#and that it's not a big deal for eddie

[metalhoops]

Steddie Week Day 5: 

Together/ Established Relationship / Hold the Line by Toto 

Eddie would give everything for a lifetime of Sunday mornings with Steve. He’d never expected anything good in his life to last before Steve. The first year they’d spent together, he’d been waiting for it to end with bated breath. He’d wake up in a cold sweat and reach for the familiar warmth of Steve’s body as a sick animal searches for a cool, dry place to die. 

He’d cross the distance between them, however great or small, and bury himself beneath Steve’s back, so he could feel the rise and fall of his breaths as something tangible. That way, if the boy left, he’d know. 

Steve’s body was the grave dirt he wanted to be buried beneath. If ever he were to pick a final resting place, that’d be it. A year turned into two, and somewhere along the way, Eddie stopped waiting for things to go wrong. 

Steve had his own nightly routine. There were habits that persisted well past the time Eddie had expected them to fade into obscurity. On the bad nights, he’d feel Steve jolt awake at his side with a shaky gasp. He’d roll over and press his hand to Eddie’s side, hoping to hold him together, as though the distant nightmare of seven years ago were still a freshly healing scab and not the faded, pink scar tissue Eddie knew it to be. 

Eddie wasn’t a romantic. He’d grown up in a broken home where the word ‘love’ was only used to mean an apology. His mother and father would keep the street dogs barking until the morning birds sang with their screams. Then come sunrise, his father would take his mother’s face into his hands and say ‘I love you’, in the way Eddie knew meant ‘I’m sorry.’ 

Eddie and Steve weren’t used to having people in their corner worth losing. That made keeping each other all the more important. Eddie was reminded of how much he had to lose every Sunday morning when he woke up with Steve’s limbs flung haphazardly over his body. It was the one day they kept obligation free. No jobs. No laundry. No kids, who really weren’t kids anymore. Just the two of them.

For once, Eddie was the first one up. He hadn’t been able to sleep. He was too busy trying not to think. Instead, he traced the familiar landmarks of Steve’s skin. He walked the path of freckles and moles dotting their way up the other man’s arm and lingered on the tiny silver scar at his elbow. It was the one he’d gotten from falling off his bike when he was seven. 

Eddie wasn’t a forever kind of guy, but Steve was. If you’d told Eddie back in high school, he’d be in a relationship for seven years, he’d say that was forever. Jesus, it’d gone quick. He wanted more forevers with Steve. 

“Mornin’ already?” Steve spoke, peering bleary-eyed around the room, his voice gravel road rough. 

“Same time every day,” Eddie confirmed, peering down at the man on his chest.

Age had changed them in ways Eddie only noticed in pictures. They were still young. He reminded himself, with more urgency than necessary. Eddie had more tattoos to cover up the scars he knew they’d both rather forget. 

Then there was Steve. His trademark hair was longer than when they first started dating. Eddie liked to joke that he looked like Kurt Cobain if Kurt Cobain knew how to style his hair. He’d also learnt to sport barely-there stubble on the days he couldn’t be bothered to shave. 

“You’re staring,” Steve remarked, hiding his face in the crook of Eddie’s shoulder. 

“You’re beautiful,” Eddie commented, and he meant it. He really goddamn meant it. 

“Flattery doesn’t work with me, Munson,” Steve grumbled, moving to pull the covers up over their heads, hiding them from the morning. Eddie didn’t care. He had nowhere to be. 

He dipped his head, placing a chased kiss on Steve’s lips, and watched as the man’s nose scrunched. 

“Morning breath,” He groaned as he pulled back. 

“You love it,” Eddie teased, trailing kisses down Steve’s jaw.

His lips lingered on the spot he knew made the man exhale sharply through his nose. It was right near another crooked scar Steve got on his twenty-second birthday. He’d been drunk and had fallen into the pool, clipping his jaw on the cement ledge. Eddie had the painful job of trying to extract Steve’s tooth from his lip as the boy cursed like a sailor and squirmed like a worm. 

“I love you, there’s a difference,” Steve chuckled and pushed Eddie back, examining his face. 

He traced the dark circles beneath Eddie’s eyes. He was long past the point of being self-conscious with Steve. The man had seen him in all manner of undress and unflattering angles. He chose to stay with him anyway. That’s what love was, wasn’t it? Choosing each other over and over again, every day- forever. 

“You look like shit,” Steve spoke candidly. 

“Oh honeybear, you wound me,” Eddie breathed, clutching his chest with all the overdramatised fervour his sleep-deprived body could muster. 

“What’re you thinking about?” Steve asked, pulling his hand back. 

“Quitting my job, getting the band back together, going on tour and dragging your ass across the country... Maybe getting a dog.” Steve hummed and traced the outline of the faded-blue demon tattoo on his chest.

“And that’s why you haven’t slept all week, right?” Steve repeated sceptically. Eddie was going to have to do this now, wasn’t he? 

“Steve,” Eddie spoke, hating how his voice shook. His body was betraying him.

Steve’s head snapped up. His brows furrowed, painting his face with concern. He’d screwed this up already, hadn’t he? 

“What’s wrong? I’m only ‘Steve’ when you’re pissed off, or it’s something serious,” the man observed. 

Eddie didn’t know how to respond. He hadn’t planned what he was going to say- alright, that was a lie. He’d tried to plan it. Hell, he’d tried to write a whole damn script, but it’d felt wrong. He’d thought when the moment came he’d know what to say. Turned out, he was wrong.

“Was it because I took your notebooks off the table? Because I told you it’s cool you use it like a desk, but we need someplace to eat so you’ve gotta put your shit away when you’re done with it,” Steve began. 

It was an old, familiar argument he didn’t have time to get into that morning.  

“It’s not about the table,” Eddie sighed and felt Steve shift. 

He sat up and pulled the covers from their heads, letting the morning light in. This was a conversation to have in daylight. 

“Are you okay?” Steve pushed, trepidation in his voice.

It was 1993 and even if they’d never sat down and talked about what was going on with the rest of their community, they’d both seen it first-hand. No. Eddie wasn’t going to let the morning be about that either. 

“I’m okay, Stevie. Promise,” Eddie assured, wrapping his pinkie around Steve’s and placing a kiss to their intertwined fingers. 

“You know, I think a lot of things we’ve gotta do are bullshit, right?” Eddie began, crossing his legs and pulling Steve into his lap. The man shot him a confused look but nodded. 

“Nine-to-five? Bullshit. Conforming to society? Bullshit. Growing up-.”

“Let me guess, bullshit?” Steve breathed and Eddie snorted. 

“Yeah. But you and me? I think we’re the one thing in this world that’s not bullshit.” 

Steve gave him a look Eddie knew too well. It was an echo of his ‘King Steve’ days, only a little softer around the edges. The look told Eddie Steve thought he was talking shit, but he was trying to be polite and not bring it up.

“Right,” Steve hummed thoughtfully. 

“I’m not finished. Hold your bitchy comments until the end, dude,” Eddie snorted. 

