn’t seem right - for the most part - or when it contradicts with Wikipedia or other sources. You can find the vast majority of this info elsewhere, I’m not doing intense research, but hey, it’s good to have a little backstory and that’s what most of this episode will be: stories. We start with a fictional one, that of Rudolph’s.

Now he may be a tradition now but he’s more recent than you think, pitched in 1939 by a retailer in New York known as Robert L. May. He’s a newly-created Christmas character that is a bit of wholesome children’s content with a good message, insanely basic character design and therefore incredibly intuitive marketing strategy. The song came 10 years after the character, and whilst Gene Autry probably recorded the most well-known version, it’s never charted in the UK. In fact, Dean Martin’s version, which debuts this year at #74 - it’s its first week in the top 100 even - is the first version to chart, despite American success of versions by Autry, Bing Crosby and even the Chipmunks and the Temptations, both inspiring 60s vocal groups. This 1959 cover from A Winter Romance, the same album with “Let it Snow” on it, is a completely fine, very cliché Christmas-sounding tune with a weird German accent for Santa’s dialogue. Whilst it may be somewhat surprising the song’s not charted, I do understand. I sang “Rudolph” as a child in assemblies at school, sure, but I’m a much later generation than a lot of the people listening to Christmas music this time of year in this country, and it’s always felt like a specifically American export, especially that stop-motion TV special that may have re-popularised the tune. The only other “Rudolph” song to chart is Chuck Berry’s 1958 classic, “Run Rudolph Run”, which peaked at #36 in 1964 and is currently at #49. When it peaked, “I Want to Hold Your Hand” by The Beatles, another rock-and-roll classic, was #1. Mr. Berry of course would later go on to film women peeing, so maybe someone should make a festive rock and roll remix to “Ignition”.

#72 - “Carol of the Bells” - John Williams

Produced by John Williams

Spotify actually credits more than OCC does here: John Williams is listed here as he’s the only performer listed on the chart itself but on streaming services, the lead artist is actually Mykola Dmytrovych Leontovych, the Ukrainian composer for the song, originally arranged as a very non-Christmas piece “Shchedryk”, which I guess is still about Winter as when translated, one can read lyrics about how a swallow flies into a home promising wealth for the upcoming spring. It’s connected to a folk holiday in Ukraine celebrated on New Year’s Eve known as “Malanka”, somewhat similar to Christmas in its festivities but with a depth of its own traditions unique to eastern Europe, and it wasn’t even the intended holiday of Leontovych’s original composition, first performed in Kyiv in 1916. An American composer, importantly one descending from the Rusyns of modern-day Ukraine, heard the composition, which made its way to New York in the 1920s, and wrote English lyrics relating to Christmas though, interestingly, Peter J. Wilhousky is nowhere to be seen in the artist credits for this version, being relegated to a writing credit on Spotify.

There are many versions of this song but by far the most popular is the rendition by John Williams, an icon in film scoring who arranged the song alongside a children’s choir performance for the 1990 film Home Alone, which has aged pretty well - mostly because it’s practically just slapstick of a kid torturing these two idiots - and has become a Christmas classic, particularly in eastern Europe, where its release lined up pretty nicely with more lenient restrictions on western films, so it became one of the first western family films seen by many children beyond the Iron Curtain just as it fell, which does make the use of Leontovych’s composition come full circle in a way. Personally, I’ve always found this song a tad eerie and intense, but Williams’ version of “Carol of the Bells” is the only one to have charted in the UK, and it first reached the top 100 in 2018. Additionally, the main theme from Home Alone, “Somewhere in My Memory”, spent one week at #69 in 2019. The #1 that week was “Sweet but Psycho” by Ava Max, and John Williams has charted a few times with singles and many, many other times on the albums chart, for his work in film scoring. Last year, the Home Alone soundtrack made its very first appearance there at #100, and this year, probably assisting with the new peak of this song, the actor who played the boy Kevin McCallister, Macaulay Culkin, received a star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the film itself was inducted into the Library of US Congress’ National Film Registry.

#71 - “Entrapreneur” - Central Cee

Produced by Chris Rich and Caleb Bryant

Alright, let’s cut the Christmas crap for a second as we do have a new song from Cench charting, and whilst Jeezy has made that awkward pun before, this is still a completely fine, maybe even pretty good, drill track with a very energetic performance from Cench here and despite some very odd mixing that makes the percussion feel stiff and the bass less present than it should be, I still think it hits hard amidst the soaring strings and keys at the back of the mix that is surprisingly dynamic at times, it almost feels like it’s going for a cloud rap vibe but instead of fully submerging the listener, Cench submerges any need for the instrumental by bringing a lot of charisma, some funny lines and a whole lot of triumphant flexing that given the motivation in his voice here and some genuinely likeable lyrics, actually feels pretty deserved. Sure, he sticks to the same flow, but it’s one that works and seems to serve his best interests lyrically as he can fit all of his wordy bars into it, so I’d say this is ultimately a success.

#67 - “Deck the Halls” - Nat King Cole

Produced by Lee Gillette

Another Lee Gillette production in the same week, huh, I guess the guy was the go-to for soulful Christmas tracks. I’m never going to complain about hearing Nat King Cole’s rich voice… except for this song, misspelled as “Deck the Hall” on Spotify, where it feels like everything’s a bit too fast for the guy, I almost feel bad. It’s a very spritzy and string-heavy song that just ends up too chintzy to give Nat King Cole any time. Hell, I’ll be honest - this one sucks, it’s way too busy and barely anyone could pull off this dead-on-arrival fa-la-la-la song anyway unless you’re a cartoon character but I haven’t seen the Animaniacs chart in my lifetime so this is a carol I’ve never preferred. As for this song’s chart history, this is its second week on the chart, and only this version has ever charted to my knowledge, debuting at #84 last year. That’s not to say people haven’t recorded and performed this song that aren’t named Nat King Cole because by God, they have, though not nearly as much as a song we’ll be talking about in a few paragraphs’ time. As for the original composition, it dates back to the traditional Welsh carol “Nos Galan”, which is actually about New Year’s Eve and both its tune and lyrics were written around the 1700s, but English lyrics by Scotsman Thomas Oliphant in 1862 brought us the carol we know today, so this one is a bit more historied than Rudolph, especially with popularising the now universal phrase of “’tis the season”. I don’t even like the slower, original Welsh version of this, it’s just a pestering little song to me. Never done well to my knowledge. Next.

#63 - “This Christmas” - Donny Hathaway

Produced by Ric Powell and Donny Hathaway

This is a pretty weird one because yes, this version of the song has never charted in the UK’s top 100 before. That much is true… but I have reviewed it, and in 2020 in fact, so dig up that old episode, right? Well, maybe not, because the only reason I reviewed it is because a Jess Glynne version charted that year, and it was an Amazon original version, that I ended up comparing to the original, one of my favourite ever Christmas songs, in complete despair and almost disgust. Hathaway has a buttery but unabashedly joyful voice, he came up with that iconic gleeful horn line and that clever, sleek title-drop in the verses, and like I said in 2020, lest we forget the bongos. It’s a detailed, beautiful song that was first released in 1970, with the B-side “Be There”, which is probably why OCC questionably lists this song as “This Christmas Be There”. Said B-side is the other holiday single tacked onto his self-titled album and whilst not as catchy or canonical, it is more of a melodramatic tune with just as many intricacies, it’s really an underrated gem to be honest. It took a while for “This Christmas” to latch on, only really resurging in 1991 when included on a reissued Christmas compilation record. It didn’t chart on the US Billboard Hot 100 until 2020 and has finally made it to the UK’s singles chart in its original form. The malformed Jess Glynne butchering made it to #3 in 2021, and “Last Christmas” was #1 that week too. It briefly returned in 2021 but only peaked at #52 that year and has not appeared again so I’m assuming the UK has come to their senses and made the correct decision about which one to enjoy from this year onward.

