#and the d&d campaign that should start next week

[mixsethaddams]

Steve was having a really bad day.

He forgot to pass on a message to a co-worker which, ok, wasn’t the end of the world exactly, but it made his insides squirm.

He forgot to write a list for his boss which, again, nothing that couldn’t be rectified, but it made his palms itch.

A customer yelled at him over something out of his control and he had to stand there and take it because what is retail if not the first circle of hell.

Steve sat in the break room and wished his coffee was hotter while he ran his hands through his hair.

“It’s just one of those days,” he told himself over and over. “It’ll be over soon,”

He wasn’t working the next day so he was counting down the very seconds until he could dart out the front door and not have to come back for a whole forty hours.

Things didn’t improve after he swallowed his lukewarm coffee and went back to his duties. Everything he said seemed to land wrong. Everything he did seemed to need redoing. It felt like his co-workers were annoyed with him even though he knew that realistically they had no reason to be. Steve’s jaw was sore from clenching it shut, trying not to burst into tears right there in the store and hold it together at least until he got to his car.

Even staying an extra fifteen minutes after he should have left to help someone finish a task they were struggling ended up being the wrong thing to do. Why did he stay? Had he clocked out? He should have. Did he not know that overtime needed to be approved a day in advance?

Steve let the feeling of the latest failure of the day wash over him as he grabbed his things and left after his shift.

Eddie wasn’t even going to be home when he got back. He was running a campaign for his D&D group which was being hosted in Gareth’s place a full fucking two hour’s drive away. Eddie was just going to be staying the night there and coming back tomorrow, instead of driving home when they finished. It made sense. It was going to be a ten-hour session and they didn’t even start until almost noon. It was just something that happened every other week and Steve usually enjoyed having a few hours to himself but today he would have killed to have his boyfriend waiting for him.

Steve’s lip wobbled while he drove. His eyes were misty and he was blinking rapidly to keep them clear. He was determined to get home before fully breaking down. He just wanted to order dinner, wrap himself up in every blanket he could find, and watch the latest episode of Married At First Sight. When he finally got back to their apartment, his phone pinged with a text from Eddie.

“Hope work was ok! I’ll call you before I go to sleep later? We’ve got about four hours left”

Steve sighed at the screen. Eddie always called him to say goodnight when he stayed at Gareth’s. Usually Steve loved it because Eddie would be a little bit drunk after having some post-session beers with his friend and they’d giggle together on a video call until Eddie’s eyelids drooped. Tonight though Steve wasn’t sure he could handle the reminder that he was alone when he wanted so badly to be held.

“Long day. Probably just crash soon as I’m home”

“You good?”

“Just tired. Hope you’re having fun :) “

Steve regretted the food he ordered for dinner. He wanted the orange chicken but for some reason he ordered sweet and sour pork. It wasn’t bad, it was fine, but the chicken was his favourite and it almost felt like a form of punishment for his bad day. So now Steve was crying uncontrollably over a container of rice. He felt so stupid but it was just one more thing that had gone wrong for him today. Crying at this point didn’t even feel cathartic. It just gave him a headache and made his throat dry.

He didn’t finish his food, and he didn’t watch TV. Steve dragged himself to his bedroom, leaving his clothes in a pile in front of the dresser he grabbed his sweatpants from, before he took a pill for his headache and fell, unshowered, into bed. It was still bright outside.

Steve felt the bed dip next to him. For the briefest moment a kind of raw panic gripped his chest and he was too scared to open his eyes. It wasn’t until he felt a familiar brush of fingertips over his temple, sweeping strands of hair out of his face, that he calmed down.

“Stevie?”

Eddie whispered it softly and Steve opened his eyes. The room was dark, but there was a navy blue hue, like the sun was only barely below the horizon, that meant Steve could still see Eddie’s outline.

“What time is it?” mumbled Steve.

“Almost nine,” said Eddie gently, still rubbing his hand through Steve’s hair.

Steve scrunched his nose. Nine? That wasn’t right? It wasn’t bright enough to be morning. He peered up at his alarm clock, still flashing the same date it had been when he closed his eyes before fitful sleep.

Steve sat up quickly.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, panicked again. “Why are you here, what happened?”

Steve knew Eddie’s D&D sessions never cut short for anything less than a national emergency so he was instantly on high alert. Eddie driving all the way home was even more concerning. Steve gripped Eddie’s arms, he was still wearing his leather jacket. It was cold from being outside. He lifted the edges of the jacket as if he was checking to make sure Eddie was all in one piece.

“Nothing happened,” soothed Eddie. “We just finished up early,”

Steve was still looking over Eddie’s body like he was expecting to find a missing limb or something.

“What?” asked Steve, confused. “Why?”

Eddie shrugged.

“Wasn’t feeling the vibe,” he said easily. “I plugged the plug and said I needed to get home,”

“You never finish early,” said Steve. “And you never drive home. What happened?”

Eddie sighed.

“Why don’t you tell me?” asked Eddie gently, reaching up to cup Steve’s cheek.

Steve gulped.

“I don’t…” stuttered Steve. “Nothing, what do you mean?”

“Baby,” said Eddie firmly.

Steve chewed his lip to stop it trembling.

“I just had a bad day,” said Steve quietly. “You didn’t need… You could have stayed out there,”

Eddie gently pulled Steve forward, so he could rest his head in the crook of Eddie’s neck. Steve breathed in the well-known smell of cologne and cigarettes smoked outside. He practically melted into it.

“Thought this might be where I was needed more,” murmured Eddie, twisting around on the edge of the bed to allow Steve to relax more comfortably into his hiding place. “Looks like I was right, hmm?”

“Ruined your game though,” said Steve, muffled against the leather of Eddie’s jacket. “I just had a bad day,”

“It’s not ruined,” assured Eddie as Steve’s arms wrapped around his shoulders. “Knowing I left you here by yourself after a bad day is what would have ruined it,”

“I didn’t even say anything,” sighed Steve. Eddie was running a comforting hand over his back.

“You didn’t need to,” said Eddie. “Soon as you didn’t ask for a more solid time to expect me to call you, that’s when I knew,”

Steve sniffed back a tear.

“So dumb…” said Steve, frustrated almost more than ever with himself now. “I’m sorry, this is so fucking dumb,”

Eddie shushed him gently.

“No it’s not,” said Eddie, nuzzling into Steve’s hair. “Sometimes things creep up on you like this. It happens,”

“I wish it didn’t,” admitted Steve, pulling back to look at Eddie.

Eddie rested their foreheads together.

“I’m always here for when it does, though,” said Eddie softly.

Steve closed his eyes and let Eddie take him into another embrace, holding him tight for what could have been seconds or hours.

Steve didn’t remember when Eddie finally slipped his jacket off. He didn’t remember feeling him sliding into bed next to him, gathering him up and holding him as close as he could. Steve just remembered the feeling of Eddie heartbeat against his own chest, the sound of his breathing, his fingertips scratching gently against Steve’s scalp.

All Steve knew was feeling safe. Protected. Like one bad day was no longer drowning him because now, he remembered how to keep his head above water.

[steddiealltheway]

Eddie really tries to graduate this time. And he means really. He asks the whole party for their help, and the kids reluctantly agree that although they’re smart, they’re not that far ahead.

But they find a clear solution: Nancy.

And she tries everything. Flashcards. Acronyms. Word association. Practice quizzes. Textbook problems…

A few hours in, she gives Eddie a tight smile and says, “Maybe you need a break.” She immediately heads down to the basement where everyone else is hanging out.

Eddie sighs because that’s definitely code for Nancy needs a break from him and his multiple failed practice quizzes. He doesn’t stand a chance.

He hears the stairs creak as someone makes their way up. Steve’s head pops around the corner. “How’s it going?”

“Did Nancy send you up here?” Eddie asks.

Steve makes his way to the table and sits next to Eddie while saying, “No, but I did notice the look on her face. She used to try to tutor me, too.”

“How’d that work out for you?” Eddie asks genuinely curious.

“I got a girlfriend and an F,” Steve answers, digging though the papers spread all over the table. He picks up a stack of flashcards and smiles. “Ahh, the infamous Nancy Wheeler flashcards. Color coded by difficulty.”

Eddie fidgets with his rings and bites out, “If that was the case, they should all be the same color. I don’t know, man. I just don’t care. Information in one ear out the other.”

Steve nods in agreement and pauses in thought - if the furrowed brow is any indication. “What do you care about?” Steve asks.

Eddie shrugs, at a loss as to what Steve is asking.

“Dungeons and dragons!” Steve exclaims and throws his arms up as if it’s the answer to all of Eddie’s problems.

“Yeah, I’m not following.”

Steve stands up and starts going through the pile of notes. “This is all for history, right?”

Eddie nods.

“Perfect. All you have to do is treat it like a campaign.”

Eddie’s head spins as he takes in Steve’s idea that actually clicks in his head. He also can’t help but wonder how many times Dustin has ranted to Steve about D&D for him to call it a campaign instead of a “game” like most people do.

“Steve, you’re a genius.”

Steve shrugs. “I’m not sure if you can say that about someone who couldn’t get into college.”

Eddie squeezes Steve’s arm and comments, “At least you graduated high school.”

“I wouldn’t have if I didn’t have the Harrington family name with their yearly donations to Hawkins High,” Steve confesses. He shakes his head and taps the table once before wishing Eddie good luck and making his way back down the stairs.

Eddie gets to work on the abridged version of a campaign.

A week passes before Eddie gets his test score back. He takes a deep breath and glances at the top of the packet.

An A. Eddie Munson got an A.

He also got a note under it that says, “Meet me after class.” Fuck.

After class, the teacher tries to imply that Eddie somehow cheated until he pulls out the pages of planning and notes he had taken in preparation for the test. The teacher easily dismisses him without an apology… bitch.

When Eddie sees the kids at lunch, he immediately shows them the test. It only stings slightly when everyone thinks he’s joking, but the satisfaction of proving them wrong is way more fulfilling.

After school, Eddie immediately finds Steve working at the Family Video.

“Steve Harrington, I could kiss you right now!” Eddie announces to the thankfully empty store. He slams the test down on the counter and beams.

It takes Steve a moment, but then he realizes what Eddie is showing him. “Dude!” Steve yells and scales the counter. “Dude!” He grabs Eddie’s arms excitedly and begins jumping up and down. Eddie joins in.

It’s absolutely childish, and Eddie loves every second of it.

They calm down for a few moments, catching their breath. Then, Steve catches sight of the test again and excitedly yells, “I could also kiss you right now!”

Eddie smiles and easily flirts, “You could.”

And Steve does. Right there in the middle of the Family Video store.

When the two pull away Eddie jokes, “Is this what I get every time I get an A?”

Steve laughs. “If you want it to be.”

Eddie smiles and says, “I’ll hold you to it.”

That semester, Eddie has to convince a lot of teachers that he isn’t cheating before he graduates.

[asimpforthe80s]

Happy Late Valentines

Starring: Eddie Munson x Reader

Warnings: slight angst. Smut!! Cunnulingus. P in V (unprotected). Breeding kink? Daddy kink?

♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡

Valentines Day. A day Eddie had despised for years. He never got anything, which is obvious knowing what his most known title is in the town. But you, on the other hand. You were quite popular despite hanging out with Eddie 'the freak' Munson, almost daily.

It was conveniently HellFire night on Valentines, and right before the campaign started, you were all showing off everything you had gotten. Everything from cards to chocolates.

Everyone was smiling and showing off expet the man himself, sitting on his throne almost frowning.

"So, what'd you get, Eddie?" You giggled, not noticing how saddened and frustrated he looked. "What do you think?!" He scowled, arms crossed on his chest.

"I didn't get shit. I'm just sitting my ass here, like always watching you get everything."

He said, leaning back in his throne and looking at you a bit, expecting sympathy. Everyone went silent, and as he expected, you looked at him with sympathy and shame. Ashamed of how you had shown off your cards and chocolates.

"God damn. I hate this stupid day." He muttered, turning his head to the other side, feeling pretty upset.

He didn't talk again for a bit, just sitting with a cold stare at the wall. "Sorry, Eddie.." you muttered. Dustin swallowed and decided to say something. "Should we get on with the campaign now?" He asked.

"Yeah-yeah- sure. We have nothing else to do, anyways." He said, sounding a bit annoyed with himself.

"God, sorry. Yeah. We should start. We got a lot to do today. Just- nevermind. I'm okay. Let's just do this campaign."

The eight of you nodded and waited for Eddie to start the new D&D campaign he had praised himself for the entire week. Eddie took a deep breath and looked at all of you, nodding.

"So, everyone's ready? All here?"

He asked, sounding enthusiastic, a way to distract himself from Valentines Day. "Yeah." You said, after counting all of Eddie's so-called 'sheep'.

"Okay, cool, cool. So." He rubbed his hands together, a large grin on his face, though his mood from before still kind of lingered.

"As you finally got out from the cave, you were all standing in a green field-..."

♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡

You were up all night crafting something for Eddie. It had to be good. It had to be perfect. You told yourself as you sat up by your desk gluing and painting.

You made a homemade heart-shaped box and painted the logo for HellFire in the middle of it. Then, filled it with chocolates and a small jar. Inside the jar there were small, midevial looking letters where you had written all the things you like about him. After hours of painting and writing, you put the last thing inside the box. A love letter.

All the while, you'd have a big smile on your face thinking of how happy Eddie will be. You were sure that he'd love your present, who knows? Maybe he might finally look at you as more than a friend. You couldn't wait to give it to him. You thought he'd probably appreciate some sweet gesture like that in the morning.

After a few more last touches, you called it done. You sat the box on your nightstand so you knew you wouldn't forget it tomorrow morning.

After a little bit of insomnia, you finally fell asleep, excited for the next morning, and finally getting to give Eddie the present you've worked on for hours.

♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡

You wake up with the biggest smile on your face, remembering the present right away. You quickly get dressed, wanting to go and hand him the box as soon as possible.

You grab some breakfast on the way, hoping you get to him fast enough. You barely finished eating before rushing out to your car and driving across the town to get to Eddie's trailer. When you got there and knocked on the door, your anxiety kicked in. What if he didn't like the box? What if he thought you did it because no one else did? What if he didn't like you like that?

Those thoughts and more kept rushing through your head, heart beating fast in anticipation for what might happen.

After a while, you heard some shuffling through the trailer. The door opened after a bit, and Eddie stood on the other side. He looked exhausted. You hadn't even thought about how early it was. All the thoughts disappeared from your head, however, as the look on his face turned to surprise as he saw you.

"Hey, Eddie.." You chuckled nervously, holding the box out to him. He looked down at the box curiously. A smile then crept onto his face and he took it from you.

"For me?" He said, a bit curious and surprised. "For- for you, yeah.." you said nervously, scared of how he'd react to your love letter. "Thank you." He said a bit stunned, and then he looked down at the box again before back at you.

"It's early, um, mind if I open it later?" He said, looking tired and a little bit out of it still.