“Up until you, I thought relationships were... I’m going to stop saying bullshit. I thought they were for other people. And I also thought- shit. Alright. I’m doing this, aren’t I...?” Eddie huffed and pushed Steve back from him, leaning over to rummage around in his bedside drawer. He was really doing this. No turning back now. 

He pulled out one of his favourite rings. It was a little more understated than the others, but it belonged to his Uncle Wayne, so it was his favourite. He turned back to see Steve. The man had gone pale. Finally, the guy was catching on. Here Eddie was thinking he’d never be able to surprise Steve again with how well they knew one another. 

“I know we can’t get married, Steve. But I know how much you want to and it surprised the hell out of me, but I want that too. I don’t need a shitty piece of paper to know what you mean to me. We could have a party, invite Wayne, Robin and the kids over,” Eddie was rambling, his hands trembling as he passed the ring to Steve. 

The guy looked seconds from crying or laughing, frozen in a half grin, half grimace. God, Eddie hoped that was a good sign. 

“You haven’t asked the question yet, Eds,” Steve breathed, his lip twitching. Oh, that was a smile. A wave of relief crashed over Eddie. 

“I want to be with you, Steve, forever. Will you marry me?” 

Steve surged forward, wrapping his arms around Eddie’s shoulders and sending them both toppling backwards. Eddie could feel the man nod against his skin.

“I-,” Steve began, but paused when his voice sounded wet. 

He sniffed and buried his face deeper into Eddie’s body. Steve hated anyone seeing him cry, even Eddie, especially Eddie. He waited, knowing the answer from the half-moon crescents Steve’s fingers were leaving in his skin.

Steve pulled back after a moment. 

“Alright, on one condition,” He huffed, his voice still sounding rough. 

“It’s always conditions with you,” Eddie teased, moving his free hand to Steve’s back, rubbing circles into his skin, trying to calm him down.

He knew how to put on a brave face, but Eddie understood marriage meant more to Steve than it did to him. 

“Promise to clean your shit off the kitchen table and I’ll marry you,” Steve proposed. Eddie couldn’t help but laugh. 

“How about this? I promise to clean up the table, if you promise to keep your crap on your side of the bathroom. Then we can get married.” 

Steve pressed his lips to Eddie’s, morning breath be damned.

“You’ve got yourself a deal.” 

[steddiecameraroll]

ao3 (includes pt2)

Eddie knows he’s gonna lose it one day. Every single time he watches Steve put his hands on his hips and reprimands the feral teens, he wants to jump the man’s bones.

He ends up pinching whatever exposed skin he has when the urge hits him, leaving itty bitty bruises behind.

It works for months until one evening when Eddie lets his guard down and is 3 beers deep. Steve is leaning against the wall with his shoulder holding himself up. Eddie is telling him about how he had to haul Mike off Dustin the day before and Steve out of habit slides his hand up onto his hip.

Eddie stops midsentence and lets his eyes follow the long lean line of Steve’s body to his fingers.

“What?” Steve asks in confusion.

“Huh?” Eddie’s mouth is open when he looks back up.

“You stopped talking.”

“Well fuck, man.” Eddie sighs and flops against the wall near Steve, his back hitting flat and puffing out a huff of air. “You-you do that bitchy fucking stance and it drives me crazy. I wanna…UGH!” He covers his face, the beer can he’s holding presses against his cheek.

“You wanna what?” Steve sounds nervous.

Eddie whines and stomps his feet a little, trying to hold back his answer. It’s so close to falling out, resting on the tip of his tongue.

“You wanna what, man?” Steve’s voice coming out stronger like he’s daring Eddie to be honest.

Eddie drops his hands and pouts over at Steve. “Don’t make me say it.” He shifts from one foot to the other.

“Say what? You’re acting weird.” Steve stands up straight and crosses his arms over his chest.

“Oh goooood, then you do that.” Eddie whines. “You don’t even know, look at you.” He sighs and flops his arms in defeat.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Steve stares like he’s watching a car crash.

“I WANT TO FUCK YOU! You stand like that and-and I can’t think. It makes me crazy. Like-like feral animal crazy. I want to rip your clothes off and scratch my nails down your chest and watch you tell those little shits off. I can’t fucking take it!” Eddie groans, spins on his heels, and stomps away.

Steve stands in shock, letting Eddie’s words sink in. After a brief moment he shrugs to himself and murmurs, “ok.”

Robin’s head pops around the corner. “What’d you say?”

Pt 2-ish

coffee? ☕️🍩💕

[livwritesstuff]

a happening in the harrington house circa 2010-ish

(aka another example of Eddie being a kind, loving, gentle parent like Wayne was to him and Steve being absolutely fine with his children being mostly feral as long as they’re alive)

“Dad, am I adopted?”

Eddie blinks, then furrows his eyes as he looks at his seven-year-old daughter, Robbie (who he hadn’t even heard come into the room, to be honest), because he knows that he and Steve have been very upfront with all three of their children about how they’re adopted.

“Yes,” he tells her, “You’re adopted. You’re all adopted.”

“Then how come Hazel and Moe look like sisters and they don’t look like me?” she asks.

And Eddie feels his heart break a little bit.

“Oh, sweetheart,” he says, running a hand over her curls, “Well, first of all, you all look very similar, and you do all have the same mom, 100%. Sometimes genes are just weird that way.”

Robbie scrunches her nose, “Jeans?”

“Uhh…” he trails off, scratching his head and knowing full well he barely made it through sophomore biology (and that was almost thirty years ago).

When Steve comes home thirty minutes later, he finds Robbie Skyping with Dustin in Indiana and he’s got his camera facing a white board while he talks the first-grader and her middle-aged dad through a very basic explanation of punnett squares and genetics.

“What’s going on?” he asks skeptically, dropping his backpack onto the counter.

“Uncle Dustin’s showing me why me and Moe aren’t related,” Robbie replies, not taking her eyes off the computer screen.

“No,” Dustin cuts in emphatically.

Steve looks at his husband for an explanation.

“She thinks she’s not related to Moe and Hazel because she doesn’t look like them,” Eddie tells him.

Steve’s eyebrows fly up as he looks back at their daughter.

“Robbie,” he says, “Where’s your head at? You and Moe have the exact same face with different hair.”

“Moe has brown eyes,” Robbie fires back.

“And Hazel has blue eyes just like you. So what? All three of you are basically identical. When you and Moe were little, you were so tall that people always told me how cute my twins are.”

yEARS later, Moe and Robbie do that tiktok trend where the camera switches back and forth *very* quickly between their faces to show how similar they look, and their friends all comment shit like ‘wow y’all TWINS twins’

[skepsiss]

Tooth and Nail -pt1- Steddie

You asked for it @strangersteddierthings it uhh...... hurts a lot at the end. Probably have to do a part 2... or more.

Uuhh, it's kinda sad guys. Prompt was to write something where Eddie is the one that is in denial about his queer-ness and Steve is the one who makes him question his sexual identity. Full request here.

