#anyways STEDDIE STEDDIE STEDDIE STEDDIE <- my entire brain now

[limejellysims]

alive, have just lost my tiny little mind entirely to stranger things brainrot and more or less live on twitter now c:

i hope everyone's been doing ok xoxo

[unfinishedslurs]

gay bar (steddie)

“Well, well, well,” says a voice from behind. “Steeeeeeve Harrington. I must be dreaming.”

Steve turns around to see a guy, dressed in black and chains. Rings decorating his fingers, studs in his ears, curly hair pulled back in a ponytail. He’s hot, yeah, but something about him has Steve squinting, trying to figure out why he looks so familiar. 

“I know you from somewhere,” he says, pointing out the obvious. The guy knows his name.

The not-a-stranger snorts. “Of course you don’t remember me. Why would the likes of King Steve stoop to—“

As soon as the nickname leaves his mouth, Steve’s brain lights up. “Munson!” He exclaims, snapping his fingers. “You used to climb on the lunch tables to give speeches.”

It was so obnoxious, too. The kind of thing that had him and Robin reminiscing late at night, celebrating some of the weirder shit about Hawkins that didn’t come from monsters, or Russians, or government conspiracy. Remember that one asshole? Yeah, he stepped on my lunch one time!

Condolences to Robin’s pb&j. She never sat at that table again.

Munson’s whole face turns pink. “Seriously? That’s what you remember?”

“It was pretty fucking memorable, dude. Like, gross, doesn’t this guy know not to put his feet where people eat? Dustin thought you were so cool for it too. I had to nip that in the bud before he started imitating you or some shit.”

“Oh,” he says, voice gone flat. “Because God forbid some poor kid try to immolate the freak.”

Steve gives him his bitchiest, most deadpan stare. “Feet,” he says slowly. “Nasty, fifteen year old boy feet. On my kitchen table. He almost slipped and cracked his skull, and I would have sent you the hospital bill.”

He had to get creative to make him stop, too. Stood there, hands on his hips, and made Dustin tell him exactly how many germs he thought were on his shoes. Then when he tried to do it barefoot, decided the only course of action was to stuff Dustin’s abandoned sock in his mouth and ask if he wanted that shit with every meal. Erica still has the photos. 

Munson has the decency to look embarrassed, face flooding an even brighter red that wouldn’t be out of place in a tomato patch. “What are you even doing here, Harrington?”

What does he think Steve’s doing here? It’s a fucking gay bar, it’s pretty self explanatory. “My friend is here somewhere,” he says, waving out at the crowd of people. “She’s going through a dry spell, so…”

“Right,” Munson says. Steve squints at him. Does he look disappointed?

Eh. Doesn’t matter. 

“You gave my kids the best freshman year of their nerdy little lives,” he tells him, because he knows Dustin would want him to. Plus, the guy was Mike’s gay awakening. He should probably get some credit. “So thanks for that.”

He lights up. “Yeah! How was Hellfire in my absence?”

“I had to hear them bitch and moan for months about how it ‘wasn’t the same,’ but it’s doing pretty all right. Erica Sinclair is running it now.”

“Erica Sinclair…” Munson mutters, snapping his fingers. “Lucas Sinclair’s little sister? Lady Applejack?” He beams when Steve nods. “She kicked ass. Best finish to a campaign my entire high school career. How’s Lucas, anyway? And the rest of the runts.”

“He’s doing great,” Steve says. “College basketball at Yale. Pretty sure he’s dying under the workload, but that’s what you get for majoring in physics. Dustin’s at MIT, and Mike’s taking a gap year.”

He whistles lowly. “Yeesh, I don’t blame him. How about Byers?”

“Which one?”

“Zombie boy.” Steve’s hackles raise, but Munson just grins. “God, that nickname was badass.”

“How do you even know about that?”

Munson taps the side of his nose. “A magician never reveals his secrets. Besides, all it took for you to remember me was calling you by your high school nickname.”

“That wasn’t my nickname.” Steve rolls his eyes. “Literally three people ever actually called me that, and you were one of them.”

He has a feeling it was Tommy who started it, bitter and vicious. Told himself Steve was self possessed, high and mighty, above it all. That’s why he left his old friends behind. Not because he was in love, or because he wanted to be better. No, King Steve just sits alone in his castle, looking down on the peasants with contempt. 

Billy must have taken his angry ramblings and run with them. After all, what better way to get a start in a new town than declaring yourself royalty? Never mind that Steve hadn’t cared about anything like that for almost a year by then. 

Munson had just been a drama-loving asshole. 

“That can’t be right.”

“I stopped being popular in junior year. Why the hell would anyone call a sophomore King?” Steve points out. 

“You were Prom King.”

“Again, in junior year. Pickings were slim. Who else would it have been? Tommy?” He has to laugh. 

Luckily, Munson takes the hint and swerves the conversation into new territory. “You know, I always figured you’d be homophobic.”

Steve snorts. “What, and get kicked out for nothing?”

Munson stares at him, and Steve furrows his brow, looking into his glass like it will have the answer to why the hell he said that to this guy he barely knows. He just decided he wasn’t going to spill all his daddy issues to a near-stranger in a dingy bar, dammit. Is he already on his fifth drink?

Actually, this might be his sixth. That tracks. 

“What?”

“My dad caught me kissing a boy,” he says. If he’s going to give Munson his life story, he might as well commit. “Can you believe that boy ruined my life in three different ways? Two of them didn’t even have anything to do with the gay thing.” 

Maybe four ways, if you accounted for the way he broke his goddamn heart, but everyone and their mother saw that coming a mile away. Even Steve. Especially Steve. 

No offense to Jonathan. None of those things were really his fault. Or actually life ruining, but it sure fucking felt like it at the time. 

He should give him a call soon, actually, see how he and Argyle are doing. He misses the guy. Maybe he and Robin should save up for a visit to Cali. Get Nancy on it. They could see San Francisco while they were there, that’d be cool. Apparently it was the queer capital of the country. 

He’s thinking about asking the bartender for a napkin and a pen to write down the plans he’s forming when Munson speaks up again. Steve honestly forgot he was here. 

“I thought you said you were here for a friend.”

What?” Steve blinks, confused, and then catches on. “Yeah, to get her laid. I’m not in the mood right now.”

Munson cocks an eyebrow. “Wearing that? Could’ve fooled me.”

Steve looks down at his Springsteen T-Shirt that Robin cropped, and picks at the frayed hem of his shorts. Okay, yeah, they’re on the skimpy side, but in his defense it’s summer and even if he’s not cruising Steve likes being looked at. “Yeah, yeah. What about you? Here for anything in particular?”

“Just to talk to some pretty boys,” Munson says, leaning on the bar to flag down the bartender. Steve smirks, reaching out a hand to tug at the hanky in his back pocket. Pinned, damn. 

Munson whirls around, a flush starting to crawl onto his ears. 

“Wearing that?” Steve echos snarkily. “Could’ve fooled me.”

He swears that for a minute Munson’s eyes darken. 

He’s almost tempted to follow through, high school reputation be damned, when someone crashes into his side and nearly sends him careening. 

“Steeeeeve,” Robin yells happily into his ear. “This is Bernie, she’s gonna take me home, see you la—oh, hi!” She says, noticing Munson. “I know you from somewhere.”

“Eddie Munson,” Munson greets. “Steve and I went to high school together.”

“Munson! That’s it, you climbed on tables and had shit music. I’m Robin. Okay, I’ll call the apartment and leave a message when we get there. Bernie’s waiting on me, it’s-nice-to-meet-you-bye!” Just like that, she’s gone. 

Munson’s mouth has dropped open. “You told her I had shit music?” He demands. “Wait, you talked about me?”

“She went to school with us, dumbass,” he says, as if he can talk. He still barely remembers her as more than a vague, glowering figure in his peripheral. “It’s not my fault you blasted your screamy music for everyone in the parking lot. Such a fucking headache, God.”

Munson turns his nose up. “Sorry for having offended your jock sensibilities.”

“Oh, I don’t play anymore,” he says, and knocks on his head. “Concussions, yanno. Apparently brain damage will fuck you up. Who knew?”

“What, like the fight you had with Byers? He did you that bad?”

“He did me just fine,” Steve blurts out, before he can stop himself. Munson chokes. “Shit, sorry, I’m kind of a horny drunk.” Weird thing to say, Steve. “Also, I cannot stress enough how much I needed to be punched in the face. It was a monumental moment for me, you know. Started me on the path for changing my entire worldview. Plus, he was my first guy crush.” He swirls his empty glass, lost in thought, before brightening up. “I should call him!”

Munson is staring at him, mouth opening and closing like a fish. 

“What?”

“You’re drunk.”

“Well, yeah. Duh.”

“I should probably stop you from booty-calling the guy who punched you in the face.”

Steve wrinkles his nose. “It wouldn’t be a booty-call,” he says. “He and Argyle are happy together, man. I’m not gonna ruin that.”

“Oh, so you’d call him because…”

“I call him all the time,” Steve says, confused as to why this is such a big deal. “We’re friends.”

“Jonathan!” He yells happily into the pay phone. Munson is standing to the side, looking on in annoyance. Whatever, it’s not like Steve asked him to do this. “Jonathan, man, how are you?”

“…Steve?”

“Yeah!”

“It’s like…” he hears something clatter in the background, like Jonathan is looking for something, “two in the morning there. You okay?”

“I’m doing great!” He exclaims. “How about you? It’s been ages, man, I miss you.”

“This is so fucking weird,” Munson whispers behind him. Steve ignores him. 

“Are you drunk?”

“No,” he says. “Well, maybe a little. Do you not miss me too?” He pouts, and Jonathan sighs loud enough he hears it over the phone. 

“I just talked to you yesterday.”

Steve frowns. “Yesterday? That can’t be right, it’s been, like, forever. Oh, hey, have you heard from Nance lately? How’s your mom? I love your mom, she’s so fucking cool. Does she know I think she’s cool? How’s Will? It’s been so long, is he taller than me yet? How’s Argyle doing with his degree? I miss you guys.”

“We miss you too, Steve.”

“Awww, Byers, getting soppy on me? Gross, man.”

“You literally just—yeah, okay. Are you alone?”

“Nah, I’ve got this guy with me, he’s walking me home. Oh! Dude, do you remember Munson?”

“Munson?”

“Yeah, Eddie Munson! From high school! The one who used to climb on tables and shit, remember him?”

“Jesus Christ,” Munson groans. “Please let that die.”

“No one is dying,” Steve informs him seriously, and turns back to the phone. Munson sighs. 

“Wasn’t he a drug dealer?”

“Yes! Yeah, drug dealer Munson! Did you ever buy from him?” He turns to where Munson is looking around furtively. “Did Jonathan ever buy from you?”

“How about we not talk about this here,” Munson says through gritted teeth. Steve sighs and turns back to the phone. 

“Never mind, he says he doesn’t want to talk about that. Not like we can judge him, but whatever. Maybe the guy’s turned into a prude—“

“Okay, give me that.” Munson wrestles the phone out of his hand, and Steve whines at him. “Hey, Byers,” Munson says. “Yeah, it’s Eddie. Or Munson. Whatever. Listen, I’m getting kind of sick of standing here watching Harrington slobber all over the receiver, can he call you tomorrow? What? No, I don’t sell anymore—yeah, total bummer, whatever. Listen, I’ll get him home safe—no, I’m not going to serial murder him. He’s gonna be fine, he’ll call you tomorrow—Nancy Wheeler? Like that girl he dated? Didn’t you—shoot me? Jesus, okay! I’m not gonna kill the guy, Christ. He’s gonna be fine, oh my God. He’ll call you tomorrow. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Yeah, okay. Bye.” He slams the phone into its holder with more than a little contempt. 

“Hey!” Steve protests. “You didn’t let me say bye.”

“You can call him tomorrow and apologize,” Munson says. “Now c’mon, Harrington. I’ve been tasked with getting you home safe, and if I fail, apparently Nancy fucking Wheeler is going to shoot me in the balls.”

“Oh, yeah, she’s really hot when she does that,” Steve says fondly, and Munson splutters. 

“What, does Wheeler just go around shooting people? Does she even have a gun?”

“Of course Nancy has a gun.” Steve frowns. It was one of the sure things in the universe at this point. The sky is blue, Hawkins is fucked up, and Nancy Wheeler has a gun. “And she doesn’t shoot people, stupid. Well, she shot at Billy, but he deserved it.”

“Billy?” Munson mutters, starting to usher Steve in the direction of home. “Who the fuck is Billy?”

“He was trying to kill her first!” Steve defends. “I hit him with a car before he could, so she was okay.”

“Okay, yeah, sure. Why wouldn’t you hit some guy with a car? 

“It wasn’t some guy,” Steve says. “It was Billy. He was, like, possessed or some shit. Oh, and he beat me up. Total psycho.  And that was before the melted flesh monster.”

Munson stops and stares at him. “You know what, sure. Demonic possession. Yeah, okay. Some guy named Billy kicked your ass—wait, are you talking about Billy Hargrove?”

Steve lights up. “Yeah! You remember that? That’s one of the concussions I was talking about. I gotta wear glasses 'cuza that shit. Man, fuck that guy.”

“Didn’t he die?”

“Oh, yeah,” Steve frowns down at the ground. “Shit, I’m, like, speaking ill of the dead, aren’t I? Max wouldn't like that. Unfuck him, or whatever.”

“You wanna come up?” He asks. “For old times sake?”

Munson stares at him like it’s the craziest thing he’s said all evening. “‘Old times’ was your asshole friends calling me a satan worshiper and pushing me around in hallways, Harrington.”

“I know.” He grins. If he was sober he’d definitely feel worse about that, but as it is he’s pretty single minded. “Don't you kind of want to make me cry about it?”

Deer in headlights isn’t usually a good look, but Munson’s got the eyes to make it work. Or Steve is drunk. Either way, it’s kinda cute. 

“You’re drunk,” he finally says, stumbling over the words a little. If Steve pays close attention and ignores most of reality, it almost sounds like he’s trying to convince both of them. “You’re so incredibly drunk.”

“I’m not that drunk.” He totally is. 

“I just had to supervise you calling Jonathan Byers so you didn’t say something you’d regret in the morning.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Steve asks, offended. “I love Jonathan! I tell him all the time. Just because I said he ruined my life—“

“That was him?”

“Did I not say that? Huh. Whatever. Point is, I’m not that drunk.”

“You’re definitely drunk,” Munson says. “I’m not—yeah, no. I’m not coming up.”

“Damn.” Steve shrugs, not too put out about it. It’s a bummer, sure, but he handles rejection like a champ. Just ask Robin. “Worth a shot. See you ‘round, Munson.”

“Don’t kill me,” Steve says. 

“Oh, god, did you punch him?”

“No, I, uh.” Steve rubs the bridge of his nose. “I think I tried to fuck him.”

He has to hold the phone away from his face so Dustin’s screeching doesn’t break his eardrums. 

“Your exes are weirdly protective of you,” Munson says blandly. “Also, didn’t they date?”

“Yeah,” Steve shrugs, not exactly eager to start spilling his life story again now that he’s sober. Munson doesn’t need to know more about his dating history than he already does. “We’re all a little weird about each other, sorry.”

“Weird about your exes,” he hums. “No wonder you’re single.”

“Oh, fuck you. It’s not like that.”

He raises an eyebrow. “No?”

“Are you always this nosy?” Steve asks, a little waspish. 

“Absolutely,” Munson replies without hesitation. “I’d say sorry, but I’m not. When did you even date him?”

“Dude.”

Munson just cocks an expectant eyebrow, hip resting against the bar. He can’t imagine why someone would be so interested in the romantic lives of their old high school classmates. It’s not like Steve is about to ask what was going on between him and Chrissy Cunningham. 

“Well, Harrington?”

“First grade,” Steve answers, deadpan. He grins when Munson chokes. “Nah, it was actually after he and Nancy broke up. Fall of ‘86.”

Arms squeeze him from behind, and Robin slides into view, leaving one hand wrapped pointedly around Steve’s waist. She gets clingy when she thinks someone is bothering him, or when she’s just on the side of drunk that she gets possessive. She told him, embarrassed and hungover, that it’s because she registers someone he’s getting along with as infringing on “her Steve time.” Steve thinks it’s hilarious and kind of sweet, an obvious lesbian trying to pretend he’s her date. Especially because he gets the same way when he’s tipsy and feels like he doesn’t have enough of her attention, so she can't yell at him for being a cockblock. Cuntblock. Whatever the lesbians call it.

He wonders what category she thinks Eddie is. Of guy, that is. Not block-anything.

He'd actually be pretty damn happy if the guy miraculously changed his mind and decided to sit on his cock instead.

“What’s going on here?” She asks, almost cattily. He loves when Robin gets bitchy. It brings him back to their Scoops days, except he gets to see it turned on someone else. 

“I’m telling Eddie my life story,” Steve says blithely.

“Ugh. Who would want that?”

Eddie grins. “I’m curious about the adventures of a former king.” He dips his head in a bow, waving his hand in a flourish. “I don’t know if you remember me from last time, I’m Eddie—“

“Munson, I know. You stepped on my lunch in junior year.”

Eddie turns beet red in record time. 

“Aww, Robbie,” Steve almost coos. “Leave him alone. I wanted to be the one who made him blush like that.”

“It’s not my fault your boy’s easy.”

“Not my boy, clearly,” he mutters under his breath. “And if he were easy, I’d have gotten fucked by now.”

Eddie’s mouth drops open with a choked little sound. Whoops. Steve forgot volume control again. 