Your heart ached with anxiety and slight pain. "Y-yeah, sure." You mumbled. "Thanks." He said before yawning wide, and his eyes began to flutter shut.

After a quick goodbye, he closed the door, leaving you to walk to your car and drive home upset. A small bit of hope still lingering, hoping that he'll actually look at it later. But Eddie was forgetful when it came to things like this. You probably wasted an entire night on making that box just for Eddie to never open it.

When it got to evening, that last bit of hope that he'd open the box began to disappear. You felt bad that you wasted all that time on it, wishing that he would actually look at it. But he didn't, and he probably didn't care much anyway.

You sighed and decided to call him.The phone rang a bit before Eddie picked up.

"Hey, what's up?" He asked after you said hello. "I know you've forgotten and this is kinda fucking important, so go open that box I gave you.. if you get surprised or something, live with that, I've got too much anxiety right now to deal with that." You said before hurriedly hanging up.

Eddie looked down at his phone, quite surprised at your sudden aggression. He didn't expect that at all.

Feeling a but hesitant, he walked into his room and over to the nightstand. He picked up the box and looked over at it for a moment before he finally opened it, careful and slow, expecting what the surprise might be.

He stared at the contents of the box as his eyes widened and he froze, not really sure what to feel.

The love letter, the chocolates, and the little surprises caught him by surprise, and he didn't really know what to do in the moment.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed by everything, he took a deep breath and closed the box, stilThe emotions just hit him like a truck.

He suddenly looked overwhelmed by everything, all the things you went through just for him.

Eddie just stood frozen, thinking at how much you really do love him, even with all the crap he puts you through.

As tears welled up in his eyes, a feeling of guilt washed over him. He couldn't believe that you had gone this far for someone like him, for him.

Eddie couldn't hold back, and the tears began to fall. The sudden rush of realization that you truly love him hit him hard, and he just bawled his eyes out, unable to control the emotions.

In that moment of weakness as he cried into his hands, he couldn't help but wonder, "Why me?"

After a bit, Eddie managed to calm himself. He still had tears on his face as he wiped with them with his sleeve.

Finally, he pulled himself together and looked at the open box again.

He picked up the jar and pulled out the love letter to finally read it.The love letter really struck him in the heart.

He could actually feel that love pouring out of it, like there was nothing else on earth that mattered more than you felt for him.

Eddie felt his eyes well up yet again, it was a bit embarrassing.

"To: Eddie.

For once in my life, I don’t have to try to be happy. When I’m with you, it just happens. Your Lips? I kiss that. Your body? I hug that. My smile? You cause that. Your heart? I want that. In a sea of people, my eyes will always be searching for you. I’m so confused. I don’t know what to do. All I know is I wanna be with you. You make me smile whenever you're around. I could just sit and watch you without making a sound. I could talk to you for hours about nothing at all. You make me feel so comfortable into your arms, I wish I could crawl. I miss you when you’re gone. I miss you when you’re near. If we are together, we will have nothing to fear. So I guess I’m finally telling you I’m being real and true. Not only do I like you, I’m completely head over heels in love with you."

The love letter just overwhelmed him more and more.

He couldn't believe that after all this time thinking he was just a freak and that no one could like him, that this was his reality.

He could hardly hold back his tears of joy as he read the entire thing.

"God damn, this is it. She finally said it. She really likes me." He thought, happy tears flowing down his cheeks. As he finished the letter, he finally looked at all the contents in the box, his emotions still overflowing.

"Damn..." He muttered to himself, just overwhelmed with joy now that he really knew how she felt. He really couldn't believe that she could like him like this, he almost felt like he didn't deserve it.

His tears of joy started to dry up and he wiped all the tears with his sleeve, finally starting to calm down as he looked at the box again.

"She really went through all this for me..." He thought to himself, staring at the jar and the chocolates. He looked back over at the love letter again, feeling his heart flutter.

This was the happiest he felt in so long.

Finally, after this long time, someone really likes him.

"And- and here I thought being a freak, I'd just be alone for the rest of my life... She really... She really likes me..." He whispered to himself, smiling wide and his heart beating so fast. He set the box down and leaned against the nightstand and just took a moment to breathe.

This was the best he'd felt in years. Someone really liked him! What a feeling! He never thought that would happen, he really didn't think he was good enough for that.

But now, things seemed possible... The feeling was so overwhelming for him, he couldn't think straight. All these emotions just rushed the moment he saw the letter.

He felt like crying all over again, but he didn't wanna cry anymore.

He grabbed his phone, thinking about finally texting you and telling you all the things you mean to him. Just to thank you, or at least try. As he finally opened the text box and typed up the message, he stared at the screen.

He didn't know how to fully put it into words, but he had to try right?

He typed up the message slowly and sent it off to you.

He set the phone down and waited in anticipation to see how you'd react once you got it. After just a few minutes, his phone started ringing.

"Hm?" He said, looking at his phone.

He picked it up and checked the caller id, noticing it was you.

"Hey, um, what's up?" He said, his heart beating fast all over again, nervous of how you'd react. "Hey.. so, uh... my gift wasn't a bad idea, huh?" You chuckled nervously.

"Bad idea?" His voice sounded shocked for a moment as he laughed lightly too.

"It's literally the best thing I've ever received in my life." He said, truly meaning it.

"There's just so much to say to you, I don't even think you will fully understand just how much you mean to me." He added, still looking at the texts he sent you.

"Can I come over?" You asked nervously. In your head, you'd go to his place, and you'd cuddle all night while watching movies on the thick TV in his living room.

Eddie went silent for a moment, thinking about everything and what you asked.

He took a deep breath, thinking, "Oh God, oh God, OH GOD! She wants to come over! What do I do?!"

"Uhm... Yeah, I..." He stuttered, not sure how to finish his sentence. "Thanks." You giggled and hung up once more, immediately putting on some comfy but pretty clothes and rushing to your car, again.

Eddie quickly sat there in his bed staring at the phone, processing everything.

"Oh god, she's coming over. She- she wants to come over! Oh God, oh God!!"

He got himself out of the bed quickly, frantically putting on some clothes to look presentable when she gets here. He took some breath mints and sprayed himself with cologne a few times.

"Oh god, what should I do when she gets here?! How do I act?" He paced around the room now, just waiting nervously for her. He would check his phone every few seconds, thinking about her on the way over and how he's going to act when she gets here.

"Should I be calm? Should I be excited? What does one even do in this situation!? What do I talk about? I have to be so goddamn careful." He berated himself as he paced around the room, his anxiety kicking in.

He took yet another deep breath, checking the time. She should be here soon. He was sweating profusely now from his nervousness, and he was getting annoyed with himself.

Okay, Eddie. Calm, calm, calm...

After a few minutes, the doorbell rang.

He froze immediately from his pacing, thinking of nothing but the fact she was actually here.

He walked to the door and opened it with shaky hands and a big smile.

"Hey, uhm, h-hi." He said, not sure how to handle this, but he was glad you were actually here. "Hi.." you answered, just as nervous. His heart was racing, not knowing what to say. Should he invite you in, or should he just talk to you here?

"W-wanna come inside?" He asked, not wanting to sound rude by not inviting you in.

"Y-yeah.." you chuckled and stepped inside. Eddie immediately shut the door behind you.

"Oh um- follow me." He said as he began to walk towards the living room, letting you follow. She was actually here, and the thought is still a bit surreal to him. You followed him, sitting down very close to him.

"So- uhm, I just wanted to say..." His voice was shaky, it felt like he didn't have full control over the things he wanted to say to you.

"Thank you, for everything. For coming here and... And liking me like this, and for actually being here." He stuttered, feeling his emotions getting the better of him. You built up some confidence and decided that this was enough awkwardness. So you kissed him.

The kiss took him completely off guard and he froze with wide eyes for a second, but he quickly relaxed when the kiss continued.

His breath caught, and he held his hands to the side of you, gently caressing the back of your neck.

He was still very much surprised, but he couldn't resist your lips. You smiled against his lips. But the way his hands were moving over you made you feel sensitive to his touch. His hands began to move up and down your back. He couldn't help but caress your body as his lips stayed tightly pressed to yours. The kiss lasted long enough that he could really get lost in the emotion, and the feeling that someone really liked him like this was almost unreal to him.

When you pulled away, there was a string of saliva connecting you and heavy breaths filling the room. His breath was shaky and his face red from the kiss.

"That was..." He said softly, but he didn't finish the sentence.

He leaned back a bit and stared into your eyes, not breaking eye contact. And then he leaned forward again a bit for another kiss. Your eyes fluttered shut as he kissed you again. You moaned softly against his lips as they connected once more. His lips pressed to yours with a bit more force as he moved forward into you.

His hands moved to your waist now as he pulled you in closer. His breathing got heavy, and he kept kissing you as he took over.

You laid down against the sofa, and Eddie followed. Putting almost all his weight on you as he kept your lips on his. He did lay his entire weight onto you as he kissed you, you being pinned beneath him as he couldn't stop. The kiss felt like it went on forever, but he still wanted more.

His lips and his tongue moved in unison with each other, the heat rising between the two of you as his hands moved back to your neck.

You moaned softly against his lips as the intensity of the kiss grew. Your clothes were on the floor within just five minutes of making out.

Eddie leaned down and pressed a few kisses to your neck, causing you to shudder and let out a delightful purr. One that stirs not just the pit of his guts but in his boxers, too.

He presses two more kisses to your neck, open-mouthed, wet, and claiming he sucks hickeys into two sensitive spots. The hickeys made your eyes slightly roll back, and you let out not only another purr but a gasp of his name.

He has a feeling he knows what you want, but he's not ready to give it to you yet.

He moves from your neck, trilingual kisses down your right shoulder, tongue lathing against your skin before peppering more kisses. Kisses in paths down your brests until it's time to give both of them individual attention. A tweak of a nipple to the right one, a scrape of the teeth to the left one. He loves the way you respond. The way you gasp and moan his name like a chant.

Eddie continues his path downwards with one last kiss against each of your tits. His path leaves you breathless.

You grow inpatient as he takes his time, pressing kisses down your stomach and to the place you need him the most. "Eddie," you whispered. Voice full of need.

"What's the word, sweetheart? You know what to say if you want it.." Eddie groaned.

You sigh and bite your bottom lip gently. You don't want to give in to him so easily. Your eyes meet his brown ones, and you breathe out the one word he wants to hear. "Please."

The word "please" sent him over the edge.

Every muscle in his body was tense and his breath was still shaken. The sound of that single word was enough to make him lose the last bit of composure he had.

He looked down at you, his eyes full of desire and want for all of you. Eddie dipped down to your soaking cunt, first gathering your slick on his fingers and sucking them clean. Then he started eating you out like a starved man. His tongue lapping up all your slick and swirling your sensitive bud. You had heard that Eddie was good at this, but not that he had sex skills of a God.

You moaned and writhed under him, eyes rolled back and mouth slightly agape. Gasping, whimpering, and moaning as he ate you out. His tongue dipped into your entrance and started lapping up everything he could get to before pulling out and pushing two fingers inside instead.

As his fingers pumped in and out of your cunt, he sucked and toyed with your clit until you were gasping that you were gonna cum. "That's it.. fucking soak my face, baby." Eddie groaned and went back to sucking your bud.

Doing exactly as he said, you came all over his face with a breathless moan. He pulled his fingers out and sucked off your nectar like it was a necessity.

Eddie ridded himself of his boxers. Saying he was big was an understatement. He was *huge*. The biggest you'd seen.

He inspected your pussy for just a few seconds before deciding to gently slide into you. Bottoming out with a groan.

"This what you wanted, princess?" He grabbed your jaw and squeezed slightly. "Already too fucked out to answer? That's okay, I got you."

You barely nodded as he dipped his head down and caught one of your nipples in your mouth, biting a little harshly on the bud. "Ngh, Eddie.." Arching your back, pushing your chest further into his face, he pulled off with a pop.

"What, too much?" He said in a mocking tone. "Jus' want you.." Your hands grabbed at his chest and shoulders. "But I'm right here, sweetheart?" He looked confused.

You shook your head and wrapped your legs around his waist, pushing him impossibly deeper into your cunt. "Fuck.. just need me, hm? I can do that.."

He began to roll his hips, your pussy sucking him in with each push. His face hovered over yours, studying your pinched brows and puffy, kiss bitten lips parting softly. He kissed your cheek and then the other. Any other teasing comments died on his tongue once his eyes roved over you, halting his movements momentarily so he could speak clearly. "Love you, sweets."

You smiled at that. “I love you too, Eds.” You giggled as he held your cheek and began peppering kisses across your face. “Valentine's day got you all mushy, huh baby?” Eddie grinned and kept his hips moving ever so slightly. "Mmmh.. guess so.." you muttered.

He started picking up his thrusts, hitting that perfect spot inside you every time, making both of you moan out. "You close, baby? You gonna cum f'me?" He asked with a few grunts.

“More…” you whined out.“Oh, now she wants more.” He chuckled, gaze turning a little more dark as he said it. “Mmhmmm… need more.” You choked out as he moved out of you just for a moment to get a better angle.

He quickly sat up, pushing both of your knees to your chest, his thick cock pushed back into your tight cunt. In one swift motion, giving you no time to think. “That's it… mmm… she's gripping now. C’mon baby. Soak my cock.”

With the new angle, he set a brutal pace, as broken moans rang out with the sounds of your soaked pussy being pounded into oblivion. He reached up, placing his thumb between your lips, as you quickly sucked it into your mouth, swirling your tongue around the digit. "That's it.. get it nice 'n wet for Daddy." He groaned.

“Be a good girl. Come for daddy and I'll fill this pussy full. Let everyone know you let the freak wreck your tight little cunt.” He growled into your ear.

You hummed as he brought his thumb down to your clit. Immediately pushing harsh circles to your swollen nub.

“Oh fuck, Eddie!” His words straight to your aching core.Your orgasm hits with a blinding force, those fireworks burst behind your eyes as your pussy strangles his cock.

He lets out a low growl as his balls tighten for his impending release. His cock twitches as it paints your walls with thick, white ropes.

He put your legs down and laid his full weight on top of you once more. The both of you were catching your breath as you laid there in awe of what had just happened.

"Happy late Valentine's.." you breathed, stroking his long, brown curls.

"Happy late Valentine's Day..." He smiled at you, looking at you from his head laying on your chest, feeling the heat in his face fade just a little bit and his breathing finally slowing down.

He felt his muscles relax as he lay his ear on your chest, his hand moving down to touch your thigh. He finally felt happy that he could be like this with you now.

"I love you." He said softly, his hand moving closer to your hips, but you never really felt it as you were still laying there after the intense session you just had.

"Love you too.." you said, kissing his cheek. He smiled, his eyes closed now as he felt his body relax.

He thought to himself for a moment, now the feeling of happiness and love kicking in with the dopamine running in his brain.

He sighed happily and nuzzled a bit into your chest, the feeling of just laying here with you was more than enough to make him feel content and loved.

♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~

Tag list: @reidsbtch @rogueddie

Thanks for helping me.

[utilitycaster]

This question is entirely in good faith: I’m currently watching campaign 2 for the first time, and you’ve said multiple times that you are a mighty nein girlie above all else. I am enjoying it, I think it’s fun and characters are great. But I find myself preferring campaign 1 more. I know this is a minority opinion as everyone loves campaign 2, but I just can’t really find myself embracing it the same way. What is it that draws you about the MN?

So I do want to preface this with the statement that I think it’s extremely valid to prefer Campaign 1 to Campaign 2. Plenty of people whom I respect do! The Mighty Nein happen to appeal to a lot of my sensibilities specifically but I don’t expect it to appeal to everyone else in the same way.

I also want to note that while it's true Campaign 2 is the fan favorite, firstly, the correct response if you prefer something that isn't the fan favorite is to commend yourself on rarified taste, and secondly, statistics are a funny thing. It's worth remembering that what you see as the Critical Role Active Fandom mostly doesn't include people who dearly loved Campaign 1, didn't like Campaign 2, and drifted away entirely in 2018; whereas people who loved C2 and didn't click with C3 are a little more likely to be around just because it's been less time and because there's more non-main-campaign stuff to hang around for (ie, people who haven't kept up with C3 might still have watched EXU Calamity or Downfall, or might be interested in Midst or Candela stuff, or are hanging out for TLOVM/Nein Animated reasons). You are not seeing Every Person Who Ever Liked Critical Role; you're seeing this segment in time.

ANYWAY. Getting to the actual point, I think Campaign 2 is my favorite because I think I take a fairly holistic view of fiction. I have my favorite characters and ships and themes and all that, but it is difficult for me to enjoy something if I don't enjoy a significant portion of it. I can't just watch for one blorbo, because the character should feel deeply rooted in a world, and have a plot that engages with who they are. This is what drew me to D&D and actual play in the first place!

Campaign 2 is the CR campaign that, in my opinion, achieves this to the highest degree. Hilariously, if you see the campaigns as a trilogy, while usually the middle of a trilogy gets slammed for being all moving pieces and no resolution, that actually works out great for a D&D game. Campaign 1 had the responsibility of introducing an entire world that was being built as the game went on (and introducing the players to TTRPGs); Campaign 3 is the realization of all that plot set up. Campaign 2 gets to explore, build out the world, and delve into characters who are inextricable from their setting, and that's what I love.

I started with Campaign 2, but decided to start catching up on Campaign 1 concurrently as I watched C2 week to week, and I started this quite early and finished C1 in about 4-5 months, and I happen to remember that I watched C2 episode 12 and an early Briarwoods Arc C1 episode back to back, and at the time, I preferred Campaign 1. Campaign 1 has its rocky starts, but the cast had already found their characters (even if the mechanics were being ironed out still) and there were very clear tasks. Early Campaign 2, while I still enjoy it, has a lot of milling about and aimless fucking around, and, understandably, the cast is still figuring a lot out. If you put, say, the Nein in Alfield next to Vox Machina at the Briarwoods Banquet? Yeah, one of these is stronger.

The thing is, that aimless fucking around led to character moments, which is the absolute heart of why the Nein are my favorites, and why I think many others love them as well. Without a clear mission or benefactor, this party had to figure out an identity and what they wanted to do, and in doing so, we got incredible moments between pretty much every party member. Vox Machina has no shortage of incredible conversations, but, for example, Keyleth and Scanlan just straight up don't interact one-on-one very much. You can't point to something like that in the Nein. I also think the fact that none of the characters knew each other terribly well helped with this. I've brought that up to contrast with the bonds in Campaign 3; it's not a bad thing to have a person your character comes in with and knows well, but much as I adore a twins conversation, the reason those conversations are so good are because Vex and Vax both spend a lot of time with other people as well. With the Mighty Nein, everyone has to do that because really, with Yasha gone half the time and then with Molly's death early on, we've got Fjord and Jester (have known each other like a month longer than anyone else) and Caleb and Nott (six-ish months and they're both hiding a lot.)

I really do get if people prefer that Vox Machina has two clear missions (with plenty of fuck around time built in) to start, the show-stopping Briarwoods arc next, and then the Chroma Conclave, especially watching after the fact - I am not sure how C2 is if you binge it vs. watch week to week, and it may suffer from a binge watch whereas C1 honestly might benefit. But the payoff is so great; you do not get the interpersonal relationships the Nein eventually have with each other without that early need for them to set their own direction.

Moving on from there, I love the setting of Wildemount and how much slow travel there is (which, to be fair, Vox Machina didn't have because that was all pre-stream; the Nein started teleporting at level 9 and Campaign 1 starts with the party at level 8). I love, as I mentioned, how tied to the continent everyone is and how relevant that is to most of their stories. I do think Molly's abrupt and unfair death early in the story is a crucial part of who the Nein are, and serves as a defining moment that is impossible to replicate but is very meaningful to me.

Also, and this is getting into some very idiosyncratic stuff: I love wizards and clerics and paladins and we get all those. I like gruff or overly formal characters with tragic backstories and good hearts and that's most of the party (unsurprisingly, Vex and Percy, in that order, are my favorite VM members). As someone who is constantly fighting the "Dump WIS not INT" fight, the fact that the Mighty Nein is fairly smart and has multiple characters specifically interested in history and politics and lore is right up my alley (the twins and Percy and Scanlan in C1 serve a similar purpose, and the fact that C3 doesn't have anyone really like this...shows).

I also like that the Mighty Nein are never famous, and I think some people don't like that. For all they are heroes of the Dynasty and end up with connections in the Empire, they aren't council members or tied to anyone specific, and this floating mercenary nature means they are setting their own pace. The only part where I think things get frustrating after some of the rockier early days is when they're hunting down Obann, and that's only a few episodes. While Molly's death is a defining moment, what is honestly a more defining moment is a few episodes earlier, when they decide against the multiple institutionally-backed job offers and decide to take a couple of jobs that will get them out of the city. I think it was jarring for people used to Vox Machina, with their duties to the council of Tal'Dorei, who dedicated a third of their campaign to saving the continent from dragons; but the Mighty Nein's greatest duty is always to each other and to becoming better people. The focus is always on them. Yes there are fetch quests, yes there are NPCs who give them some unavoidable tasks, and yes people use the term "player agency" in weird ways all the time; but the Mighty Nein are, I think, the zenith of what a player agency driven campaign can be. The story is, above all else, theirs and theirs alone.

I don't know if there will be a Campaign 4 - I'm a bit more sanguine about the prospect than I was earlier in C3 - but for what it's worth I don't think Campaign 2 is irreplicable. Or rather, it can't be replicated, obviously, but I think they could do another campaign that is deeply tied to its setting and lets the party choose their own adventure in the same way. It just takes a little more prep up front, and a little more flexibility once it actually starts. If there is a campaign 4, I really hope they do it in that same style.

[pedgito]

Can we please talk about eddie discovering that you *like* being teased?? specifically the kind of teasing that he does in bed (even though you also secretly love the gentle teasing he does out of bed too). i feel like once he put it together he'd 1) nearly short circuit and 2) be absolutely ruthless about it

author's note: anyone who says eddie is not vocal in bed is lying—lying, i tell you.

cw: 18+ (minors dni), lots of teasing, oral (f recieving), pretty self-explanatory y'all.

word count: 2k

It starts during a rousing game of D&D, another tumultuous campaign that has everyone at each other’s throat. You, especially. The anger permeates, builds, until you’re practically leaping across the table to rip Gareth a new one for rolling a three when you need ten. Eddie’s never enjoyed being the DM more, happy to not be on the receiving end of that venomous, rage filled argument that quickly died down after Eddie’s persuasion.

You apologized after, Gareth didn’t seem bothered. You still called him a dipshit for spellcasting protection when he could’ve attacked. He agrees.

Eddie watches it from a distance, recalls the tense line of your jaw, the way your finger came out stiff and sharp as it pointed in Gareth’s direction. It was a very constrained amount of emotion, but it made Eddie smile nonetheless—among other things.

He hides it behind his fist, eyes flicking between the two of you during that time. The relationship that has blossomed between you two was new, fresh—and Eddie couldn’t help but enjoy the small things he was finding out about you, including your passion for the game.

It was something you shared—well, that and the unconstrained outbursts. You’re pretty contained otherwise, but Eddie hadn’t improved much. Still, he can’t help but find it slightly attractive when Gareth takes a jab at Eddie’s story building as a weak defense, and you make him apologize immediately.

Either way, it’s quickly resolved. Plus, you promised him pizza next week for the meeting and that sealed the deal—and intrigued the several other hungry boys watching in waiting to see if you decided to finally go for his jugular. 

Eddie approaches after everyone had left, his jacket slung over his arm as he catches the furrow in your brow, taut with frustration as you shoved your things away in your bag. He reaches a thumb out and soothes the worry, your eyes flicking up toward his face. He pulls back quickly, though the smile is nothing that resembles being frightened.

He laughs instead, “That really shouldn’t turn me on as much as it does.”

And it’s the last thing you’re expecting him to say—but somehow, it doesn’t surprise you. If anything, it makes you smile too, though quickly snuffed out by your stubbornness to remain annoyed. 

Eddie taps a finger at your chin once, twice, sucking the air sharply between his gritted teeth as he examines you. 

“It’s really working for me,” Eddie teases further, “I should piss you off more.”

You scoff lightly, turning your face away as you reach for your bag, slinging it over your shoulder.

You enjoy the teasing, but it’s not something you’re privy to letting Eddie in on just yet, so you throw back a quip that leaves him speechless.

“You wouldn’t be able to handle it, Eddie.”

You’re right and Eddie doesn’t even try to argue.

And the teasing is more subtle some days.

He notices you squirm a little more when you wear shorts or dresses, bearing your skin on the days where the air is thick and hot—or god forbid, the cooling system at the school breaks for the uptenth time. Eddie never misses a chance to touch you, his touch always matching your temperature—never too hot, never too cold. 

But, it always sends a jolt of excitement through you. You startle almost every time it happens, catching Eddie’s curious eyes. In the beginning he assumed you didn’t like it, only letting his touch linger for a few moments before pulling away. Soon though, he realizes that’s not the case.

And Eddie loves to tease, so he feeds into it.

On the days where he’s particularly unruly, he’ll scoot you into his lap on the low brick wall outside of the school, several yards away from buildings so he can smoke in peace—it’s not completely abandoned, a few of the other outcast kids lingering for rides or hanging out with friends. 

Eddie loves hanging on you in public too, so the touches come easy—but he knows to keep it appropriate, for the most part. It doesn’t stop his words from reaching a point of absolute filth, a hand slipped around your waist and resting between the space of your thighs where they’re pressed together. 

“You wanna hit?” He asks gently, letting your back fall against his chest, rocking with you slightly as he widens his legs to accommodate you. It doesn’t help though, your ass rubbing against him in a way that has him choking on nothing but smoke. He masks it lousy, but you save him the embarrassment of addressing it. But unlike you, Eddie shows no mercy.

“I forgot,” He quips, head tilted down to look at you while his fingers raise to hold the joint above you, “can’t focus on anything when I’m touching you. Isn’t that right?”

You laugh softly, shaking your head despite the small jump you respond with when he squeezes at the flesh, the bite of his rings digging into the opposite thigh from how tightly your legs are pressed together.

“What’s got you so bothered?” Eddie asks curiously.

“Nothing.” You shake your head slightly, picking at the worn black nail polish on your thumb, anything to distract your trailing thoughts.

Eddie grins evilly, chin pressing against your shoulder as he leans to look at you, though your gaze never meets. You’re staring at his shoes now, the broken pavement, anything to distract from his wandering hand, squeezing more frequently to get a reaction out of you.

“Is it the touching?” Eddie asks softly.

You shake your head slightly.

“No—you like it?” Eddie asks curiously. You nod.

“Is it—the public thing?” Eddie wonders, “I can tone it down if it bothers you, babe. I don’t wanna make you uncomfortable.”

“No—no, it’s not that.” You reassure him.

Eddie tries to think, back to all of the times when you’re face scrunches in annoyance or amusement, when your face will heat up or you’ll avoid his gaze after he says something particularly bold or surprising—how you shrink away when he whispers something to you in passing as he’s heading to class, no less depraved than anything else he tells you on a daily basis. 

It takes a minute, but eventually it clicks.

“Oh,” Eddie perks up, tapping away the ash and stubbing out the joint until the ember dies, fading to black, “you like it when I tease, don’t you?”

“I mean—“ You try to find a way to turn it around on him, make it not seem so obvious, but there’s no way out.

“Huh,” He huffs in quiet amusement, his hands shifting higher between your thighs, over the thick denim of your shorts but Eddie can feel the heat, the way your thighs squeeze around his hand and you make a small noise of protest, “yeah—lie again."

Eddie respects the rule of toning it down in public, though the effort is still there, just more restrained. 

It ramps things up elsewhere, unfortunately. Eddie know how easily it has you writhing underneath him, now so even more as he’s been relentless, picking on every sound you made, every subtle facial expression, until you couldn’t do anything but nod, stripping you down to nothing but a mumbling mess.

And if Eddie had known earlier that all it took was his words, things would’ve been a lot easier. He’s always been a charmer, though his physicality always took over for his mouth, not that you minded much, it was a large part of his personality.

But, there was something about his voice, his tone—he always had a smile on his face, an edge to him that screamed for you to run away. Boys like this were dangerous, always up to no good, and as sweet as Eddie was, you could see it in the way he hovered over you now. 

He chuckles lowly, a dark laugh that sends a jolt straight to your core, the hand not holding himself up squeezing at your waist, your thigh, those trailing touches that left you begging, practically whining for more. He mouths along your shoulder, wet open-mouthed kisses as he murmurs a snide remark.

“Words,” He counters your soft moans of protest, “can’t understand when all you’re doing is making noises.”

You glare meanly, his eyes flicking up briefly as he feels it. He smiles in turn, taking the opportunity to invade your space, grin showing his teeth, the slow glide of his tongue over the top row of them.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” He quickly apologizes, looking a little amused when he speaks now, “—guess I just leave you a little speechless, huh?”

And even you can’t help but laugh at that, pushing the falling hair away from his face, “Not even close.”

Eddie looks at you skeptically, “Then? Ask for it.”

You shake your head slightly, the words catching in your throat. 

Eddie shrugs, clicking his tongue in disapproval. He continues the slow, languid kisses over your skin, leaving you breathless as he hovers over your core, still covered by the thin material of your underwear, Eddie’s fingers pressed delicately around your ankles and he’s staring right at you—

“Look at that,” Eddie comments, noting the small wet patch in the lightly colored fabric, “I haven’t even touched you.”

“That’s a lie.” You argue, eyes connecting with the dark, purple mark in your stomach that Eddie had left as a reminder only moments before.