14A ish rating. TW: Miscommunication, denial, mild homophobia, suggestion of past trauma (child abuse), use of drugs (weed), mild physical aggression, the f-slur (not spoken to anyone), self-hatred.

PT1 PT2 PT3

---

Eddie Munson was a freak. He’d been labeled as such since he was a little boy with a teen mom who ended up marrying the asshole who got her pregnant. He was a freak when his mother left and a freak when his father went to jail; how no boy who lived that kind of life was normal by any stretch of the word.

It only got worse from there as he got older. A freak for being poor, a freak for having long hair, being a nerd, a metalhead, trailer-trash, drop out–the list went on and on. Eddie had also gotten good at being a freak. He got good at wearing it like armor so people were scared of him instead of just judgemental. He wanted those insults said to his face, not whispered behind his back and no way in hell was he going to take it lying down. It didn’t make things easy, but it was how you coped.

So, why? Why would he give himself another reason to be labeled a freak? 

Eddie would fight tooth and nail for any freak or weirdo he managed to befriend. It didn’t matter if you were fat, ugly, smart, dorky, a boy or a girl. It didn’t matter what blend or flavour you happened to be–even if Eddie was partial to the nerds and musicians–you were family as soon as you walked into Hawkins High. Once you were a freak you stayed a freak and it came with Eddie Munson as a perk.

As long as he lived. As long as he was in Hawkins. 

It wasn’t surprising to Eddie when he found out Will Byers was gay. He had seen it on him as soon as the boy’s missing poster went up and the subsequent reunion happened. He had never really gotten to know Jonathan–he was a weirdo, but not one that apparently liked Eddie’s flavour–but he, much like the rest of Hawkins, had breathed a sigh of relief was Will was delivered home. It was under weird circumstances and Eddie didn’t know much about middle schoolers, but he knew a freak when he saw one. Will was a nerd and he was gay which meant he was premo-meat to be fried by the masses.

If they were in school, if Will came back to Hawkins and Eddie was there he would have fought for him. It didn’t matter if he was gay because freaks and weirdos stuck together no matter the flavour. So when he found out Robin was gay he felt much the same. He didn’t have anything against queer folk and honestly, he saw them as being in a similar boat as him. He’d embrace someone who was gay way before he’d embrace someone who was Christian–even though he was neither of those things. 

Eddie had no love for the church and apparently, all the ‘f-words’ were all damned to hell so they might as well make it a party. Seemed like all the interesting people were hell-bound. 

Their little collective. Family. A regular bunch of Addams. 

So, why would he give himself another reason to be labeled a freak?

Eddie had been called everything under the sun as far as insults went. He was no stranger to ’bigot’  or ’devil’, ’sinner’ or ’faggot’. You learned not to react or give them a reason to keep poking. You learned not to take it seriously or let it chink your armor. None of it had to be true and denying it wouldn’t help, you just learned to _ignore_ it and tell yourself that they didn’t know you and their insults didn’t mean anything. Surround yourself with people that either love you or respect you and you’re golden. Listen to them, take their opinions, be yourself, and embrace your flavour.

When Steve came out as queer though, Eddie had no clue what to do. The idea that he would claim that label was beyond Eddie’s understanding especially since he hadn’t seen that confession coming from Steve of all people. He was a weirdo by proxy but… No, the thing that really bothered Eddie about that was his reaction. When he found out Robin and Will were as gay as they came he had gone out of his way to make sure they knew he didn’t have a problem with it. He made sure they felt like they were family and if everyone else ditched Eddie wouldn’t. 

Tooth and nail. Tooth and nail. 

But when Steve came out? Eddie had been shocked, for one thing, and secondly, he had felt his stomach drop out. Panic had flooded him and he was thankful that he wasn’t the only one in the room when it was said.

He had put an arm around Will and jostled him affectionately. He had cracked a joke and smiled at Robin before privately telling her that if she needed anything he was there. He had felt those reactions so naturally almost as if Will and Robin were just telling them all what college they’d be going to. Cool, doesn’t change a thing. Let me know if you need any help with stuff. Easy. Steve though? Steve…

While everyone else in their casual setting seemed to be nodding or not making a fuss–most of them used to this kind of thing by now–Eddie sat there petrified. What did he say? What did he do? Steve wasn’t some kid Eddie could rib and force into an affectionate headlock. He wasn’t a chick he could pretend to posture for so she felt like he had her back. He was… Steve.

Eddie had left that night feeling out of sorts. He hadn’t spoken to Steve and his subdued interaction was pointed out by anyone, but Eddie hadn’t left their little gathering feeling subdued at all. Outwardly maybe, but internally his mind had been locked in place over Steve saying I think I’m bisexual.

Okay… so what? Same as anyone else, right? Queer, whatever–certified freak, cool–so why was he twisted up about it?

Eddie had been spending a lot of time with Steve over the last few months and he wasn’t ashamed to admit that he actually liked his company. Steve was sarcastic and charming and a little bit of a bitch but it just made joking around with him easier. Once they had bridged the gap between ‘nerd shit’ and ‘jock shit’ it became easy to spend time with Steve. Eddie had watched Steve relax around him which literally looked like his body relaxing. You wouldn’t know it right away, but Steve was tense when he wasn’t comfortable around you: arms crossed, brows pinched, shoulders tight, jaw locked, and stance controlled. All of that fell away once he settled down and it was easy to be around him then. Eddie had actually enjoyed seeing the process of Steve relaxing around him as they played the NES with Dustin or sat outside and shared a joint without the rest of the goodies-goodies knowing.

He enjoyed Steve’s company, so what was he worried about? Was he scared Steve would come onto him? That was presumptuous of him and probably rude. He wasn’t scared of Will getting a crush on him or any other obviously gay guy he had seen at shows and bars. He’d even turned guys down which always seemed to embarrass them a bit and Eddie hated that he saw a flash of fear in their eyes when he told them he was straight. He always made sure to end the conversation with It’s cool, man. Don’t worry about it and then smile to show he meant no harm.

He liked queer folk. They were family. Why was Steve different? 

Eddie’s brain was stuck in fast-forward all night once he got home. He hated it when his brain did that to him. Every image flashed through his brain at supersonic speed and he couldn’t focus on anything. It was exhausting and frustrating and it literally felt like his mind was racing. The only thing that helped was imagining the sprawling darkness of space and slowly… very slowly… adding little pinpricks of light to the image. He had to force himself to slow down and from the outside, he knew it looked like he wasn’t doing anything. It looked like he was being lazy, but in reality, all the energy he usually exuded had just become internalized. 

He’d tell Steve it was fine. He’d made sure Steve knew he always had his support. That was what he was supposed to do. That was what he did for everyone else.

But when it happened–when he got his chance to have an aside with Steve–his gut had pulled and his tongue had gotten caught between his teeth. It happened the second time he tried too, and the third, and the fourth–each time he tried to talk to Steve one-on-one he clammed up. It was maddening really and Eddie had started to notice that Steve was suspicious of him–and not in a good way. 

The fifth time was different. The fifth time was worse. 