Robin takes one look at Eddie’s face and bursts into cackles. 

“He was asking about,” he waved a hand in the air, “the whole Nancy-Jonathan thing.”

Her eyebrows jut up. “You told him about the threesome?”

“The what?”

Steve sighs. “No, Robin. I did not tell him about the threesome.”

“…oops.”

“When?” Eddie demands. 

Robin gives him the evil eye. “Why are you being weird about this? It’s not gonna make him fuck you.”

Steve wisely keeps his mouth shut. 

Eddie does not. “Your boy here already asked,” he smirks, leaning closer. “I said no.”

Then, as an added punch to his ego, he twirls a strand of Steve’s hair around his finger and tugs slightly. Steve’s too stunned to protest. 

Robin watches the exchange. “Oh, no thank you,” she says. “Nope. I’m out. I don’t want to see whatever this is. Ugh, stop making me hear about your sex life.”

Hypocrite. “We have thin walls, Buckley,” Steve reminds her. He turns to Eddie and stage whispers, “She likes her girls loud.”

“Steve!”

“You do!”

“Oh, because you’re so quiet,” she snaps, smacking him. “How many times have I had to bang on the wall because you couldn’t keep it down? You wanna talk about loud? I know more about you than I ever wanted to.”

His mouth drops open in mortification. “You know it’s rude to be mean to the man who told you how to eat out,” he hisses. 

“I’m not dying without fucking Eddie Munson,” he declares. “I mean, his high school nickname was literally ‘The Freak.’ He’s got to be good in bed, right?”

“I think that was mostly because everyone thought he was communing with the Devil or something.”

“Maybe the Devil gave him sex magic.”

“Of course he thinks I’m cute.”

“I do?”

“Do you not?” Steve turns to him, widening his eyes in the same pout that always has Robin throwing something at his face, or the kids reluctantly agreeing to do what he wants. He’s found it’s useful for guys too, especially if he ducks his head to seem smaller and looks through his eyelashes. Makes them imagine him looking like that on his knees. 

Munson is no exception. He melts faster than Steve can say gotcha. “You’re very cute, Harrington,” he purrs, and Robin snorts into her drink. 

“You’re a weak, weak man, Eddie Munson,” she tells a blushing Eddie. Then she kicks Steve. “Stop bringing out the ‘fuck me’ eyes when I’m around, I’ll gag.”

“You could leave.”

She gasps, affronted, and kicks him harder.

“So you would fuck me if I wasn’t drunk?”

“Uh…” he looks everywhere but Steve’s face, which is just rude. He has a very nice face. He’s been called dreamy before. 

Which made Robin laugh so hard she fell off the couch when he told her, but he’ll take the lesbian’s opinion with a grain of salt. 

He makes his way onto the dance floor. He’s not a particularly good dancer, but he shakes his ass like he means it. Gets up close with a guy, stares at Eddie the whole time. Keeping eye contact as the guy puts his hands on his hips. 

Look, he means to say. This could be you. You could lose your chance if you’re not careful. 

From the burning in Eddie’s eyes, he gets the message. 

The message is a bunch of bullshit. It’s been over four months, he’s in too deep to go fuck off with someone else now. Still, he enjoys the way Eddie’s hands flex on his thighs, like he had to stop himself from reaching out. 

The thing is, Steve’s not an asshole. He can take a hint. No means no, and all that jazz. If Eddie really didn’t want him, he’d fuck right off and find someone who did. He even started to.

Except Eddie pouted up a storm when he flirted with someone else. Got even clingier when Steve tried to back off. At this point, he’s accepted that Eddie does want to fuck him, and maybe even be more (no one flirts with someone as long as they’ve been doing without wanting something like a relationship out of it. At least, he hopes there’s something more on the horizon), but has some weird hang up about Steve being even a little bit buzzed when it happens. Even though they only ever see each other at this fucking bar.

The problem is Steve has no idea when Eddie will be at the bar. He’ll stay sober one night, hoping to see him, and then go home alone only for next time to be when he sees telltale curls and a wide smile. It’s driving him up the wall. 

Robin has been similarly affected.

“It’s been six months,” she growls as Steve looks eagerly around. “Six fucking months of you two dancing around in the worlds most annoying mating ritual. I’m going to kill both of you.”

“We’re not that bad,” he says absently. 

“You don’t even have his phone number. It’s pathetic. I swear to God, if you see him again and don’t get laid I’m reviving the scoops board. I will go out and buy a whiteboard to keep track of all the times you strike out with a man who used to walk on tables. He stepped on my lunch, Steve. Do I need to keep bringing up the fact he stepped on my delicious, nutritious PB&J? I can’t believe that’s the guy you decide to be obsessed with, that’s so fucking embarrassing for you.”

“Embarrassing? You mean like your crush on my ex girlfriend?”

She screeches wordlessly, pulling her keychain off her belt loop and attacking him with it. 

Naturally, that’s how Eddie finds them. 

“I swear you guys get weirder every time I see you.”

Steve grins guilelessly at him, holding a flailing Robin in a headlock. 

“Eddie! Hey! It’s been a minute.” He hasn’t been able to come in a month, and it’s been longer since he’s seen him. It’s honestly one of the deciding factors on whether it’s a passing fancy or a full blown crush. He still went to sleep every night thinking about Eddie. It didn’t even have to be about sex. 

Although maybe not sleeping with anyone else for half a year should have tipped him off sooner. 

“Sure has, big boy. I was starting to think you were getting sick of me.” It’s a joke, but Steve catches an undercurrent of insecurity. 

“That’d make my life easier,” Robin snorts. She finally wiggles her way out of his hold. “I saw Arty somewhere around here, I’m gonna see if I can crash at her place tonight.” She levels Eddie with a look. “He hasn’t had anything to drink. If you don’t put him out of his misery, I will. And it won’t be the good kind. It will be the bad kind. With bad screams. Lots of screaming, and someone will call the pigs, and I’ll be arrested and jailed for life. Do you want me to go to jail, Munson?”

Eddie shakes his head dumbly. 

“Good! Then do something about it.” She slaps Steve’s back, a mocking echo of his jock days. “Go get ‘em, slugger!” 

With that, she’s gone, disappearing into the crowd. 

“She is,” Steve remarks with amusement, “the worst wingman on planet Earth. Mars too, probably.”

“I dunno, I think it might be working.”

“I’m not doing anything without a condom,” he says, eyes narrowed like he’s waiting for an argument. 

“Me neither,” Steve agrees. “Robin has, like, this big fear of diseases. Totally got me with it. She pulled out the library books, those pictures were fucking disgusting. Shit showed up in my dreams, man. Neither of us do anything without protection.”

“I’m going to be totally honest with you, because I haven’t been and it’s starting to eat at me,” Eddie says, hovering above Steve. 

Steve wrinkles his nose. “What is it? Are you a spy or something? Are you Russian? Do you have superpowers? Is your name not actually Eddie?” He pauses. “Oh, God, you’re not even Eddie Munson, are you? I’m just some asshole who’s been calling you by my old classmates name and you were too embarrassed to correct me. Shit, we made so much fun of you for walking on tables too—“

“What?” Eddie covers his mouth, expression hovering between amused and baffled. “What the fuck, why would I go along with that? No, Jesus, I’m Eddie Munson. Moved to Hawkins when I was eleven, took senior year three times, walked on the fucking tables, could you let that go?” He moves the hand covering Steve’s mouth to play with his hair, looking annoyed for a minute before it smoothes to trepidation. “No, I, uh, I just felt like I needed to tell you that I used to have a hate-boner for you in high school. Like, I used to jack it to the thought of kicking your ass and making a mess outta you. In more ways than one.”

Steve stares. 

“Also, that’s kind of why I approached you in the bar in the first place,” Eddie blabbers on. “And then you said you were just there for a friend, and I was disappointed but it’s whatever, yanno? And then then you told me about your dad, and threw my expectations to the fucking wolves, and then you asked me to come up to your apartment except you were drunk and you probably didn’t mean it. But then the next time I saw you, you kept flirting with me, which you were not supposed to do, and I kept pretending that wasn’t the reason I even talked to you in the first place, and, uh, yeah.” He smiles nervously. “Surprise?”

“I mean, not really.”

“You’re such an asshole, fuck off. At least pretend to be shocked.”

“It’s not my fault you stare at my legs all the time,” Steve says, affronted. “I know I didn’t do too good in school, but I’m not dumb enough to miss that. Like, hello, my eyes are up here.”

Eddie lets his arms give out, flopping on top of Steve heavily. Steve wheezes. “Am I really that obvious?” He whines into his shoulder. 

“You got sad and pouty when I even looked at another guy.”

“You could’ve fucked him,” he mumbles. “The guy you were dancing with. It wasn’t any of my business. I’m a big boy, I can deal.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t want to fuck him,” Steve says. “I wanted to fuck you. Can we go back to that please?”

“Thought I was fucking you.”

“Someone’s getting fucked or Robin will kill both of us. I’d like to live tomorrow morning. And not have to deal with any more of her teasing for having no game.”

“You have unfortunate amounts of game,” Eddie sighs, tracing the side of Steve’s neck. It tickles. “It’s kind of embarrassing for me.”

“Yeah, yeah, are we using those condoms or not, Moodkiller?”

“Oh, I’m the mood killer?”

“Yes,” Steve says matter of factly, and pulls him in for a kiss before he can protest.

[lovelesscherub]

steddie nsfw, d/s undertones, blowjob

Steve down on his knees is one of Eddie's favorite sights in the whole entire world.

And Steve is always so eager to please, to obey. All Eddie has to do is give him that one look and Steve just knows to drop down by Eddie's feet, big brown eyes staring up at him with something that tells Eddie I'd let you do anything to me.

Eddie doesn't use that to his advantage nearly enough. Not as much as he'd like to, anyway. If it was up to him, he'd keep Steve on his knees between his legs all day every day. He wouldn't care who was around to witness it.

And that's where Steve is the most comfortable, anyway. Relaxed and carefree. At peace. Not a single thought in that pretty head of his, just focused on Eddie's cock. Eddie likes seeing Steve like that, giving his gorgeous brain a little rest from all the daily worrying and overthinking.

A pleased little smile spreads across Eddie's lips as he looks down at Steve, being met with the gaze of those pretty eyes looking back up at him expectantly. But not impatient, never impatient like this. Good thing Eddie likes taking his time.

"Open up", he says, and the words barely have enough time to leave his mouth before Steve's lips are already parting open for him. 

"Good boy", Eddie hums, watching the tip of Steve's tongue darting out to wet those plush pink lips.

He reaches his right hand towards Steve who instinctively opens his mouth up wider, allowing for easy access for Eddie's index and middle finger. His left hand comes to rest on Steve's cheek, thumb gently brushing along his cheekbone as Steve's lips wrap around Eddie's fingers as he sucks on them.

Eddie presses the pads of his fingers down on Steve's tongue, forcing Steve's mouth to fall back open.

"You want my cock, don't you, sweetheart?" Eddie asks pointedly.

Steve nods.

"Then you can take more than that, hm?"

Steve nods again.

Eddie slides his fingers in further, teasing at the back of Steve's throat where he can feel Steve's whole body tensing up as he tries to fight his gag reflex, before he manages to relax the muscles in his throat and jaw.

"There you go. Look at you", Eddie grins, proud, fucking his now drool-slick fingers into Steve's mouth, his thick rings bruising Steve's plump lips in the process.

Steve's hands slide up Eddie's thighs to tease over the crotch of Eddie's jeans as they search for his belt. There's a glint in Steve's eyes that says two can play at this game as he looks up at Eddie and feels how hard Eddie is underneath the denim. Eddie enjoys that glint. After all, he's always known how much of a tease Steve can be.

But Steve takes his time, too. He lets Eddie's fingers train his throat as his own fingers work on undoing Eddie's belt. Then the button of his jeans. Then the zipper. Then his hands fall down to his sides and he waits patiently.

Eddie pulls his fingers out of Steve's mouth and admires his reddened pouty lips for a moment before he pushes his jeans down all the way, until they fall onto the floor around his ankles. If Steve's mouth wasn't full of saliva already, he would've started drooling right about now at the sight of the outline of Eddie's bulging cock in his underwear.

Steve's body leans in closer just the tiniest bit and it makes Eddie smirk.

"Wanna taste?"

"Yeah", Steve breathes out and nods. His voice is already a little hoarse, just a taste of what it's going to sound like after Eddie's cock is done with him.

"Go on, baby."

Steve leans in and puts his mouth over the spot where the tip of Eddie's cock is still hiding under his underwear. He licks and drools and gets the soft cotton material wet, making Eddie groan at the feel of it.

"Fuck, Stevie", and Eddie's getting impatient now, tugging his underwear down to free his poor strained cock of its confinement.

Brat, Eddie thinks to himself when he sees Steve's triumphant smile.

He strokes his cock in slow, easy movements and guides the tip to Steve's perfect fucking mouth that opens up for him without command this time.

"God", Eddie grunts as he slides into the velvety heat of that mouth. His left hand comes up, fingers carding through Steve's soft hair.

Steve's eyes flutter shut as he works his tongue around the tip of Eddie's cock, and he hums as Eddie's hips slowly work on feeding Steve a couple more inches.

Eddie keeps the pace slow for a bit, slides out and then goes back in a little bit further than the last. He makes sure that Steve is comfortable, even though it takes all the willpower he has not to slide home and down that relaxed throat.

"You can fuck my mouth, Eddie", Steve rasps and blinks up at Eddie after letting Eddie's cock fall out of his mouth completely.

"Jesus", Eddie moans, squeezes the base of his cock and tries not to come right then and there. "You sure, baby?"

"Please", Steve all but whines, and who is Eddie to deny Steve anything in the world?

He guides his cock back into Steve's mouth, and he knows that Steve means business when he holds onto the sides of Eddie's thighs to brace himself.

Eddie starts nice and easy again, but moves his hips with more and more intention as he slowly picks up the pace and thrusts into Steve's mouth.

Steve's eyes are watering but he doesn't break eye contact with Eddie even once.

"You're so fucking beautiful, Steve. Taking my cock so well, making me feel so fucking good", Eddie croons.

Steve's face is a flushed, wet mess. It really is the most beautiful fucking sight Eddie has ever seen, and he's just about ready to fucking bust.

He picks up the pace, holds onto Steve's hair a little tighter, keeps him so close that with each thrust the tip of Steve's cute little nose nudges into Eddie's dark pubes and Eddie's about to lose it.

"I'm so fucking close, baby, you're doing so good for me", Eddie moans. His voice is low and breathy, and his thrusts are losing their rhythm, hips stuttering slightly.

What tips him over the edge is the way Steve fucking swallows around his cock, even though his mouth and throat are stuffed full to the brim.

Eddie brings his free hand to the back of Steve's head while the other tugs at Steve's hair, keeps Steve's head nuzzled into his crotch as he comes down Steve's throat. In the haze of his orgasm, he hears Steve splutter slightly, then feels him swallow around him, making him shiver.

"Fuck, Stevie, you're unreal", Eddie groans as he eases himself out of Steve's mouth.

Steve's eyes are shiny and a little red, cheeks wet, lips swollen, and the corners of his mouth slick with saliva and whatever he didn't manage to swallow. And he's looking up at Eddie with a bright, pleased smile.

"Love you", Steve says in a hoarse voice that's barely above a whisper, and it goes straight to Eddie's heart.

Eddie lets out a breathy laugh as he falls down onto his knees, jeans and underwear still pooling around his ankles. He tackles a laughing Steve onto the floor on his back, and hovers over him with the biggest shit-eating grin on his lips.

"Fucking love you more than anything, sweetheart", he beams and kisses all over Steve's face before capturing that heavenly mouth in a deep kiss.

[eddiezpaghetti]

It has come to my attention that SOME OF YOU who read my last Byler post remain UNCONVINCED. So I'm gonna tack onto it this:

I'm older than fucking God and air, and I've been out and proud since 2007. Yes, I know what homophobia is, and yes, I know what queerbaiting is. I know about Supernatural and Teen Wolf and Sherlock and blahdyblahdyblah. No new ground is being covered here. I thought I made that clear in the original post, but, clearly, I did not.

I am aware of queerbaiting and homophobia, and I'm still wholeheartedly certain in Byler being canon anyway.

Okay, so there are three types of relationship I want to discuss when it comes to queerbaiting. They're all, like, "queer relationships that could have happened, but didn't".

First off, queer-coding. This isn't really a thing so much anymore, but it still crops up every once in a while. I'd argue it probably happens most with male-male relationships in family shows these days. First example that comes to mind is Mr. Smiley and Mr. Frowny from Steven Universe. You can't make a relationship canon because some shitty overhead bastard overhead said no, so you get as close as you can without compromising the show. Can't make someone gay? Well, now their comedy routine is a blatant allegory for a romantic relationship. Boom-shaka-laka. This is something I don't see being a problem with regards to Stranger Things, but I want it to be there as contrast, a demonstration of one of many things queerbaiting is not. However, one could argue that, thus far, Will Byers is, canonically, queer-coded. It's pretty fucking heavily implied in the show, and the creators have confirmed it, and you're gonna be able to see it if you're not FUCKING BLIND, but word of god is not technically canon which means that interviews don't technically make something canon, blahdyblahdyblahdyblah, technicalities, Robin has been explicitly stated in the text to be queer while Will has, thus far, not, outside of good ol' Show-Don't-Tell. Of course, anyone with two brain cells to rub together can tell that that's going to change by the end of Season 5, but, hey, for what it's worth, I'm throwing this out there.