Eddie sees that fire then, the same glare he saw back during the Hellfire meeting—he knows you have the will to fight back, but he also knows your weakness too well. 

“Oh,” Eddie nods slowly, correcting himself, “So, just my mouth is enough to get you off, is that it?”

You shrug slightly, “M’not saying that.”

“I am,” Eddie says boldly, his finger slipping into the band of your underwear, yanking them down and away until he can settle between your legs, hands splayed against the inside of your thighs to keep you under his control, “—you’re okay with this, really?”

Eddie tries not to linger on the idea that this is new to both of you—you haven’t done much outside of kissing and touching below the waist. He’s mesmerized, feeling the want, the need, to dive straight in—but his mouth is speaking before his brain can process. 

“And she’s all for me,” He comments slyly, the chuckle he releases ghosting a hot breath over your cunt. You breath a sharp breath through your nose, your face heating up at his words, “isn’t she?”

You nod, but it isn’t enough. Eddie needs to hear it. 

“Look at me,” He urges, though his tone is still soft, “say it.”

You nod again out of habit, forcing yourself to let out a soft, “Yes.”

Eddie takes things slow after that, despite himself. You gasp sharply when his tongue runs over your hole, up the seam of your cunt until he catches your clit, and he knows, can feel the way your muscles go taut under his touch. 

“God, you want it bad, don’t you?” Eddie teases, “Always begging me to come but you’re too shy to say it now?”

And usually the teasing wasn’t as bad, which made it a little easier. There was always that comfortable silence, the soft sounds of your moans mixing together up until you both were asking, begging for that release and then it was over—but this, it’s so much worse. 

“I’m–I’m not–fuck,” Eddie’s fingers dig into the muscle of your thighs, sucking loudly, ludicrous and noisy and you can’t even be bothered to finish the sentence, rutting selfishly into his face, letting out a low and drawn out groan that has Eddie chuckling against you.

“Yeah–can’t lie to me when you’re already fuckin’ up my sheets, sweetheart.” Eddie jabs playfully, “was the teasing always the key?”

Yes. 

You laugh weakly, “Maybe.”

Eddie can see right through your lies.

Please consider a reblog if you enjoyed this fic! It’s makes a huge difference. ♡

[sugarsfics]

Painting Together

Summary: Your next-door neighbor comes over; he needs some help painting. There are some pros and cons. Pros you are great at painting. Con you have the biggest crush on him. 

Trope: Eddie x reader; Friends to lovers 

Warning: use of y/n, kissing, fluff, bad writing  

Word count: 1.0k 

30 Day challenge: Day 5 Send request <3 

It was a beautiful gloomy day, there was a nice sprinkle outside. You are currently cuddled up in bed reading a book when there was a knock at your door. You place your book down then ventured out into the living room, you open and were met with big brown eyes those you belonged to your neighbor Eddie Munson. “Hey” he spoke first “Hi” “Um so I was bored and thought maybe I should come bother you because you are probably also bored” you laughed “Yea ok come on in” he closed the door after himself “What’s in the bag” you asked him pointing and his black backpack “Oh my d&d stuff I need to paint some figurines for the next campaign plus finish the campaign “Are you using me too paint your little toys” “What no” he said sarcastically “You are wow and to think that you just wanted to hang out with little o’me but no you must use me” you said dramatically “No I-I really do want to hang out I just I-“ “Relax Munson I love painting and helping you out”  “I just don’t want you to think I’m using you” “Your my friend” his heart dropped yea just friends but he wanted too be more “Plus you could never use me how much the cheerleaders used me back in high school"

That is where you and Eddie met. You were the artist he was the freak You were on the student council your job was making posters for clubs and any events that were going on. You were used people being nice to you to do their homecoming proposals or to make their club sign extra. But Eddie wasn’t like that, he started developing a crush on you the moment he walked into first period. You were wearing a pair of light pink converse with drawings all over, some paint cover overalls and a black tee under along with some paint sprinkled on your arms and cheeks. When your eyes meet with his for the first time he swore it stopped for 5 seconds and that he died and went to heaven. The love at first sight moment was ruined went Mason Carver bumped into him “move freak” After class we walked out a was met with a poster JOIN OR MAKE A CLUB, with the same colors that you were covered in. That is how Hellfire was born. It took many people to convince to start the club but, in the end, he got his club, they directed him to you to make your club poster for club rush the next week. He bonded with you over the week of making the logo and posters he even helped with the other clubs, he didn’t dare to touch anything to do with sports. After that week, your friendship blossomed. But you both wanted more but never said anything.

You brought him into your room, he sat on your floor as you went into your closet to grab your art supplies. “Ok who am I painting today” “Well.... This is a Merrow they are mermaids or merman. They carry spears and here is the handbook for his colors” as you painted Eddie would tell you about the roles each person or creature was playing in his campaign. Eddie looked too cute when he was focused, his tongue was poking out, intrusive thoughts took over and you grabbed your paint brush and poked his nose. He looked at you stunned you thought he was mad until he grabbed a brush and poked your cheek, a poking war start any open flesh had color dots on them. You fell back has Eddie tried to poke your forehead, then felt a sharp pain in your lower back “Ow” “Are you ok” he was panicking thinking he hurt you, but in realty you fell on one of his figures “All good just landed on this little guy” you said holding it up "Oh wow this one looks just like you” the one had long hair dressed as a knight. “Um yea that my character he needs to be clean up bit but yea” “Aw he’s cute” you're cute you both think. He went into his bag and another figure fell out “Oh who is this” it was a girl she has your colored hair about the same length as you, a white dress flowy dress was this me you thought “Oh um that is um Eddie the banished fair maiden” he says sheepishly “What are her traits or strengths” “Um she helps patches up Eddie the banished after battle, she as a power where her food that she packs for him heals him and his wounds, and” he didn’t look you in the eye for the last part “she is really good a painting and drawing” you didn’t want to ask him just in case it wasn’t true but you really wanted to know “Eddie” “Yes” “Is she based off someone” your heart was pounding “Would it be weird if it was” he asked here goes nothing “What's her name” “um l-l-lady y/n” he said lowly “You made a character after me” couldn’t form any word he just nodded. 

He hasn’t looked at you since his confession “Eddie look at me please” he slowly looked at you “I think it is really sweet” you grabbed his hand “You don’t think it is weird that I made you my character fair maiden” “No I would be your fair maiden in any universe if you wanted me too” his eyes widen please don’t be dreaming he thought “I-I” he was speechless you smiled at him that made him melt. You did something that you only dreamed of you grabbed Eddie’s face and kissed him, he quickly kissed back and pulled you closer to him. He didn’t want it to end, but unfortunately people need air to live, and he was lacking that then. He pulled away with a lovesick smile, you pressed kisses all over his face till it was a deep red “Does this mean we are dating” you asked, “If you keep kissing me like that, I will be your anything” “So boyfriend?” “Yea girlfriend?” “Yes” 

Tag list: @thefreak0fhawkinshigh

[cherryy-lips]

byler week day 1! (also on ao3)

@byler-week

Will was laying down, staring at the ceiling of Mike’s room, listening to the radio while Mike sat working on a D&D campaign next to him. 

Should I Stay or Should I Go started playing, and Mike and Will exchanged glances, smiling, as Mike interlinked their pinky fingers. 

Will sighed softly, wishing the gesture could be more than platonic.

As he looked outside Mike's window, he noticed the swirling colors in the sky. “Look,” Will said softly, pointing out the window. “Aren't they pretty?” He smiled, looking at Mike.

“Yeah, they are.” Mike said, smiling back at Will before turning his attention to the campaign.

Will stayed staring at Mike, quickly looking back at the window when Mike saw him.

“We should go watch them!” Will spoke excitedly, sitting up.

“Huh?”

“We should go outside, to your backyard, and look at the fireworks. You know, since we don’t have any right now we can just watch other people's stuff.” Will almost started rambling, but caught himself. After a brief moment of them staring at each other, Will rolled his eyes, grabbing Mike’s hand and leading him out the door.

Will was excited; he loved July 4th, and he’d especially love it with his favorite person. 

Mike, on the other hand, was terrified, glancing over his shoulder into the dark void every chance he got. 

He’d never say it out loud, but he was majorly scared of loud noises. Watching the fireworks with Will sounded fun in theory, but the idea of sitting alone, in the dark, outside, with almost gunshot-like noises made him want to latch onto Will like a koala.

Holding Will’s hand certainly helped a little bit, but his heart was still racing. He hoped Will couldn’t tell, since he didn’t want to take away from his excitement.

Will let go of Mike’s hand to sit down, patting a space next to him. 

He noticed a change in Mike’s expression as their hands fell apart. He seemed more…nervous? Worried, maybe? 

As Mike sat down, he brought his knees to his chest, squeezing his calves. Will began rambling about who knows what, but Mike could still hear his heart beating in his ears, wincing slightly and looking around every so often.

Eventually, Will got tired of talking, and rested his head on Mike's shoulder. As he looked up at Mike’s face, he swore he could see a bit of red creeping up on his cheeks. He watched Mike study the lit up sky, taking in his perfect features as long as he could. He still looked worried.

Will lifted his head, staring at Mike for a moment before realizing Mike only looked different when the fireworks went off.

“Let’s go back inside.” Will stated, pushing himself off the ground, taking Mike's hand to force him up too.

“Wait, are you sure? I thought you wanted to be out here.” Mike questioned, speaking softly.

“Eh. I’m hot. We can watch them inside.”

Mike nodded, trying to hide how grateful he was.

As they sat back onto Mike’s bed, they went back into the position from outside, Will softly, placing his head on Mike’s shoulder.

He couldn’t completely read him, but as far as Will could tell, Mike seemed to be less nervous than he was before. And, for Will, that was perfectly okay. 

Readjusting himself, his head perfectly fitting with Mike’s neck like it always did, he grabbed his hand, intertwining their fingers like puzzle pieces meant to be.

As he felt his eyelids drooping, he squeezed Mike’s hand twice; a secret code they came up with.

You okay?

Yawning softly, he felt two squeezes to his hand back.

I’m okay.

[areyoudreaminof]

Future Rust and Future Dust: Chapter 4

For the five of you reading this fic, hello. I’ve been struggling the past several months with severe depression and mental health stuff, hence the literal months it’s been since I updated. I can’t promise frequent updates at this point, but I started writing again, and I’ll take that as a positive. Because I very nearly deleted this fic (and all my others) at several points in January. Special thanks to @jamborina for her encouragement with this chapter.

In the eye of the storm

The land where you were born

Try to make no sound

We hide out

'Cause they watch us in sleep

The language that we speak

And the secrets that we keep

Foals-Exits

Mud and ice shards squelched under Jurian’s boots. The thin and reedy blue light of the waxing gibbous filtered through the trees. Tomorrow, under the light of the full moon, he expected an invasion. He and Lucien had ordered the small number of able bodied men and women to be prepared for an attack. Jurian and Lucien had trained them for months, emphasizing using the land as an advantage. 

A fat and full summer moon would do them much more good, Jurian thought absently, as he counted the squelching steps under his feet. What was it they used to call the late winter full moon? A wolf moon, Jurian remembered. He remembered huddling around the low coals in the human camps, sipping broth made of bark. He would not let his mind wander back into the parlor he had just left. He would not remember the stifling heat from the fire, the pleading eyes of the humans that had begun to trust him. 

The rhythm of their steps corralled Jurian’s thoughts. Each slap of boots on the frosted mud kept his memories in tune. 

Blockade of ships,

step, 

lost communication, 

step.

The rhythmic marching brought him back to the long ground campaigns in the war, Units of soldiers marching in step along fresh paths. Jurian wondered how long the path he and Lucien walked on had been paved. One hundred years, two hundred? Was this an old path slaves had walked, or the stones set after the first human settlements went up? 

“What are you thinking?” Lucien’s voice interrupted the march in his head. Jurian grunted as he kept his feet in step.

“I’m not sure,” Jurian grumbled, “I’m wondering how I’m going to tell Vassa. About what to do next. If you have any ideas, with that fae mind of yours, now would be the time to share.”

He could almost hear the smile on Jurian’s lips, “I’m thinking about if Rhys will give us a ship to Rask to board tomorrow.”

Mud splattered up on Jurian’s cheek as he came to a dead stop. The wind rustled softly through the trees, and flames danced in Lucien’s eyes under the thin moonlight. “You mean for us to go to the lake.” Jurian countered. 

“We know where Vassa’s army is. If we can get a ship tomorrow night, we can be at the pass before the week is up. When Koschei comes for Vassa, we will be ready.” Lucien began to walk again, picking up the pace, as if he could see the lights of the manor a mile ahead of them. “Elain has seen that we all end up at the lake. We need to get there first.” 

Jurian strode quickly, trying to keep up. “We are no closer to figuring out how to break the curse, Lucien,” he hissed. “And Beron still pilots with the queens. Do we mean to leave Prythian to its own devices while we head for the continent?” He grabbed Lucien’s shoulder, maneuvering himself around so he met Lucien’s eye. 

“Tamlin has offered troops for backup. They’re posted at the wall should anything go awry.” Lucien’s golden eye whirred as he spoke, “The Night Court hasn’t heard any movement from Autumn in a month. We have to decide, Jurian.” 

“It’s too soon.” Jurian replied softly. 

“I know,” Lucien said, “But what choice do we have?” 

READ THE REST ON AO3

taglist: @jamborina @popjunkie42 @mossytrashcan @acourtofladydeath @born-to-riot @bearbluebooks @c-e-d-dreamer @cowboylament @corcracrow @damedechance @fieldofdaisiies @kataravimes-of-the-shire @labellefleur-sauvage @iftheshoef1tz @asnowfern @rosanna-writer @xtaketwox @sassyhobbits @secret-third-thing @thelovelymadone @vulpes-fennec @wilde-knight @octobers-veryown @witch-and-her-witcher @chunkypossum @queercontrarian @sanfangirl-cynicalromantic

[athena-writes-i-guess]

#32

hiyaa! ive sent in requests to so many accs but no ones replied idk wether they are busy or not but anyways, i was wondering if you could do a #32 where y/n and eddie have secretly liked eachother for years but eddie always annoys y/n by flirting with her even though gareth is her brother. one day corroded coffin are practicing in y/ns garage whilst shes watching tv eddie comes in and start’s annoying her and flirts a little saying “y’know you love it” and all that shii. she starts to get angry and tells him to stop cuz its not fair on gareth if anything happened and but eddie being eddie just keeps pushing until eventually they kiss. gareth can walk in on them if you would like to add that i dont mind :) sorry if it was a rubbish explanation im terrible at writing stuff lol. thank you 💗

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Gareth sister!Reader

Prompt: "How mad would you be if I kissed you?"

A/N: Hello friend! Thank you so so much for this super fun request! I had a blast writing this! I think it's made me want to explore more sibling!reader x Eddie fics! I really hope that this came out the way you wanted and that you like it as much as I do! Thank you so much!