They had all been celebrating Max’s return home and as the kids got loud and the sun set it felt like one of those nights where Eddie just didn’t have the energy to be around this many people. He loved socializing–he loved the party–but sometimes it just became too much he could feel his mind drifting away from the scene.

Eddie had started his drift before looking up and catching Steve’s eye across the room. He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and as he flicked his gaze up he slowly raised his hand to his mouth and mimed smoking. It didn’t take a genius to know what that meant and Eddie raised his brow in agreement before slinking away.

“I don’t have any on me,” Eddie explained as they stepped out into the dark, “but I’ve got some at home.”

His trailer was only a stone’s throw away from Max’s place so it wasn’t really a big deal. Weed sounded like a good idea too; he could smoke and bring him back to earth and maybe it would settle his nerves enough to properly talk to Steve. He _wanted_ to talk to Steve.

“We going to smoke here?” Steve asked as he followed Eddie inside the trailer. Wayne was out and Eddie didn’t have any qualms about Steve coming over to his place.

“Sure, might as well so the impressionable young children,” Eddie mocked, using a stuffy, posh voice, “don’t get tempted by our bad influence.”

He snickered as he touched his own chest, extending his hand skyward and acting as if he were delivering a Shakespearean speech. 

“Ms. Languard, is that you?” Steve mocked back, shoving Eddie’s shoulder so he’d continue his walk towards his bedroom. 

Eddie laughed again and stumbled down the hall, glad that they could at least joke around with each other still. Yeah, he’d smoke and then he’d properly let Steve know that being queer was cool with him and that they were blood-bonded for life already having survived a demonic war together. Steve would call him dramatic and they’d laugh over it and then things could go back to normal. 

Eddie had found one of his baggies of weed after tossing the laundry on his floor about the room for a few minutes before finally getting his stuff together so he could roll them a joint. The buds had been bitter and Eddie had jokingly apologized before hanging the blunt over to Steve to smoke. He had coughed and gagged at the flavour and Eddie had called him a pussy in good humour. Normal. They were acting normal.  

As the weed seeped in they got quieter though and Eddie felt himself drifting again as he sat on the foot of his bed. Steve was standing by the window so he could blow the smoke outside even though Eddie didn’t care about the smell. It was polite and Eddie could appreciate that at least.

“You okay?” Steve asked as Eddie caught himself staring blankly at the ground, knees tucked up to his chest.

“Oh–yeah, yeah, I’m fine, just thinking,” he admitted, blinking hard and then smiling at Steve. They shared a chuckle and Steve took a step forward to hand the joint over.

“Thinking about anything interesting?” He asked, carefully turning the blunt in his fingers so Eddie could grab it.

“Yeah, I guess so…” Eddie mumbled, taking a moment before finally putting his feet back on the floor and taking the smoke from Steve.

“You gunna share with the class?” Steve asked and Eddie giggled again at that, the joke was not that funny but the weed was getting to him.

It took another moment as Eddie smoked, his attention drifting a bit before he finally answered.

“I was thinking about what you said the other week,” Eddie admitted, trying to let the hold his anxieties had on him fade away. He could just let those fears slip through his fingers and he’d finally be able to say what he had been meaning to say for weeks now. Weed was good for that.

“The other week…” Eddie continued, and he stood slowly to pass the joint. Steve was staring at him with bemusement and confusion, obviously trying to follow along with what Eddie was saying. Eddie could feel that blanket of anxiety that had been wrapped around him slowly lifting. He didn’t have to think about anything, just say what he meant to say and then they’d be back to normal. 

“The other week when you uh, when you told everyone you were gay,” Eddie explained, nodding which got a pinched expression from Steve.

“Bisexual–bi,” he corrected, taking the blunt from Eddie and smoking it.

“Yeah, that,” Eddie answered, “it got me thinking about stuff…”

Eddie could feel himself getting distracted as his mind lost its grasp on the words he had been trying to deliver. He understood what he wanted to say–in sentiment–but he was having a hard time forming the words to go along with it. His attention kept on bending and then refocusing on other things that weren’t important. How his hair was tickling his ears a bit, and how bitter the weed tasted on the back of his tongue, and then to his room and how it was probably embarrassing to have Steve here when it was such a mess–he had to refocus on Steve.

“Uh, you, Steve,” Eddie tried, lifting his hand and poking Steve hard in the chest. He just had to drift his brain over to thinking about Steve.

“Yeah… me?” Steve replied, breathing a small laugh.

Eddie smiled, wondering for a moment if he was acting silly and if he was amusing Steve. He liked it when they joked and he had been missing that the last few days. He missed spending time with Steve. He wanted to tell him he accepted him. He wanted to tell Steve he’d always be there. He wanted to put him in a headlock, rib him, posture a little… see him relax… He wanted to see Steve’s posture change, his brows soften, and his mouth unpinch. And then everything would be normal. How they’d just go back to being freaks together.

Yeah, no more anxieties about all this, it was just Steve. It was just Steve.

“Eddie?” Steve asked and Eddie only vaguely registered that he was touching Steve’s face. He looked confused, but he was smiling, and all Eddie could think about was how beautiful his smile was. 

The next thing Eddie knew he was stepping forward as if in a slow dance and pushing Steve back towards the wall he had been leaning on. Steve didn’t fight him, but Eddie didn’t have the presence of mind to question what that meant. He was just moving them across the room so he could press flush against Steve and kiss him. The action had been so gentle Eddie had felt like he was dreaming through the whole thing like it wasn’t really him doing it. Steve shuttered under him and Eddie pulled back just far enough so he could see Steve’s expression. His eyes were closed and his brows were pinched together as if something painful had just happened.

They had kissed and Steve was in pain? They had kissed, why would Steve be in pain? They had kissed.

Eddie let go abruptly and stumbled backward as his anxieties plowed back into him.

“Sorry!” He said quickly, sticking his hands up in front of himself.

Steve didn’t move from the wall and as he opened his eyes slowly and a pang of guilt shot through Eddie. He stumbled back again as his knees hit the edge of the bed forcing him to sit down.

“Sorry, sorry–” Eddie offered, laughing now as his fear bubbled up. Why the hell had he done that? What the fuck was he doing?

“Sorry, man, I didn’t mean anything by it, I uh, was just curious.”

That was the reason, right? There probably wasn’t another reason that made sense. He had been high and his brain had just filtered through the possibilities and for some reason, it had settled on a kiss. Fucking weird, but he had never claimed to be normal.

“Curious?” Steve said back slowly as he came out of what seemed like a daze, “you were… curious?”

Eddie felt his throat getting tight and he was desperately trying to swallow the lump that was forming there.

“I was just joking around,” he offered a weak smile and Steve just stared at him. Eddie watched as his expression changed from dazzled confusion to anger. 

“What the fuck, man?” Steve bit out sounding insulted. He didn’t sound as angry as Eddie thought, but he did sound upset.

“Sorry, I dunno man, I’m high,” Eddie blurted, speaking to the first excuse that came to mind.