#60 - “Jingle Bells” - Frank Sinatra

Produced by Voyle Gilmore

It is a disgrace that Meghan Trainor’s version outcharts Frankie, but there is some solace in knowing Trainor’s version may be like Jess Glynne’s “This Christmas” and end up as a one-year-only success. It’s not like it matters though, “Jingle Bells” may be the most-recorded song in human history, and is definitely at least one of them, even though it was never explicitly about Christmas… though the song was originally titled “This One Horse Open Sleigh” so part of me thinks that James Lord Pierpoint, the song’s writer and Confederate soldier - yikes - had at least Father Christmas in mind when composing the jingle. Pierpoint even wrote music for the losing side in the Civil War and ended up on the opposing side of his father in the Union Army - Jesus, the less we know about the guy who wrote the song, the better, what a loser. Anyway, like 70,000 Goddamn people have dashed through the snow to get to the studio and record this track, so it’s safe to say the song has reached beyond its obscure writer at this point. It’s been broadcast from space, for God’s sake.

Sinatra, or more accurately Gilmore, extends the song with an unnecessary spelling section from a choir, but otherwise the 1948 recording is a lot of fun with a classic, swingin’ performance from Frankie as one would expect, especially when he has some fun with the cadence of the track, even if he doesn’t do it all too much. The song is such a staple that it’s been implemented into other Christmas standards for years, and not just “Jingle Bell Rock”, which I consider so separate to be its own song so I’ll wait for another cover of that next year before I get into that chart history, but also it’s a motif heard in Bing Crosby’s “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas”, the guitar… solo(?) in Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song” and even Joni Mitchell’s “River”. As for the original, I mean, it’s been covered by everybody from Herb Alpert to the Beatles to the Barenaked Ladies to Barney the Dinosaur to Eric Clapton to Gladys Knight to Pearl Jam to the Wiggles to CBeebies’ Goddamn Alphablocks but the versions that charted are as follows.

The first version of the original “Jingle Bells” to chart in the modern chart was… a reggae version by Judge Dread, who if you know anything about him, is not exactly a wholesome Christmas artist, and of course, it’s actually a vulgar, laddish version using the melody to talk about having sex on Christmas with some girl. I’ve talked about Judge Dread on this blog before in my special episode from 2021 about songs banned by the BBC, in which I included a lot more of his story. To be completely honest, his version is a lot of fun, especially with how carelessly he delivers it all, and it peaked at #64 for two weeks in 1978, during which “Mary’s Boy Child / Oh My Lord” by Boney M. was #1. It’s currently at #51. In 1981, a novelty version by the Hysterics that lasts for only less than a minute and a half, peaked at #44 for three weeks. Subtitled “(Laughing All the Way)”, it is simply a guy laughing obnoxiously to the tune of the song as a cartoon-sounding pop-rock version plays under him. It is profoundly stupid. “Don’t You Want Me” by the Human League was #1 during these three very cursed weeks in British history. In 2005, whoever the Hell was behind the Crazy Frog mashed up the song with “U Can’t Touch This”, which apparently warrants it a separate Wikipedia page, and it peaked at #5 whilst Nizlopi’s “JCB”, a personal nostalgic song for me, was #1. Another EDM version by Basshunter peaked at #35 in 2008, when Alexandra Burke’s cover of “Hallelujah” was #1. It’s safe to say that both 2000s Eurodance versions of “Jingle Bells” are cheap and ridiculous. Last year, Sam Ryder’s Amazon-exclusive version from an Amazon-exclusive Christmas film charted at #41 - “Last Christmas” was of course at #1 that week - and this week, we see both versions by Meghan Trainor and Frank Sinatra charting. He originally recorded it in 1948 but it only started charting two weeks ago. Oh, and of course, Batman smells and Robin laid an egg.

#58 - “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” - Mariah Carey

Produced by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey

Mr. President, a second - okay, more accurately, third - Mariah Carey Christmas song has hit the canon… and I have no idea why you’d listen to this slightly-oversung, dull 1994 rendition over the Darlene Love original, which has a slightly similar story to “This Christmas” though arguably more organic. It wasn’t a single when added to Phil Spector’s Christmas compilation album - he would later murder a woman, of course - but the track, released in 1963 and featuring Cher on backing vocals, who would later cover the song as a duet with the surprisingly-still-alive (especially if she knew Spector, sheesh) Ms. Love, 60 years later - yes, that’s this year - on her own Christmas album. Sadly, that one didn’t chart but Carey’s instead. Love’s version gained popularity simply because in the late 80s, talk-show host David Letterman just liked the song and continued to invite her year upon year to perform it on his show, which is adorable.

In the UK, the original version didn’t chart until after Bublé’s - sigh - which didn’t last, peaking at #47 for two weeks in 2011 and briefly coming back in the bottom-feeder region in 2015. When it peaked, the #1 was “Cannonball” by Little Mix, and then “Wherever You Are” by the Military Wives and Gareth Malone, that year’s Christmas #1. Love’s version first charted here in 2017, though her other Christmas song, “All Alone on Christmas”, featured on the Home Alone 2 soundtrack - starring a man who I’m pretty sure James Lord Pierpoint would have voted for - peaked at #31 in 1992, during which the #1 was predictably Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You”. “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” would eventually peak at #22 in 2018 and is currently charting at #31, whilst Carey’s version reaches a new peak this year after first charting in 2021, and with that, we are done with 2023’s Christmas episodes of REVIEWING THE CHARTS. Also, did you know U2 had a version of this? …Why?

Conclusion

This wasn’t really a conventional episode, was it? I can’t really fairly give Best of the Week out, or the worst for that matter, because these are songs I hold very few notable opinions on and spent most of the time just talking about their origins and their chart success. With that said, screw “Deck the Halls”, thank you for reading and I’ll see you next… year!

[kurtcobainsgreencardigan]

hi i got you for swiftie halloween! do me a favor and tell me your favorite musicians, tv shows/movies and books. also let me know if there are any other things you enjoy that don’t fit in those categories <3

omg this is so exciting!!! also im sorry this is gonna be the longest liest ever

SO musicians (other than tay obvs), hmm im obsessed with david bowie, harry styles, stevie nicks, 5sos, nirvana, conan gray, maneskin, paramore, lana del rey, everything alex turner does, t rex, beabadoobee, billie eilish, rolling stones, sex pistols, billy idol, maisie peters, lorde, ruel, sam fender, the cure, omg its so hard to keep this to a minimum im sorry!!!

movies!! pride and prejudice (2005), notting hill (1999), scott pilgrim (2010), anything and everything wes anderson, ete 85 (2019), kill your darlings (2013), dead poets society (1989), eraserhead (1977), swiss army man (2016), harry potter and the order of the phoenix (2007), atonement (2005), the chronicles of narnia prince caspian (2008), the lighthouse (2019), 10 things i hate about you (1999),

tv shows!! spn (sorry!!), dr who, shadow and bone, miracle workers, the office, seinfeld, gravity falls, young royals, merlin, buffy the vampire slayer and all the adjacent, boys over flowers (2009), and i dont remember having seen any other shows

books!! dorian gray, the song of achilles, six of crows, a brave new world, the man who was tuesday, anything kafka, anything edgar allan poe, vincent van gogh a life in letters, the sun is also a star, anything ray bradbury, percy jackson and i think thats it

but none of that can compare with my obsession with the marauders if you even care

also i LOVE you anon thank you

[laurelwen]

15 Questions, 15 People

I was tagged by @nightmares-and-fascinations, which....I'm game, though I suspect I have nothing particularly fascinating to say here.

Nickname: Tisper

Sign: Aries

Height: 5'4"

Last Thing I Googled: "dark moody violin pieces"

Song Stuck in my head: Howl - Florence and the Machine alternating with Persephone - Tamino

Number of followers: hahahaha, I just broke a hundred?

Amount of sleep: approximately 6 hrs

Dream Job: I do not dream of labor.

Wearing: pajama pants covered in cats wearing hipser glasses and sweaters and a random ratty t shirt. WFH today, obvsly

Movies/Books that summarise you: The Lord of the Rings, Anne of Green Gables, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, I <3 Huckabees, Moulin Rouge, Promethea, Interview with the Vampire, The Mists of Avalon, Star Wars.