Alrighty, Thingamajingama Number Two: "Oops, I accidentally made the greatest love story known to man." AKA, a genuine, honest-to-goodness mistake. Unfortunately, we do live in a heteronormative society. Sometimes people who don't think about being gay much write a friendship that's incredibly compelling and don't even consider the possibility that it could have been read as romantic. Something something Top Gun something. This is, again, not queerbaiting. This is Steddie, this is Ronance, this is Elmax, this is your favorite flavor of non-canon ship this week, this is not Byler. The creators know DAMN well what they're doing. They've talked about it. We know this. Nothing new here.

Which brings us to the topic of discussion here. Actual queerbaiting. This usually starts out as an "accidental greatest love story", and then reacts to fan response. And when I say "reacts", I mean like a goddamn chemical reaction. Like bleach and ammonia, bitch. It's noxious and it's gonna kick your fucking ass without mercy. This is when a creator is like, "Hey, let's get our queer audience invested, but we're not actually going to give them what they want because our straight audience isn't here for that/we personally think it's gross/we don't give enough of a shit to want to research a goddamn thing to write a real gay character," blah blah blah whatever excuse they want to come up with this time.

And when you think "queerbaiting", I want you to think "bullying". Because that's what it is. It's lucrative bullying, like beating us up and taking our lunch money, but it's bullying all the same. And it's a real goddamn thing, even if people misuse the word a lot, often when they mean one of the two above, sometimes when they mean "bury your gays", which is another homophobic thing entirely that I'm not going to get into here. Queerbaiting is the thing we're focused on, and it's real, and it's bullying. And here's the reason I want you to think of it as bullying:

They

Think

It's

Funny.

They are actively making fun of us.

That's why Dean had the "Cas, get out of my ass," line in Supernatural. It's why the "Do you like boys?" line happened in Teen Wolf. It's why "Lie with me, Watson," happened in the RDJ Sherlock Holmes movies. Because "It's just a joke, mate." "It was just a prank, bro." "You didn't really think it would happen, did you?" "You should see your face."

So here's probably the biggest reason I don't think it's specifically queerbaiting in this specific instance of Will Byers and Mike Wheeler.

Stranger Things has never, not once, made a gay joke. Ever.

Every single time queerness comes up, it's dead serious.

Lonnie calls Will a fag, and the show is not at all reluctant to show what a goddamn horrible person he is. And when Hopper latches onto that, it's not as "Hahah, is he gay, though?" It's because he's trying to determine a potential motive for Will's disappearance, and even if someone had interpreted it as a joke, Joyce immediately has a line that functions as snapping her fingers in front of the audience's face and yelling "FOCUS" when she says "He's MISSING." Basically outright saying "This isn't funny!"

Troy calls him a fairy, along with targeting Lucas and Dustin for their skin color and disability respectively, and Mike gets damn near murderous. Troy is portrayed as a goddamn monster and the show portrays it as justice when El makes him piss his pants and later breaks his arm.

Steve calls Jonathan "queer" as a slur and gets the shit beat out of him for it.

Billy's father is revealed to be homophobic and abusive in the same breath.

Mike says "It's not my fault you don't like girls!" and we're shown how devastated Will is and Mike immediately follows him to beg for forgiveness.

There is a joke in Robin's coming-out scene, but it's not at Robin's expense. It's at Steve's. Specifically for being heteronormative.

Jonathan has multiple scenes where he's trying so hard to tell Will that he's always going to love him as he is, whether he's gay or not, without pressuring him to come out before he's ready.

Even when there's a little bit of ribbing at Robin's expense, it's always because she's an awkward nerd who's nervous around pretty girls, just the same as Lucas and Dustin are teased when they both first develop crushes on Max, and even then, even then, it always comes as a package deal where they make fun of Steve's girl problems at the same time.

Stranger Things is an emphatically pro-gay show. It may not be the core point of the show the way it is in, say, Our Flag Means Death, but there is nothing less than respect for its queer characters. Its queer characters are always taken completely seriously. No one is making fun of us. They never have. That's why I have serious doubts that this is queerbaiting. It would come completely out of left field for the bullying to start in Stranger Things' final season.

So it's not at all likely to be queerbaiting because queerness is taken completely seriously. The creators have talked about Will's queerness, at least, so it's not an accident. And queer-coding would be silly to expect from this show when it's already on its final season. Like, what is Netflix gonna do? Cancel it? Not to mention all the explicit queerness that's in there already. And no one's gonna "What about the children?" a show that's had sex scenes in it since the first season.

There's no fakeout here. It's gonna happen. Breathe.

[obaewankenope]

Hey @writer-in-theory your answer to this ask inspired me! Rip my life and brain because wow I haven't written in ages!!

@kedreeva enjoy some Steddie lol

[Ao3]

.

Steve Harrington isn't gay. That's one thing Eddie Munson knows for a fact. It's like a the earth is round, the sun is the centre of the solar system, kind of fact.

At least, Eddie thought it had been one of those kinds of facts.

Steve Harrington asking him, Eddie, freak, outcast, exonerated-by-Hopper-suspected-serial-killer, Munson to the movies on fucking Valentines Day blows that entire Fact Of Existence out of the fucking water.

"You mean as friends?" Eddie asks, maybe a little desperately to change what he's thinking Steve might actually mean. A lot desperately. Because surely, surely Steve Harrington isn't gay and into Eddie.

Eddie is not that lucky.

"If you want," Harrington replies with such a casual fucking shrug of his shoulders that Eddie wants to scream. He's seen that move from Harrington before. Harrington is humouring Eddie in that too-nice-to-be-selfish way Steve has that Eddie didn't realise he did have until recently.

It's the way Harrington doesn't push any of their party about things even if Harrington really wants to.

It's the way Steve offers his home to all of them, no matter the time of day, if they need a safe space and quiet.

It's the way Eddie has watched Harrington never push or ask for anything for himself beyond the initial, vague comment that no one else seems to realise is Steve Harrington's cry for attention.

And here it is now, with Eddie, offering him a way out of something Steve wants because Steve Harrington won't be selfish and will let Eddie reject him if it makes Eddie more comfortable.

Fucking fuck. 

Eddie suddenly understands how really smart scientists in history felt when they realised one of their Facts Of Existence turned out wrong. And, like those scientists, Eddie isn't going to let himself keep on going with a wrong fact.

He's not a coward anymore. Eddie Munson isn't going to run away from something ever again. 

"No, we can go together," Eddie says, watching Harri- Steve's face. He sees the moment Steve understands that Eddie doesn't mean go together as friends. He sees it when Steve actually realises Eddie understands what Steve wants and is agreeing to it. 

That smile Steve supported from the beginning of their conversation changes then-and-there. "Cool. I'll pick you up at 7:30, yeah?"

"Yeah, Steve." Eddie nods and watches Steve realise he's late for work, Robin is gonna be opening alone and is going to murder him for it, and that this really is happening. "It's a date," he calls out to Steve's rapidly retreating back as Steve rushes to his car.

Steve freezes mid-step and turns to stare at Eddie. There's that shocked sort of delight on his face that Eddie's only seen the kids bring out when they surprised Steve on his birthday with some truly awful singing.

Eddie gives him a smirk. "Right, Harrington?"

"Right, Munson," Steve says after a moment, face turning bright with a grin that Eddie has never seen on his face. Not directed at Eddie, anyway.

Wheeler got it several times when they dated in high school. Now it's Eddie's to receive.

"Robin's gonna kill you for being late," Eddie comments and Steve snorts.

"Not when I tell her you actually said yes to me," Steve replies, "she's been at me to ask you out for months."

Eddie blinks. "Months?"

Steve blushes. "Yeah, uh, I wasn't sure how you'd react do I kept putting it off," he admits. "Didn't want to put it off any longer though. You're too good to let someone else ask you first."

Eddie snorts, thinking Steve is being snarky before he realises, Harrington actually believes that. Steve Harrington thinks he had competition for Eddie's hand. Holy shit.

"Good thing you did then," Eddie shoots back, entire being amazed at this revelation that Steve Harrington wants him enough to not let someone else ask Eddie out for Valentine's. Jesus Christ, Steve likes Eddie, the freak, Munson. 

"7:30 Harrington," Eddie reminds him, putting this earth-shattering revelation to the side for the moment.

Steve nods. "7:30, yeah."

They stare at each other, a distance between them that means nothing now Eddie sees Steve properly for the first time. He understands the expression on Steve's face for what it is: longing and affection and desire. Eddie isn't too sure his own face isn't reflecting the same right back for Steve to see.

"You're gonna be so late," Eddie says eventually and the moment breaks. Steve blinks, curses, and dives at his car. "Good luck, Harrington."

Steve groans as he starts his car. "Pray for me," he shouts at Eddie as he reverses away.

Eddie laughs and gives Steve's car a salute. "No promises," he shouts back as Steve drives off, leaving Eddie at his trailer with his whole world tilted on a new axis of reality.

Because Eddie Munson knows now, Steve Harrington isn't straight, is the real fact. And after their date, he discovers another to go with this new Fact Of Existence:

Steve Harrington loves Eddie, the freak, Munson.

Of course, that one has its own Fact Of Existence accompanying it that Steve Harrington gets to discover too:

Eddie Munson loves Steve, the hair, Harrington.

[drop a tip, like, reblog, message, whatever, at me if you liked this and maybe want more fic from me in the future]

[steddiesrobin]

more stobin head canons bc i miss my fav bff’s so much

they’re so attached to each other that people think they’re siblings

steve basically got adopted by robin’s family so they might as well be siblings

steve actually loves being robin’s “brother” bc he’s an only child and his parents aren’t around much

he’s also very close w robin’s parents

steve drives robin everywhere and anywhere

he claims to hate it

but actually loves it

they absolutely scream to every song on the radio and once the song ends they just deadpan to each other

robin plays around with steve’s hair

they get matching tattoos

they share pronouns

and share clothes

steve suggests as a joke to do robin’s makeup one day

and it actually comes out really good??

and then robin decides to do steve’s makeup

they go to a corroded coffin concert in said makeup

robin witnesses steve bi panic irl

she doesn’t let him live it down for the rest of the night bc omg steve has a crush on eddie munson

but!!!!!

nancy is at the concert to take photos and steve does not let robin live down her reaction to nancy’s version of punk makeup to blend in with the crowd

“i don’t have a crush on nancy, steve!”

“i give you full permission to date my ex!”

“no that’s against best friend code!!”

and basically they go back and forth

nancy and eddie hear this entire conversation and don’t say anything

anyways

modern!stobin play just dance

robin is always the guy and steve is always the girl

modern!steve takes robin to a girl in red concert

have i mentioned they’re roomates?

because if not

they’re roomates

they’re actually annoyingly attached to each other. i’ve already mentioned this but you just don’t get it. it’s rare to see them apart all bc they’ve become very codependent on each other

i feel like this is all over the place but stay with me please my brain is just coming up with other things

cooking with stobin is always a trip

they mostly make pasta dishes bc that’s robin’s safe food and steve is picky

eddie and vickie (or nancy) get a tiny little bit jealous at the bond steve and robin have bc while they’re their partners, nothing can beat their platonic soulmatism

steve is very patient with robin and makes sure that she knows that

robin gets insecure that steve will find her annoying when info dumping, having sensory issues or is just struggling to process stuff

and steve always confirms that he doesn’t care and will always be there for them when needed

i think i’ve already mentioned that they share clothes

but

that doesn’t just mean, like, robin taking steve’s hoodies

i mean steve wears (actually stole) all of robin’s three skirts that she has, robin takes steve’s shirts, they share jewelry, sweatshirts, etc

robin encourages steve to let out her feminine side and steve encourages robin to let out their masculine side

gender-fluid stobin real

steddie and rockie/ronance double dates are actually an excuse for steve and robin to hang out with each other and also their partners

i think that’s healthy

anyways that’s all i have for now

[klausinamarink]

decided to write a steve part as a continuation of my steddie deals with chronic pain ficlet. Might’ve wrote this more in vein as a prequel but eh, you’re welcome :D also extra angsty

-

Steve used to consider himself as the embodiment of high pain tolerance. Since his junior year, he had been punched in the face many times, had a broken plate in his scalp, injected with Russian drugs, and gotten bit and nearly strangled by interdimensional monsters.

Or as he calls it Tuesday.

But after the Spring Break of Hell, Steve’s been feeling weird. Not the usual looking at my own body when I do things weird, but more physically weird. He doesn’t really know how to describe it even to Robin when he feels like he’s suffocating but there’s nothing around his neck. Or how every day his arms and back sting and pinch him at every breath like ants biting underneath his skin. Or how he’s walking fine until the next second, his knees get stiff and the pain travels upwards right to the top of his spinal cord, the place right on the back of his skull, it aches and aches to the point that he’s frozen but he has to move anyways because he’s standing in the middle of the sidewalk.

All he knows that it’s probably worse than the intense migraines he’s dealing with since Billy Hargrove and the Russians definitely cracked his right eye socket.

But there’s people who are more hurt than Steve. Like Max and Eddie who need and are getting actual help and care. He almost wants that too, but it’ll just get him in their way. Nobody would look at him and think that his suffering is even the same as theirs.

(Please, his heart and brain begs, look at me and take care of me. It hurts so much.)

So, even with his body betraying him and hurting him in ways he thought wouldn’t happen, Steve isn’t going to admit it. His injuries are healing fine anyway.

But god, can his body just actually rest and not hurt like bitch for one fucking hour?

(I’m sorry for hurting you, his body apologizes again, but it’s what i can do right now.)

It’s gotten more annoying, really. Steve keeps pushing the pain behind him, pointedly ignoring how it’s blurring his vision and pulses his certainly cracked eye socket. He knows it’s affecting his mood, but he doesn’t want to be that asshole King Steve anymore. He doesn’t want to everyone to lose their trust in him. So he keeps smiling, driving the kids, visits everyone, hands out clothes and food, and lives with the acid corroding his entire body.

Unsurprisingly, his suffering pushes back like an exploded dam.

At the Munsons’ new house, he’s visiting Eddie, who’s been more tired than Steve’s ever seen him since being discharged from the hospital. He still talks to the Party but he couldn’t go outside much without his scars and limp acting up.

It’s during when Steve finds himself placing wet towels on Eddie’s bare shoulders (“I can’t waste the water but I need some cold water on me right now!”) that it. Just hits him.

He can’t explain it - he’s never good at explaining anything well - but the sour and tired mood Steve’s been vaulting up vanishes. But then comes the hyperawareness of how much his skin is bubbling and itching with discomfort, his muscles dissolving into bone which are exploding starbursts of agony, and the pulsing under his right eye is slithering through his brain. It should’ve been horrible than the Russian torture, but it doesn’t even hurt. It’s like in class when the teacher is giving an important lesson but Steve is barely listening.

He does feel overwhelmed but so much so it just circles back to apathy. He doesn’t feel himself moving but he does end up on the floor, his face pressed against the frizzy carpet.

“Steve? Are you okay?” He hears Eddie asking. Feels him poking at his buzzing shoulder. He opens his mouth to say something but only says through salt-tasted lips, “Hurts.”

“Oh shit, what hurts? Where?”

Steve doesn’t answer. He closes his wet eyes and refuses to open them. The pain still follows him even when he falls asleep because of course it does. He hasn’t gotten a pleasant night of sleep since the demogorgon burst out of the Byers’ ceiling, but the pains makes him closer to the edge of consciousness than he liked.

When he slowly wakes up, there’s a heavy pressure sitting on his back. Steve lifts his head up and sees Eddie sitting on him, reading a worn book and the towel still on his shoulders.

Huh, that’s new.

Eddie flips a page, his eyes flickering to Steve, who stares blearily back. Eddie gives him a small smile. “The king awakes from his slumber as the prophecy foretold.”

Steve blinks. “W-Why are you sitting on me?”

“Wayne lays facedown sometimes after his shifts and I sit on his back almost every time. He says it’s the best massage he ever got.” Eddie says nonchalantly, but then he looks nervous. “Is, is this working for you?”

Steve reflects on his body. The pain is still everywhere but it’s a bit lighter this time. Where Eddie sits on his back is like a fucking miracle - the pressure settled into the muscle and bone where it feels like a portion of how his body used to be before the Upside Down busted into his life.

He grins with long-lost relief, “Yeah, man, just stay here forever. I’m not gonna move again.”

Eddie looks at him pensively, putting his book away. “Steve, are you okay?”

“Uh, yeah, this is kinda weird but I don’t mind it.”

“Steve, are you okay?”

He doesn’t cry, but Steve feels the tears trickling down his face and over his nose. He sniffs, blinking rapidly as Eddie gets off him and the pressure disappears so the pain comes back in its ugly sense. Steve turns around so his back on the ground and he’s staring at the ceiling, refusing to look at Eddie. He never cried before even when his body started hating him and he started hating movement.

“Hey, hey, Steve. Look at me, big boy.”

He does. Eddie is laying right next to him, his worried doe eyes staring at him. Fuck, he looks so kind and Steve shuts his eyes, clamping a hand over his mouth. The phantom pain of the demobat’s tail returns, but it feels more wet and clogged.

Eddie’s hand is on his. Gently moving Steve’s hand away from his mouth. Eddie is still looking at him as he says, “You hurt worse if you don’t ask for help.”

Steve opens his mouth. For an awful second, he wants to yell at Eddie ‘what the hell do you know about feeling like complete shit”. But he doesn’t and he is so fucking glad because it would’ve been so hurtful to Eddie and Steve would feel even more in agony that he just proved the other boy’s old impression of him as an asshole.