Steve just stared at him before shaking his head in disbelief. His frustration looked like it was building and that in turn was making Eddie shrink back.

“You’re unbelievable…” Steve muttered to himself, as he slowly turned to face his back to Eddie, his hands going to his hip, “unbelievable… what the fuck?”

“Sorry–” Eddie tried once more getting cut off this time as Steve snapped at him.

“Stop apologizing, okay?” He said slicing the air with his hand before settling back down and putting his hand back on his waist.

Eddie shut up and stared as he watched Steve’s shoulder bunch and his posture shift from relaxed to tense.

“Joking around… joking around?” Steve asked, his tone accusatory even though it was level. Eddie just gaped at him, not sure what to say if he wasn’t supposed to apologize anymore. The question seemed like it had been rhetorical anyway.

Eddie watched as Steve touched his own lips, squeezing them sharply as if he were thinking and trying to pull the sensation away from his mouth at the same time. 

“So, you were just curious to know–what? What it’s like to kiss a guy? To know if you like guys?” He asked, turning to look at Eddie again but not changing his posture at all.

“I don’t like guys, I’m straight,” Eddie said sharply, his stomach tightening, “I was just…”

Steve’s lip started to curl and Eddie shrunk back further, feeling guilty and embarrassed and ashamed in a way he didn’t know how to communicate. In a way he didn’t want to communicate.

“Just… joking around?” Steve repeated back, his dipping so his delivery lacked emotion. That had stung. That hurt more than Eddie thought it would.

Steve shook his head and raised the joint back to his lips to take a hit. 

“Yeah, real funny,” he started to say as he tossed the blunt at Eddie, “a regular riot. Just kiss your buddy Steve. It’s soooo fucking funny that he likes guys.”

Eddie could see that Steve’s cheeks were flushing as his voice hitched slightly. He was keeping it together but his expression was that of a man who had just been betrayed. He looked hurt. It looked like he had just bore his soul and Eddie had laughed in his face. Like he had been cruel for no other reason than to hurt him.

“Steve–” Eddie started, standing up, not sure what to do.

“You’re sorry, I get it,” Steve replied, stepping towards the door and starting to walk away.

“I didn’t mean it like that–” Eddie tried, hurrying after him and grabbing Steve’s shoulder to stop him from leaving. Steve tried to brush him off, but Eddie was determined to hold on.

Steve moved quickly then and it caught Eddie off guard as he grabbed his wrist and whipped around. Steve shoved hard and Eddie stumbled backward until he hit the wall, Steve’s forearm across his chest.

“Don’t–” Steve bit out, sticking his finger aggressively in Eddie’s face, “--fucking touch me.”

His tone was incredibly level but it was obvious that he was holding back real anger. It was easy to forget sometimes that Steve was an athlete. That he could run circles around everyone in the crew and was easily the strongest amongst them under the age of twenty-five. He had survived Russian torture and Eddie had witnessed him using that strength to help the party. Steve was resilient and he was strong… even if he rarely threw a punch. 

Eddie was too shocked to react properly and before he knew it Steve had let go of him and stormed out of the trailer. Fear rang Eddie like a bell as he stood there and listened as a car engine turned on and the sound of tires of gravel filtered through the open screendoor. He was shaking, he was sure, his body reacting to old memories and mortified by what had just transpired.

“Fuck…” Eddie mumbled, his throat tight and his lips feeling as if they were glued together.

“Fuck–” he repeated, heaving as he raised his hands to his face and pressed his wrists into his eyes.

“Fuck!” Eddie shouted feeling the tears build as he let his knees buckle under him. He slid down the wall and crumpled, hands still pressed into his eyes as he started to sob openly. He was soothing the memories of that scared child but he was also mourning Steve. It felt bad. Everything felt bad.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Eddie muttered to himself through his tears, his voice thick with phlegm, “what the fuck was that? Why did you do that? You fucking… asshole!”

He was bullying himself, he knew it, but he couldn’t help how upset he was. He was mad at himself for doing something unbelievably stupid and he was frustrated that he was reacting this way to it. But he couldn’t help that it felt like his heart was about to give out as he gasped in breath and his stomach filled with air. He was practically gulping as he forced himself to his feet and stumbled into the bathroom. It was like he was a little kid again. But that wasn’t fair–he didn’t get to act this way. He had been the one that had hurt Steve.

“Fuck,” he gagged, leaning over the sink and turning the tap on. A morbid part of him needed to look and see the fear and sorrow on his face so he looked up at the mirror and cringed at his own appearance. His face was red and tears wouldn’t stop flowing from his eyes. His upper lip had gathered snot and his mouth was turned grotesquely into an open frown.

“Stop it,” he swallowed, gritting his teeth as he stared at himself, “you don’t get to do that.”

Eddie gulped in another breath and stood up straight. He closed his eyes and forced his frustration inwards, forcing himself to just get over it.

“Stop it, stop it, stop it,” he mumbled, breathing out slowly as he tried to calm down, “stop it!” He flipped the switch from upset into anger, tears still running down his face but no longer hyperventilating.

“What the fuck was that?” he repeated, dropping his gaze to look at himself in the mirror again, “you–you… you fucking creep. Asshole. What the hell? You’re fucking straight. How the hell are you going to fix this, asshole? Why would you give yourself another reason to be labeled a freak?”

The words stung and Eddie swallowed hard, looking away from the mirror finally. He was calming down even if he didn’t feel better, pushing those emotions inside to deal with later. It was too raw right now, it was too much, he couldn’t do this right now.

Eddie let out a breath through gritted teeth and then moved back to the sink. He turned the water on full blast and then started yanking his rings off. He didn’t care where they fell, but once his hands were bare he cupped them under the water and splashed the cold liquid into his face. He gasped at the sensation and did it again, did it until he had washed all the snot and tears from his face, and then turned the faucet off.

Eddie hung his head over the sink for a long moment, breathing through his mouth as the water streamed off his face. He settled slowly and sucked in one last hard breath and then dried his face off.

“Fucking hell man…” Eddie said quietly, sounding more exasperated than anything now. 

He frowned deeply as he walked back into his bedroom. The joint they had been smoking was on the floor at the foot of his bed and it had started to singe a hole into the carpet. Eddie tisked and picked it up before stamping on the burn mark a few times to make sure it didn’t spread.

How the hell was he going to fix this?

Pt2

[artiststarme]

Eddie is the type to sleep with socks on. His feet get cold and the pressure helps him sleep. He’s been doing it his entire life so it’s normal to him.

Steve doesn’t know why it makes sense or why it matters but as soon as he finds out, Eddie makes a whole lot more sense to him. He also starts seeing Eddie in a whole new light and his view of him changes irreconcilably.