You were sitting sideways out of your open driver's side door reading a book as your Iron Maiden cassette played loudly out of your car's speakers. You sighed as you checked your watch and tapped your foot in annoyance. They were late again. 

You’re Gareth’s older sister, you had graduated 2 years ago but you helped out by picking up him and some of his friends from school everyday after your shifts at work. Today was Hellfire night so you knew it was a late night, but they should have been out 15 minutes ago. You sighed again. Gareth would owe you big if he made you wait any longer, you were doing him a favor after all. You’d make him do your chores for the rest of the week if he didn’t show up in the next 5 minutes and just the thought brought a small smile to your face.

“A beautiful smile on a beautiful girl.” You heard from right in front of you. You jumped and let out a startled gasp at the noise, causing the person to laugh. You looked up and found Eddie Munson. 

Your heart was thundering in your chest, you’d be lying if you said that it was just from the surprise. You had harbored a crush on Eddie ever since the 8th grade, having been in the same class with him since kindergarten. But the two of you had run in different circles and you never thought he would be interested in you. Hell, he had barely even started talking to you until Gareth joined his D&D campaign as a freshman. 

You had no idea though, that Eddie had been too nervous to talk to you until the day you walked into the drama room to pick up your little brother that first time. He had thought you were beautiful and way too smart for him and never thought he’d get a reason to speak to you, all until Gareth. Now he made it a point to talk to you any chance that he could. After school when you picked up your brother, at your job at the record shop, at your house during Corroded Coffin practices.  He made it his goal every time. 

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you, sweetheart.” He chuckled, dimples on full display. 

“It’s okay, Munson.” You said with a small smile. “Where’s my loser of a brother?” You asked, noticing the other boys we suspiciously absent. 

“He had to get something from his locker and Jeff went with him.” Eddie responded, “But how’s the prettiest girl in Hawkin’s doing?” He flirted, you rolled your eyes as you tried to ignore the way your heart skipped a beat at his words. Eddie was a notorious flirt. You wanted to flirt back. But he’s Gareth’s friend and bandmate, you couldn’t do that to him. What if you dated and broke up, and made it uncomfortable for your brother to even have band practice? No you couldn’t do that to him. So you brushed Eddie off every time.

“I don’t know, you should go find her and ask.” You shot back, looking from him back to your book. You heard him tut at your response.

“Come on sweetheart. You know I mean you. When are you gonna let me take you out?” He asked. You looked up at that, that was new. Normally he just flirted, maybe joked about kissing you. But never actually asking you out. 

You felt your mouth drop open slightly in surprise, much to Eddie’s amusement. “You know we can’t do that Eddie.” You said simply, gesturing your head towards Gareth as he finally walked out of the school towards your car. 

Eddie looked over his shoulder and smiled, “Come on, he won’t mind.” He said as he turned back. 

“You don’t know that. We just can’t Eddie.” You sighed. “Hurry up Gareth or I’ll make you do my chores for the rest of the week!” You called, pulling yourself back into the car fully and closing the door. “See you around Eddie.” You said through the open window. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow, sweetheart.” He smiled, undeterred. 

“See you for practice tomorrow Eddie, good game!” Gareth said as he walked up and opened the passenger door to your car. 