Favourite Song: Impossible to pick one, it depends on my mood and current hyperfixation. In the past 3 months, it's been "Salvation" by Scanners.

Favourite Instrument: Piano.

Aesthetic: In theory---Stevie Nicks and Jane Austen go to a classic lolita meetup in 1913, fall in love, and create a magical girl child who grows up to be the village witch, who is then immortalized in a series of seasonal lithographs by Alphonse Mucha. (If you want to see what the hell this means.) But then also add in a splash of Goth/Strega. Not that I get to dress like this IRL.

Favourite Authors: J.R.R. Tolkien, Neil Gaiman, Emily Dickinson, Margaret Atwood, Marge Piercy, Robert Jordan, Stephen King, Ernest Hemingway, Keats, Shelley, Byron, Diane Seuss, Alan Moore, Jane Austen, Shakespeare, Walt Whitman, Rumi, Anne Rice, Oscar Wilde, and so many more.

Random Fun Fact: My eyes were blue until I was 8 years old, when they slowly shifted to green.

@iamgalicia if you want to do it. Anyone else really. I feel weird just calling people out.

[themculibrary]

Vampires Masterlist 2

part one

A Leeds Vampire Problem (ao3) - Phillipe363 T, 1k

Summary: On what Peter thinks is stopping a routine mugging ends up reuniting with old friends who are supposed to be mindwiped, and meets a Day Walker.

Beyond (ao3) - SmutConnoisseur steve/bucky E, 9k

Summary: When Bucky pressed his lips to Steve’s, he could feel the warmth and love emanating from his favorite person. He knew that Steve would always worry about him, but he also knew that he would always return to him no matter what.

Bucky’s vampiric nature may have made him powerful, but Steve’s love made him feel truly alive. He pulled away from the kiss, his eyes shining with affection. “We’re meant to be, Stevie,” he whispered before disappearing into the night.

Charmingly Harming (ao3) - little_miss_crazy matt/foggy T, 2k

Summary: Stick asks Matt to help him kill a vampire. Unfortunately for them, the vampire is armed with a very special superpower.

Cold Day in the Sun (ao3) - Marvel_Kitten sam/bucky T, 1k

Summary: Sam gets a hickey, a romantic date and a spa day. Actually no, but one out of three ain't bad.

Do the butterflies memories survive the cocoon? (ao3) - fishtrombone steven/jake/marc M, 6k

Summary: Marc kills Jake in the apartment, it's violent, bloody and vicious. Their relationship is never quite the same after that.

Fangs and Muzzles (ao3) - PrinceofBadassery bucky/tony T, 49k

Summary: Tony was still trying to adjust to his new life as vampire after Obie had infected him several years ago in the hope to get him out of his company. It had backfired though and Tony was still here, although he had almost completely avoided any social life, hiding instead in his mansion. Here he could work on his invention and when the Avengers were needed he still had his suit.

His peaceful routine was interrupted when one night his defenses were torn apart by a feral werewolf.

Knowing vampires and werewolves didn't get along very well, Tony prepared for the worst, he didn't expect an oversized puppy wagging his tail.

----------- Set after Avengers 1 and before Cap 2. I imagine the team temporarily lived with Tony in his mansion close to New York before the Tower was finished.

Melt Your Walls (ao3) - six_demon_bag bucky/john E, 3k

Summary: When a mission goes wrong, John and Bucky are caught in a blizzard on a remote mountain. It’s up to John to make sure the cranky vampire doesn’t freeze to death, and in the process some feelings are exposed.

Mine (ao3) - ritalara leo/jemma E, 10k

Summary: Fitz is immediately drawn to a beautiful woman at a bar, and to his surprise and delight, she wants to make him hers.

Moonlight Madness (ao3) - SmutConnoisseur steve/bucky E, 3k

Summary: As the night sky grew darker, the full moon began to rise, casting an eerie light over everything it touched. Steve knew what was coming - the transformation that he had experienced so many times before. His muscles began to ache as his body prepared for the change. It always made Steve feel like he was running out of time, as if the moon were a clock counting down the minutes until he would be human again.

Only one thing could slow time - the love and companionship of a kindred spirit. One cursed to live by the fall of night.

They played a dangerous game, but one that neither of them could resist.

The Scientist Next Door (ao3) - DaisyBuchanan143 namor of talokan/shuri E, 7k

Summary: When a mysterious woman moves next door Namor tries to avoid her alluring presence. However as the days go by and people begin to disappear Namor’s encounters with her become weirder until ultimately he finds himself at her door.

Vamp (ao3) - Real_ism steven/marc M, 3k

Summary: They're in separate bodies - Marc's a vampire in a very apocalyptic city in London. Few humans roamed left in the vampire littered city.

Stevens luck leads him in the arms of the vampire, Luckily he was a nice one.

Nicknames - yarekah: Moon

Wake Up Dreaming (ao3) - ABrighterDarkness steve/bucky T, 3k

Summary: “I thought that was you,” the figure spoke, shadowed by the lack of light, only the light over the stove illuminating the main room of the apartment.

He hated these dreams.

Perhaps even more than the devastating memories of the too many lives he’d taken as the Soldier.

[440mxs-wife]

Eight Years

Pairing: Dean x Reader. Other Characters: Sam x Eileen, Jody x Benny (not a vampire), Meg (not a demon) x Castiel, Rowena x Gabriel, Donna x Doug, Charlie x Stevie.

Word Count: 4995 (whew!)

Warnings: Mutual Pining, a smidgen of angst, mostly fluffy though.

Prompt: “Life is like a box of chocolates.”

Summary: Reader goes to Kansas City for a ‘Girls Weekend’ with her friends, while the guys decide to have a weekend of their own in the bunker. But, the guys get bored and decide to join the girls, which has everyone paired up except for Dean and the Reader. Will true feelings finally come out, or will it be Friend-Zone City?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jeans. Flannel/Hoodie. T-Shirts. Shorts. Swimsuit. Boots, just in case. You ran through the packing list in your head to make sure you didn't forget anything. The bag for your toiletry items was under the sink, so you put your toothbrush and other bathroom stuff inside. The last bits you needed to pack were the book you were reading and your phone charger. Once they were in your bag, you zipped it and threw it over your shoulder as you exited your room.

Sam was sitting at the map table, reading a book when you dropped your bag onto its surface. "All packed and ready to go?" he asked.

"Yep. Kansas City's not that far away, should you guys need any help with anything. Plus, I'll be with the 'Ladies' Hunting Contingent', so you'd have plenty of back-up," you chuckled.

"Nah, we're going to take the weekend off too. Dean said no hunting this weekend, so he invited the guys to come here," Sam replied.

"Really?" you asked incredulously.

"S'all your fault, you started it. Donna will be with you, which leaves Doug with nothing to do. Dean told him he should come here and hang out. In fact, you and Doug will probably pass each other on the highway," he grinned.

"Well, whatever. Y'all better behave yourselves," you warned.

"I'm sure we'll behave ourselves about as much as you girls are going to," Sam smirked.

"Ha ha, very funny. So, are you gonna miss me?" you asked.

"Nope, it'll actually be quiet without your snoring. But I bet Dean will," Sam countered. He knew about your feelings towards Dean, and figured out that the current ran both ways. Sam was convinced his life would be even better if only you and Dean would get past your self-doubts.

"'Dean will' what, Sammy?" Dean inquired as he pulled up a chair to the table.

"You'll miss her this weekend while she's gone," Sam clarified.

Dean then noticed your packed bag on the table. "Oh, that's right, this is your, uh, 'Girls' Weekend' in Kansas City," he replied. "That should be fun, all of you chicks together," Dean remarked.

"Yeah," you answered. But you didn't exactly answer the question, Dean...."I should probably get going. Got a decent drive ahead of me," you mumbled as you reached out to pick up your bag again.

"Here, I've got it, let me help," Dean picked up your bag and threw it over his shoulder.