[livelovecaliforniadreams]

+Bonus

[weewoo911]

The Lone Star crossover I would accept is Christopher and his grandparents getting caught up in an Emergency visiting Austin and Chris having a great knowledge of what to do in the situation because of his dad ✨

[eddiebabygirldiaz]

Fuck it Friday

tagged by @eowon @rewritetheending @exhuastedpigeon @devirnis @giddyupbuck @wikiangela @daffi-990 @jesuisici33

thank you beloveds! <3

making some decent progress with calls fic and hopefully it will be finished within the next few weeks. so have a little bit of eddie breaking down as he leaves buck a voicemail while he's in the coma

“I–These past few days have been so shitty. Fuck you for that, y’know. Yeah, fuck you. I don’t care if it’s irrational to be angry with you right now. I know it’s not your fault. I know you don’t want to be–but you just–I can’t keep you safe no matter what I do.” The words taste like ash on his tongue, a dream that's been burned beyond repair, charred and cracked and untouchable.

Guilt and shame and despair fall on him heavier and thicker than rain, rippling with the heat of anger that really isn’t anger, this aching incineration far too similar to what consumed him after Shannon’s death.

He can’t do it again. Please don’t make him do it again.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers. He sounds small and helpless. He feels small and helpless. Because he can’t keep Buck safe, just like he couldn’t keep Shannon or Chris safe, just like he can’t keep himself safe. Danger clings to his life with a vivacious jealousy, fingers hooked into his skin, tongue lapping over his wounds, always there is some form, lingering like a shadow.

Eddie bangs his head against the wall. He needs to focus. He needs to not fall into the trap of his thoughts. He needs to give Buck–he needs to give Buck something, a truth or a piece of himself tucked away in Buck’s phone as motivation, as a gift, as a reason.

“Okay, I–” he blows out a breath and pinches the bridge of his nose between his fingers, eyes shutting tight again. Sparks flash over his vision, bright and devouring like a flashover, electric and paralyzing like lightning. “Everything is awful, Buck, and everything hurts. You’re laid out in a hospital bed, so fucking still and empty, and all I can think about is what it was like to lose my wife and how I can’t go through that again."

tagging @elvensorceress @spaceprincessem @hippolotamus @shortsighted-owl @try-set-me-on-fire @anxieteandbiscuits @diazass @callaplums @forthewolves @eddiediaztho @arthursdent @bucks118 @shitouttabuck @diazblunt @folk-fae @gayedmundodiaz @messyhairdiaz @lover-of-mine @housewifebuck @spotsandsocks @disasterbuckdiaz @loserdiaz @monsterrae1 @buddierights @heartshapedvows @paranoidbean @thewolvesof1998 @fleurdebeton @911onabc @butchdiaz @bvckandeddie and anyone else who wants to do it!

[allyricas]

Steve making the most pining, sad boy mixtape that he listens to on repeat. It's about his friend Eddie.

Eddie who is clueless about Steve's pining. Eddie who is the most tactile person he's ever met. So he's always slinging an arm around Steve or leaning on his shoulder during movie night. He'll run and jump on Steve's back for a piggyback ride or tackle him into the pool. It's slowly killing Steve because Eddie has no idea that Steve's in love with him.

In fact, for all the flirting Eddie does with Steve, the man has no idea he's even queer. 100 percent oblivious. Eddie has convinced himself that it's totally normal to flirt with everyone (he only flirts with Steve) and that it doesn't mean anything to cuddle your male friend on a regular basis (it means something) and poor Stevie is just suffering.

Maybe Eddie needs a ride one day because his van craps out, so he asks Steve to drive him to Indy and of course, the tape starts. after the first few songs Eddie's is having some thoughts. One, who the fuck is this tape about? Whoever it is, Steve clearly has BIG feelings for this girl. It makes Eddie feel like shit.

So he just keeps listening until he finally snaps and asks Steve who the chick is. Steve's confused, but Eddie presses further. He asks who the tape is about.

"What's her name? The girl you made this mix for?"

"There's no girl." Steve replies. His voice is tight like he's upset. Eddie would be so, so confused.

"Um, this is like some unrequited love pop music shit. Obviously you're in love with someone, so what's her name?" Eddie has to push.

Steve just tells Eddie to fuck off. They're both sorta pissed now. Eddie thought they were good enough friends that Steve would tell him. Steve can't have this conversation considering he's in love with his friend.

"Why won't you tell me her name...c'mon Stevie, I won't make fun of you. Is it Nancy again? Shitty considering she's dating Robbie. Tell me. Please. I'm dying to know who could have possibly inspired this mixtape." Eddie knows he's being an ass. He will get Steve to tell him.

Steve says nothing. Literally says nothing the rest of the way to Indy and back. It's not until they're pulling back into Hawkins that Eddie starts pestering again.

"Come on, dude. Who is this mystery girl you're so head over heels for? I mean literally, you put that song on there. Tears for Fears man, tell me, tell me, tell me-"

"It's not about a a girl. Shut the fuck up, man." Steve finally snaps. Eddie is just repeating over and over for Steve to tell him and it's annoying that he's so sure it's some girl.

"Then who?"

"I made the tape about you, asshole."

"What?"

"It's not some girl I'm in love with, it's you Eddie." Steve finally admits and he watches Eddie's face drop in horror. As Steve pulls up to Eddie's trailer, neither of them say a word. Steve is contemplating driving his car into a tree and Eddie is in shock. Because this cannot be happening, Eddie is straight and um, he definitely does not like Steve Harrington. Definitely isn't having a full fledged crisis right now.

"Man, I'm not... I'm not gay. I don't like you that way." Eddie finally tells him, refusing to meet Steve's eyes. Why does every word he just said feel like it's breaking Eddie apart too. He isn't sure he's being honest with Steve right now, but he cannot deal with this. He can't deal with the heartbreak all over Steve's face.

So Eddie gets out of the car and walks into his trailer. He doesn't look back or slow down. Steve is a second away from losing it. What was just pining is a rejection now. Worse than that, it feels like the whole world just fell down around Steve.

Despite how scared Steve was to tell Eddie, blatant rejection wasn't something he was worried about. Eddie flirted with him all the time. Always touching, always leaning into Steve's space. Calling him big boy or sweetheart. How could Steve have been so wrong? Eddie wasn't even into guys, let alone Steve. Eddie specifically said that he didn't like Steve that way. Eddie doesn't want him.

So, Steve listens to his sad mixtape and swears he'll move on even if that feels impossible.

Psst: read the follow up Moving On Pt. 1

[ghost-proofbaby]

so is reader gonna move in with eddie :(

well, between you and i, eddie’s secretly enacting a plan so he’ll have her moved in before she even realizes it. it starts with the drawers of things, then the spare toothbrush just becomes her main toothbrush, then she’s keeping leftovers in his fridge and her shoes by his door and bam! he’s locked her in 😎 no takebacks. and he was so sneaky about it too!! (he absolutely was not and reader knew what he was doing the entire time. it’s cool though, his mattress is so much comfier than her dorm bed and not just because she gets to cuddle him every night)

[blushweddinggowns]

It had started out as such a good day. 

He had woken up with Eddie peppering his face in kisses, always a total sap in the morning. And it never failed to make Steve feel light as a feather. Sometimes he still couldn’t believe that he had gotten here, after all the shit they had been through. But his life in their little apartment with Wayne and Eddie, was better than anything else he’d ever had.