Instead, when Steve opens his mouth, he doesn’t say anything and starts weeping. He sobs like a baby and Eddie is holding him closer now, his face pressing against Steve’s messy face.

Moments pass in a blur. Steve stops crying. Eddie has moved himself on top of Steve, the familiar weight pressing the pain down and forcing his bones and muscle to rest. Their faces are closer to each other now, Eddie’s nose brushing Steve’s chin.

“Are you okay?” Eddie asks again in a hushed tone.

Steve gives a little shrug. “A little.”

“Is this okay?”

Steve isn’t sure if he’s talking about laying on him or this new kindle of their friendship or both. But he nods, carefully wraps his arms around Eddie’s torso, and rests despite the pain stiffening him.

[getsteddiewithit]

MY FIRST STEDDIE FIC WOOO

Title: make my brain go quiet

includes: fluff and slight angst. hurt/comfort.

eddie’s brain was in no way quiet. and of course steve knew that when he had met him, but he didn’t know the extent of it.

eddie knew in a way that other people’s brains did not work the same way his did. when he watched other people throughout his life, he didn’t even realize just how different he was. he just knew something was.. off.

from how much he talked, to the millions of thoughts running through his head, to the never sitting still; fidgeting, pacing, and late night walks when he couldn’t sleep. never having enough time during tests, struggling with making friends, figuring out how to read.

everything was a struggle. he hated himself. he thought he was stupid. everyone said he was, anyway.

the only person that made him feel better was his uncle wayne, and even then, he still didn’t ever feel smart enough. good enough.

that was, until steve.

they had been dating for a couple years now. eddie still thought about their first date, a month in. it was a movie night at eddie’s trailer, he had made popcorn, set out various chips, and rented the movie.

and then he talked pretty much the whole time.

he just couldn’t help himself. any time something interesting happened he had to make a comment. it was an impulse; an urge.

but steve hadn’t said anything in return.

and after the movie, eddie talked for maybe about 20 minutes about the ending of it. he hated cliffhangers, and of course it ended with one.

“that was complete bullshit! they killed off the main girl and we didn’t even know who the killer was? i mean, cmon!” he exclaimed, beginning to wash the dishes. steve stood next to him and nodded in response.

then eddie’s face fell. he realized it. he had been talking this entire time.

“sorry,” he mumbled, “i’ll shut up now.”

he expected something mean in response. it was always mean, so how could he not? it was always a, “i was hoping so,” or “good,” or “i thought you wouldn’t stop,”

but what steve did in response just melted his heart.

“keep talking, please. i like to hear your voice,” he said quietly in response, a small smile playing on his face, “plus you had a very fair point about the movie.”

eddie smiled brightly, a light pink beginning to dance on his cheeks.

“you’re not annoyed?” he asked. he was still unsure. he didn’t want to get his hopes up. his brain was still screaming at him to shut up.

“i’m being serious, i’m not annoyed at all, ed. i like hearing you speak,”

eddie’s smile got wider. he stayed silent for another couple moments.

“well, okay,”

and that was that.

about a year into the relationship, steve had come across his journal. eddie’s therapist had mentioned something about writing his millions of thoughts down, especially if they’re negative or something.

and eddie didn’t know why, maybe it was the weed, but he let steve read his journal.

eddie was always the talker in the relationship, yes. but steve didn’t really know just how much he thought until he read them. pages and pages of rants, ideas, drawings, anything that had popped up in his mind.

and he thought it was completely endearing.

eddie was honestly expecting something mean in response again as he flipped through the pages. his ears were red, and he was trying to play off his embarrassment as cockiness, but honestly it probably wasn’t working.

“you have a really cool mind, eddie,” he spoke after a few minutes, “some of this is really interesting.”

he blushed deeply and stammered, “th-thanks.”

steve closed the journal and handed it back to him, kissing him on the cheek, “of course.”

and fast forward to now. steve was staying as eddie’s trailer for a couple nights with a slight cold. eddie had always made him feel better. the time was around 4pm, which meant he would be home from school soon.

he sat on the couch by the trailer door reading a book, a blanket on his lap and he sat in silence.

he hated it. he missed eddie’s rambling, or humming. he needed something to fill how quiet it was. it was always way too quiet in his house. his parents were there, but not emotionally. especially not now, when he was an adult and didn’t need to stay there anymore.

eddie was the opposite. and he loved it.

he heard the door unlock, and his heart jumped a little out of excitement. he smiled and sat up, closing the book and waiting.

“hey, eds. glad you’re home,”

eddie looked at him and the other man immediately knew something was wrong.

“what’s up?”

he sighed heavily, rubbing his tired eyes and going over to him on the couch. steve sat back, letting him lay down on him in between his legs. his head sat on his lower chest, arms wrapping around him. steve played with his hair, which was something only he and wayne were allowed to do.

“you okay? what’s wrong?”

“brain’s being too loud today. everything was so bright at school and i hated it,” he said. his eyes closed and his arms wrapped tighter around steve.

“ah, i see. i’m sorry about that, eddie.”

“‘s okay,” he muttered, “i love you.”

“i love you too,” and he spoke again after a few moments, “so, laying on me helps i suppose?”

eddie nodded in his chest, humming an approval.

“yeah. you make my brain go quiet.”

[riality-check]

Hi!! I bought the wonderful @lazylittledragon’s Steddie dads zine last night, and in that time I’ve read it twice and loved every second of it. One of the panels (for those of you who have the zine, it’s page 42; for those of you who don’t, it’s a panel of Steve and Eddie sitting on a bed, holding each other, while Steve cries and Eddie says “I’ve got you.”) has lived rent fucking free in my brain, and it’s inspired 1k of whatever the hell this is. 

If you haven’t already bought the zine, do it now, it’s so incredibly worth it!! Anyway, bon appetit.

————————————————————————

Steve doesn’t know why he’s freaking out so much. He’s not the one literally growing a person. He’s been pretty much fine this entire time. He’s held Eddie’s hair back when the morning sickness got bad and he’s bought baby clothes and he’s read so much (even though he can’t read for shit) of those little parenting books they have at the library.

Steve has been fine this entire time. He’s pushed back all his anxiety and every other remotely negative emotion because Eddie needs him. Eddie needs all the reassurance and comfort and joy that Steve can give him regarding this kid, and Steve is more than happy to give it. He’s got a nearly infinite supply.

But right now, on this random afternoon in July, everything that Steve has been holding back so carefully is coming to the surface.

In four months or so, he’s going to be a dad. He’s going to have a little, tiny, helpless baby utterly dependent on him for everything.

And Steve knows he’s going to fuck it up.

God. Steve loves this kid so much already. He thinks about who she’s gonna look like more (he hopes it’s Eddie). He sings to her, even when Eddie laughs and tells him to stop. He wonders how much she’ll cry, what her favorite food is going to be, what her first word will be, where she’ll take her first steps. 

He’s so excited to meet her, and he’s so scared, too.

Because love doesn’t prevent people from fucking things up. Steve doesn’t have a single doubt in his mind that he is going to love this kid. But he’s worried that he’s going to make every mistake in the book.

What if he can’t get her to sleep? What if he can’t get her to eat? He doesn’t even know how to change a diaper!

What if he ends up putting his issues on to her? What if he loves her enough to make her resent him for it? 

(Wouldn’t be the first time.)

What if-

There’s a knock on the door. “Steve?”

Shit.

Steve tries to wipe his eyes and steady his voice before he answers, “Yeah.”

It doesn’t quite work.

“Can I come in? You’ve been gone a little while.”

Steve wipes his eyes some more and sucks all the snot he can back up his nose. He hopes Eddie doesn’t notice. “Sure.”

The door opens, and Eddie stands there for a minute, just looking Steve over. He looks good, he always does, even in a plain black sweatshirt and ratty old jeans.

Steve watches in real time as an expression of sympathy takes over his face.

“Sweetheart,” Eddie says, and yeah, that’s enough for Steve to start crying again.

He curls up and buries his face in his arms and doesn’t look up, not even when Eddie sits next to him on the bed. He puts his arms around him, just holding, and when Steve can feel Eddie’s belly pressed against his leg, he cries harder.

“I’ve got you,” Eddie says.

This is stupid. I’m not the one who should be stressed out.

“Can you tell me what’s wrong?” Eddie asks after a minute. He rubs soothing circles on Steve’s back.

“It’s stupid,” Steve gasps out.

“If you’re crying over it, it’s not stupid,” Eddie says gently.

“It is. I’m not the one doing the work.”

Steve can feel it when Eddie laughs. The gentle shake of his whole body makes Steve stop crying for just a second.

“You’re doing work, Steve.”

“I’m not the one growing a person.”

Eddie pulls back a little and looks at Steve seriously. “Just because you don’t have the parasite doesn’t mean you’re not doing work. You’ve gone shopping and you’ve cooked and you’ve cleaned and you’ve taken care of me. Does that not count as work?”

“No.”

“If we flipped the situation, and I was doing all that, would you still think that?”

Steve hates when Eddie is right.

“You’re allowed to be overwhelmed, Steve.”

Steve sniffles. “You need me, though.”

“I do,” Eddie says. “I’m always going to need you. But you’re allowed to need me, too, okay?”

Steve nods. “Yeah, I know.”

Eddie raises his eyebrows.

“I know!” Steve insists with a wet laugh.

“Okay,” Eddie smiles, and it’s the kind of smile Steve always wants to be the reason for. “Do you want to tell me what’s wrong?”

“I’m gonna fuck this up.”

Eddie snorts. “So am I. You’re not special.”

“No, like,” Steve struggles for the words. “I’ve never been around kids-”

“Neither have I.”

“-and I don’t even know how to do basic shit-”

“That’s why Joyce is teaching us.”

Steve gives Eddie a look. “I know you’re trying to be reassuring, but can you let me finish?”

“Sorry, sweetheart.” Eddie mimes zipping his mouth closed.

It’s stupid little things like that that make Steve wonder how he got so lucky.

“I’m worried,” Steve swallows. “I’m worried that I’m gonna fuck up this kid enough to be just like me.”

Eddie’s eyebrows pinch together. “Steve. You are nothing like your parents.”

“I know! I know that. I have no doubt about loving this kid. I’m just afraid that - I don’t know.”

“It’s okay,” Eddie assures him. “It’s okay not to know.”

“I’m so afraid that I’m going to be overbearing and end up suffocating her,” Steve whispers.

Eddie stares at him for a good, long moment. Finally, he says, “Are you worried about loving her too much?”

“It sounds stupid when you say it like that,” Steve mutters.

Eddie takes his face in his hands and looks him dead in the eyes. “Not stupid.”

Eddie kisses him, soft and sweet and slow, and Steve kisses him back just as soft, just as sweet, and just as slow.

“You make me feel like the luckiest man on earth every single day,” Eddie says, Steve’s face still in his hands. “This kid is so goddamn lucky to be loved by you.”

Steve can’t help it; he starts crying again. Eddie wraps his arms around him.

“I’ve got you,” he says again.

[madaboutmunson]

Again - Part 17 (Not to be confused with 17 Again ;) )

Part 1 | Part 16 | Part 18 | Full list of Again series links inc AO3 Link

Steddie fic where Steve and Eddie are in their mid 30's and everyone has sort of drifted apart

Notes: As per the winning option on the poll I posted here is your 10K+ part of the story :)

Taglist: @adaed5 @grtwdsmwhr @swimmingbirdrunningrock @mightbeasleep, @jewellthebooknerd, @fentiibratzz @rvllybllply2014

================================================

Well…Al-riiiighty then!

That is the only response Steve's brain seems to have to what just happened. Well, what just happened several times over. Well…actually.… not just now, just before he drifted into a euphoric slumber, for however long it's been. He doesn’t know what time it is, and for once, he doesn't care what time it is either.

Steve is very much in a battle in his mind, one part celebrating being the luckiest guy in the world, the other pure fear because Steve knew it was over for him. He was gone, so very gone. Not just hook, line, sinker but also rod, fisherman, his waders, the bait box, his chair and the car he'd driven to the lake in the parking lot, all currently drowning in Eddie Munson.

How was he going to be able to resist Eddie at all now? It's not like he had much in the way of resistance anyway, but now, he basically had none. If he looked at him a certain way from now on, it would send Steve's brain back to this, and he'd be a mess. Who is he kidding? He didn't care how badly he'd got it. Steve snuggles into Eddie's chest more and resigns himself to a happy future of being Eddie's pushover. Eddie's arm is already around him, and he sees his abdomen crease slightly as he gives Steve a kiss on top of his head, and Steve happily accepts his fate.

"Welcome back, honey," Eddie says, his voice a little groggy.

"Hi," Steve answers meekly and looks up at him, causing Eddie to scoff out a laugh.

"Oh, he's quiet now, is he?" Eddie smiles a little smugly, and Steve is mortified and taps him on the side in a vain attempt at annoyance.

"I was…how dare…I mean…ok, I wasn't that loud!" Steve defends, "Besides, you were no church mouse either."

"Hey, man, I don't care. They aren't my neighbours. They don't know my voice, but they'll get used to it quite quickly, I imagine," Eddie chuckles evilly.

"What are you talking about, neighbours? I don't share walls with anyone," Steve laughs.

"No, you're absolutely right, you don't. How silly of me," Eddie says, and Steve feels satisfied he's won this one for a second, "Except you do share a street, right?"

He frowns hard at Eddie but with a confused smile, "Well, of course, I do…." Steve starts with a very condescending tone until it hits him. His face drops, and he looks to the window. It's wide open, and now so is Steve's mouth. "The window!" Steve whimpers in horror. "Why didn't you say something before, Eddie? Jesus Christ!!" Steve exclaims.

Steve gets up to close the window, and he's immediately tackled back into bed. "Steve! You can't give them the audiobook and now the movie," Eddie laughs gesturing at Steve's naked body, "First of all, it was hotter than the firey pits of hell in here! I know you have AC, dude. Turn it on! And then I was busy! So forgive me for not making the window my priority!" 

Cursing under his breath, Steve grabs a sheet off the bed in one firm pull, almost flinging Eddie straight off the other side because he pulls it with so much force and wraps it around his waist before going to the window. Unfortunately, once there, despite being one floor up, he makes eye contact with one of his older neighbours gardening, Ms Montarello's best gal pal Mrs Kensington. He tries to give one of his big neighbourly smile and wave combos, but it soon becomes awkward. In return, she sends him a thumbs up. He just knows this will be on the agenda at their next afternoon tea. Steve wishes the ground would swallow him entirely. Maybe it wasn't too late for the Russians to take him away for real this time or for him to go live in his own alternate dimension of his own construction. Steve feels a weight on his shoulder. It's Eddie's arm leaning on him. "Sorry, my sweet, I didn't mean to leave it open. I swear. I was just trying to make light of it." Eddie genuinely apologises. Steve rolls his eyes and shakes his head.

"It's ok, it's done now. Can't have been that bad. She sent back a good review" Steve imitates her thumbs up, turning to Eddie with a big goofy smile, which suddenly falls from his face when he realises that Eddie has not even attempted to cover himself up, so Steve frantically tries to share the sheet with him, as Eddie spots Mrs Kensington and blows her a kiss, "Jesus Christ, Eddie! Cover up! She can see right in here."

"First of all, how good can her eyes be? Secondly, it's our window. She shouldn't be looking in here…" Eddie continues to reason the many ways this is not their fault, and instead, it's Steve's neighbours that are little perverts, but his brain has picked up part of what Eddie said and put it in a protective glass case in Steve's mind museum.

"Our window?" Steve interrupts gently.

"Yeah, our window, that's what I said. They shouldn't be looking in here," Eddie tries to continue before sighing and looking at him. "You haven't been listening to me, have you?"

"Not much after you said, our window, to be honest," Steve says softly, wrapping Eddie tighter in their shared sheet, pulling him towards him. He can see Eddie, whilst not unappreciative, is also confused for a few seconds, and he's trying to figure it out, and then he realises, and the faintest pink blush hits his jaw.

"Oh, sorry. It just kinda fell out of my mouth. I mean your window," Eddie corrects, but Steve shakes his head.

'Nope, No way. I will not sign off on that retcon. It's our window now. If you want, that could be our bed, and back there our closet. Our bathroom, our mirror, our TV, our love seat." Steve looks deeply into Eddie's eyes, "If you wanted that, that is?" Eddie scans Steve's face, and no reply comes, "but obviously no pressure at all." Steve quickly backs off as he tries to hide the excitement inside of him that is bubbling over.

"I mean, there would be a lot to figure out, but, shit, I'd really like that. I-I'd love that, babe," Eddie finally replies.

"You would?!" Steve checks with too much excitement and receives a dewy-eyed nod in confirmation. "Oh, well, in that case." Steve wrenches open the window again, "These are your neighbours too, now. It's only fair they get to hear how loud you can be, right?" Eddie's eyes widen, and Steve scoops him up in the sheet and pretty much body-slams him back into bed.

"Who are you? And what have you done with friendly neighbourhood Steve Harrington?!" Eddie laughs.

"Last I heard, some charismatic cult leader got their dragon claws into him, and he hasn't been the same since," Steve smiles hugely, caging Eddie in his arms. "Took out more than double his hit points, an insta-kill!" Steve adds, hovering over Eddie in their sheet tangle, diving down for a kiss before pushing up with his arms to pull away to look down at this beautiful creature, satanic or otherwise. It didn't really matter.

Eddie lets out an excitable growl and grabs hold of the sheet behind Steve to pull him in closer, "Gods be damned, Steve, this brisket is gonna be a shadow of itself, but you know I can't resist when you talk nerdy to me" Eddie adds before he's cut off with another kiss from Steve.