You started to follow Dean up the stairs to the garage, but Sam called you back. Dean kept walking, so you said you'd meet him in the garage.

"C'mere, kiddo," Sam said as he pulled you into a hug. "Of course I'm going to miss you this weekend. And just because Dean didn't say so doesn't mean he won't miss you too. Maybe you should tell him--," Sam started.

You interrupted, "Wow, look at the time, I gotta go." You moved towards the stairs then turned to face Sam. "I'll miss you guys too. Have fun, you deserve it. Hell, we all deserve it," you chuckled softly. "Bye, Sam," you called as you made your way up the stairs.

Dean was waiting by your car when you entered the garage. "I put your bag in the trunk, I hope that was where you wanted it," he informed you.

"Oh sure, no problem. You didn't have to carry it up here for me, I would've managed okay. But thank you, Dean," you remarked.

"S'no problem, what are best friends for?" he replied, bringing you in for a hug that seemed a little tighter than usual. He pulled back abruptly and nervously cleared his throat. "Anyway, you should--ah--you should probably get going. Got that drive ahead of you, all by yourself. Drive careful," Dean said with a smile.

"I will. Have a good weekend with the guys, Dean. See you soon," you murmured as you ducked into your car. You turned the key and brought to life the rumbling engine of your 1968 Chevy Nova. With a slight wave of your hand, you backed out of the garage and drove out of sight.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

You popped in an Aerosmith CD and cranked the volume as you tore down the highway. Dean certainly didn't approve of your decision to update the audio component for your classic car. But, driver picks the music, and you wanted more to choose from than the same 5 cassette tapes all the time.

Best friend, you muttered to yourself as you drove. After eight years, it's probably all I'll ever be to Dean. Even though he means more to me than I can ever put into words to tell him....

A pit stop at a Gas-n-Sip for fuel, snacks and a change in music to an 80s CD, and you were back on the road. After another three hours, you had reached your destination. It was an old ski lodge on the outskirts of the city that had been remodeled but without the ski lift. It had seven bedrooms and a wide open floor plan. The lodge came complete with a large kitchen, dining room and a common area with plenty of seating.

When you pulled up to the lodge, you saw Donna's truck, which brought you a little relief at not being the first one to arrive. She must have heard you drive in, because she came flying out of the front door over to your car.

Wrapping her arms around you, Donna nearly squealed with delight that you had finally arrived. "Oh, it's so good to see you!" she gushed. "I only got here about an hour ago, and I already picked out my room. Now that you're here, you get your pick!" she exclaimed.

You laughed as you retrieved your bag out of the trunk, linked arms with Donna then you both walked back into the lodge. She poured you a margarita as you unpacked your bag for the weekend. You sent Dean a text message to let him know you had arrived safely, then stowed your phone in your pocket.

By the time you came back out to the common area, Jody, Meg and Eileen had arrived. They gave you a hug in greeting, then went to stake their claims on the remaining rooms. Rowena and Charlie with Stevie rounded out the rest of the weekend's participants.

"Okay, everyone has a drink, right?" Donna asked. The ladies all nodded in agreement. "Good! Let our 'Girls Weekend' officially commence!" she declared. "Let's go 'round the room and give everyone an update. You know, say what or who we've been doing," Donna grinned mischievously.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Back at the Bunker.....

Dean watched as you backed your car out of the bunker's garage, gave him a halfhearted wave, then drove off down the highway. He was mentally kicking himself for not giving you a better sendoff than a hug and a 'drive careful'.

The two of you were alone in the garage and he had you in his arms. It was a comforting feeling, like coming home, and he never wanted to let go. You idjit, he thought to himself. That would've been the perfect time to tell her how you feel....if only you hadn't chickened out. Dammit.

Shortly after you left, Doug arrived. He entered the bunker with Dean and noticed that Benny, Castiel and Gabriel had also made their appearances. Sam introduced Doug to the new arrivals then showed him to his room for the weekend. Once Doug had finished getting settled, he came out to the common area in time to hear Benny ask, "So what are y'all drinking?"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

At the lodge.....

Most of the ladies had given their update on their activities over the past month, leaving just you and Donna to spill your secrets. Charlie and Stevie were working together at a tech firm, but not for much longer. Between them, they almost had enough money saved and/or investors to start their own consulting business.

Rowena and Gabriel were seeing each other off and on, both trying to stay out of trouble. Sam and Eileen were still going strong, texting each other, and meeting for dates whenever possible.

Jody and Benny had started dating, having been introduced by Dean. Benny moved to Sioux Falls and was hired on as a bartender at the local tavern, where he fit right in with the locals. He and Jody tried to see each other as often as possible, depending on their schedules.

Donna and Doug were back together, with their relationship picking up where it had left off. He had finally come to terms with the whole 'monsters are real' thing, and had even gone on a couple of simple cases with Donna.

Finally it was your turn. "Nothing much to tell, really," you shrugged.

"What about that guy you went out with a couple of weeks ago, what was his name?" Eileen asked.

"I think his name was 'Mr. Not Dean Winchester'," Meg snorted.

"Aren't they all named that?" Rowena chimed in.

To everyone's surprise, you chuckled lightly. "Yeah, I suppose you could say that. Maybe I'm a sap for holding on these past eight years, but I can't help it. I love him," you replied softly.

"The heart wants what the heart wants, even if the head says something else," Jody interjected.

When Donna walked back into the room, you realized you didn't even notice she'd left. "So, I just got off the phone with Doug. The guys are bored, so they've decided to head up this way. I might have said they could stay here with us," she explained hesitantly.

The color drained from your face, because you knew what this meant. Everyone would be paired off, except you and Dean. You looked into your glass and drained what was left of your margarita. "I'll be right back, I need a refill," you remarked as you exited your chair. Every eye followed you as you left the room.

"Okay, girls. I think y'all know what we have to do about her and Dean," Donna whispered conspiratorially. Each woman nodded in return, signaling a readiness to do her part.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

At the Bunker....

Dean was sitting at the table, eating the last slice of a cherry pie you had made him yesterday. Damn, am I glad that woman can bake, he smiled to himself.

He thought back to the day you made him that pecan pie, when you had decided that a frozen crust wouldn't do. You probably didn't know, but Dean watched as you made your own crust. You had even incorporated some finely crushed pecans into it.

Dean followed your movements as you cut the butter in with the flour, then added the water and the rest of the ingredients. He was mesmerized as you worked everything together and rolled out the crust, singing to yourself. The entire time, you had this smile on your face, and he couldn't recall the last time he'd seen you so content.

Ever since the two of you met eight years ago, he'd always thought you were beautiful. Not just on the outside, but to him, your beauty radiated from within. You showed it in how you made sure that everyone's needs were met, usually before or instead of your own. It was in the way you interacted with people, especially children, and in how they responded to you.

Even though he'd sometimes flirt with you, often just to see you blush, there was truth behind his words. You'd captured his heart all those years ago. Now, if only he'd had the strength or courage to tell you....

Sam poked his head into the kitchen to see his brother taking his dessert plate to the sink to rinse it. "Hey, Dean? Doug was just talking to Donna on the phone, and he came up with the perfect idea. You know, something other than watching movies and drinking," Sam explained.

"Oh, but Sammy, movies and drinking does sound like a good idea," Dean retorted sarcastically.

"I think you'll like this idea better, though," Sam persisted.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Fine," he huffed. "What is this 'perfect idea'?"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

On the road:

The girls sent you into town to pick up some extra supplies, since the guys would be joining you tomorrow at the lodge. You still weren't sure that this was a good idea, but if the girls wanted to see their guys, you weren't going to stand in anyone's way.

You stopped at the meat counter for some burgers, hot dogs and thick-cut bacon. After grabbing a couple of onions, you headed for the canned goods to pick up some baked beans. Your recipe called for the addition of bacon and onions, and you knew at least Dean wouldn't mind.