“See you all then.” Eddie said with a knowing smile as he backed away from your car, sending you a little wave before putting his hands in his pockets and walking towards his van. 

~~~

It was the next afternoon, you had just finished your chores for the weekend and decided to watch a movie in the living room while your parents were out and the boys were practicing in the garage. 

They had been going for hours and currently it sounded like Gareth and Jeff were going over a section of the song together, trying to tighten their parts. The door to the garage opened in the kitchen and you turned to look at who it was, sighing when you saw Eddie. He smiled brightly at you as he closed the door and sauntered over, plopping down on the couch right next to you and placing his arm on the couch behind you. 

“Afternoon, beautiful.” He beamed with a wink. 

“Eddie.” You sighed, determined to ignore him as you stared at the TV. 

“How are you doing today, pretty girl?” He asked.

“Fine.” 

“You look great today.” He said, “Just like every day.”

“Eddie.” You said in a warning tone. 

“That’s my name sweetheart. I love the way you say it.” He cooed as he leaned into you more. 

“Eddie, you have to stop.” You said firmly, looking into his eyes. He was much closer than he had ever been before and you’re senses we flooded with him. You could smell his cologne and cigarettes, a combo that normally wouldn’t smell good to you, but for some reason it was intoxicating. His long curls were tickling the exposed skin of your shoulder, causing goosebumps to raise on your body. And you could almost melt under the intense look he was giving you, full of an emotion you couldn’t quite place. 

“You know you love it sweetheart.” He said with a sly smile. “I see the way you smile to yourself when you think no one’s looking. You like when I flirt with you.” He said simply, his smile growing wider at the dumbstruck look on your face at being found out. “And I like you. So I’m going to keep doing it, until you kiss me or slap me.” 

“I -wha- are you- I-” You tried to start. “I don’t know what you’re talking about Munson.” You finally got out, pulling your eyes away from him and back to the movie as you felt the heat rise to your face. You didn’t want him to know that he was right, you loved when he flirted with you. You wanted to flirt back, but you were trying to be a good sister. 

“Yes you do, princess.” He said, raising his hand up to your chin to pull your face to look at him. “Let me take you out. We could be great.” 

I furrowed your brows in distress, your resolve crumbling as you tried to be strong. “We can’t!” you hissed quietly. “Think of Gareth. We could hurt him.” You pleaded.

“We won’t. I promise.” He cooed, leaning into you. His lips were so close that you could feel his warm breath on yours. “How mad would you be if I kissed you?” He breathed. 

“Pissed.” You breathed. But you leaned in, crashing your lips onto his, eliciting a surprised noise out of the metalhead. Eddie recovered quickly, kissing you back feverishly as he pressed himself into you as he wrapped his arms around you, pulling the two of you close so there was no space between you. You ran your hands through his curls, tugging lightly, causing the brunette to moan into your mouth. 

You pulled away, breathless, after a few moments. “We have to stop.” You gasped, you opened your eyes to lock with Eddie’s hooded ones. 

“Sure, sure, sweetheart.” He mused with a smile before his lips were on yours again. It was your turn to moan this time as he kissed you hungrily. 

You let yourselves get lost in each other, ignoring the world around you as you gave into your feelings for Eddie. All the years of pining for each other led to this. And it felt so good, so right to be like this with him. And for a moment you forgot why you had been avoiding this for so long. 

“Fucking finally.” You heard from behind you, followed by a laugh. 

You pulled apart with a gasp and spun around in your seat to see Gareth and Jeff standing in the entrance to the living room. You hadn’t even heard the garage door open. 

“Honestly it took you long enough.” Gareth teased. “Now will you stop being so weird around each other and just go out?” Your mouth fell open in surprise as you looked between the two boys and Eddie. 

“See? I told you he’d be fine, sweetheart.” Eddie laughed, pecking your cheek affectionately.

Taglist: @srapalestina @yvonneeeee @cityofidek @anaisweird @mrslovesmayahawke @harrys-tittie @becca-alexa @catacina

[lonestarbattleship]

Battleship Texas much closer to securing permanent home in Galveston

The first step is a ten-year lease with the port, coming in at $20,000 a month or more depending on the weather

By Chris Gray

"This artist's rendering projects what the USS Texas could look like once it is safely housed along the heart of Galveston's waterfront. "

"Battleship Texas cleared an important hurdle in its quest for a permanent home this week. During its regular meeting on Tuesday, the Galveston Wharves board of trustees authorized the creation of a lease between the Port of Galveston and the Battleship Texas Foundation, which operates and maintains the historic warship.

'It’s a big step for us,' said Tony Gregory, the foundation’s president and CEO. 'We feel like it's a big win. It’s taken a while to convince the port that we should be where we're going to go, but in the end their leadership responded. We think we have a good agreement, and we're excited to move forward on it.'

The proposed lease would be for 10 years with two additional 10-year options, explained port director and CEO of Galveston Wharves Rodger Rees. Once it has been drafted and signed, which Rees said could happen at the board’s next meeting later this month, the foundation would pay the port $20,000 per month in rent; plus $1.2 million (another $20,000 a month) in case an extreme-weather event or other dire scenario forced the port managers to take drastic measures with the ship like towing her out to sea.

Now, 'there's some hoops they've got to jump through but not ours,' Rees said. 'What we did is try to help them with their permitting process by giving them a home.'

The ship, which served with distinction in both World Wars, was towed from the San Jacinto Monument to a dry-dock facility in Galveston's harbor in August 2022.

Greg Eckmann Photography/Battleship Texas Foundation

According to Gregory, now that the foundation has struck a deal with the port, it can finalize its agreement with Landry’s, Inc. for the multibillion-dollar company founded by island native and Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta to manage the ship’s day-to-day operations, effectively adding it to a portfolio that also includes Kemah Boardwalk and Pleasure Pier. The foundation plans to permanently berth the ship in the area around Piers 19 and 20, the most commercial area of the port and property already controlled by Landry’s.

'Landry’s is excited about the positive progress made to secure a permanent home for the Battleship Texas in Galveston,' said Landry's deputy general counsel Dash Kohlhausen in a statement. 'We look forward to continue working with the City, the Wharves Board, and the Battleship Texas Foundation to make this a reality for Galveston.'

The next step for the foundation, which towed the USS Texas to Galveston from its longstanding home at the San Jacinto Monument in August 2022, is to secure the necessary permits from the trio of agencies which share jurisdiction over the waterway: the U.S. Coast Guard; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and Galveston Texas City Pilots, an association of ship captains whose boats escort larger vessels in and out of the port. It could take up to a year for those permits to be approved, Rees said.

Meanwhile, the ship, which served in both World Wars — notably off Omaha Beach during D-Day and as part of Operation Torch in North Africa — has been undergoing an estimated $60 million in dry-dock repairs since arriving at the Gulf Copper facility on Pelican Island. According to Gregory, those repairs are scheduled to be completed next summer. The foundation has already started a capital campaign to raise another $15 million for construction of its permanent housing, including the necessary mooring plus a ticket-sales building, public restrooms, and exhibit space.

Finally, hovering over all this is the not-insignificant question of whether the old battleship will sell enough tickets — about 283,000 a year, according to the foundation’s math — to offset the necessary maintenance, restoration, and marketing costs. On this count, at least, Gregory is confident she will.

'We feel like the reason our agreement with the port is such a big step is because we are in the best spot to attract the most tourists on the waterfront,' he said. 'We have two cruise terminals to our West, one cruise terminal to our East, with another being negotiated. We're near the restaurants, the Elissa, the bars; we’re near the Strand.

It could take another $15 million to prepare the necessary facilities to house the ship along Piers 19 and 20, foundation CEO Tony Gregory said.

Battleship Texas Foundation

'It’s a little bit like the real estate agent said: ‘Location, location, location' Gregory added. 'It’s the best location in Galveston for being successful in attracting people to come onto the ship.'

For the foundation, which took over upkeep of the ship from Texas Parks and Wildlife in 2019, the end is now in sight. The extraordinary patience necessary to steward the Texas through this painstaking and expensive process finally seems to be yielding tangible results.

'I tell people all the time, if you get involved with the Battleship Texas, whether you're a vendor or a regulatory agency, it's a legacy project and you need to be a little more patient and a little more committed to get it done, because she's an old ship and she needs a lot of care,' Gregory said.

'So we're confident,' he added. 'Believe me, there's always regulatory obstacles, and we've overcome a lot of them in the past couple or years. We’re optimistic that we can address whatever else needs to be addressed.'"

Article from the Houston Chronicle: link

[acasualcrossfade]

Steddie Week: Day 4

@steddie-week

A/N: Finishing out Steddie Week with this final piece! Thanks @pizzaqueen and mods for this amazing event :D Absolutely loved seeing all the fantastic fics and art of my favorite Stranger Things ship!! 

Prompt: Hurt/Comfort

Words: 1710

After being in the Upside Down, Eddie develops a terrible cough. Steve and Robin watch over him. Steve helps and convinces Eddie to take some medicine to sleep.

-- The worst thing after defeating Vecna was the awful cough that came from being in the Upside Down. 

It plagued all of them to varying degrees, but hit Dustin and Eddie the worst. They’d all taken turns coughing up spatters of dark liquid into tissues, but it tapered off in a few days for the majority of them. Steve had gone through it a bit and Dustin recovered in a little under a week, but Eddie’s proved to be the worst out of all of them. 

There would be days when Eddie would be somewhat okay, having enough energy to partake in a few hours of campaigning with the kids. Steve was glad for those days, but still, worry gnawed at him. On most days Eddie spent them exhausted on Steve’s couch, coughing and choking over the leftover dust and debris in his lungs.

Those were the days where Steve worried the most.

Today was the latter, and Steve returned from the store and pharmacy to the sight of Eddie’s hunched form on the couch. His heart winced in sympathy as the man coughed terribly, spitting into the trash can that Robin held under his mouth.

Eddie looked up at Steve, giving him a half-smile as he walked over. “D-don’t give me that look, Harrington,” he gasped as he spat another dark mouthful into the trash can. “It’s–” He cut off for another round of harsh coughing that shook his entire body, his throat wheezing and choking. He struggled again for his wisecrack before shaking his head and succumbing to the rattling in his chest. 

Steve’s heart stuttered with worry as he knelt next to Eddie and rubbed his back slowly. “Easy, easy,” he encouraged as Eddie hacked into the trash. He exchanged worried glances with Robin as Eddie’s coughs tapered off, and he leaned against the back of the couch, momentarily spent. His breath was uneven as he gasped.

“It’s been like this on and off since you left,” Robin said softly, reaching over to wipe away the dark splatters from Eddie’s lips with a warm cloth.

It’d all started the day before with a few coughing fits and by nightfall, the bouts had only gotten worse. Robin and Steve had taken turns watching Eddie overnight, both of them hoping for the man to get at least a little bit of sleep. The incessant coughing exhausted Eddie and by that morning, he was a stark white and his chocolate eyes were dull.

Steve had carried him bridal-style out of their shared bed to the couch for the day, and Eddie had been curled there since sunrise. 

Steve could still see how pale and waxy Eddie’s skin looked in the late afternoon light, and he caught the tremble in his lean frame as he did his best to breathe without coughing. Cough drops didn’t do much, but Eddie requested the honey ones, simply because the taste gave him something else to focus on as he tried to breathe.

 “Should we call Dr. Grand?” Steve asked as Eddie curled into him, letting out a few light coughs as he moved.

Dr. Grand was the only one to do house calls for them, thanks to Hopper and the deal he’d made. They were all skeptical of any doctors after Dr. Owens, but the breathing treatment Dr. Grand had given last time had helped. Eddie had scowled through the entire procedure, and Steve had to keep Eddie from pulling the cannula out of his nose. 

Under Steve’s chin, Eddie shook his head. “N-no. I don’t want anything in my n-nose again,” he mumbled. A few more coughs escaped his lungs and he shifted against Steve.

Steve held Eddie’s head and stroked his cheek. “You’ve gotta breathe a bit better, though,” he explained to Eddie slowly. “I’m worried.”

Eddie gave him a weak smile and reached one hand to boop Steve’s nose. “I’m n-not a damsel in d-distress,” he managed to say. “N-no distress when you’re here.”

Steve’s ears heated at that, but his chest warmed. He instinctively pulled Eddie a bit closer. “We could do the medicine to start,” he suggested. “You at least need some rest.” 

Robin rooted through the plastic bag and pulled out the two refilled cough syrups prescribed by Dr. Grand. One was a cough suppressant, the other was a cough suppressant for sleep. 

At its sight, Eddie shook his head. “P-please. N-not that.”

Steve knew he shared Eddie’s defiance against being put to sleep; he always found that whatever dream decided to plague him, the medicine kept him trapped there. Eddie felt the same, and Steve had done his best to avoid using it as an option. But as Eddie sagged against him in exhaustion. the medicine seemed more and more like the best option. 

Steve bit his lip. “Eds, you need the rest.”

Eddie shook his head and started to speak, but another round of coughs crashed through his chest. He wheezed and choked and Steve was quick to hold a tissue under Eddie’s mouth as he coughed up more spatters of dark liquid. 

Robin quickly handed Steve another tissue when he needed it.

“Ugh, t-tastes awful,” Eddie groaned. He barely had a breath before another round of coughs overtook him. 

“Easy, it’s okay,” Steve whispered, his own body tight with panic. He did his best not to hold Eddie too tight so he had room to move and cough as needed, but Steve longed to hold the man as close as possible and never let go. “Shh, you’re okay.” He moved Eddie’s hair out of his face as he rubbed the space between his shoulders. He bit his lip as Eddie held tight to his forearm as he coughed. 

“I’ll give Dr. Grand a call,” Robin suggested, already standing to head for the phone. Her own face was tight with worry, and she’d not stopped biting her lip since Steve had arrived.  “He’s usually out on Wednesdays, but maybe we can get him here tomorrow. His assistant’s at least nice.” 

She disappeared into the kitchen. 

Eddie moaned in weak defiance as Robin left the room. 

“It’s gunna be okay, Eds,” Steve said quietly as the man trembled against him. “I’m right here with you.” He’d sit here all night with Eddie in his arms if it meant the man would feel an incremental amount better. He’d do it night after night, if needed.

“Th-thank..” Eddie tried before closing his eyes and breathing slowly, keeping another bout of coughs at bay.

“Shh, it’s okay,” Steve continued as Eddie lost the fight and reached for another tissue. “Shh, I got ya.” He kept his voice soft in Eddie’s ear as the man coughed hard, he finally broke off sucking in deeper breaths. His eyes were barely open as he leaned heavily on Steve.

“O-okay,” Eddie struggled. “M-medicine’s ok-kay. W-want to sl-sleep.”

Steve ignored the way his chest tightened, noticing at the same time that Eddie’s hold on him had loosened. He nodded mutely and reached for the small bottle and cracked open  one of the water bottles he’d bought. 

“Okay, Eddie. Here, I’ll measure it out for you.” He was glad Eddie stayed still against him as he measured out the oddly bright liquid. “Ready?” He helped Eddie sit up a bit straighter and was glad when the man took the cup and drained it in a few swallows. 

Eddie pulled a face at the sour taste and Steve handed him the plastic water bottle to chase out the taste. 

“Th-thanks,” Eddie groaned, his voice husky. “Upstairs?” he asked slowly.

“You bet,” Steve replied softly. He moved slowly, untangling himself from Eddie to prepare to carry him upstairs.

Robin peeked her head in and Steve gave her a small smile and pointed upstairs. She nodded, already understanding, and disappeared into the kitchen again. 

Eddie lifted his arms to put them around Steve’s shoulders and wrapped himself around Steve. Steve felt Eddie’s warm body settle in his arms; the man wasn’t heavy and Steve’s hold didn’t waver as he carefully carried Eddie carefully. 

“Mm, my koala bear,” Steve mumbled into Eddie’s hair, adjusting Eddie so his head was more comfortably positioned against his shoulder. He felt Eddie wrap himself tighter against him, his bare feet bumping against Steve’s leg.  “Comfortable?”

Eddie’s hummed response vibrated against him as he carried the man upstairs. Halfway up the staircase, Eddie’s body started to sag as the medicine began to take effect. 

Eddie let out a few weak coughs as they entered their shared bedroom and Steve closed the door, laying Eddie on his side on the bed. Eddie’s eyes were already closed, and as Steve lifted the blankets over him, he curled into them tighter as sleep tugged at him. 

Steve wasted no time and pulled off his jeans and sweatshirt and cuddled into Eddie’s back. He placed his hand on Eddie’s waist, and felt the man shift closer to him. A minute later, Eddie stretched, sleep sticking to his limbs and he turned over, cuddling his face into Steve’s bare chest. 

Steve tucked a piece of Eddie’s hair behind his ear, stroking his cheek. “I’m right here,” he whispered as Eddie slept. “And I’m not going anywhere, okay?”

Eddie struggled to open his eyes. “St-st,” he mumbled, his face drunk with exhaustion. “St-Steve.” 

“Shh,” Steve comforted. “Don’t fight it, Eds. It’s okay.” He traced small circles into Eddie’s shoulder and back. 

Eddie’s eyes slipped shut easily and he sighed contentedly again, tossing an arm over Steve’s torso as sleep overtook him.

Steve cuddled Eddie close as the man’s face went lax with sleep, the man’s arm heavier against him. And as Eddie fell into a deep sleep, his body finally getting the rest it needed, Steve held him close to watch over him as he slept.  

“I’m right here,” he whispered. “Not goin’ anywhere.”

And as Eddie slept, Steve’s hand never left Eddie’s back, a soft promise to him that he was right there, right there, right there.

And when the dreams came and plagued Eddie, making him twitch and gasp in his sleep, Steve held him close, whispering encouraging words of how everything was going to be okay. 

[medusapelagia]

Steddie Week Day 7: The Future

May 28: Free space / Free space / Freedom by Wham! 

Rating: Teen and Up Relationship: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson WT: light angst, angst with happy ending, alcohol WC: 1772

The apartment they are living in is nice.

Nothing fancy, just two bedrooms over a Chinese restaurant but the kitchen is big enough to host the kids during their D&D campaign.

Steve’s room it’s the tidy one. The one where they never sleep. Eddie needs his mess to sleep at night and Steve doesn’t complain so…

But tonight Eddie is fretting, pacing around Steve’s tidy room.

His love has gone to attend one of the stupid parties his mum always asks him to accompany her to.

He knows that she will show him around like a racehorse.

She will try to find a good girl for her perfect boy.

It’s not that Eddie is jealous, even if he must admit that deep inside he is, it’s the fact that every time Steve comes home after one of these stupid parties he is a mess.

He doesn’t want to disappoint his mother, he doesn’t want to cheat on Eddie, he doesn’t want to be a bad kid… and, in the end, he usually collapses crying in Eddie’s arm, saying that the next time his mom calls him he will not answer.

But he does. 

And so the story repeats itself.

It’s two o’clock in the morning when finally he hears the familiar sound of Steve’s car.

Eddie is watching a movie, he doesn’t even know what kind of movie he is watching, he just needs to pretend that he wasn't waiting for him.

He hears the keys fall to the ground followed by a strange laugh.

Oh god. He is drunk.

That’s bad.

He goes to the door and Steve almost falls in his arms.

“Did you have fun?” he asks, helping him to the sofa.

“Oh… so much fun! Do you know that all my parent’s friends have sons or daughters that attended an Ivy League University? Everyone… except me. And you know that they all have super important jobs? Everyone… except me. And you know that they all have kids? Everyone… except…”