“Have I found the weakness of stone-cold heavy metal legend Eddie Munson? Nerdy talk? How did you get through your days surrounded by geeks, huh? Must have been a boner minefield,” Steve whispers, brushing his nose against Eddies, still in total disbelief that any of this was his life now, or at least had the potential to be. They had to work out a few other things with Jenny and the kids, but he pushes that to the side for now, focusing on the angel beneath him.

“Ok, first of all, ew! Images of the geeks I hung out with at school, or the games store have no place in my brain right now. Bad, Steve!” He attempts to reprimand Steve, but his voice is far too gentle, and his eyelids droop as he gazes into his eyes. Soon he is wiggling his arms free of the sheet and caressing Steve’s back tenderly, “And, well, it only works when a jock does it. A specific jock. ‘Bout time you caught up, though.” Eddie laughs softly, pulling Steve in tighter with the sheet, and leaning up for another kiss, but Steve pulls away playfully.

“Caught up? I’m in the lead,” Steve mutters, pouting his lips out so they almost brush Eddie’s, and his hooded eyes trail over his beautiful face. Fuck, you’re the luckiest and, at the same time, the most sorry-whipped guy in the universe, Steve Harrington. He finally makes eye contact with Eddie again, only to see his eyes roll.

“You are not in the lead, no matter how cute you are trying to be about it,” Eddie replies, unable to stop his eyes dropping to stare at Steve's mouth. Steve moves his arms further up the mattress so his hands dip into Eddie’s hair earning him an appreciative moan from his beau.

“I think you’re wrong about that,” he says quietly, “I’m in the lead. Nerdy shit, Metal, your hair, when I jump to your defence and when hold you just right. I’m miles ahead of you, Eddie. You’re still in the starting blocks,” Steve laughs gently as Eddie raises an eyebrow.

“Is that so? Hmmm,” Eddie teases. “Believe me when I say. I have many of your weaknesses tucked away, Sweetheart. I just don't use them all because it's not fair.”

“Not fair, how?” Steve says, confused, frowning and pouting a little at this revelation. Eddie leans up and kisses between his furrowed brows to relax them again.

“Holy hell, you’re cute. You know that?” Eddie sighs against Steve’s chest and blinks himself back into the subject at hand, “It's not fair because you don’t remember, and at the time, I really shouldn't have been logging these things. I should have just been being your friend. Can you forgive me for wanting to be your everything?” Eddie presses his soft lips to the side of Steve’s neck, making him see stars. “Can you forgive me for building a toolkit of what I imagined were all the things I needed to make you fall in love with me, even though I knew it was impossible?” Eddie mutters against his throat, and all Steve can do is close his eyes in bliss and attempt to concentrate on remaining propped up on his arms so that he doesn't fall entirely onto Eddie. Finally, Steve clears his throat and opens his eyes slowly with a quick breath.

“Now, that doesn't count. You said you had a whole bunch from before,” Steve tries to protest as Eddie stops mid-nuzzle against his neck.

“Oh, you want the big guns, do you?” Eddie grins, grabs hold of Steve, and turns them to the side. Steve can’t help his smile, and a trickle of giggles escapes his mouth. Eddie goes to speak, and Steve quickly puts a finger to his lips.

“With the backstory? Please?” Steve asks in an overly soft tone of pleading. Eddie crosses his eyes and bites his bottom lip, making Steve laugh.

“Can I get my turn? Backstory? Seriously!” Eddie shakes his head. “Jesus Christ, I’m beginning to feel glad this didn’t happen sooner. Limited-experience Eddie would definitely have struggled to survive a newly converted King Steve.”

“Get on with it!” Steve playfully pokes at him.

“Oh! Stefano! Never rush the storyteller! Rule numero uno!” Eddie says wide-eyed before narrowing his eyes and biting his lip, “How about a re-enactment?” Steve nods excitedly in agreement, hoping that he’ll gain another memory. “Ok, but it does mean you're gonna have to turn away from me” Eddie points over Steve’s shoulder to the wall behind him, making Steve’s eyebrows raise in disappointed surprise, “Trust me, it's only for a moment” Eddie reassures him, and Steve rolls to face the wall. He half expects Eddie to snuggle up behind him, but it doesn't happen. Eddie hasn't moved from lying face up on the bed.

“So backstory. You had come over to ours as usual, but it was clear to me you had been really upset about something, but, well, I wasn't sure if I should pry, considering you’d just been at home and I knew you're parents were back. I figured they’d upset you somehow. Anyway, I got you a beer, and we shared a few joints on my bed, nothing out of the ordinary until you rolled away. Then you opened up like a little clam, ever such a tiny amount. You said when you got home, your Dad had been drinking and was arguing with your Mom. Being who you are, I knew you’d stepped in to defend her and caught the sharp end of your Dad’s temper. You didn't tell me what he said. You just said he’d smashed one of your favourite records. I knew that a smashed record wouldn't have been enough for someone like you to get upset, and it wasn't the first time your Dad had been a drunk asshole, but it's all I had to go on. So I asked you what record it was. You told me it was Bryan Adams” Steve tries to remember what it might be but can't capture it. He twists his fingers in the sheet pooled in front of him. He definitely remembers his Dad being an asshole, but it was such the norm that Steve had trouble separating one occurrence from another. He expects Eddie probably did something sweet, like got him a replacement or offered him his own copy. Then, Steve hears Eddie clear his throat.

Oh, once in your life you find someone

Who will turn your world around

Bring you up when you're feelin' down

Eddie sings out quietly, the raspiness in his voice imitating the singer like it was an impression, and suddenly the wall in front of Steve changes, and it's dark now. The pillow he is on isn't as fluffy, and he’s curled up on Eddie’s old bed. He can see the guitar hanging there and the hazy smoke drifting lazily through the moonlight.

Yeah, nothin' could change what you mean to me

Oh, there's lots that I could say

But just hold me now

'Cause our love will light the way

Steve smiles as Eddie’s singing gets more enthusiastic and louder, and he hears himself laugh, and he expects that might have shut Eddie down back then, but as soon as he thinks that. 1986 Eddie has vaulted off the bed over him, stumbling to the floor. Steve gets up to help him, but Eddie is already dusting off his Batman Pajama bottoms. He picks up his hairbrush from the mirror and yells out the chorus, complete with eyes screwed up tight and air grabs.

And, baby, you're all that I want

When you're lyin' here in my arms

I'm findin' it hard to believe

We're in heaven

Then Steve hears something else, “BOY! IF YOU DON'T PIPE DOWN THIS GODDAMN INSTANT,” Its Wayne yelling from the bedroom across the hall of the new trailer. Eddie throws open his bedroom door and sings even louder and more dramatically.

Yeah, love is all that I need

And I found it there in your heart

It isn't too hard to see

We're in heaven.

Eddie's face quickly changes from imitating an 80’s rockstar to one of a kid about to get in serious trouble, but he has a massive grin on his face as he dives over Steve to hide behind him. Steve looks to his side, and he can see Eddie’s ringed hand holding onto his arm and his mischievous eyes peering over him, using Steve as a wall of defence against the incoming storm Wayne. And it does arrive, but as he steps into the room, he looks at them both, nods “Steve.” and then points a finger at Eddie. “Keep it down, you hear me?” he says seriously but much more gently. Steve feels Eddie nod against his side, and Wayne leaves, closing the door gently behind him. Then he reaches for Eddie’s hand.

“Thanks, man. That was pretty funny,” Steve says quietly with a laugh. Eddie shrugs.

“It was the only one I knew by him, if you’re, er, wondering about the weird choice. I don’t even know all the words” Eddie scratches at the back of his neck and then disappears behind him again, leaving his hand under Steve’s. He rolls onto his back to join Eddie, looking up at the ceiling, carefully placing their hands between them. 

“I can, uh, help you with the rest if you wanna sing some more? Just you know quietly so we don't disturb Wayne,” Steve offers nervously. He can feel his heart thundering in his chest but can hear his thoughts too. Eddie’s just being kind, don't make this weird. He was just trying to cheer you up. You’d do the same for Robin.

“Sure” He can hear the smile in Eddie’s younger voice, “What's the next line?”

He feels a pinch on his side, and suddenly the ceiling is his own.

“Hey, mister, you can’t go for that long. Even if I do look super cute in there.” Eddie says, almost sounding a little jealous of his past self.

“Sorry about that. It's just exciting to get all this new stuff. Well, old stuff back.” Steve defends bashfully, turning to Eddie.

“It was a lie, by the way,” Eddie utters delicately.

“What was?” Steve worries that somehow Eddie had made this all up, and maybe what he recalled didn't happen at all.

“You think with my sense of humour and love for playing guitar, I didn’t know Summer of ‘69? Pu-lease! Not that past-Eddie hadn't noticed him in your collection and studied that album at length. I knew all the lyrics too. I’d been practising them when you weren't around” He rolls his eyes, “In fantasy land, I was gonna serenade you with my guitar when you finally realised that out of everyone in the world, mansion-dwelling Steve Harrington was gonna settle for little trailer-trash Eddie Munson.” He laughs, “God, I was a piece of work back then.”

“Well, he wasn't wrong, was he?” Steve turns on his side to face Eddie and reaches out to guide his eyes to his own. “You’re not wrong either, though.”

“What do you mean?” Eddie smiles as he moves onto his side and shuffles against the bedding to be closer to Steve.

“Mansion-dwelling Steve Harrington did very much want little trailer….dwelling Eddie Munson” Steve corrects, holding Eddie's face in his hands, “And you were right, because you singing to me like that is definitely working for me, baby” Eddies eyebrows flash, and an excitable smile appears on his face. “Also, I lied too,” Steve barely says, leaning in for a kiss. 

“Whaddyamean?” Eddie's words are muffled against Steve’s lips, and Steve returns a tiny whisper of a laugh to Eddie’s before moving back the smallest amount.

“My Dad didn't break that record. He was probably being an asshole, though. I just wanted to hear your voice sing something sweet for me, and I didn't know how to ask for that without it being weird. I knew how kind a heart you had, and I thought the chances were slim, but I must have been so low I went for it, and you came through like you always do,” Steve says fondly, searching Eddie’s blinking bambi eyes. “With that said…Wanna make some noise?” Steve asks, trying to hold back his own laugh at his corny line. Eddie nods enthusiastically.

“Bur-a-rum”, Steve mutters next to Eddie’s ear, only to find himself clasped firmly by the shoulders and Eddie looking at him wide-eyed.

“Steve, did you just try and speak Entish to me?” Eddie asks interrogatively.

“See, I do listen”, Steve smiles mischievously.

“Ok, well, just so you know, that is a noise of disgust.” Eddie informs, but before Steve can pout about getting it wrong, his chin is scooped up between Eddie’s thumb and forefinger, “But that does not negate the effort, of the nerdiness of what you just did. I. Very. Much. Appreciate. It” he punctuates his words with kisses around Steve’s face, as he tangles him back up in the covers with him.

❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖

Much to their surprise, the brisket survived, and Eddie was absolutely correct. They were both starving, and it was a taste sensation. They didn't even carve the thing, just tore it apart in front of the TV. Both of them in actual shorts this time, in case Steve forgot another appointment, are sitting on seat cushions pulled to the floor. Eddie sat between Steve's legs whenever he tore off a piece splitting it in two and offering the other part over his shoulder to Steve. And whenever Steve stretched forward, Eddie would kiss his cheek quickly. Then once he leaned back and finished chewing, Steve would put a kiss on the back of Eddie's neck, where he'd already parted the hair, just for that purpose.

"You know, I was thinking about what you said earlier, and I just want to make sure I understand. You were asking me to stay longer than this week, right?" Eddie asks, and Steve can hear the cautiousness in his voice. Steve squeezes him reassuringly with his thighs.

"Yeah, Uh-huh, that is precisely what I meant," Steve answers confidently with no hesitation.

"But what about when the kids are here? I’m still kinda new to them, and will Jenny be ok with some stranger living with her kids?" Eddie asks again with that hint of worry.

"Hey, don’t worry. Here are my thoughts, ok?” Steve squeezes Eddie’s sides gently with his legs again. “How about this? You live in our home with me when the kids aren't here. When the kids are here, you can stay in a guest room or your RV if you want, ok? For however long you want. Until you and the kids are cool with you living here. Meanwhile, you can come with me to meet Jenny and Val. You can get to know them, and I just know they'll love you, babe. Jenny might be a bit prickly initially, but that isn't personal. She's just a mama and cares about me because we’re family." Steve leans forward, puts his arms around Eddie and rests on his shoulder, "It would be wonderful if, when everyone was comfortable with it, we added you to that concept too. Family." Steve knows maybe he's saying too much, thinking too far ahead, but this wasn't some stranger he'd met a few weeks ago. It was Eddie. His Eddie, and if there was anything he'd learned the past few days, it was this. No matter the layers that the last fifteen years had tried to bury him under, Steve's Eddie is still there, and what he knows about the Eddie he has now is also amazing. Sure, there were some bad spots for him over the last fifteen years, but that isn't who he is now, and the reason for him being that way is gone too.

There is a pause, and Steve feels Eddie's chest rise and fall quickly. It's not until a little droplet hits his arm Steve realises that Eddie is crying because he's doing it entirely silently. Steve closes his eyes almost to hide from the pain of realisation of why anyone would have developed a silent cry in the first place. So someone at some point couldn't hear them. He squeezes Eddie as tightly as he can with his whole body, "I got you," Steve whispers, "Like I said, not until you want it, ok, not until you're ready, even if that's never. Even if you only wanna be with me when the kids aren't here, and you wanna still have your slice of freedom. No matter the arrangements or weird convoluted plans, I'm not going to give us up unless you tell me it's over. So you're safe to be yourself. I adore you." Steve tries to comfort Eddie with his words too.

They sit like that in silence for a little while longer until Steve feels Eddie's body calm in his arms. Then through sniffles and sharp intakes of breath, Eddie manages, "A-and-and W-Wayne?" Steve doesn't remember hearing Eddie stutter this badly before. Then, in a repetitive, soothing motion, he gently rubs Eddie’s arms to try and help calm him down a little more.

"Of course, and Wayne, Jack and Morgan, Gareth and Annie, and all those huge lumberjack siblings of hers. A small frog you befriend on your way home. Whatever you come with, Eddie. As long as it doesn't endanger my kids, I don't care, and I know you would never do that" Steve smiles against Eddie's hair as he envelops him back in his arms again.

"N-never," Eddie repeats, taking a deep breath and quickly wrapping his own arms over Steve's, holding on tightly. "I-I-I," Eddie grunts in frustration, and Steve guesses it must be because of the stuttering. Eddie loves words, and Steve imagines maybe this was why. A little boy with a stutter, overcoming it and using that power to talk about anything and everything. All the way until storytelling and performance become an integral part of who he is as a person. 

He hears Eddie take another deep breath, "I'd like to stay." he manages and takes yet another deep breath, "When the k-kids are here, I-I-I," another frustrated sound before another round of deep breaths, "ssssstay in the RV. Un-until they're ok with it" another pause, and Steve can hear Eddie trying to form some words, but they aren't coming out. Finally, he huffs, breaks free of Steve, pushing his arms away, gets up suddenly and storms out of the living room, and Steve hears the front door slam open.

"Eddie!!" Steve yells after him. His heart is pounding. He said he wasn't going to run, but now Steve has pushed him too far too quickly, and he's just bolted. Steve's legs feel like they've filled with the weighted lead of absolute fear as he gets up to chase after him, but before he even gets to his feet, the front door slams again, and a furious-looking Eddie is back storming towards the Hi-Fi clutching a CD in his hands.

"Eddie, what the hell is going on?! Jesus Christ! I thought you'd gone," Steve exclaims with a sigh of relief, sinking back to the cushion on the floor, looking at a hunched-over Eddie who is hitting the buttons so hard Steve can hear him doing it. A song starts playing, and Eddie stomps over to a bewildered Steve. His nose is still scrunched up in frustration as he sits on Steve's thighs, his eyes ringed red from crying, and he captures Steve's face in his hands, clutching at it a little too hard, but Steve doesn't care about that, he's still relieved that Eddie didn't run away. Steve opens his mouth to apologise, but Eddie puts his finger against Steve's lips and forces him to look at the Hi-Fi. Steve doesn't know what's going on, so he just takes it as Eddie wants him to listen to the song, so he does.

I got to tell you what I'm feeling inside, 

I could lie to myself, but it's true.

There's no denying when I look in your eyes, 

Girl, I'm out of my head over you.

I lived so long believin' all love is blind

But everything about you is tellin' me this time

It's forever, 

this time I know, and there's no doubt in my mind

Forever, 

until my life is through, 

Girl, I'll be loving you forever

Steve feels Eddie's grip finally loose on his face, and he takes the opportunity to turn to look at him. Eddie is frantically looking at Steve for understanding. Steve's mind is a whirl, he doesn't know quite what to say, and he sees Eddie's shoulders sink in defeat as he hangs his head to start to turn away. Steve grabs Eddie's shoulder and lets the words fall out, without a quality control check, "I hear you. I mean, I heard you. What the guy is singing, right?" Steve sputters and hopes to God he's right that this wasn't a set of lyrics he's misinterpreted, but when Eddie's eyes meet his again, he's sure it's what they're saying, "You love me? Forever, right? Like he was singi-" Steve tries again, he probably should be more embarrassed about the desperation in his voice, but he isn't going to let this just pass him by. He wanted to be right so badly. However, the only answer he gets is Eddie diving in for a kiss, his tattooed arms thrown entirely around Steve's neck, and once the initial surprise is over, Steve wraps him up in his arms again, dipping him back into a deeper one. Steve takes the action as a yes, and his heart beats fiercely in his chest, afraid and eager simultaneously. His head swims with possibilities again. He loved this man so much, maybe too much and never enough all at once. He raises his knees and squeezes his arms to pull Eddie in as close as he possibly can. Physically wanting him to know that Steve would always keep him safe from harm of any kind. Forever. "I love you," Steve whispers against his mouth before kissing him again.