Once you picked up some cold cuts, you wandered over to the snack aisle for potato chips. When you saw the graham crackers, you remembered that there was a fire pit outside. S'mores would be awesome, you thought with a smile. So, you added the chocolate bars and marshmallows to your cart.

At the lodge:

"Ladies, I checked the weather report, and tomorrow's going to be a perfect day to head out to the lake and go swimming," Charlie announced.

"You sure, hun?" Stevie asked.

"Of course I am, babe. Can't wait to see you all smokin' hot in that red bikini I know you packed," Charlie winked, causing Stevie's cheeks to get warm.

Jody wandered in to the common area, eyes glued to her phone. "Okay, I texted Benny for him to make sure everyone has swimming trunks packed," she remarked.

At that moment, you stepped through the kitchen door with grocery bags in your hands. "A little help, please?" you called. Everyone pitched in to transport the supplies from your car to the kitchen, then helped put everything away.

"Marshmallows, graham crackers--wait, are we making S'mores?!?" Donna squealed.

You nodded. "There are benches around a fire pit out there, might as well put it to good use. I also grabbed a couple of rotisserie chickens, some noodles and sauce for Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo." Your announcement was met with a chorus of appreciative groans from your friends.

"It's a wonder those boys haven't gained, like, a million pounds, if this is how you cook for them," Meg chimed in. "Especially with as many pies as you bake for Dean," she added.

"They work it off by chasing after or running away from monsters," you chuckled.

"Or through other activities," Eileen signed. You translated for the group and joined in the raucous laughter that ensued.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

At the Bunker, Next Morning:

"Rise and shine, Sammy! C'mon everybody!" Dean belted out as he knocked on Sam's and all the other doors. Dean had packed the night before, because he didn't want to waste any time in the morning. He poured some coffee into his travel mug and made his way to the bunker garage.

Some time later, they stopped at the gas station on the way out of town for fuel and snacks, then it was back on the road. Doug, Benny and Sam went back to sleep in the car, leaving Dean time to think. He knew that with his friends and brother pairing off with their girls, that was going to leave the two of you together.

Questions raced through his mind about whether or not he should confess his feelings for you. So much could go wrong that he wasn't sure if he should mention anything to you. Sam stirred in the passenger seat next to him.

"So, are you going to tell her?" Sam asked.

"Tell who, what, Sam?" Dean countered.

"You know what, and you know who. Are you going to tell your best friend that you are in love with her," Sam clarified.

"I've been asking myself that same question for the past 50 miles. So many 'what-ifs'. What if she doesn't feel the same is a BIG one. What if we get together then fall apart six months from now? What if something happens on a hunt and she get hurt, or worse? What if--" he stopped.

"Dean, you can't do that to yourself. That stuff could happen whether you confess or not, no one knows the future. You have to take life as it comes at you," Sam remarked.

"Life is like a box of chocolates, brother," Benny drawled from the back seat. "You never know what you're gonna get or what the future holds. At least with her, though, you know you've got a good woman who loves you."

"Dude, did you seriously just 'Forrest Gump' me in the middle of my love crisis?" Dean asked, which drew everyone's laughter. Even Dean laughed before turning serious again. "You really think she loves me?"

"Oh, ya, Benny's right, Dean. Anybody can tell by looking that she loves you," chimed in Doug. "I've seen the way she smiles whenever you enter a room, or how she blushes whenever you 'accidentally' brush her hand," he replied.

"Huh. I never noticed that. Guess I'd better do something about it, then," Dean remarked as he continued down the road to the lodge. A smile tugged at his lips as a plan formed in his mind.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

At the lodge:

You were the first one out of bed in the morning, which meant you got first dibs on the hot water for a shower. On your supply run yesterday, you'd picked up bagels, cream cheese, muffins and some croissants for breakfast. A pot of coffee was started, and you filled a teapot with water for those not wanting coffee. You set the breakfast table with the baked goods, along with plates, cups and silverware.

At the counter, you started making the food for the picnic lunch by the lake with the guys. There were some sandwiches with ham, some with turkey and some with both. You even made some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, just in case.

By the time the coffee had finished brewing, you had finished making the sandwiches. You put them in the fridge to go into the cooler later, and poured a cup of coffee. You tinkered with it until it tasted the way you wanted, then sat back in your chair to relax.

As you sipped your coffee, your thoughts wandered to the elder Winchester. Dean and the other guys were due to arrive any time, which excited and frightened you at the same time. You were excited to spend time with your best friend. At the same time, you were scared as hell that he would see past that, right through to where you hid your feelings for him. But then you thought, what if I didn't hide them this time?

Unfortunately, you didn't get a chance to answer yourself, because you heard the familiar rumble of the Impala's engine. Coffee cup still in hand, you rushed to the front door to greet the boys. You opened the door and leaned against the door frame as you watched the guys pile out of the Impala. You put your finger to your lips to indicate that everyone else was still sleeping.

Dean was the first to reach the front door. "Morning, sweetheart," he greeted you with that sexy grin of his.

"Morning, Dean," you replied quietly, returning his smile. "Come on in, but please keep the noise down. Everyone but me is still sleeping," you said. "If you guys are hungry, there's breakfast stuff on the table, help yourself."

Suddenly, you felt someone take hold of your free hand as you walked to the kitchen. You turned and saw that it was Dean, which caused a warmth to bloom in your cheeks. Instead of letting go, your smile grew and you adjusted your hand so your fingers were laced with each other.

"Where can we put our bags?" Sam asked.

"For now, just leave them by the patio doors. Should be out of the way enough until you can each locate your girlfriend's room," you teased.

Dean leaned in close to your ear. "So, where does that leave me?" he rumbled, his breath hot against your skin.

"Um, well, I can show you to my room if you want to store your bag in there for now," you replied. "There's only the one bed, though, so....," you murmured.

"I'm okay with sharing....as long as you're sure you're okay with it, darlin'" he said smoothly.

You could only nod, because the power of speech momentarily eluded you in that exact moment. A shake of your head seemed to reboot your brain and return your voice. "My room is at the end of the hall, to the right, if you want to put your stuff away," you remarked.

Dean squeezed your hand before letting go and headed for your room. You quickly ducked into the bathroom to try and gather your wits about you. "Get it together," you hissed, pointing at your reflection. After splashing some cold water on your face, you went back out to join the others.

One by one, the girls trickled into the kitchen for coffee and whatever else for breakfast. Castiel and Gabriel had recently appeared and were saying hello to their girlfriends. Dean had returned as well, and took your chair just before you could sit down. Before you could walk away, he grabbed you around the waist and sat you down in his lap. "Comfy?" he asked with a smirk.

"So far, so good, Winchester," you countered with a wry grin. He wrapped one arm around your waist and hooked the other across your lap then gave you a squeeze in response. From the time you left the bunker to when the guys arrived, something seemed to have changed with Dean. You decided to go with the flow and see where it would lead.

In between bites of bagel, you explained the plans for the day. "We're going swimming at the lake, then we have stuff for a picnic lunch, with burgers, beans and hotdogs for dinner." Dean's eyes lit up at the mention of burgers. "And, since we have a fire pit, I got the stuff to make S'mores!" you added enthusiastically.

"You know, Dean is somewhat of an expert at roasting marshmallows," Sam threw in slyly.

"You are?" you asked as you gazed into his perfect forest green orbs.

"Oh yeah, sweetheart. I have it down to a science now," he boasted.

"This I've got to see," Meg replied.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The day could not have been more perfect for swimming and a picnic at the lake. You chose to stay on shore, relaxing with your book. Most of your reading is lore for whatever case you're working, so time spent reading for fun was golden. Every once in a while, your eyes would drift over to your friends, who were laughing and having the best time together.

A soft smile crept across your lips at seeing everyone so happy. You were so engrossed in your thoughts that you didn't hear Dean sneak up behind you. He leaned close to your ear. "You have a lovely smile. I've always thought so," he whispered.

You gasped in surprise at the proximity of his voice. "Thank you," you whispered back as your smile returned.