Steve starts to cry.

He is very sensible on that matter.

Formally they are friends living together and legally they can’t adopt.

How could his mother put him through this? She should know how much that hurt Steve.

Or maybe she did it because she knows exactly how much that hurts Steve.

“Hey, sunshine, what do you say if we drink some water and go to bed? Mmh?”

Steve shakes his head.

“I’m a fucking failure, Eddie. I have done nothing right in my life. And you should leave me. I’m just a burden for you.”

God. 

He also has to deal with sad drunk Steve.

Eddie always hated Mrs. Harrington, but right now he hates her even more.

“You are not a fucking burden Steve. You are drunk and sad. Drink some water and come to bed, you’ll feel better tomorrow.”

He doesn’t know how he finally managed to make him drink the stupid water and go to bed, but he hugs Steve all night long, wiping away the tears that fall from his eye.

Fucking Mrs. Harrington.

How could she do something so vile?

Steve always wanted a family and she knew very well that she was going to break him talking about kids.

That was the first thing that she said to him when he told her that he and Eddie were dating. That he could date Eddie if he dated a nice girl as well “We need an heir to our fortune Stevie.”

That’s all that Steve has always been for them.

The heir to their fortune.

Not even a person.

Just a way to pass on their fortune.

And he was expected to do the same.

“Come on Steve. You already disappoint us in every possible way. Can’t you make me happy and give me a grandson?”

Grandson.

Not even a granddaughter.

A male heir to continue their stupid legacy.

When Steve opens his eyes they are still red from crying, and he is going to have a very bad day.

Eddie hopes that the headache that he is certainly going to have will not transform into a migraine.

“Hey, babe, it’s still soon. Don’t you want to sleep a little more?”

“Not tired…”

Eddie sighs.

He is tired. He is just so tired that he probably can't sleep anymore.

“Ok. What would you like to do? See a movie? Or I can read you something. Do you need an Advil?”

Steve shakes his head and Eddie sighs again, he is not going to ask for meds until it’s too late and they will not have an effect anymore.

That’s a present from Mr. Harrington, who taught him to be tough.

Sometimes Eddie thinks that he would have given everything to meet Steve when he was just a kid. He didn’t have a fairytale childhood but at least he had Wayne and not a couple of fucked up parents that treat him more like a fucking show dog than a kid.

“I was going to read a little bit. Do you mind if I read it out loud? It helps me get more in the story.”

Steve loves when he reads to him. He laughs at the different voices that he makes.

When the boy nods Eddie takes it as a win and starts to read the book he has on his nightstand.

He could have been reading the phone book for how much he cares, but he keeps reading until his boy falls asleep again. He looks at the clock. 

It’s six o’clock in the morning. In a couple of hours, Steve should be at Family Video. 

No fucking way.

He is going to call in sick for him and he doesn’t care if Keith is going to fire him. Steve needs at least a day to decompress.

****

When Steve wakes up the sun is high in the sky.

He looks at his alarm clock. It’s almost ten. He is late!

He gets up super quickly, screaming at Eddie “Why didn’t you wake me up?! I’m super late!”

“No, you are not.” The other boy answers with calm from their little kitchen. 

“I was supposed to be at Family Video at least half an hour ago!” Steve protests.

“Nope. You are sick. I already called Keith.”

“I’m not sick!”

“Yes, you are, baby. Now get in here and eat something. There is no point in arguing about that.”

In the kitchen, Eddie is waiting for him with a cup of tea and some plain toast.

“No coffee?”

“You are sick.”

“I’m not…”

Eddie smiles and gives him the cup of tea and Steve sips it, almost burning his tongue.

Steve is pretending that nothing happened last night, and that hurts Eddie even more. The fact that Steve doesn’t feel comfortable enough with Eddie to admit that last night was shit and he still feels unbalanced.

“Calm down. We have all the time in the world.”

“You have a job as well!”

“And I’m not going either.”

“Eddie, I don't understand what is going on…”

“Steve, my love, you had a horrible night and you need some time to get over it and I’m giving it to you.”

“But they could fire us.”

“So?”

“We need a job to pay for this apartment. Two jobs to be precise.”

“Listen to me, babe. Are you sure that your dream life was living in a small apartment over a Chinese restaurant while working at Family Video?”

“It’s not perfect but…”

“What would you like to do? If you could choose. What would you like to do?”

Steve looks at him puzzled “I don’t know…”

“Steve…”

“I’m too stupid anyway so...”

“Tell me.”

“I’d like to help people.”

“Cool.”

“Cool? Not stupid?”

“No. Cool. There are a lot of jobs that help people… there are social workers, doctors, nurses, policemen, fire fighters…”

“I was… I was thinking about becoming a physiotherapist. I mean… I learned a lot during your recovery, and I’m strong enough to pick up or move a person if needed and I have a good knowledge of injuries and the human body…”

“Great. You have everything already planned out. Why don’t you apply to some course…”

“No fucking university accepted me, Eddie. Do you really think that I’m going to take a fucking degree?!”

“I do. I think that you were too busy with interdimensional monsters to really put your mind on that shit. But now you can. We could move to Chicago. You could see Robin and find some courses. We could work in a stupid coffee shop and you will get your degree. What do you say?”

“What about Wayne? The Corroded Coffin? The kids? My family?”

“It’s Chicago Steve, not Australia. They could come to visit. And, to be honest, I think that Wayne and the kids will be more than happy if we move away after Jason’s show.”

“Why are you doing this Eddie?”

“Because I love you and I want you to be happy.”

“And this has nothing to do with last night, right?”

Well…

“I can stand it anymore, Steve. I can’t keep waiting for you worrying about how broken you will come back. I always wanted to move far away from this fucking town, but I stayed for you. Now Robin is in Chicago, the kids will be all over the Country in a couple of years and Jeff and Gar will leave at the end of the summer. And about your family… If I have to be honest, I really don’t want you to go back to them.”

“Eddie…”

“Listen to me Steve, give me a year. Just a year! If it doesn’t work out we will come back, for good, and I will not propose something so crazy again. But let's try it.”

“A year?” he asks unsure.

“A year. A year to prove to yourself that you are more than a disappointment or a burden. That you are a wonderful person and you could do something good with your life. Do it for you. And for me. A little bit for me because I can’t live in this bigot city anymore.”

Steve sips his tea for a moment, lost in his thoughts.

A year it’s not a long time after all. They are young. They could try. If he agrees.

When Steve gets up without saying anything Eddie looks at him worriedly.

“Steve?”

“Mmh?”

“What do you say?”

“I say that I have to call Robin. No more fucking apartments over restaurants.”

“So that’s a yes?”

Steve smiles at him “It’s a yes Eddie.”

[lovely--lover]

Hellfire Halloween

I forgot to post this yesterday oops! Just some headcanons of the different members enjoy!

Eddie 

🔥Writes a one-shot D&D campaign the Friday before Halloween. It’s filled with ghosts, monsters, and maybe even a vampire….and yes costumes are required

🔥Eddie dresses up like Ozzy Osbourne and gets annoyed when no one gets it. “Why are you carrying around a bat?” “Are you seriously asking me that Henderson!? I thought I taught you better!”

🔥Forces Dustin to go trick or treating so he can have some of the candy “Eddie I’m in high school now I-” “Shut up Henderson and just go”

🔥Wayne makes him sit on the porch and pass out candy to the trailer park kids. He secretly loves it and compliments all the costumes. When a young girl dresses as a princess walks up Eddie bows dramatically “For you my lady” dropping a handful of candy into the giggling girls' basket.

🔥When some of the basketball players stop by his doorstep for Halloween drugs Eddie tells them to “Get lost there are kids around” while throwing candy at them.

🔥When the kids start coming by Eddie goes inside and joins Wayne on the couch watching some scary movie on the TV. Eddie holds out the almost empty bowl of candy to Wayne “Nah you're a good boy 🔥you have the rest”

Eddie falls asleep on the couch with a bowl full of candy wrappers and Wayne just laughs draping a spare blanket over him. “Scariest night of the year and you look like a big baby”

Favorite Candy: Hershey’s 

Favorite Scary Movie: Young Frankenstein

Gareth

🔥Gareth loves Halloween! The colder weather gives him an excuse to layer up! Scary movies on the tv all the time. And his mom is constantly baking!

🔥Everyone makes fun of his costume! He complains because his mom wouldn't let him get a scary one. “What if it traumatizes your sister Gare?!”

🔥He ends up being a knight because his sister picked out a pretty princess costume and begged her big brother to match. Gareth pretends to be annoyed but secretly would do anything for his sister.

🔥He carries her on his back when her legs get tired and holds her basket full of candy as they make the way back home. 

🔥When they get home Gareth dumps out the candy to “go through” for his share! But it's secretly an excuse to check her candy and make sure she wasn't given anything sketchy. There are some freaks in Hawkins!!

🔥Stays up all night watching cartoon Halloween movies with his sister on the couch sharing candy until she falls asleep and Gareth follows. When his mom comes down to check on her kids she gasps and takes a picture of the rare moment. It's printed and hung on the fridge by the next week!

Favorite Candy: Sour Gummy Worms

Favorite Scary Movie: Halloween

Dustin

🔥His mom makes goodie bags for Hellfire Club. They are little pumpkin bags filled with candy for “All the growing boys!” 

🔥Dustin loves Halloween but starts to feel conflicted now that he is in high school if he should go trick r treating and dress up.

🔥Calls Suzie late on Halloween night to tell her about all the different candies he got. They stay on the phone watching a Halloween movie ‘together’. Not too scary though because Suzie doesn't like scary movies.

🔥Ask his mom to make him a Frodo costume! Eddie is so proud of his boy wearing the costume he makes someone take a picture.

🔥He picks out all the really good candy and full-size bars and lets his mom go through the candy before he lets Eddie get his share

Favorite Candy: 3 Musketeers

Favorite Scary Movie: Psycho

Mike

🔥Doesn't dress up because he ‘forgot’ mainly because he was lazy and didn't want to. When the other members ask him what his costume is (his everyday look) he just says “Oh I’m a……loser!”

🔥Thinks he’s too cool for Halloween now. Doesn't go trick or treating with Holly or Dustin he just sits at home and watches tv….not even scary movies!!

Favorite Candy: Twizzlers

Favorite Scary Movie: Alien

Lucas

🔥Dresses up as a famous basketball player and all the members get annoyed because they thought he didn't dress up “Sinclair! I said costumes were required!”

🔥His mom forces him to go trick-or-treating with Erica. He stands back and complains the entire time. Mainly because when he gets too close Erica and all her friends start making fun of him

Favorite Candy: Skittles

Favorite Scary Movie: Halloween (its Max’s favorite)

Erica

🔥Loves Halloween! Candy? And all she has to do is knock on some doors…..she’s in! 

🔥Erica is the reason they didn't do the Halloween campaign on Halloween night. Erica has to go trick or treating and stay the night at Tina's. They need Lady Applejack to save the day!

🔥Definitely, the one to suggest a candy trade-off when they get to Tina “I’ll give you these M&M's for 3 suckers…..What do you mean of course it’s a good deal!”

🔥Dresses up as a My Little Pony character while making fun of Lucas’s costume

Favorite Candy: Lollipops especially cotton candy and cherry-flavored ones

Favorite Scary Movies: Erica doesn't do scary moves

Jeff

🔥Does not like scary movies or anything scary at all! You thought Eddie got scared easily? Nope, Jeff is the biggest scardey cat of the Hellfire members. Poor guy just wants it to b Thanksgiving so he can cook

🔥He dresses up as a cat or something basic for Halloween. None of the members question it (they have Gareth to make fun of)

🔥Definitely complains about having a tummy ache when he eats too much candy

Favorite Candy: Paydays

Favorite Scary Movie: Does It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown count?

Freak 1

🔥I feel like he would dress up as a pro wrestler or try to dress up as Eddie as a joke and makes Eddie mad

🔥Stays inside and watches scary movies all night on Halloween he just leaves a bowl of candy on the porch

🔥 He invites Jeff over to watch movies and laughs every time Jeff gets scared which is basically the entire time.

Favorite Candy: Snickers

Favorite Scary movie: Jaws

Masterlist

It's been a while so I hope I still got it 😊

[goldenlaurelleaveswrites]

I've Got These Friends...

2. Hug

I've Got These Friends (AO3)

Aimée - aged 18 Luka - aged 18

_____________________________________________________

"And remind me why Bri and Mari aren’t helping us with this, again?” Aimée asked as she squinted at the miniature she was holding, before delicately dabbing a bit of silver paint onto the dagger it was wielding. Once satisfied, she looked up to glance at Luka. 

He was staring intently at the dragon miniature he was holding as he delicately brushed bronze paint onto the spikes on its back, seemingly blissfully unaware of the streak of paint on his cheek. “Bri has a shift-‘

“Which I know, but we could have waited until she was done-”

“And you know she would have spent the rest of the week messing with Dingo and Darrel, and about how they’re going to get their butts kicked during the next session,” he said, not once looking up from the dragon he was staring at so intently. It was a little worrying, how intently he was staring; it couldn’t be good for his eyes. “And Marinette…” 

It was like a switch had flipped the second he said Marinette’s name. 

He finally looked up from the dragon as his entire face softened, and a small, dopey grin slowly curled itself across his face. The one Juleka was always calling ‘disgusting.’ She had thought he had had it bad before he and Marinette had even gotten together—how it had taken them this long to actually get together was still a mystery to her because, well, it was them—but he was somehow even more lovesick now that they were together. Normally, she would blame it on the honeymoon phase, but they had been together for months at this point. It didn’t really feel like the ‘honeymoon phase’ label still applied… 

“I don’t want to spoil the campaign for her,” he said as het gently set the dragon down on its stand, and sat back a little to look at it before turning his attention to her. “She’s been having so much fun since she joined- you’ve seen her costume.” 

“I’ve more than seen it,” she laughed. Marinette had begged her to take some pictures of her in it. 

“And you should have seen the way she figured out the puzzle I set up for our last session! See, there were all of these chests, some of them were filled with treasure but the rest were traps that would detonate different spells…”

She set the miniature she had been working on back and its own stand, and sat back as Luka regaled her with stories from the last D&D session, and how brilliant Marinette was, both in D&D and in general. 

His eyes were lit up with a light that was usually reserved for when he was playing music. His music, not the music he was asked or told to play. The funny thing about Luka was that he was a quiet kind of guy; he tended to let his music speak for him. He wasn’t what she would call shy, but he was… reserved. People were always so shocked when she—or anyone else for that matter—mentioned in passing what an enormous dork he was. It took him a while to fully open up to people. 

But around Marinette… heck, even just talking about Marinette was enough to bring him out of his shell. 

And according to Juleka, it had been that way between Luka and Marinette right from the start. 

She liked seeing Luka like this. It wasn’t really that he was different. He had always been a dork. He was just more forthcoming with it now. More open. Lighter. 

Happier. 

He deserved it. He was always looking after everyone else. Keeping Dingo from being… well, no one could keep Dingo from being Dingo… But Dingo was still alive and in one piece, so that had to count for something. And he had kept Bri sane all these years and always had her back. He was always there to comfort and encourage Nadine when she was being too hard on herself. She couldn’t count the number of times he had been a shoulder to cry on when she had gotten her heart broken. And he was always there, ready to pull them out whenever any of them got themselves stuck in a creative slump. 

To say nothing of the way he was his family’s anchor, keeping them steady. 

He deserved someone who made him light up like a kid on Christmas morning. Who supported him in his music and dorkiness. Who sewed him custom guitar straps and brought him his favourite pastries to split at lunch and be disgustingly cute with. Who was sewing him custom dungeon master robes for his birthday— not that he knew it. 

“…and because you know how Darrel and Dingo get when there’s gold around-” She reached over, cutting his words off as she pulled him into a hug. “Aimée…? Is everything… ok?” 

“Yeah. I’m just happy to see you so happy.” 

Luka was silent. But only for a second. And then she heard the chuckle in his exhale as he returned the hug. 

“Thanks, Aimée.” 

“You’re such a dork,” she murmured. “And you have paint on your cheek.” 

[faorism]

niche crossover of the day that im too lazy rn to clean up and post to ao3 but may in the future: alec hardison (leverage) plays bg3

hardison balances playtime with hacker hours well, which means he moves through hyperfixations but has learned through working with the crew how to prioritize when there's a friend's life on the line. (there will be no more repeats of his crew sitting on a bomb without him right next to them.) sometimes though his partners lose him for a week after a new release, but now that they live together at least parker can drag him to bed for cuddles (and to sleep) and eliot will kept him fed.

it should go without saying that hardison loves baulder's gate 3. he heard such good things about it during early access from his dnd buddies, but hardison refuses to play EA because he will end up encountering bugs and basically writing the code that the devs will end up doing anyway, so why waste his time.

he plays without any prior knowledge, doesn't even know the characters really except from glimpses at their promo pics. but he's excited. he downloads the game, kisses his partners """goodbye""" for the foreseeable future (as long as a job doesnt spring up, but even then it would be a quick one because eliot sprained his ankle and needed to rest it no matter how much he complained he was good).

he decides to play his chaotic good halfling wizard mendula from two campaigns back - fresh enough in his mind to remember the character, but not too recent so that he wont feel conflicted if the tav storyline doesnt allow for precise oc characterizations. hardison gets super into it, but he doesnt linger on side quests, not yet: he wants to get a feel of the game without mods and follow its arc. hardison doesnt usually romance on a first playthrough, but wyll!!!!! wyll was right there being perfect and beautiful and righteous and black and bi and yeah, hardison had to fan himself off during the dance sequence

his party is wizard tav, shadowheart, wyll, and lae'zel, and barely switches them out. when astarion drains him dry and kills him, hardison is so annoyed he kills astarion. he feels very proud of himself when he sniped wyll's devil karlach without much fuss. then he skips a lot of the companion sidequests because he just wants to rush to the end. he gets married to wyll, then starts right over and plays wyll origin, now able to take his time and understanding the mechanics of the game. he also downloads QOL mods that have already come out for EA, and he has notes about ones he will make if no one else does when he's ready for playthrough #3. he purposefully avoids any major ones (so no Polyam Mod for him, though he does eye it, but he wants to see how multiple romances play himself).

he plays will as accurately as possible, which means engaging heavily with the very companions hardison spent ignoring because wyll? wyll cares (and fuck, hardison loves him for that because yes yes, that's him too!). and......

ah. okay so. maybe hardison shouldn't have ignored the companions so much since they do add a lot to the game! and..... maybe, just maybe, hardison was too hasty killing astarion and karlach the first go around. maybe a lot. he thought they would be companions for evil tavs/origins only! he played kotor and [insert game references here, i dont play games like this usually...], so he thought he knew what was up.

anyway, he is drawn so much to these two out of the novelty of them that he puts them into his party (the fourth spot he switches around, thought once hardison gets him, halsin is a fun mainstay because BEAR. hardison gets up romancing both astarion and karlach (and a little halsin, HALSIN IS SO EASY TO FLIRT WITH, larian WANTS you to fuck him)

and....... okay. okay. maybe romancing them both at the same time was a mistake because. because he loves them both. so much. for very different reasons. hardison feels so deeply and then he's forced to make a decision, and hardison crumples a bit. considers downloading the polyam mod but opts out of it to suffer vanilla game logic to its very end.