They had met Robin for breakfast, then Steve hung around while Eddie did a few deals, always the passenger princess. They gave the kids a ride home from school before heading back to the apartment. Then they decided to just be lazy sacks of shit for the rest of the night, happy to cuddle on the couch while they watched bad tv.  He felt so good, just sitting there, tucked to Eddie’s side. Like nothing could ever bother him in their happy little bubble. 

But then the phone rang.

It was Wayne who picked it up, just on his way out to start his own night. There were a few clipped words before he looked over at Steve, brow furrowed, “It’s for you.”

It took a second for him to extract himself from Eddie’s tight grip and he was a giggling mess by the time he was actually able to stand. 

“Who is it?” Steve asked as he made his way over. His smile dropped when he saw worried Wayne’s expression. His mind automatically went to the worst-case scenarios. Did something happen to Robin? Or Dustin? Or Max or Lucas-

Wayne interrupted his anxiety ridden spiral, though the news still wasn’t good, “It…sounds like your dad.”

Oh god, no.

Steve could feel his stomach drop as he shakily took the phone from him, internally praying that he was wrong, “Hello?”

“Jesus Christ,” He could hear his father yelling over to someone else, “He’s there. He’s fucking shacking up with the queer, it’s all true.” 

Steve could feel his heart stop in his chest. How did they know he was here? How did they know about Eddie? What were they doing back in town? What the fuck did they want from him?

His Dad finished his side rant, finally addressing Steve in that same cold authoritative tone, “Steven, you have fifteen minutes to get to this house or I’m going to find you. And the other fag will stay there if he knows what’s good for him. You have a lot of explaining to do.”

And then he hung up the phone, not even bothering to wait for an answer. Steve didn’t waste any time in getting his shoes on, trying and failing to reassure Eddie that everything was fine all the while,“It happens sometimes, when they get back. It’s like a checklist item to see me. I’ll be fine. It will be one awkward dinner and then I’ll be back before you know it.”

He could tell he wasn’t buying it. Of course he wasn’t buying it. There was no one on the planet who knew him better than he did, no matter how hard he tried to hide the fact that he was scared shitless. 

He was trailing behind him as he got ready, still trying to reason with him, “If it’s not gonna take that long then I can just wait in the car baby, it’s not that big a deal-”

“Eddie, no,” Steve said, voice impressively firm despite how he felt, “I’ll be fine, trust me okay?”

He hated lying to him, but the thought of his Eddie being in the same room as them made him feel fucking ill. He’d die before he let his dad touch a single hair on his love’s head. There was no way in hell he was going anywhere near that place. 

He shrugged on Eddie’s jacket, despite the fact that it probably wasn’t a good call to wear your boyfriend’s clothes to what could only be a disownment meeting with his parents, but Steve needed something to calm his nerves a little. And having something that smelled like his boyfriend would have to do. 

“Nine at the latest, I swear,” Steve lied, leaning in to kiss his cheek before rushing out the door.

He could feel Eddie watching him as he went, but Steve didn’t look back. He just got into his car and left, that stupid time limit still ringing in his ears. It was a Daniel Harrington classic threat, one that Steve hadn’t heard since he was back in highschool. Senior year was around the time he lost near all interest in him. He didn’t even care enough to knock him around near the end, opting to just remind him that he was a failure and a waste of space over the phone.

He didn’t even know why he still called them. He’d only talked to his mom a handful of times when he tried, but usually it was just a bertating session from his dad.

‘That you deserved.’

The treacherous intrusive thought was in his head before he could stop it. But it wasn’t alone. It was never alone.

‘Maybe if you had done better in school he wouldn’t have had to hit you.’

‘Maybe if you had a job that was worthwhile your mom would actually talk to you.’

‘Maybe if you weren’t such a fuckup then the people who gave you everything would actually love you.’

It was so…frustrating how easily he could get back here. Even after nearly two years of being around people who loved him, who actually cared about him, it only took one damn phone call to have him spiraling out again. He thought this phase of his life was over. He thought that his parents were done with him, that they had finally given up on the dream of Steve being somebody. 

Hell, he even thought that he might never even see them again. He hadn’t seen either of them for two damn years. They had been on vacation in New Jersey when the Vecna shit hit critical mass, and then they never came back. Why couldn’t that have been the end of it? What right did they have to come waltzing back into his life, just to shit all over it? Why did they have to involve Eddie? How did they even know about him? 

His shaking had only gotten worse by the time he pulled into his old driveway. He hated how scared he was. He had fought against literal fucking demons, but the though of having to face his father was enough to have him shaking in his boots. It was so stupid, but that didn’t stop the sight of his shiny BMW from making him want to puke. 

This was going to be bad. Really, really fucking bad. He didn’t want to do this shit. He wanted to tell them both to go to hell and leave him the fuck alone. But…he couldn’t risk anything happening to Eddie. He wouldn’t. So if he had to take a beating before they officially disowned him so Eddie could be left alone, so be it.

His mom met him at the door, disturbingly pleasant when she gestured for him to come inside. 

“Let me take your coat for you sweetheart,” she said, voice sickly sweet as she led Steve into the house. He let her take it, despite how bizarre the behavior was. His mom wasn’t as bad as his dad, she never had been, but affection wasn’t really her style. Not without Steve having to do something in return. She more…just watched when things got bad. Maybe helped patch him up during the worst times, but she was never very active when it came to his “discipline”.

The whole thing was already weird as hell. His dad should have been screaming at him by now, but the house was eerily quiet. She led him to the dining room, and there Daniel Harrington was, seething at the table with a beer in hand, a few empty bottles already pushed off to the side. But he didn’t start yelling at the sight of him. Which was new.

Steve didn’t like it.

His mom gestured for him to sit down before taking her own place between them. He felt like he was at a fucking tribunal, and the faux attempt at civility was just making his hair stand on end. Steve stared at them, waiting for someone to say something. 

Surprisingly it was his mom who went first. She took a deep breath before saying, “Steve, we know that the last few years have probably been hard for you. Everything that’s happened in this town….it couldn’t have been easy to see. And we understand that experience is clouding your decision making process. And…we want to help.”

His dad went next, voice deceptively even, “Your mother’s right. You have a mental disorder that can be treated. And luckily for you, we’re willing to pay for the help you need.”

This was wrong. This whole thing was wrong. Steve just wanted someone to yell at him already. He shook his head, confused, “I don’t understand. What are you talking about?”

“You know damn well what we’re talking about,” Daniel scoffed, “Whatever is happening between you and that piece of trailer trash ends today.”

“He’s not trash,” Steve shot back, momentarily forgetting that he should be trying to lie here. He could handle them saying shit about him, but Eddie hadn’t done a damn thing to either of them, “And nothing is going on between us-”

“Don’t you dare lie to me,” Daniel hissed out, his calm facade finally cracking. Steve could see his grip on the beer bottle tighten, dangerously close to shattering the glass, “We’ve been back for a week Steven, and you haven’t spent a single night here. Tell me, do friends share a room in shitty apartments? Do friends kiss each other at the movie theater? Please feel free to enlighten me.”