Dean sat down, cross-legged, on the blanket in front of you, while your eyes were still on your book. He gently pried the book from your hands and replaced your bookmark. Then he hooked his finger under your chin and tilted your face upwards to gaze into your eyes. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you," he started.

"Oh? What's that?" you asked, your voice wavering a bit as he tucked a stray lock of hair behind your ear.

He nervously cleared his throat before speaking. "Well, you see, I--" he started.

"Hey you two, we're starving for some burgers and hot dogs! Can we please head back to the lodge to get cleaned up?" Meg broke in.

You put your hand up. "Wait a minute. Meg, can you guys give us a minute?" you implored. She shrugged and started walking back to the car. "What were you saying, Dean?" you asked.

Dean shook his head. "S'okay, we probably should head back anyway," he mumbled as he picked up the cooler.

Inside you were screaming at Meg for interrupting your conversation with Dean. You made a promise that if you and Dean were alone again, you'd ask him to finish his thought.

Dinner was a rousing success, with the juicy burgers and hot dogs, plus your kicked-up baked beans. As Dean was grilling the food, he was talking with the guys and laughing at their jokes. On the outside, he looked like he was having fun, but you were dismayed to notice that his smile didn't quite reach his eyes.

After dinner was done, Benny and some of the others went out to start the campfire and to make sure they had a good seat. Dean stayed behind to help you with the dishes, even though you told him he didn't have to, since he cooked. The two of you worked in a comfortable silence, even though the events of earlier were still on your mind.

Several rounds of S'mores later, everyone started to head off to bed, one couple at a time, leaving you and Dean alone again. There were still some marshmallows in the bag, so you grabbed a couple and held them up for Dean. "Okay, Winchester. Time to show me your marshmallow roasting secrets," you grinned.

Dean grinned back as he plucked them from your fingers and skewered them on the stick. "Now, if you're not careful, these will flame up and you're left with a blackened, charcoal mess," he began. He walked around the fire pit, trying to find the best heat source for the marshmallows. Once he found one, he moved so he was sitting on the other side of you on the bench. "The trick is to use the embers. That's where it's hottest, but you're less likely to 'flame out', as it were," he explained.

You watched his movements, completely entranced by his concentration and softness in his voice as he continued. "You kinda have to keep turning it, so it gets golden brown, but not torched." From the side, you could see a reflection of the flames, dancing in his eyes. "A few more turns, and voilà. The perfectly cooked marshmallow," he remarked.

Dean pulled the stick from the fire and carefully slid the marshmallow off of the end. You tried to take it from his fingers. "Ah ah ah, open up, sweetheart," he smirked. You did as he asked and he gently placed the marshmallow on your tongue. A groan of appreciation escaped your lips, as you broke the delicate crust that gave way to a melted but not molten center.

"Perfect," you whispered.

He slid the other marshmallow off the end of the stick and popped it in his mouth. A little of the melted center somehow ended up on the corner of his mouth. "Oh, wait a second, you've got some--um--some marshmallow on your--here, let me," you stammered.

Without thinking, you dove in and meshed your lips with his on the spot where you'd seen the marshmallow. When it seemed he didn't respond, you leaned back and broke the kiss. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean--I should go," you stood up from the bench to head back into the house.

Dean grabbed hold of your wrist to stop you from leaving. "Wait, I need to tell you something," he pleaded.

"No, it's all right, Dean. I get it, I made a mistake. You don't feel the same, and that's okay. Just please let me go inside," you whispered, tears threatening to fall.

"Aw, to hell with this," he growled as he closed the distance between you until you were mere inches apart. "I'm gonna finish what I started to say earlier. Then if you still want to run back inside, I won't stop you. Okay?" he asked sternly.

You nodded slowly. "Okay," he said more softly as he brushed the back of his knuckles on your cheek. "You and I have been best friends for the past eight years. Somewhere along the way, things between us changed. For me, anyway. I can't believe it's taken this long to tell you, but sweetheart? I am in love with you," he declared.

Tears of happiness streamed down your cheeks. "I've waited so long to hear those words. Wasn't sure I ever would, but I never gave up hope. I love you, Dean Winchester. Always have, always will," you replied. You placed one hand alongside his face, caressing his cheek with your thumb.

Dean gently brushed your tears away with his thumbs. Then he slipped his hand around to cradle you behind your head and inched forward until your lips met yet again. This kiss was different, because you felt the depth of his emotions contained within it. The friendship between you, his fear of your rejection at the offer of his love. And finally, his acceptance of your love for him.

When the kiss was broken, you pulled back a little from each other enough to rest your foreheads together. "I love you so much, baby," Dean whispered.

"I love you too, Dean. C'mon, let's head inside to my--our--nice and cozy room," you suggested.

"Right by your side, sweetheart. Forever and always," Dean added. He took your hand in his and intertwined your fingers, then you both walked back into the lodge.

Donna and Doug were in the kitchen with Jody and Benny, getting some water. "Goodnight, all," you and Dean called over your shoulders.

Jody smirked at Donna and held out her hand, into which Donna slapped a $10 bill. Donna rolled her eyes and said, "Shut up", which caused Jody to break out into laughter.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Tags: @deanwanddamons​ @yourelivingwrong​ @akshi8278​ @magssteenkamp​ @swiftlymoniquesblog​ @lyarr24​ @miss-nerd95​ @distefano123​ @hobby27​ @jessica-noel94​ @wayward-mikaelson​ @jawritter​ @gabrielslittleangel​ @jensengirl83​ @deangirl93​ @ellewritesfix05​ @supernatural-jackles​ @babygurltt​ @ejlovespie​ @flamencodiva @supernatural-love14​

[petrichoravellichor]

I’ve had a couple of people request this, so here ya go: my masterlist for the SPN Deserved Better 31 Days Creative Challenge hosted by the wonderful @foundfamily4eva ​, in which I basically tried to fix canon for as many of the characters as I could, not just Team Free Will 2.0 + Eileen (although those five all definitely got the endings they deserved, too!). 

Romance-wise, the following ships got at least one work featuring that ship as the sole/primary one: Destiel, Saileen, Midam, Dreamhunter, Dodio, AU Charlie/Stevie, Amara/Rowena. 

Individual character/platonic pair-wise, here are the characters who got at least one work featuring them as the primary character(s): Alex Jones, Bela Talbot, Becky Rosen, Benny Lafitte & Emma Winchester, Bobby Singer & Rufus Turner, Cas & Claire Novak, Cas & Jack Kline, Jack Kline & Amara, Jack & Kelly Kline, Donatello Redfield, Gabriel & Meg, Gadreel, Kaia Nieves, Kevin & Linda Tran, Miracle the Dog. 

(Crowley is also getting his happy ending, but what was supposed to be a short fic is currently at about 10k, so I’ve split that off into a separate project that will be up within a few weeks.) 

Lastly, some honorable mentions/characters that got their happy endings in minor roles in other fics: Alicia & Max Banes, Aaron Bass, AU Bobby Singer, Ellen & Jo Harvelle & Ash, Jenny the Vampire (well...not happy for her: I managed to kill her off twice in two separate fics and in ways that were infinitely more satisfying than in canon and was very happy about it 😄).

All fics are canonverse fix-its and are listed below the cut, grouped roughly by primary ship/featured character(s) and with summaries, approximate word counts, and links to Ao3 when cross-posting occurred. 