when he breaks up with astarion, who plays it so damn cool, hardison had to walk away from the computer to mourn by burying himself in his nearest partner's arms (eliot, this time).

he finishes the game, makes wyll go to avernus with karlach (as he made them do during this tav playthrough) and... thinks about astarion.

hardison had carried over the breakup scene save this whole time, and he decides fuck it, and goes back and tries it the other way this time.

he didnt know karlach will just... die on the pier. wtf. wtf. or wyll will go and there wont be any interaction with astarion?? hardison is Distraught. he downloads the polyam mod and while it doesnt force the issue, he can just feel at the edges that nope, this isnt authentic

finds partner's arms again. parker this time. she asks whats wrong with his make believe people, and he pauses for so long that parker thinks he fell asleep or didnt hear her, and then he quietly says that wyll has a heart big enough for two, a romance can be fairytale when made for three, dont they know there's nothing more beautiful than being held between by both the people you love?

parker kisses his temple as tears legit well in his eyes (and he feels embarrassed) and she yells for eliot for emergency group hugs.

eliot, with hardison squished between his two partners, usually doesnt get involved with hardison's gaming but this time he's just like, okay what is it about these characters that's getting to you like this? and why them together? who are they?

and hardison had already talked about wyll a little because disney prince. so he reiterates some of that with a major case of projection. and then when he turns to talk about the companions, hardison stops. and just.

oh.

a black man who was forced to make impossible desperate choices when he was still a teen, which got him into trouble as a consequence, and then being alone and wandering for years until he ran into a pack of different people come together for a common purpose. trying to be good, the best he could be, and hiding behind a flashy name to hide some of the more raw parts underneath. ravenguard and nana have strikingly similar cheekbones.

then theres a rogue with a deeply traumatic past who can be selfish and kinda insensitive and likes shiny things. a pale thief who likes a little bit of chaos even when running good alignment, and who can't help sticky fingers reaching for unsuspecting belts and also... well, also is a top, through and through. a top who likes to bite. vicious when upset. also... also touch adverse and who at first laughs at sincerity and then basks in it but only once your commitment is fully and well established. the only bit of code hardison wrote as he played his wyll origin was to remove astarion saying dont touch me when you switch to him; hardison flinched every time, hearing the cadence of parker's voice scratching at him when she's triggered.

then, a barbarian who handed from one handler (who ended up being a totalitarian dick) down the road until being owned by the literal devil. body put through hell, scars littering a body that spells strength at a distance. once escaped from the nightmare, only wanted their own perseverance. their own life. wanting so desperately for a touch, to be loved, to be held in a way that didn't spell murder. "heartless" after years of working for, again, literal devils, but so full of life and kindness and (also eliot is more coy about it) a deep sense of joy for the world. kind to children. protective of children. wary of deals too good to be true. willing to die than return to a life they once lived. death feels imminent, despite the protestations of everyone around them. really good bedroom eyes.

so.

yeah.

maybe... maybe

hardison couldnt get the words out to say all of that. all he says is, they're a lot like us. (like with astarion, if hardison spelled out the exact overlaps of the characters.)

the games dumb then, parker says. or at least broken. if the game isnt right, just go fix it?

and hardison has protests about the limits of what is possible within someone else's game and...

parker is like, you made a guy hold up a bank in like, 10 min? on a laptop with spotty internet and without a mouse or any preparation?

and this takes some time between other projects he really has to get to, but.... he does it. codes like a motherfucker and bribes eliot & parker into mocap and also genuinely pays the VAs to voice lines for him. shit hardison does for the love of his ot3:

script out unique banter for karlach and astarion in your party that hints of their attraction to one another

code in an extra option when astarion or karlach confront you for to prompt them to consider their own feelings for the other (different from the current but i want to be with you both! line)

a short nighttime cutscene that with dialogue that implies the three have just finished talking and have agreed to be together. they are all holding hands

include astarion and karlach in each other's act iii scenes (they arent the most chatty, admittedly, but they are there and integrated)

outside of camp, if you three are standing near each other, you can cast a spell that cuts to astarion and karlach kissing either of wyll's checks (this is admittedly somewhat buggy but!

edits out astarion cowering on the pier from the sun, just rushes the three to avernus which hardison doesnt have to edit; just uses astarion origin version for wyll.

nexusmods community begs desperately for him to do this for some other ot3s and he is willing to hear them out for shadowheart/lae'zel/tav, he absolutely refuses to break up karwyllstarion and only offers wyll pov. will not even allow for edits being made for a tav/karlach/astarion mod. he deeply pisses off some people, but overall this mod is downloaded a fuckton as the only truly viable polyam romance option in the game. people start writing fanfic specifically for this one mod and eventually it is just integrated into canon lore that karwyllstarion exists as an option

[scarletttries]

You Are In Love (Eddie Munson x Reader series)

Part Eight: You Let Go, Of Your Fears and Your Ghosts

Pairing: Eddie Munson (Stranger Things) x F! Reader

Tags: Bit of bullying mentioned, one mention of food, otherwise all fluff :)

Word Count: 2.7k

Author's Note: This is the eighth part of an Eddie Munson series inspired by Taylor Swift's "You Are In Love". Links for other parts on my Eddie Munson Masterlist :) As always please feel free to send me thoughts and headcanons for Eddie Munson 💕

And for once, you let go, Of your fears and your ghosts. One step, not much, But it said enough

"Natural Twenty!" Erica shouted excitedly, the rest of the table jumping to their feet in uproar. Eddie stared pensively over the laminated board separating him from the rest of his players, waiting for apprehensive silence to descend over the group again.

"Lady Applejack. How do you want to do this?" He smiled proudly, Erica's face lighting up as she described her character dealing the final blow to the big bad boss of Eddie's latest imaginative campaign.

"And with that, Lady Applejack has once again saved the party for immeasurable peril. Until next week brave heroes." Eddie said gradiously, rising to his feet and performing a dramatic bow as Mike remarked, returning Erica's victorious dice to her outstretched hand

"I feel like ever since you joined this group you always seem to get the final hit in."

"That's girl power Wheeler, get used to it." She replied confidently, turning to face a now laughing Eddie, the only person allowed to use his town-given label affectionately "Speaking of, Freak, when you are getting your girlfriend to join in? It'd be nice to have a little more representation of my fine gender."

He heard Gareth scoff beside him, still in disbelief at yours and Eddie's relationship despite all evidence to the contrary, convinced Eddie had just been playing an elaborate game with him since that first night at the Hideout.

"That's a nice thought Sinclair, but I don't think Dungeons and Dragons is really her thing." Eddie dismissed, feeling a bit embarrassed by the suggestion for a reason he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"Let me guess," Erica continued, one hand on her hip like Eddie was about to be dealt more damage than his precious game's monsters, "You've never even asked (y/n)?" Eddie faltered, defensive and unsure why he was suddenly the one being interrogated. "You know what Munson, i'll make you a bet."

"Erica, you've got to stop making bets on people's lives." Lucas sighed from across the room, only to get immediately shushed.

"I'll bet you ten american dollars that if you ask (y/n) if she wants to join the party, she'll say yes." Silence fell amongst the group, wondering if the quest cast Eddie's way would be a gauntlet he chose to accept.

"You're on Sinclair, let me know if you need something to break your piggy bank with ." He mocked, spitting out his answer before he could think about it enough to back out. But as Erica mimed shaking his hand across the table and the group started to pack up their things, a certain chill seemed to settle under his skin at the thought of broaching the topic with you.

---

"Eddie? Eddie. Eddie!" You repeated, starting to wave your hand an inch from his nose until finally he snapped out of his trance.

"Sorry, we're on question two right? I was just thinking about it." He quickly tried to recover, watching an unconvinced expression form across your face as you set the pen in your hand down amongst the books and papers scattered across your bedroom floor.

"We were on question two forty minutes ago. And you've been somewhere else all day." You leant forward across the floor, crawling closer to Eddie so you could kneel right in front of him, knees lightly meeting on his. "What are you actually thinking about Eddie?" You asked softly, trying to mask the concern in your voice as you placed your hands in his lap.

The truth was, from the moment Erica had mentioned you at D&D, Eddie had felt a mess. It should be a seemingly innocuous step in your relationship, your answer either way not bearing any weight on how you felt about Eddie. But Eddie knew it meant a lot more than that to him. There was a reason he hadn't wanted to bring up that important piece of his life with you; and the reason was fear.

Even though it was just a game, as soon as Eddie started running a dungeons and dragons club in second year of high school, people had turned it into so much more than that. It felt like every year his reputation grew yet again, the cruel names, the snide comments, the satanic rumours about him spreading until he felt like he couldn't even look Wayne in the eye for fear of what he'd heard about him, and even worse, what he believed. It felt like D&D was so intrinsically tied up in Eddie's bad reputation, in the things about him that made it impossible for him to fit in with everyone in Hawkins, that broaching the subject with you could only end in more ridicule, more scorn.

All day Eddie'd been haunted by the ghost of his life before you were in it. The constant taunting at school, the fear of what the rumour mill would churn out next, feeling like maybe he'd just never be enough for someone to want in the way he wanted them. And now, as you perched barely an inch away from him, empathy emanating from your eyes as you watched the gears turning his head, his sullen expression setting your own mind racing, Eddie felt like he was about to open a gate in Hawkins you'd finally choose to exit through, leaving him behind and alone again.

"It's nothing, I was just wondering," he readied himself, taking a deep breath to try and steady the imminent cracking in his voice, knowing if he let fear win out in this moment it's one he'd always regret. And he knew, deep under all that worry, that if there was anyone he could stop feeling scared around, it was you,

"Would you ever want to play D&D with me and Hellfire club?" He let the question hang in the air, watching a confused frown form across your brow and bracing himself for the haunting rejection that was about to come.

You could feel your face portray how lost you were by his request, unsure how something that made him so happy would make him so uncomfortable to talk about. Was he worried you'd ruin it for him and the group, because you didn't know all the rules? Did he feel like he just had to invite you as his girlfriend? As the second of silence passed you watched the depth behind his intensely dark eyes drift from discomfort to genuine sadness, finally understanding what this exchange meant to him. He wasn't worried you'd say yes, he was terrified you'd say no, and call him a freak like the others. He was scared to let you into a part of his life that so many mocked, worried even asking would change how you felt about him.

And so you let the widest smile you could muster break out across your cheeks, letting out a happy chuckle as you asked excitedly,

"Can I really? Are you sure that would be okay!" You practically bounced as you drew yourself up on your knees, watching Eddie's apprehensive expression, still waiting for you to deliver a punchline at his expense.

"Yeah, of course, if you want to." He stumbled through the confirmation, watching with suspicion as you shifted position again, a relieved smile starting to cross his worried face as you settled onto his lap, wrapping your arms around his neck and pulling your chest tightly against his.

"Thank you Eddie! I'd love to." You held your position until you felt Eddie's arm finally react and begin to envelop you, vice-like in their encompassing hold, but leaving you just enough room to pull back to bring your face back in his view. He scanned it eagerly, looking for any signs of deceit or sarcasm, judgement or disgust, but just found the warm joy he'd still not grown accustomed to having so close.

"Really?" He found himself breathing out without thought, unconvinced of your answer to his request, but even more astounded by your existence in his life, the seemingly missing piece from his years of anguish.

"Really!" You replied, like it was the most obvious thing in the world, lips finding his in your excitement and feeling the undeniable response of a smile. "Can you give up on homework and start teaching me the game?" You asked happily, wondering quite what you had just signed yourself up for, but looking forward to seeing Eddie in his element nonetheless. Eddie stared back at you for a moment, heart bursting at the prospect of getting to talk you through something that meant so much to him, like another little piece of his being was revealed and you were accepting it with the same unending affection you had the rest of him. He let one hand loosen its hold on your waist, the other coiling round tightly to fill the void, while he brought his palm to the side of your face, bringing it back towards him again.

"Not yet." He said happily, excitable kiss landing on your lips as he pulled you tightly against him, intending to keep you firmly in his lap for the rest of the afternoon if he could help it. He could let go of his fear and his ghosts, as long as he didn't have to let go of you.

---

That week Eddie found himself setting up for Hellfire even earlier than usual, nervous for your first experience of the game, but excited that it meant he'd have you perched beside him all night. You agreed to just watch the session that afternoon, still trying to get your head around the basic mechanics of the game and wanting to see how it all worked in practice before jumping in yourself. The party were set to arrive at 5:30, and by 5pm Eddie had laid out all his props, carefully hiding key figurines behind his dungeon master's screen and watching you carefully rotate each one in your hands as you examined it closely from your chair beside his throne. It had taken a bit of convincing that you did in fact need your own chair for the evening, Eddie campaigning whole-heartedly for you to just spend the session observing from his lap, cocky smile creeping across his lips as he threw glances to the clock above the door periodically,

"If you insist on sitting over there for the game, you could at least do me the honour of joining me on my throne before everyone else gets here." He uncrossed his legs and patted the top of his thighs, feeling more in his element settled in his master's chair than he thought he would around you. Eddie wore confidence well, his eyes glowing darker as you obliged his request, lifting slowly from your seat to straddle his lap, fingers weaving through his hair as his hands found your hips,

"You can have me for ten minutes, then back to my chair, I don't want to scar any of your freshman," You flirted, Eddie nodded slightly in agreement before his lips landed on yours, wasting no time and knowing it wasn't a freshman he was hoping to scar. His chest pressed into yours as his thumbs rubbed warm circles in the soft skin of your thighs, taking your content hum as an opportunity to pass his tongue through your lips. Caught up in the intoxicating taste of Eddie you always missed the smile flashing against your lips as you heard the room's double doors creak open behind you.

"Eddie, why'd you...AH!" A confused voice called behind you, before falling into awkward silence as you climbed off Eddie lap, noticing his reluctance to loosen his grip on you.

"Gareth, you're early." Eddie feigned surprise, knowing full well he had given him the wrong time, basking in the baffled look on his face at your position by Eddie's side. "I don't think you two have properly met you, Gareth this is my girlfriend (y/n)." The word girlfriend was loaded with emphasis, the set up quickly becoming clear to you, even if the motive remained a mystery,

"Nice to meet you Gareth." You offered with a small wave, trying to remember anything beyond climbing on Eddie's lap. "I hope you don't mind, Eddie said I could sit in on Hellfire today so I can see how this all works for when I wanna play."

"Eddie said you could sit in? You want to play Dungeons and Dragons?" Scepticism still clear in his voice as Eddie draped his arm over you, less than subtlely planting a kiss to your template as you returned to your separate seats.

"Yeah one day! Why don't you tell me about your character?" You asked as Gareth began pulling sheets of paper out of a notebook, still unsure if this was an elaborate set up from Eddie, rather than admitting to a lie. As he began to tell you the details, you were sure out of the corner of your eye you could see Eddie stick out his tongue at Gareth from beside you, beaming with confidence in your company. Even if you didn't end up enjoying the game tonight, you could tell you were going to really enjoy the confident, funny, and somehow sexier than usual dungeon master Eddie.

Eddie watched the scene playout with glee, ecstatic that his friend was going to have to stop being surprised at every mention of your name now. However as sweet as the vindicating feeling was, he could only consider it his second favourite Hellfire interaction of the week.

---

Two Days Earlier:

It was no wonder Erica walked through the halls of her middle school like she owned the place, crowd of friends swarming her side, drawn to her confidence and unwavering loyalty to herself and those she deemed worthy of her friendship. That Tuesday was no different, pausing while one of her assorted besties exchanged books from their locker, Erica monologuing fluently about 'it being absolute bullshit if she doesn't get made captain of the debate team this year.'

"Erica, sorry to interrupt but I think that guy is looking at you?" One of her friends stopped her, pointing to the figure coming down the corridor and beginning a wave of giggles from the squad around her.

"What the freak?" Erica sighed out in disbelief as she recognised the figure of Eddie Munson towering over the kids in her middle school, walking confidently through the halls, clutching a cupcake in one hand as he scanned the shapes below him. As broadly as his reputation seemed to have spread around Hawkins, it didn't seem like any of the middle school girls knew Eddie as a freak, any older boy approaching Erica enough to send a few excitedly scurrying off to begin stirring up the rumour mill.

"Sinclair!" Eddie called out as he finally laid eyes on his target, ignoring the look of borderline outrage she gave him as he stomped over, oblivious to the stares of the kids around him.

"What are you doing here Munson? Even you can't be repeating this many years." Erica delivered the line suspiciously, the kind of comment that would have stung from anyone else, but from Erica only drew a wry laugh from Eddie.

"Not quite Lady Applejack, I come with an offering." He fumbled in his pocket for a second before pulling out a ten dollar note, extending it to the frowning middle schooler before her patience with him expired completely. "You won the bet, so this is for you. And this is for you as well." He continued, revealing the cupcake resting on his outstretched palm, "Just as a thank you." His performative tone dipped into sincerity as the sentence came to an end, Erica letting herself exchange a real smile with Eddie, happy for her friend and her just desserts.

"You're welcome. And you should never doubt me again." She said, nodding seriously as she took a bit of the well-earned treat. She tilted her head as she chewed, eyes widening at Eddie, "Was there something else?" Eddie laughed, genuinely a bit intimidated by the girl that barely reached hip height on him, and bowed as he stepped away.

"That's it, enjoy the spoils of your victory!" And with that he bounded back down the corridor, conscious to get through the exit before any of his old teachers saw him and realised he still had homework due.

"Who was that!" A chorus of girls whispered as they formed around Erica again, her surprise visitor sure to be the talk of all her afternoon classes.

"Just a senior who needed my advice with something." Erica remarked nonchalantly, taking another bite of her cupcake before setting back off to class. Owning middle school was easy.

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