Steve swallowed, throat dry. So much for lying his way through this, “Who told you?”

“Tommy called us,” His mom interjected, “And thank god for that. It’s not too late to change things around baby.”

Steve couldn’t help but physically cringe at the nickname. It wasn’t for her to say. But the news from Tommy was even worse. He knew he hated him now, and that was whatever. Who cared? But Tommy was also the only person he’d ever told about his dad. He was the only one he trusted when he was a kid not to say anything, and to know that he told them, knowing full well what would happen…hurt a lot more than he expected. 

“You’re lucky that boy cares about you still,” Daniel added, “So don’t waste our time. Just admit it. Have you or have you not been having an affair with a man?” 

No point in denying it now, “I have.”

They both tensed at the admission, like they had still been holding out for some magical explanation to explain away the whole thing. But Steve was tired of lying. He didn’t even want to. If he had it his way the whole world would know about them being together. He’d shout it from the fucking roof tops if he could. 

“Okay. Thank you for admitting it,” His mom sighed, “Steve, this doesn’t have to be complicated. All you have to do is pack your bags and leave with us. There’s this lovely little place in Delaware that can get you all fixed up -”

“I love him,” Steve interrupted. There was no point in keeping this charade going any longer. Steve wasn’t going fucking anywhere. He can see the way his father's arms twitch at that, the thread of patience he had managed to hold onto on the edge of snapping. He didn't have much time left.

"You think you love him," His mom corrected, “You’re confused-”

“I’m not confused. I love him, mom. And he loves me. I’m not going to give that up for anything.”

“It doesn’t matter how you feel,” Daniel dismissed, voice rising, “What matters is getting your life back on track. You are going to get your shit from that dump and leave with us tonight or else-”

“Or else what?” Steve asked, “You’ll disown me? Cut me out of the will? I don’t give a fuck.”

He’s never talked to either of them like this before, but he didn’t care. He didn’t need them. He never needed them. He had a family, a real family, and that never included the people at this table, “I’m not going anywhere with you. I’m not going to leave him. I’m not doing any of it.”

He should have seen the bottle coming, but that didn’t stop the pained gasp that came out when it hit him square in the arm. Even in his forties Daniel Harrington was still strong, strong enough for some of the glass to embed itself in his skin. Steve almost wanted to laugh, now it made sense why his mom had insisted on taking off the jacket. 

Daniel stood, his chair clattering to the floor before he threw another one that hit him square in the forearm. He was finally yelling thank god, Steve just wanted this whole shit show to be over with, “You’re choosing him over us? After everything we’ve done for you?”

"Yes,” The word is barely out of his mouth before he’s stalking over to him, completely ignoring his mom’s weak protests for him to calm down. He was in front of him now, all that barely contained rage finally spilling over. 

He grabbed him by the collar, physically pulling him up from his seat before shaking him a little, “My only son is not going to be with a god-damned faggot. And if I have to beat it out of you I will. But you are never going near that piece of shit again. Do you understand me?”

A tiny part of Steve was begging for him to apologize. To just do what they said and stop trying to fight. But that part of himself is wrong. There wasn’t a damn thing wrong with loving Eddie. It was the best thing he’d ever done in his whole fucking life. Nothing could change his mind, not even fear. 

Steve isn’t sure what possessed him to say what he did next. Revenge, pettiness, bitter honesty, he wasn’t sure, but the words were coming out, “Y’know he kissed me for the first time under this same roof? He fucked me here too. In basically every room. And I loved every second of it. How does that feel? Knowing that your only son isn’t just in love with a fag, but gets fucked by one too?”

This time he saw the punch coming, but it didn’t stop it from hurting like a bitch. He hit him square in the face before throwing him to the ground, opting to start kicking the shit out of him next. He was always quicker than Steve gave him credit for. 

He could vaguely hear his mom screaming in the background, begging him to stop, but Daniel kept going. Even his head wasn’t off limits, and it only took one swift kick for Steve to snap out of his stupor. Why was he taking this? Why wasn’t he trying to leave? Why had he never fought back before?

His mom was physically trying to stop him now, and it was just enough time for Steve to finally fucking do something. He moves without thinking, taking the opportunity to kick him back from his place on the ground, squarely in the crotch. It’s a low blow, but fuck it. He’d never seen him so angry before, and if he didn’t get away there was a solid chance he might kill him by accident. 

It worked even better than he thought it would. His dad crumpled immediately, probably just as shocked from the fact that Steve hit him as much as he was from the pain. It’s the first time he’s ever hit him, despite the years and years of random beatings. Steve was almost as surprised as he was that he managed to do it, but he didn’t have time to dwell. He stood on shaky legs, booking it to the front door.

He stops to get the jacket, stupidly taking the time to put it back on. But if he ever needed the comfort of Eddie’s smell, it was definitely right now. 

Right before he’s about to step over the threshold, Daniel calls out to him, voice booming with fury, “If you walk out that door you’ll never see either of us again.”

It's enough to have Steve whipping back around, glaring at them both. His mom was helping his dad back up like she was actually worried he’d been hurt, when it was Steve who had blood dripping down his face. Daniel was staring right at him, daring him to leave, delusional enough to think that there was anything about them worth staying for. 

“Good riddance,” Steve hissed out before turning back away. He walked straight out the front door, ignoring every scream and yell for him to come back. 

He got into his car, and he drove away. 

Excerpt from this fic. And technically a rewrite from this fic

Part two!

[heavencasteel420]

I don’t ship R*nance, but, man, it’s wild seeing people go “um, why would you ship that, Nancy is so mean to Robin” when they ship H@rringrove. Shouldn’t they be bored because Nancy’s not mean enough? She doesn’t even pop up when Robin’s gazing longingly at Vickie to go “huh, guess your crush is getting porked by Mr. Mullet tonight,” let alone break crockery over her head.

[harringroveera]

Henry: Totally unrelated but if anyone asks, I was with you the whole night

[silasplaskett]

ive always been curious about the scenarios where ppl want the will to be brought up bc to me ive always thought it would only make sense as like a dumb offhanded "of course buck is here hes my family hes the guy i put in my will" type of line bc. i feel like people are forgetting that while socially speaking buck takes on a caring role for chris in their family dynamic he literally doesnt have any rights for custody of chris unless eddie is literally dead. like hes not currently chris' legal guardian. he would Become that if eddie died and chris were still a minor. right now as much as they love each other buck is legally just some guy who comes over a lot.

[bidisasterevankinard]

I think it's crazy how the only near death experience buddie shared where they both were close to death it's tsunami, but they weren't really together, never really "shared" it, never saw one fight death or help the other one how all other times. And it's the only traumatic experience Eddie is joking about. Not because he almost died(never jokes about shooting or army), but because he almost lost his son, partner and his own life and he found out about it after worst passed. it never leaves his mind but he can't deal with feelings of all 3 of them dying together in one day like that

[livelovecaliforniadreams]

2x5 | 2x16