I hope these bring as much closure to those who read them as they did to me while I wrote them, and if they make you feel any sort of way, I’d love to hear about it via likes/comments/reblogs/asks! 💙

Begin and End There [T, ~5.5k words, Cas & Jack, Destiel]

After the Empty takes him, Castiel wakes up in the last place he expected, with a second chance at happiness when he reunites with Dean and the latter finally gets to speak his truth. (read on Ao3 or tumblr [part 1] [part 2])

Let’s Misbehave [G, ~600 words, Destiel]

They finally listen to the mixtape and dance. That’s it, that’s the fic. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Cas, Not Castiel [G, ~225 words, Destiel]

Another angel, Hester, had once bitterly remarked that Castiel was lost the moment he laid a hand on Dean in Hell. Years later, after all was said and done, Cas found that he agreed. (read on tumblr)

The Dead Man Lives, Carry On [T, ~1.3k words, Dean Winchester & Dean Winchester, background implied Destiel]

It’s one thing to tell yourself you’re bi. It’s a whole other thing to involve time travel. Then again, when has Dean Winchester ever done things the easy way? OR, the one in which a certain side character from season 1 gets dead a whole heck of a lot sooner. You’re welcome. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

From Heaven With Love [G, ~500 words, Cas & Claire]

During the first Christmas following Chuck's defeat, Castiel surprises Claire with a letter from her parents.  (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Home Is Where the Love Is [G, ~350 words, background Destiel, background Saileen]

Miracle POV, in which Miracle reflects on his new home/family. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Namesake [G, ~600 words, Destiel, background Saileen]

When Sam and Eileen first tell Dean they want to name their unborn son after him, Dean's reaction is one of shock. He plays it off with a joke, though. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Clear As Day [T, ~700 words, Saileen]

Newly returned to existence thanks to Jack, Eileen reunites with Sam; OR, the Saileen reunion we were denied in 15x20. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

It Takes a Village [G, ~300 words, Saileen]

Expecting their first child, Sam and Eileen talk about becoming parents. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Of Love and Loss (and Love) [T, ~350 words, Sam/every canon relationship he’s had w/ endgame Saileen]

For a long time, Sam thought he was done with love. (read on tumblr)

Mother of God [G, ~225 words, Jack & Kelly Kline]

After reuniting his angel dad with his two human dads and rebuilding Heaven, the first thing Jack did was visit his mom. (read on tumblr)

The Happiest Place on Earth [G, ~150 words, Jack & Amara]

In which Amara finally gets to bond with her great-nephew...at Disneyland! :D (read on tumblr)

Good Tidings We Bring [G, ~450 words, Donatello, Jack & Amara]

In which Amara returns Donatello's soul...for Christmas! :D (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Et Nos Cedamus Amori [M, ~550 words, Amara/Rowena]

Rowena wore the crown like she was born to it, and Amara had to admit, it looked good on her. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

What We Deserve [T, ~2.6k words, Midam]

After helping the Winchesters defeat Chuck, Michael avoids Adam until one day, Adam seeks him out; OR, the soft epilogue these two deserved, damn it. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

With Every Fiber of My Being [T, ~900 words, Midam]

After defeating Chuck, Michael and Adam choose each other. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Tender Loving Care [G, ~250 words, Dreamhunter]

Kaia's flu is nothing serious, but that doesn't stop Claire from doting on her.  (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

An Angel and a Demon Walk Into a Bar [T, ~2.1k, Gabriel & Meg]

After escaping from the Empty, Gabriel wanders into a bar, where it turns out he’s not the only one back from the dead. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Rebar Not Included [T, ~1.5k words, Dodio, background Destiel]

Jody and Donna help out the Winchesters by looking into an Ohio case involving masked vampires, and what do you know: not only do they manage to kill a certain side character from season 1 but they ALSO make it through without dying! Oh, and they kiss, just because they can. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Heal [T, ~1.1k words, Charlie/Stevie]

Charlie’s being distant, and Stevie doesn’t understand why. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Homecoming [T, ~500 words, Kevin & Linda Tran]

In which Kevin Tran gets the happy ending he deserved. (read on tumblr)

When Life Imitates Art [G, ~500 words, Becky Rosen]

Becky starts a new job as a staff writer for HBO's upcoming adaptation of the Supernatural book series. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Family Don’t End in Blood [T, ~300 words, Alex & Wayward Sisters]

A decade ago, if someone had asked Alex what family meant, she would have said blood and believed it. (read on tumblr)

Home [T, ~300 words, Kaia & Wayward Sisters]

In which Kaia finally has a home. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

The Golden Years [G, ~600 words, Bobby & Rufus, implied Bobby/Ellen]

In which, now that Bobby’s finally enjoying retirement in the new Heaven, he’d really like to just forget about that one time he kissed Crowley. Unfortunately for him, Rufus has other plans. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Be at Peace [G, ~600 words, Gadreel, background Gadreel/OFC]

In which Gadreel escapes the Empty and gets a soft epilogue. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

Well Met [G, ~200 words, Benny & Emma]

In hindsight, faking his own death is the best thing Benny’s ever done. (read on tumblr)

The Right Hand [T, ~175 words, Bela Talbot]

Some closure for Bela Talbot, anyone? (read on tumblr)

Screw Sad Finales: Here’s to Victory Parties! [G, ~350 words, Gen with a few non-TFW background ships hinted]

After defeating Chuck, Sam and Dean throw a party! With appearances by Cas, Eileen, Jack, the Wayward Sisters, Adam and Michael, Charlie and Stevie, Kevin and Linda Tran, Rowena, Amara, Garth and his family, Bobby, Max and Alicia Banes, and Aaron Bass. (read on Ao3 or tumblr)

[sctrickortreat]

DAY 6 REVEALS: 

The Rosebud Diamond

[David/Patrick - M - 27,109]

His new client was tall, dark, and handsome, with cheekbones that could cut glass, and legs that wouldn’t quit.

*

Patrick is a detective. David is his mysterious client. There’s a priceless diamond, a masquerade ball, murder, thievery, blackmail, secrets, betrayal, gangsters, smoking, whiskey, and angst galore. (And a happy ending.)

It’s a film noir AU.

*

The Haunting of Rosebud Motel

[David/Patrick - M - 18,014]

Strange things have been happening at the Rosebud Motel for months, but only David has been taking it seriously. That is until someone unexpectedly dies in Room 4 and things really begin to get strange. Who are you going to call? Ray of course! Patrick Brewer is a former ghost hunter who is tasked with figuring out exactly what is happening at the Rosebud Motel. When things become more serious than expected, Patrick's ex-fiancee is brought in to help. It's a ghost story, but it's also a love story.

Things do get a bit scary for our favorite characters, but in the end everything is okay!

*

In Character

[David/Patrick; David & Patrick & Stevie; Ted/Alexis - T - 9,066]

A Schitt's Creek take on Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 2, Episode 6 "Halloween."

When the patrons of Ray's Halloween Emporium all turn into the people and things they've dressed up as, it comes down to David, Stevie, and Patrick to find out what's happened and fix it, even though none of them are quite themselves.

*

Halloween Whiskey 

[David/Patrick - E - 5,089]

David & Patrick meet for the first time at Jake's Halloween Whiskey Night.

*

Living the Dream 

[David/Patrick; Stevie & David - T - 5,723]

So yeah, I took the prompt and turned it into nearly 6,000 words about David and Patrick coming to a final decision about whether they want kids or not. I would say sorry, but I'm totally. shamelessly not.

*

Happily Ever After

[David/Patrick - G - 5,203]

David has spent months creating the perfect Halloween costume for the Rose Video party- a copy of the Rodgers and Hammerstein Cinderella ballgown that makes him feel like a princess. He's excited but also a bit nervous because he's not sure what Patrick Brewer, Rose Video exec and new-friend-who-he's-maybe-in-love-with, will think of it.

Then, at the party, David soon discovers that there's a bit of a... misconception among the partygoers about his and Patrick's costumes. And their relationship status.

This is a disaster.

*

Reflective Guises 

[David & Moira; Alexis & Moira - G - 2,915]

“The only other time I've leased one of my girls is the Halloween when David was desperate to be Alanis Morissette.”

Moira has been avoiding David's pleas to abscond with a wig for Halloween, however, when he writes her a formal proposal, it's much harder to ignore.

______________________________________________________

*NOTE: Creators, if your works were revealed today, please remember to update your date of posting on AO3!

[a-hundred-jewels]

friday the thirteenth - ch1 (of 3): superstitious

Ao3

chapter 2 chapter 3

Summary: A casual midnight feast for Skye and Jane soon turns into a supernatural adventure.