He hoists Eddie to his feet with him, leading him in a slow dance around the living room to the remainder of the song, with huge smiles on their faces. Steve holds him close, then twirls him around some until Eddie lets out a small laugh.

"I thought when you said you needed time, it would be longer than a couple of hours," Steve playfully teases Eddie, "But I suppose maybe something completely mind-blowing might have happened in those few hours to change that, maybe?" Steve mischievously tries to coax Eddie back out of his non-verbal state.

Eddie hits him on the upper arm with a light tap, "Again with this Ego", Eddie laughs, and Steve is relieved to hear him talk again. He’d never seen that happen to Eddie before, or at least he can’t ever recall that happening, but rather than dwell on it, Steve opts to continue easing Eddie back to normal. 

"You love it," Steve says with a wink as he gently sways him to the music.

Eddie pulls a face that looks like he wants to be annoyed but is too amused, "How I wish you were wrong about that, babe. I feel like I've roused up a monster from hibernation."

"A monster, huh? No one's called it that before," Steve says with a smirk.

Another arm tap, "That is not what I meant! And you know it!" Eddie laughs that light dusting of pink across his cheeks appears.

"Oh, how's it feel to have the tables turned on you, sweetheart?" Steve says in his best Eddie impersonation.

"Ok, now that's weird. Stop that immediately!" Eddie laughs and takes a deep breath looking into Steve's eyes, "I guess….I was confused because I didn't feel worthy. You said what you said, and I absolutely wanted to say it right back, but then I thought, Christ, maybe he's just all caught up in this, and he's not thinking about what I've done, you know? So I guess I didn't need time. I just needed courage, and then when I finally got the courage, I was so overwhelmed I couldn't even speak. Overwhelmed with good things, I mean. You're just so good to me." He says, leaning against him as Steve gently sways them around the room.

"Worthy? No, honey. If anything, you're the prize here. Smart, funny, beautiful, kind, and smoking fucking hot, by the way. Just ask our neighbours. Two of them would agree and might be plotting my assassination as we speak! Maybe more now?" Steve pouts out his bottom lip and shrugs.

"Ok, ok. We could fight this out all day. So let's call it even, shall we, Mr Most Eligible Divorcée? '' Eddie laughs.

"No way. Consider me Mr Most Ineligible, absolutely obsessed with his future husband," Steve smiles at his own joke. Half-joke. Not a joke at all.

"You know people are gonna think we're insane, right?" Eddie says against his chest, "We went on our first date Sunday night, it's now Wednesday, and we're moving in together."

"Let them!" Steve frowns as he protectively holds Eddie closer. "Let them think what they want. My whole existence has been doing things to fit into boxes, so I can get by in life. The few times I went off track, life was tough, but I made it. My little family made it in our own unusual way." He thinks for a second, "And, you know, maybe I'm tired of exhausting myself over what other people think when I'm often wrong about it. It's just that old mentality from my parents and their circles. I've been wrong about it twice today already. Monty loved ogling you in your underwear, and the one person I know who heard us earlier gave me a thumbs up. Maybe the only opinions that should matter are those of the people I love and those who actually make an effort to be in my life because they are the people I need. They keep me going every day." He presses his hand against Eddie's cheek and he looks at him. "Like that book said. The people that mind don't matter, and the people that matter don't mind. Even if they are right, and we are crazy," Steve smiles with a sigh. "So…just so I'm not running away with my own thoughts here, could you tell me what you wanna do regarding this," Steve gestures around them and then between them, "about us. Even if it's just like a brainstorming stage. I'm just very conscious I've been blabbing on for a while now" He laughs a little and guides Eddie back to the floor cushions, but this time they face one another cross-legged and hold hands.

Eddie beams at him, "Ok, well, I'm gonna try my best."

"Hey listen, you need to take a break or anything l, just say ok, or if you can't say, we'll get a signal like….um….I don't know….um… tap your bats. I'll always be able to see that, right? Or whatever you think is easiest."

"That sounds ok, sure" Eddie takes one pair of their held hands and taps them on his arm to check, "Yeah, that'll do for now" He smiles and takes a huge deep breath as if preparing himself to speak quickly "So, in case it wasn't abundantly clear. I am absolutely, totally, stupidly in love with you. I never want to leave you for longer than I have to. I wanna stay here with you. I want you to tour the country with me. I wanna be part of your family. I want all of you as part of mine." He smiles at Steve and laughs, "I want a lot of things…sorry…I must sound crazy. I feel crazy. This is crazy right?" His vast smile erupts with the most heavenly laugh Steve has ever heard as Eddie shakes them from side to side in excitement.

Steve squeezes Eddie's hands tightly in his own, "Maybe? I don't know. One person's crazy could be our normal, though, right? We could do all those things." Steve's eyes shoot down to Eddie's arm to see if he reaches for it, but he does not move their hands.

"Yeah, we could," Eddie says softly, with a sweet happy smile on his face, "We could definitely try" Steve's eyes move cautiously back up to Eddie's, and Steve nods in agreement. This. Is. Happening. He still can't quite believe it, and his brain quickly flicks back to that thought from earlier. Eddie pacing this living room, a babe in his arms, and he's singing, cooing, and then he looks up at Steve with that huge grin. Then it flicks to watching Eddie being walked down an aisle by Wayne. Then it's rolling over in his bed to a mass of curls, and he feels the tears prick his eyes but tries to blink them away quickly. He reaches forward, touches Eddie's bat tattoo with their joined hands, making Eddie laugh, and pulls him in for a hug. "Holy shit, Steve. This is wild." Eddie mutters into his hair as he holds Steve against his chest. "I think we should call someone. Make a royal proclamation," Eddie says grandly, flourishing his hand in the air. Clearly, overcoming an emotional blockage injects Eddie with pure fuel. What did the kids used to say? Something like he was revved up. Eddie gets to his feet, yanks Steve to the kitchen table, and starts looking at his cell phone. 

He taps the number into the conference telephone and puts his finger to his lips at Steve as the phone rings and a familiar voice rings out.

"STEVE?!! HOW THE DEVIL ARE YOU?" Dustin yells down the phone.

"No, it's not Steve," Eddie says seriously, hiding his silent laughter behind his hand.

"Whaaaaaat the fuuuuuck?" there is a little rustle over the line, which must be Dustin rechecking the caller's name on his phone, "Eddie?"

"Yes, it's me, you little shit," Eddie scolds, desperately trying not to laugh. "I notice you haven't even bothered asking how I am, not like your precious Harrington, huh?" Eddie pretends to be insulted.

"But wait…what the hell…hang on! Hang on! How are you calling me but my phone says Steve."

"Oh my god, it's like I don't even fucking exist. Steve, Steve, Steve. I don't know why your phone is being a dick. You know what, man. Forget it. I'll call you back when you've stopped daydreaming about Harrington. Urgh" Eddie ends the call and bursts out laughing. Steve looks wide-eyed at him. "Look, that kid cannot resist a mystery. He'll call back shortly, guaranteed!" And as the words leave his mouth, the conference phone rings. Eddie gestures for Steve to answer.

"Yello, Harrington residence!"

"Steve?"

"Henderson!! How are you?" Steve says enthusiastically, shrugging at Eddie, who is indicating with his hands for Steve to continue.

"Fine now, I think. The weirdest shit just happened," Dustin says, taking a breath.

"Can I go back to planning my campaign now? Or do I have to babysit your phone calls some more?" A familiar voice chides Dustin.

Steve and Eddie turn to one another with wide eyes and open mouths.

"Erica?!" Steve blurts out in surprise.

"I told you to keep your voice down! Now Steve knows everyone will know," Dustin complains.

"Oh, thanks a lot!" Steve huffs.

"What do you mean? Everyone already knows! Because my brother can't keep his stupid mouth shut, and you stupidly told him at Christmas after too much of Joyce's eggnog," Erica states 

"I'm not gonna keep us a secret from my best friend, your brother. That's just deceitful. I would never do that. It's family." Dustin raises his voice, and Steve can almost hear the hand gestures.

"You keep talking to me like that. You're gonna have something else to tell everyone when I leave you all alone by your nerdy ass self!" Erica snaps back

"Erica, no, come on. I didn't mean it like that." Steve hears Dustin's voice trail away from the phone. Eddie is leaning over the conference phone, staring at it, and desperately waiting for the next part of his real-life soap opera. "You know, I just get passionate about stuff sometimes, and I was freaking out because of the whole Eddie thing. I haven't heard from him in years. Come on, Sprinkles, I'm sorry, please!"

"Fine, but you're on thin ice, Dustin, thin goddamn ice! And you're taking me out for dinner in….twenty minutes as an apology, so finish up with Captain Hairspray" Eddie looks at a gobsmacked Steve and slaps his hands over his mouth to contain his giggles.

There is a scramble for the phone, "Ok, so you know that now" and a little awkward laugh from Dustin. "Hope you didn't mind, just something weird happened earlier. Anyway, how are things with you? How are the kids?"

"Oh, the kids are great, and I'm doing really great, too, actually," Steve says, flashing Eddie a knowing smile.

"Haha! No way!! I hear it in your voice, buddy! Seems like we're both doing great in that department, huh?" Dustin enthuses with a sweet laugh.

"Yeah, really great, they're around here somewhere if you wanna meet, well speak to them?"

"Oh my god, is it serious, Steve? Is it like big-time serious relationship stuff? Oh my god! Oh my fucking god!! Yes, I gotta meet them."

"Why are you cursing so loud? You want the neighbours to complain again, hmm?" Erica complains.

"No honey suckle, no. Steve's found someone. It's serious, isn't that great?"

"Ohhh, now it makes sense…wait, you don't get it do you? Seriously?! Oh my god, why am I even dating you? I know they call you a genius at work, but as far as I can see, you're still at least fifty per cent dumbass. But, Steve, I'm happy for you both, and you still owe me ice cream!"

"What do you mean? Wait, come back here. What do you mean I don't get it?!" Dustin calls after her.

"Eighteen  minutes, Dustin." She reminds him.

"Wow. Erica, huh? What happened to Suzie?"

"Yeah, that ran its course. We branched out into different scientific fields. And Erica…phew…well, she keeps me on my toes…let's say that. However, Steve, as you can hear, I've dug myself into the dog house here. I'll call you back later. It's great to speak to you. Love you, man."

"Um, love you too," and the line clicks off.

"Well, so much for that one. How about we call Wayne, huh?" Eddie asks.

"Yeah, let's see what the old timer is up to" Steve smiles, but something is swirling in his stomach. A nervousness.

Eddie taps in the number. 

"Yep?" A gruff voice answers.

Eddie widens his eyes at Steve and nods towards the speaker.

"Uh…hi…hello Mr Munson it's…"

"Sunshine?!" Wayne enthusiastically asks, and that's when Steve nearly falls apart entirely. He always had that rough texture to his voice, but the way his age has crept around it, adding wear and tear, makes him sound a little more frail than tough but still that tender Wayne Munson from 1986. Steve's hand reaches out and grabs onto Eddie’s shoulder.

"Yeah, it's me, Steve," He manages to reply with a massive smile, a rogue tear spilling from his eye because Wayne remembered him, and Eddie gives his hand a squeeze and a big reassuring smile.

"Everythin' ok, Sunny? It's not the boy is it?" He says, and Steve can hear him groan, getting out of his chair and reaching for his keys.

"No, I'm good, Uncle Wayne. We're good. Everything's ok" Eddie takes over, and Steve hears the keys hit a surface and a soft thud, which must be Wayne flopping back into his chair.

"Better than ok I'd wager if you're callin' me together?" There is another voice in the background, and then he hears Wayne yell back, "It's Eddie…yeah, he's fine…I'll ask him about those Broadway tickets, sugar, but I think they'll be all sold out."

"He thinks it's years ago. He thinks I'm still in New York," Eddie whispers to Steve.

"Sorry 'bout that. Jack doesn't like feelin' left out.  Anyhoo, were you callin' just to say Hi?"

"Well yeah, kinda, but er, I guess, this is as good a time as any…I've got intentions for your nephew, sir." Steve says, flashing a charming smile at Eddie, who shies away a little like he's blushing.

"Oh?" Wayne says in surprise.

"Yeah, I thought, as Eddie wanted to call, I may as well ask you now. Do I have your blessing?" A genuine nervousness descends onto Steve. Wayne was a nice guy, but Eddie was basically his son, and if he said no, that could be a huge problem.

Wayne cackles loudly down the phone, "Hoooo boy, you're gonna try an' make an honest man outta Eddie?" Wayne erupts with laughter again, "You have my blessing, sure, but also my deepest sympathy."

"Oooh, you old goat, I swear you're lucky I'm in such a good mood!" Eddie tries to be annoyed but ends up laughing anyway. 

"How long do I have to get a new suit?" Wayne chuckles

"Oh, the actual event won't be for some time, I imagine," Steve says with a laugh of pure relief.

"Just consider that and the paperwork formalities we'll address much later," Eddie adds.

"Well, sounds like you got it all covered. You boys are always welcome here, and your little 'uns Sunshine. Eddie said they're just like ya. Bet that makes you mighty proud," Steve chews on his bottom lip to stop bursting into tears. Eddie shifts his chair around, drapes an arm around him, and Steve’s hand smooths along his back and grips onto the back of Eddie’s neck, "Do they know?" Wayne asks.

Steve sniffs, "Oh yeah, they knew before us, I think. They've definitely had their say on the matter, very smart and maybe a little on the sassy side too."

"Just like their old man," Wayne chuckles, and that pushes Steve over the edge, and he can't hold the tears back anymore, and Eddie cradles him into his chest and strokes his hair.

"Ok, well, we're gonna go, but I'll call you tomorrow, maybe sort out a visit?" Eddie covers quickly.

"Really?! Well, that'd be great. I'd need to get the guest room sorted, so give me a few days' warnin'." Wayne says excitedly.

"Hey, don't get doing yourself a mischief over chores. I'll help you when I get there, and anything else, call the cleaner and send me the bill. Otherwise, I will arrange a regular carer for you too!" Eddie threatens, and Steve would probably laugh if he wasn’t crying so hard. The only thing Eddie could threaten Wayne with was someone employed to take care of him.

"Well, alright then", Wayne reluctantly grumbles. "It was great to hear from you, Steve, don't be a stranger, ya hear? I'll speak to you tomorrow, Eddie. Love ya both" Steve tightens his grip on Eddie like he can't hold him hard enough.

"Love you too," they reply in unison. Steve mostly speaks his goodbye into Eddie's shoulder. Eddie ensures the phone call has ended properly and then turns his attention to Steve. Rocking him gently and rubbing circles on his upper back.

"Hey now, shh, shh, it's ok. You're ok, babe. Everything's ok" Eddie soothes until Steve releases his grip leaving little pink finger marks on Eddie's skin.

"Ah, shit. Sorry. I tried to keep it together," Steve says, turning away from Eddie, wiping his eyes and tries to get out of his chair, but Eddie gently pushes him back down into it and stands up.

"Tell me what you need. I wanna do it. What were you gonna do?" He says with a sigh, his face in a slight frown.

"It's ok, I can do it. I'm just being over dramatic" Steve tries to laugh it off and tries to stand up again. Eddie repeats the same motion.

"I didn't say you couldn't do it. I said I wanted to do it for you. So water?" Eddie gestures at the sink, and Steve nods. "You want ice in it?" Eddie asks, moving towards the refrigerator, but Steve shakes his head in a no. Eddie brings him the glass and puts a coaster underneath it before placing it in front of Steve, his eyes moving over Steve quickly, looking for clues, "You wanna talk about it?"

"It's not a big deal. I'm just not used to people, well, older people being proud of me" He shrugs a little, and Eddie softly closes his eyes in understanding for a second."I know that's dumb. I'm my own man, a parent myself. It's just when I'd visit, and sure, I don't remember a lot, but I do remember he showed me love, and I didn't even have to do anything to get it. I didn't need to be a star athlete, or-or earn a stupid jacket, or get straight A's or know what college I wanted to go to, or be a Wall Street success. And that's not because Wayne didn't care about what I was gonna do. It's because he would care about me the same whether I got those things or not."

"You listen to me. Anyone who can't see what a great man and Dad you are is just plain fucking stupid, ok? You don't need them. You've got the rest of us." He shuffles closer to Steve, "It took me a long time to realise that myself, but I got lucky. I got Wayne. That doesn't mean it doesn't still hurt sometimes. Like, why wasn't I enough for them? But the truth is nothing would ever be good enough for them because they just projected their failings and insecurities onto us. We can't marionette-fix problems that aren't ours. We have no context or instructions for them. Deep down, they don't like themselves very much, and when they couldn't stand to see what they'd done, they left us to rot, but we didn't, babe. We thrived. Call us weeds or flowers. We bloomed in those harsh conditions. We made it. We're happy. They're still miserable somewhere" Steve nods in agreement.

"You're right. I know you are. It just still stings sometimes when someone who knew me for a blip makes me feel better about myself than he ever did, but he's still my Dad, you know. My Mom is just, I dunno, she tries, but ultimately they're a package deal." Steve wipes the tears from his eyes again.