Words: 1005

Tags: Skye Penderwick, Jane Penderwick, Original Male Character, Original Demon Character, Lydia Penderwick, some weird foods, Demon Summoning, Nonbinary Character, Skye is Nonbinary, Jane is Nonbinary, They/Them Pronouns For Skye Penderwick, She/Her Pronouns For Jane Penderwick, The Best Sibling Duo In Cinematic History, I Love How You Can Use Caps On Anything And It Looks Official Now, Minor Swearing, midnight feasts bc thats an underused trope, School Principal is a Dick, Lydia Just Wants To Go To Sleep, sibling antics, High School, this goes off the rails pretty quickly, Mentions of Good Omens, dont go into this with high expectations, this is not my finest work, just go in to have a good time, heck yeah, Friday The Thirteenth, October, spooky season, Food

notes and fic under the cut

It's been an embarrassingly long time since I posted something that wasn't Cruel Summer related. (Speaking of, I posted chapter twelve of that on Friday, so pretty please go read it and leave me a comment or else I will cry. not seriously but still. comments give me life and blood i am but a tiny grey vampire).

Anyway. So, as I mentioned in the tags, this goes off the rails pretty quickly and extremely. This was largely written first thing in the morning and started because I wanted to describe Skye and Jane's bedroom, which started because I was working on a vampire au (out sometime later this month) and got curious about everyone's decorating styles. All three of these chapters are prewritten, so I can guarantee I will be posting all of them fairly soon. I actually have quite a lot of stuff prewritten (or at least partially prewritten), so what's most likely going to happen is that I will post a ton for all of october and then vanish for a couple months (unless a miracle happens and I finish cruel summer chapter 13 in time for november).

But this is a fanfic intro, not a blog post. If you're reading this right now then imagine me staring kindly into your eyes and saying "thank you" (or if you don't like eye contact, then imagine me standing tenderly with my back to you) because I truly honestly appreciate every single one of you who reads my work. You're the best. Please leave comments. If you enjoy and kudos and comment this on Today, the Holy and Powerful Mean Girls Day (it was oct 3rd when i posted this on ao3), then I will post the second chapter tomorrow, and believe me it's better than the first. Yes this is an attempt at bribery. My apologies. (I'm posting this on tumblr on oct 5th so this section doesn't actually count anymore but i thought it was funny so i left it in. also yes please comment. i worked hard on this and posted it two days ago, but still have no feedback).

This chapter is dedicated to my sunflowers, who died because I'm not very good at gardening. You deserved better, and I hope you're living it up in plant heaven right now. Thank you for letting me rubber duck my writing problems by ranting to you.

Disclaimer: these are not my characters, etcetera, etcetera. Hi Jeanne Birdsall, hope you're doing well. Why'd you skip the wedding scene in At Last, I wanted to see it.

For once, I came up with an original fic title and don't have to credit some song, so yee haw!

Also, NOTE: from now on in fics, jane is nonbinary, whether or not it is mentioned, unless otherwise stated. the only thing that this doesn't apply to is cruel summer, because i planned that out in 2019, before this revelation.

And with that! Enjoy :)

Jane Penderwick was a big believer in Things. Capital-T, Times New Roman, Things. Skye called her superstitious, had poked her in the side when Jane was nine and their father listened to Stevie Wonder in the car. Superstitious. That’s you, Jane.

Naturally, Jane had had no choice but to poke Skye back, the comment sailing right over her head. Naturally, Skye then ticked Jane, who naturally ticked Skye… and so on. She’d thought about it again later that day, though, when Skye had rolled their eyes at Jane’s crossed fingers while their father searched for a parking spot at the petting zoo.

Oh come on, Skye, everyone believes in crossed fingers.

Skye had shook their head. The only thing you can believe in is math.

Pessimist, Jane had said.

In the years following, Skye had softened, if only marginally, to Jane’s wild believing. Luck, though, they maintained to be fiction. If it happens, it happens. The universe is too big to care about individuals.

Maybe, Jane had countered, we all have our own universes, and make our own luck.

Sound’s fake.

It developed into one of their favourite arguments, along with “is water wet,” and the weirdest thing to put on toast.

Skye brought it up again on a Thursday night in October of their senior year and Jane’s junior year. “I’m sure you think tomorrow’s doomed to be unlucky,” they said, leaning against their bed. The siblings were celebrating the end of a week of what they considered to be rather unfair afterschool detentions. After all, how were they supposed to know that the security cameras in the staff room had been fixed and the coffee they’d sampled was intended for a meeting with the superintendent and also was really quite expensive. (“And not worth the price,” Skye had said after their meeting with the principal, recalling how they’d spit the coffee back out into the trashcan.)

“Unlucky?” Jane began emptying her pockets of things they’d procured from the pantry for their celebration. “Tomorrow will be out first day without detention for a week!” She eyed a lemon with the conquering gaze of a predator stalking its prey.

“It’s also Friday the Thirteenth of October.” Skye ripped open a key lime protein bar and made a face. “Maybe next time we steal food we should do it in the daytime. You know, so we can actually see what we’re getting. I hate these things.”

“Weak.” Jane bit directly into the skin of her lemon, and slurped out some of the juice, before digging her fingers into the indent and peeling the fruit like an orange. “Besides, I don't think Friday the Thirteenth is unlucky at all! It’s just more interesting than other days. It’s like diet Halloween!” She took another bite of the lemon and spit out a seed.

“Please, we eat lemons all the time! You got off easy. Try eating this monstrosity.” Skye stole Jane’s lemon and took a huge bite, throwing the offending protein bar at their sibling in return.

“They can’t be that bad, Skye. Batty loves them.”

“Batty’s even weirder than you are. People only don’t notice cause she’s shy.”

Jane chose to ignore that, instead taking a large bite of the bar. “See, it’s not that-- OH MY GOD WHAT IS THAT?”

Skye grinned with satisfaction. “See? Horrifying.”

Jane spat into a Kleenex. “Why didn’t you warn me that it’s got a fucking syrup filling? What kind of protein bar even has that?” Her sibling sighed. “The only kind that Batty managed to get addicted to, that’s what kind. Our sister is a lost cause.”

Maintaining her horrified expression, Jane grabbed the lemon back from Skye, taking a large, cleansing bite. “Back to the matter at hand--though it must be said that I will never look at Batty the same way again. I was thinking we should plan something for tomorrow.”

“Like what? Also, give me the beef jerky.”

Jane passed it. “Well, I was thinking in detention today about the whole Friday the Thirteenth thing.” She bit into another lemon and started to peel it. “I mean it’s a special day. First day off detention, Friday the Thirteenth, and it’s even October! Spooky season!”

“I lose ten years off my life every time you call it that,” Skye said with a deadpan, but Jane ignored them. She knew they would be listening. Jane’s ideas were usually good.

“You know that book I got out of the library? The one about ghosts and stuff?” Skye narrowed their eyes, but nodded slowly. “Well, I’ve been looking through it, and checking out the authors and the sources used online, and, well, it seems legit.” Jane leaned back, spreading her arms wide. She was looking at Skye with a dangerous sparkle in her eyes, the one that said she was already too far down this rabbit hole to be convinced it’s bullshit. Skye hated that look.

They put down the back of beef jerky and looked Jane in the eyes. “Jane, what are you saying? You know ghosts aren’t real. You can’t trust everything you read online.” Goddamn that book. Jane had been so excited to see it when they picked it up at the library. Had pre-ordered it, reserved it, been waiting for weeks. This was not a split second decision. Thought had been put into this. When it came to Jane, that made things all the more terrifying.

“Skye, tomorrow’s a special day. A spooky day.” Jane leaned forward, the light in her eyes growing more and more wild. “The kind of day where people expect weird things to happen.”

“I don’t want to burst your bubble, but I don’t think anyone besides you actually cares about Friday the Thirteenth anymore.”

“Skye, I’ve been talking to people, I’ve been doing my research.” So many bad signs. Why was Skye starting to feel kind of excited? Surely they were smarter than to get caught up in another one of Jane’s crazy ideas. “I think we should summon a demon.”