"I know, honey. I know that. I just don't want you to think for a second that it's your fault. It's not. It never was. It was all him." Eddie reassures him. "Besides, I mean, now you're basically my husband. I have to officially share the old goat with you, right? But not just all the nice bits. You can have his tantrums at technology, too," Eddie says, reeling back in his chair, making Steve laugh and giving him a small genuine smile. Eddie leans forward again and looks straight into Steve's eyes. "Look, anytime you wanna talk about something, or like you just did, show me you need me, do it. I'm not great at always picking up on things. You, Morgan and Wayne, are the people I'm best at, but sometimes I still get it wrong. Sometimes I might miss things, but regardless, I'm gonna be right here. You don't need to apologise for getting upset. You're a human being, and you aren't on your own anymore, babe. Let me help. Tap my bats" He pulls Steve's hand to his arm.

Eddie kisses the back of each of his hands. He takes a deep breath. "I love you. You are mine, and I don't know if you remember how precious I can be about my stuff, man, but Wayne will tell ya, I don't play nice with people that mess with my prized possessions. Also, I've been watching violent movies since I was about five, and all the bullying makes me quite resilient to taking a punch, and I could probably talk a person into a coma. So I got all that covered, sweetheart. Not saying anyone else didn't do a good job at looking after you. I'm sure they did. But the fact remains they aren't gonna do as good a job as me."

Steve looks at the man opposite him, and maybe for the first time in his adult life, he trusts someone can take care of him. Perhaps he could let go sometimes, and Eddie could catch him. Hand trembling, he reaches over and taps Eddie's bat tattoo, and he feels a breath shudder out of him as he releases control, and Eddie gives a small smile. "Drink your water, sweetheart. I'll be right back." 

Eddie leaves him for a few minutes, but Steve notices he's humming, and the further away he gets, the louder he hums or sings. Steve can hear things moving around, the front door opening and closing, and usually, he'd jump to see what was happening, but he just leans back on the kitchen chair and lets it happen.

Eddie returns and rubs his shoulders gently, "Alright, sweetheart. You ready?" He asks softly, and once Steve nods, Eddie takes his hand and walks him into the living room. Steve looks around and gasps. 

The living room is in darkness, the blinds and curtains are all closed, and occasional slivers of light try to break through the gaps, but it is minimal and probably wouldn't be around for long. Steve can see the DVD menu for The Breakfast Club on the TV. Near the coffee table is a cooler of beers and sodas, a selection of snacks in bowls around the table, and some interesting-looking rolled cigarettes, which probably were not cigarettes at all, Steve guesses. Out of the sofa cushions, Eddie has constructed a high-walled nest over where they sat earlier. It's full of blankets and pillows from Eddie's RV. 

"Everything, ok? If you don't like anything, just say ok. Priority is making you feel better, not worse, by stressing you out, alright?" Eddie asks, placing his hand on Steve's lower back and guiding him around. 

"Yeah," Steve says quietly, looking into Eddie's soft sparkling eyes, "Perfect", he adds with a half-smile.

Steve goes to sit as they were earlier, and Eddie tuts, "No, nope. Scooch yourself forward there, honey." Steve does as asked and immediately finds himself draped in a soft, technicolour crochet blanket, and Eddie sits behind him, his legs on either side of him. He presses play on the movie. With the cushions stacked around them like sandbag walls, Steve feels like he sheds something, and though he feels vulnerable, he feels protected. He lets his whole weight fall back against Eddie, who immediately wraps his arms around him and kisses his temple.

Steve smiles to himself. He knows this place won’t last long. It was entirely too warm, but it felt so good.

"That's it, Sweetheart." Eddie runs one hand through Steve's hair and the other he keeps around his chest, pulling him close, keeping Steve completely enveloped. He should feel more on edge without his usual defences. His armour. The armour that is ready at a moment's notice because he's never without it. The set that helps keep everyone safe, but Steve has to shoulder the weight of it, and he's been wearing it for so long parts are so tough and rigid it can be uncomfortable. Causing unseen scars to wear their way into his very being. But Steve feels safe in this entirely different set of armour. It is soft and pliable, yet solid and sure. It has no weight and comes with no burden, and it fits him perfectly like it was made just for him. 

Because it was.

Because it's Eddie's love.

And sooner than he would like, he drifts off to sleep.

❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖

Sometime later, he's woken by the answering machine's loud click and whirling. Sitting up and rubbing his eyes, he turns to find a completely flaked-out Eddie against the sofa. Head slumped back and mouth wide open. He decides not to move too much in case he wakes him.

"Please leave your message after the tone."

BEEEEEEEP

Then Steve hears the most high-pitched scream, and Eddie jolts awake, bumping into the back of him but instinctively wrapping Steve in his arms.

"Wh- who the…wha was that?" He mutters as Steve is about to stand up when the scream stops, and a familiar voice is heard.

"Oh. My. God! I can't fucking believe it. Are you guys serious? Like for real, for real? We have to meet up, we have to now!! We should… yeah, we should throw a party…right? Oh my god. Oh my god. Incredible news." Dustin yells excitably.

Eddie checks his watch, "It's fucking 2 in the fucking AM!!" He says through gritted teeth, "Stay here, babe. I'll be right back," he says as softly as he can, gets up, stalks to the phone and picks up the handset this time. "Listen here, you little shrimp!" He starts angrily, then silence. Steve, groggy and with eyes barely open, can’t help but peek around the cushion fort. "Well….thank you," Eddie says with a sweet bashful modesty, "Alright….yes! I'm aware," he says defensively, "Yeah, actually," he lets out a giggle and twirls the handset cord around his fingers, a big grin on his face, "Of course, I do....No, Dustin….Yes, of course, we were….Wow, didn't need that mental image….Yeah, I will….Uh-huh sure, tell ‘em, oh wait, little Wheeler is connected to Big Boss Wheeler, hold on….BABE? CAN DUSTIN TELL THE OTHER LITTLE SHRIMPS, OR DO YOU WANNA TELL ANYONE YOURSELF” Eddie yells, poking his head out of the kitchen. Steve waves him to continue. “No, you’re good….Yeah, man, love you too," he says sweetly. Then he clicks his fingers, "Oh, hold up, dude, I forgot something. DON'T CALL THIS HOUSE AT TWO FUCKING AM OR ANY SINGLE-DIGIT AM EVER AGAIN UNLESS IT IS A GODDAMN EMERGENCY!! GOODNIGHT!" he yells in his gremlin voice, slamming down the phone, jogs back to Steve, and just stands there looking at him for a while.

Steve rubs his eyes with a yawn, "He was just excited, honey. That's all" Steve raises his arms towards Eddie and waves him back towards the enclosure of soft furnishings.

"You know, sweetheart, you being so soft on those kids is precisely why he thought he could call you at 2am to explain he finally figured out we were together,"  Eddie says fondly, stepping slowly towards Steve.

"You love him too. I heard you." Steve smiles sleepily.

"Oh, so if you love him, he can just get away with whatever. Is that what you're saying, sweetheart?" Eddie asks with a smile.

"No, he was just excited, you know." Steve sleepily waves him over again, but Eddie raises a finger.

"Be right there, babe," he says before disappearing. Steve snuggles back up in his blanket and decides to fully lie down. 

A few moments later, he hears rapidly quickening footsteps, and the cushion wall to one side of him explodes with a manically smiling Eddie. Thankfully the layer of cushions that fell on Steve first softened the landing of Eddie on top of him.

"Eddie! What the hell, man?" Steve says, looking up at the enormous crazy smile on Eddie's face as he fidgets until his legs pin down Steve’s arms, “What are you doing?” Steve laughs.

“Writing my memoirs, of course!” Eddie’s eyes flash with that crazy look. He cracks his knuckles and wiggles his fingers in the air before focusing intensely on Steve’s chest and starts tapping on it lightly with his fingers. “Dearest Reader,” Eddie begins wistfully before raising a hand to the side of Steve’s face. He gently strokes his cheek before administering a slight sharp tap to it. “DING!” He says daintily.

Steve laughs, rolling his eyes, “Ok, ok, I get it.”

“You are my typewriter. You don’t talk.” Another light tap to his face “DING!” Eddie grins. “Double line spacing, babe,” Eddie's fingers start tapping away again, “Today has been quite the rollercoaster, I must say, but never the less a pleasurable ride, for today my escort was non-other than The Hair!” Eddie taps Steve’s face again. “DING! Oh, you know what? I might make a little space here for an illustration….DING! DING! DING! DING! DING!” A rapid succession of light, playful taps to Steve’s face.

“I know what you're trying to do. I’m not going to get annoyed” Steve is suddenly a lot more awake and deliberately defiant, “This isn’t my first rodeo. I am a father of two, Eddie.”

Eddie puffs up his cheeks and scrunches his nose in annoyance. His eyes narrow as he looks at Steve. He licks his thumb and wipes it across Steve’s forehead, “Simbaaaaaaaa,” he says. The wet saliva in the cool night air that Steve cannot wipe from his face is kind of annoying, but he’s been through worse. He blinks confidently up at Eddie with a slight smile.

Eddie leans back a little, taps his chin thoughtfully, and seems to have a Eureka moment, “Ok, this is your last chance. Just admit that there are things that people you love can do that are simply unforgivable, Steve, and this doesn't have to happen” Sure of himself and a little mischievous to best Eddie, Steve shakes his head in a no. Eddie lets out a dramatic sigh, “Ok, I guess you’re right, and it is like two in the morning. You win, Steve,” and Eddie lies down flat on the cushions on Steve, releasing his arms. He rests his chin on the pillow on Steve’s chest, “Party pooper,” he pouts, and as Steve motions to console his sore loser boyfriend, quick as a flash, Eddie's hand goes to the side of Steve’s head. Suddenly Steve feels a slight pain, and Eddie cackles loudly, pulling his fingers into Steve’s eye line. In between his fingers is one grey hair. Steve loses all composure.

“Eddie! If you pluck those things out, two grow in their place!” Steve clutches at the side of his head, and Eddie springs to his feet quickly to get out of reach of Steve. “After what you just did, you think you can outrun me?” Steve huffs as he struggles out from underneath a pile of soft furnishings, but all it does is make Eddies smile wider, and his nostrils flare.

“I know I can outrun you!” he boasts.

“We’ll see about that, you little shit!” Steve says as he tears after Eddie at full speed. Eddie yelps and runs into the other reception room, creating a standoff around a small coffee table. Eddie laughs wildly and makes a beeline for a door to the garden, and Steve chases after him in the darkness, hot on his heels, but he’s always just out of arm's reach. Suddenly Eddie stumbles down the other side of the hill by the basketball court, and Steve’s heart is in his mouth with worry, but as the garden security light flashes on, he can see he’s back on his feet, and then suddenly something occurs to Steve. He stops a little way back from Eddie, “You won. I got annoyed. Why are we running?” Steve asks, catching his breath, almost laughing himself. Eddie shrugs, looking at the floor and then looks back up at Steve through his lashes and sways from side to side a little. “You wanted me to chase you, didn't you?” Steve realises and folds his arms whilst Eddie tries to put on his most innocent face.

“A jock got mad near me, so I ran. Sue me. Then I remembered he’s my angry jock.” Eddie says with his hands at the small of his back as he kicks at the floor, a small smile reappearing on his face. “And he’s pretty handsome, you know? Even if he will end up with two grey hairs tomorrow. I’ll still find him handsome. Well, probably,” Eddie adds mischievously, and Steve is already running at him. Another hilarious noise of panic leaves Eddie as he tries to make it back to the house, but Steve cuts him off, and he has to double back and go further around. Then, with an audible plink, the security light goes out, and the area is plunged into darkness again. Eddie rounds the corner, and Steve can see him illuminated by the pool lights but keeps to the shadows. Eddie stops and looks uncertainly around, “Steve?” He whispers, a little worried. Steve waits a few seconds, “Ok, very funny, Steve! You can come out now,” he says. Steve pauses for another second for Eddie to face him, then charges to tackle him, sending them both flying into the pool with an almighty splash.

Steve pulls Eddie to the surface, and he gasps for air, “There’s my little drowned rat, nerdy guy,” Steve laughs, “Gotcha!” he says, pulling Eddie close to him.

“Oh no!” Eddie puts the back of his hand to his head dramatically, “Whatever shall I do? I’ve been captured by a handsome man in his heated pool.”

“Well, you could start with an apology, maybe?” Steve suggests.

“Oh, that’s a shame. But, you know, I’m not very good at those.” Eddie smirks, looking into Steve’s eyes.

“No?” Steve says quietly, caught in the tractor beams of Eddie's obsidian-looking eyes in the darkness, only highlighted by the reflection of the pool lights. 

Eddie shakes his head in a no, and his hands come up from the water to capture Steve’s face. “I am, however, very good at kissing things better,” Eddie says, his gaze dropping to Steve’s mouth.

Steve chuckles lightly, “I don’t think that’s where you did the damage, babe.”

“You don’t think so? Maybe we could start there? A process of elimination, maybe?” Eddie raises an eyebrow.

“Whatever you say, Doc,” Steve mutters, wholly lost in his love, as Eddie drags him back under the water surface with a kiss.

[nburkhardt]

✨ WIP Weekend ✨

I was tagged by @steves-strapcollection & @momotonescreaming!! Since I’m trying to beat out my writers block, I thought this could be fun!

✨ The Rules ✨

• In a reblog (or new post w/ rules attached), post up to five (5) filenames of your WIPs; not titles, file names.

• Post a snippet from one of them. Snippet must be words you wrote in the last 7 days. We're posting progress here. If you haven't made any, go make some and come back to post!

• After you've posted, people can send you an ask with one of your file names. You must then write 3 sentences in that file. If the filename is one you can't share from (for example, an event fic), write 3 sentences on it anyway, and then 3 more on another to share.

• That's it! You can invite others to join in, or just post. If you tag me in your post, I will send you an ask request!

✨ The WIPS ✨

All are Steddie of course 😌 (only one has the title as the file name because I thought of it before even writing anything lol)

Soulmate AU

Normal Guy Steve/Rockstar Eddie

“I just feel calmer. When I’m with you.” (An ask)

“You’re not in bed. I came looking for you.”

Pray for the Ground to Swallow Me Whole

✨ The Snippet ✨

From Normal Guy Steve/Rockstar Eddie ~

It's the worst day of his entire life.

Right now. This is absolutely the day to end all bad days. It'll be in his autobiography some day, it'll be written in news articles and maybe a movie someday.

He wants to die a million deaths, truly.

It's The Worst.

.... Or he might be exaggerating a bit. Just a little.

Really, it's not the end of the world.

This time at least.

Look, he's had a long ass week and had a fight with some idiot taking pictures of him absolutely not falling on his ass. And the record label just told him that they need at least another album before letting the band take a much needed break.

Also, if he's being truthful here, the writers block is a killer.

There's a wall just planted in his brain, cutting off any and all lyrics the band needs for another fucking album.

Where was he again? Oh, worst day of his life.

✨ absolutely no pressure tags ✨

@artiststarme @estrellami-1 @anzelsilver @zerokrox-blog @mysticcrownshipper

[shares-a-vest]

WIP Wednesday Weekend Game

I was tagged by @farahsamboolents thank you! 💖💖💖

Okay, my brain is working again. Had my rant post yesterday, then a nap, then played Sims so now I'm all good... I think... Ugh, irl things, whyyy can't my life just be writing fic 😂

Here’s how it works:

In a reblog of this post (so people can find you in the notes) or new thread (w/ rules attached) if you want to play on your own, post up to five (5) filenames of your WIPs; not titles, file names.

Post a snippet from one of them. Snippet must be words you wrote in the last 7 days. We’re posting progress here. If you haven’t made any, go make some and come back to play!

After you’ve posted, people can send you an ask with one of your file names. You must then write 3 sentences in that file. If the filename is one you can't share from (for example, an event or gift fic), write 3 sentences on it anyway, and then 3 more on another to share.

That’s it! You can invite others to join in, or just post. I’ll be searching the reblogs to find people to send asks to!

If you’re reading this, you’re invited!

If you see someone posting a WIP Wednesday Game snippet, send them an ask! Make them write.

File Names:

The first two are files with multiple ficlets etc. the others are fics.

ST Father's Day Edition

Joanie Munson AU

Claudia Henderson to the Rescue FINAL

Looking at Me Looking at You

Steddie Taylor's Version

Snippet:

From what was supposed to be a week-long writing project for myself (ST Father's Day Edition). A combo of this particular 'ficlet' blowing out to 1k + and the aforementioned brain-not-functioning. Buuut it's also from my Joanie Munson AU so if i don't get it done it won't be entirely irrelevant mid-week.

They managed to coax Steve from his Sad Dad cocoon with a sandwich and the promise that late take-out is a perfectly acceptable substitute (and thus isn't actually ruining) Double Date Night. Even Nancy nods along with encouragement in the three seconds she tears her attention away from little Joanie-Bear. But of course, the kid has to be Little Miss Fusspot, rejecting via dramatic dry-sobs the applesauce she'd made grabby hands for a good twenty minutes ago. Steve sighs, allowing the applesauce-covered spoon in his hand to dip at a dangerous enough angle Robin startles on the couch at the thought of yellow-green goop going everywhere. He scrubs a hand over his face as Joanie starts up another bout of squirming in Nancy's arms. "What can I do to get this applesauce into you tonight, munchkin?" he says, sounding every bit a used car salesman stereotype before upticking for a sickly-sweet, "You have to eat before bedtime." Nancy sits upright, commanding, "Alright, time to swap over." As they juggle Joanie and her not-wanted jar of applesauce, Eddie chuckles into his paperback. He elbows Robin in the ribs. "I should take a picture," she mumbles out the side of her mouth.

No pressure tags: @eddiemunsonsmum @momotonescreaming @rocknrollsalad @slowandsteddie @spicysix

[wormdebut]

Ooh. What's your favorite thing about Kiss Your Knuckles (Before You Punch Me In The Face), and what if anything has been challenging?

Oh Lord.

So Kiss Your Knuckles has been rattling around in my brain since early March, maybe even late February.

I started it before the Boys Who Kiss Series. I started it before I really found my voice as a writer. So I wrote down my thoughts and ideas, and walked away from it for a bit, because I was like I don’t know how to do this story justice, but I know it’s a story that needs to be told.

But then I came back and was like Oh this is actually really good. I can tell this story now.

And when I came back to it I had realized that your girl can actually write really great smut scenes and frankly I knew that KYK needed ridiculously hot sex throughout the pages but ANYWAY

What I struggle with is writing canonical universe for Steddie and there is not really a reason for that, I just thrive in AUs for them. So this is a challenge for me BUT the flashbacks and the “current day” (‘91) moments has just been falling into place.

I am a musician so this is why you see me leaning into musician Eddie or Steve so heavily in 99% of my works. I get music and I get the passion behind it so I am very protective of this story because Steve writing and releasing this song is so important, but that’s it’s own challenge because this entire story is through Eddie’s eyes.

This is also why it is my baby. My heart is in this one.

Who am I kidding my little worm heart is in all of them but this is a very important fic for me and for Eddie and Steve.

This is my version of how I see things happening after the events of season four cause Eddie lived and there was trauma obviously.

I am so fucking excited for you guys to have this. Truly.

Asak Me About My WIPS!

[steveharrington]

Fanfic ask meme #1, #4, #5, #6, #7, #11; with the [insert fic] as Every Mistake?

1. What fic of yours would you recommend to someone who had never read any of your work? (In other words, what do you think is the best introduction to your fics?)

ooo probably my friends are all waving from the shore because i feel like. when i wrote it i was like okay finally i’m writing The Fic where i make steve think about his feelings and interact with Everyone and like really pry his brain open. it’s like a very shortened version of things to come!

4. What detail in [every mistake was made purposely] are you really proud of?

oh my favorite thing about writing carol is making her a big hypocrite and i feel like that was best exemplified in chapter two when she’s speculating at length on chrissy’s experiences and then turns around and acts all appalled at the thought of eddie knowing something so personal and private about her. i just think carol is 100% the type to be like “oh but it’s okay when i do it” and i was kinda proud of that bit hehe

5. What do you wish someone would ask you about [every mistake was made purposely]? Answer it now!

ooo i really don’t know ?? i guess like a bit of trivia is that originally i was gonna have nancy be possessed instead of jonathan, but i wanted her to be able to interact with tommy and carol at length because she has history with them <3

7. Any worldbuilding you’re particularly proud of?

i am kinda obsessed with creating little background characters who never make an appearance but get mentioned as like somewhat formative figures in steve/robin/nancy/whomever’s life and people seem to like that when they leave comments so <3 im proud of it!

11. Are you partial to a certain character/pairing or are you more equal-opportunity? If you are partial to any character/pairing, why do you think that is?

well…..it should come as a surprise to no one that i am partial to steve. i don’t think i’d ever write a fic where he doesn’t at least make One appearance, but other than that i do like to make other characters my narrators sometimes and have the focus on them <3 as for pairings, quite honestly i’ve found recently that i don’t really enjoy focusing the Entire story on romance. i realized when i tagged things to come as steve/eddie and started getting a lot of bookmarks that were tagged with like “this isn’t really steddie but it’s cute!” that people were expecting the ship to take way more prominence than it did. which is fine!! it’s just not rlly my ultimate goal when i’m writing personally. anyways all of that’s to say, i don’t focus on ships very much but i’m open to writing a few of them. i like lumax and jopper and robin/vickie and obviously steddie. there are some ships i’ll just simply never write for but ultimately i like focusing on platonic dynamics better anyway!

[scoops-stevie-archive]

✨ stranger things fic rec pt 2 ✨

part 1 | part 3

happy new year!

mostly steddie with some ronance/fruity four/platonic stobin sprinkled in. heed the ratings, there's a healthy amount of smut.

fics in this installment: 66 fics in total: 196

as per usual:

-all fics are in alphabetical order -please tell me if the links are broken/linked wrong

more fic recs my own works

and, as always, please leave kudos and comments, and reblog this post!

i adore you (i want you) - T, 1.4k, 1/1 vivahate

“Don’t.” Dustin hisses up at him, palm still pressing against Eddie’s stomach. “Can you guys not be gross at least when we’re here?”  Nobody else even cares, Eddie thinks sullenly but he’s still too busy staring longingly at his boyfriend to manage replying at the same time. Dustin’s look of annoyance turns into one of disgust and Eddie subconsciously touches a hand to the corner of his mouth. According to Robin he tends to drool sometimes when he’s looking at Steve. That doesn’t seem to be the case now though and he doesn’t even get a word in before Dustin’s groaning. All loud and dramatic.

I Held the Hand of the Devil - E, 3.7, 1/1 CapricornBookworm

Eddie looked up at Steve with those stupid big beautiful puppy-dog eyes, and Steve couldn’t decide if he’d rather kiss Eddie’s nose or fuck him into a mattress. Either way, he wanted Eddie Munson.

i just want coffee for breakfast - M, 1.5k, 1/1 skeletaldarling

Eddie and Steve, a few weeks after the beginning of their relationship, being soft and sweet in Steve's kitchen, making plans for the future.

i know what you are steve harrington - T, series soleum

Short, unrelated stories about Steve and Eddie

i made this mess with love. - E, 3.9k, 1/1 througheden (@thefreakandthehair)

“If you so much as fucking look at him again, I will hunt you to the ends of the earth like the dog you are and I will put you down.” He grits out through his teeth, watching as the other man’s eyes grow large. Steve drinks in the terror behind them and imagines how unhinged he must look to the others. He briefly considers not dropping his arm when the other man starts to sputter and choke. Eddie’s voice rings out somewhere near him. “Jesus H. Christ, what the fuck is going on?!”

I Starve Without You On My Lips - E, 4.4k, 1/1 god_hates_tyler (@bisexual-cryptid)

Eddie visits Steve on a particularly slow day at Scoops Ahoy, and then fucks him in the back room.

I use my own two hands (I rip up all of the seams) - M, 1.7k, 1/1 writerbri

Eddie senses something is wrong. He knows Steve, right down to the marrow of his bones. He knows when the tears that slip down his cheeks are the good kind of tears. He knows how he shudders and trembles when it’s good. He knows how heated his skin gets, when he twists and writhes and begs for more. But he’s silent, and he’s crying, and he’s cold to the touch. And nothing is right.

I want to run, I want to hide (I wanna tear down these walls that hold me inside) - E, 2/2 Gorgeousgreymatter

“You want me that bad, Munson?” It’s not what he’d been intending to say, but it comes out anyway. Maybe because part of him just wants to see what Eddie’s going to do. Maybe he will just open up his mouth right here and take a bite. Kind of feels like that’s what Eddie might do when his gaze turns wolfish, his eyes almost entirely black. “I don’t think you want to play this game with me, Stevie.”

i was made for lovin' you, baby - E, series joehardys

Steve and Eddie finding each other in the aftermath of Vecna.

I Wasn't Born Flawed - G, 1.4k, 1/1 jadeluvr

Her shaking arm was pushing open the door before her brain was registering it, and as soon as the bell rang, Steve eyes were gazing over her dishevelled vest with perceptible concern. Eventually, he caught sight of her tear stained face with her red eyes to match, and he was already hopping over the counter to flip the Open sign to Closed. OR: after robin was mocked and bullied for being a lesbian, she went to steve for comfort.

i wave goodbye to the end of beginning (goodbye) - N/A, 35k, 1/1 steveharringtoned

Eddie Munson has been going steady with Steve Harrington for a little while now. He’s learned to expect the occasional disturbance. In which he observes: 5 times Steve helps the kids, +1 time they help him.

I'd Meet You Where The Spirit Meets The Bones - E, 15k, 1/1 aaliona

Steve doesn't mean to go off his suppressants when the Venca stuff happens, but it triggers a full-blown heat. Joyce wants to blame this new alpha around him, but instead she watches from afar as both boys figure out what they want from each other and whether they're allowed to want it. Steve's trying to get through his heat, knowing the man he wants might be dying in the other room. And Eddie? Eddie just wants Steve.

I'm Crazy for Loving You - E, 6.1k, 1/1 yilinglazy (@jiangwrongcurator)

"So, tell me about these 'details.' The worst that can happen is I run screaming for the hills." "You're annoying." "And you love me anyway." Steve grinned, kissing the top of Eddie's head. It took a little more coaxing, but eventually, Eddie opened up a little bit, and when Steve didn't immediately resort to disgust, the trickle became a waterfall. It was a little alarming, the things that he said, but Steve did his best to contain any negative reaction. He wasn't disgusted per se, but he was definitely perplexed. The logistics of what Eddie was describing were lost on him, but as he listened, he became curious.

i'm lost in admiration, could i need you this much? - E, 7.2, 1/1 ransomsleftnipple

Being with Eddie has opened Steve up to so many desires he didn't know he had, desires hidden behind thinking he was straight, behind thinking he's not allowed to like these things. Eddie's always the confident one, the one who starts things, who suggests things, who reads Steve like a book and still asks if everything's okay. Steve wants to be the brave one this time. Hense, buying the skirt.

i've got you. - T, 1.1k, 1/1 througheden (@thefreakandthehair)

“Stevie, can you hear me in there?” Eddie asks, his head resting back against the door. He opts to pull both knees back up, splaying out a bit to either side as he wraps his arms around them. Silence and more whooshing of the water is the only response Eddie gets. He sighs and drops his head to stare down at the carpet beneath him. It breaks his heart, seeing Steve hurt like this.

if you'll come with me - G, 2k, 1/1 kingofsoftstyle

steve has an idea he wants to bring up to eddie that will drastically change their relationship.

ill stop the world and melt with you - T, 1.1k, 1/1 perseuswrites

“What happened?” Steve looks down and frowns, opening his mouth and closing it a few times before looking back up at Eddie teary eyed and Eddie holds his face, “Hey it’s okay, you can’t talk? Is that it? That’s alright. How about you just nod or shake your head okay?” Steve nods. or steve gets drunk after having a nightmare about eddie, eddie takes care of him

in the quiet of loving him - T, 5.5k, 1/1 Wispie

Will returns from Lenora. He hears about Eddie's guitar solo to save the world. He learns that he is not alone and that it's okay to love yourself.

Aka Will sees Eddie flirting with Steve, has a crisis over it, and they have a conversation where Will is told things he should have heard years ago.

In Your Holy Water - E, 4.3k, 1/1 god_hates_tyler (@bisexual-cryptid)

Eddie calls Steve his girlfriend jokingly, before realizing that Steve is very into it. Then they fuck about it. That's the fic. It's just Eddie calling Steve a good girl while fucking him senseless.

it all fell down (it all fell down) - T, 1.9k, 1/1 Mighty_Huntress

El can’t find them. They aren’t answering their walkie talkies. Erica said Lucas told her they were going to “their” spot, but every “spot” checked has been empty. Nancy, Jonathan, Joyce—they’re all clinging to the thinnest threads of sanity because El can tell they’re alive, she just can’t find them, but that only helps so much because his boys are missing. His boys are missing, and there’s no danger in swinging range. Steve’s hands continue to shake.

it better be black, it better be tight, it better be just my size - E, 6.5k, 1/1 trashmouthing

eddie helps steve clean his bedroom.

it must be something in the water - E, 13k, 1/1 rosefire

“Oh my god,” Steve said, panic threading his voice, “Oh my god oh my god —” “Hey, dude, relax, okay, we’re gonna — they’re gonna figure out we’re stuck in here and get us out. We’re gonna be fine,” Eddie said, actively tamping down the wave of frustration rising up in him. He felt his lips pull back from his teeth, a little, slamming the button for the lobby over and over, pressing the emergency call button, remembering he didn’t have his phone. He was too close to his fucking rut for this shit. “We’ve just gotta calm the fuck down —” “No,” Steve whined, “I — I can’t —” and Eddie whipped his head around, alarmed. Steve was flushed now, and the faint sheen on his face had been upgraded to actual beads of sweat, pooling at his temples. His pupils were dilated, and while Eddie stood, frozen, because he’d never in his life heard Steve sound like that, Steve shouldered off his backpack and unzipped his windbreaker with shaking hands, still gasping for air. “Hey, Steve, dude, we’re gonna be fine,” Eddie tried again, only then Steve whipped his windbreaker off his shoulders towards him and Eddie got a face full of his scent, and that wasn’t just warm rising off of him, that was heat.

it still hurts underneath my scars - E, 4.5k, 1/1 writerbri

"I’m so sorry.” “Shh,” Eddie says, a strain in his voice as he shakes his head. “I know, baby. I feel it too. But we’re okay. You have to know that.” Steve nods, swallowing the lump in his throat. He knows it now, even if he let his doubt run the show for a while there. “I love you,” he says, needing Eddie to hear it.

It's Times Like These (You Learn to Love Again) - T, 2/2 Fitzgi

"What the fuck happened to you, Steve?" Dustin asked, his voice soft for once. Steve's eyes slowly moved over to look at the teenager. He laughed humorlessly and shrugged his shoulders. "I won a fight." OR Steve ends up beaten and blooded at Eddie's door and the Munsons take care of their own.

It's you and me (won't be unhappy) - E, 2/3 Gwendolyn

Then they’re coming out of the trees and the land suddenly opens up before them, and Eddie pulls up to a spot of bare grass where the land is high and the brilliant sunset is perfectly spread out before them, unspoiled by electric poles or buildings. Eddie rolls the windows all the way down to let in the evening breeze and turns off the car. “Pretty, huh?” Eddie says, and Steve looks over at him, face lit up and glowing with the soft colors of the sky. “Yeah,” Steve replies, not moving his gaze from Eddie and feeling like he’s in some cheesy romance movie. He can’t help it. Or, Eddie teaches Steve more about sex, but then they realize this isn't just sex.

kids in the dark - M, series FagurFiskur

“Just relax.” Eddie runs his fingers through Steve’s hair and okay, that actually feels kind of nice. “This is happening, so you might as well enjoy it.” Robin laughs. “You’re gonna look so pretty, Steve.” “I’m gonna kill all of you,” Steve mutters but he sits still and lets Eddie muss up his hair probably beyond all recognition. “Seriously, none of this better leave this room.”

Kiss You - G, 2k, 1/1 Phineasflynns

Steve flips the two sandwiches sizzling in the pan and then turns to face Eddie, brows drawn up slightly in an expression the metalhead can’t quite place. That happens a lot lately -more often than not- Eddie will catch Steve looking at him, and it’s always the same look on his face that Eddie can’t seem to figure out. It makes his heart pound and his palms sweaty in spite of his confusion.

La Vie en Rose (Someday) - G, 1.4k, 1/1 Sleepdeprivedandfailingschool

An early morning in the Munson trailer. Or: Steve and Eddie being happy/domestic little shits :]

Lay All You Love On Me - T, 1.9k, 1/1 shigaswift

Steve Harrington and Eddie Munson are very protective of each other. Jason Carver really shouldn't have messed with them.

layer by layer, the framework was formed - G, series MacksDramaticShenanigans (@hotcocoaharrington)

eddie and steve, through the eyes of wayne

Let Me Be the Portable Heater - T, 3.8k, 1/1 kikisifi13

Okay, so maybe Steve’s gone a few extra miles past what was necessary. He hasn’t just *acquired* the tea. He’s already steeped it with a couple more spoonfuls of honey and put it in a thermos. And he hasn’t just acquired *tea*. He’d also bought chicken-noodle soup and orange juice from the supermarket, along with some surplus tissues and Nyquil. They’re sitting now in the passenger seat of the beemer, secured by a fuzzy throw blanket that rarely left the Harringtons’ linen closet. Steve has just pulled into the trailer park, noting the absence of the van in the driveway. Wayne must be at work, meaning that Eddie is alone. 'Not for long,' Steve thinks to himself. Eddie comes down with a head cold only days away from a Hellfire session, but Steve isn't going to let him suffer alone. Not after everything that Eddie has done for him.

let's make love in the summertime - E, 1.5k, 1/1 bittlebarnes

It’s hot today. Honestly, it’s got to be at least 100 degrees. The air conditioning in their complex can barely keep up with the heat and Steve has already sweated his way through his tank top. A little heat’s never stopped Eddie though. -or- Eddie slow fucks Steve with a strap during a heatwave.

Like The Beat Of A Heart - N/A, 9.1k, 1/1 BlackUnicorn

“And you must be Will the Wise,” Eddie greeted him when the other kids had finally let go. “I heard all about you.” Will the Wise arched a single eyebrow at him. “You did.” It wasn't even a question, the kids voice dry and doubtful. Will kind of hated him, Eddie thought, and then immediately wondered what he'd done to deserve that because while he was very used to random strangers hating him for no fucking reason, he'd kind of hoped this particular random stranger would be an exception to the rule. Joke was on the kid, though, because Eddie loved a challenge. “Most powerful wizard in all the land,” he said, cracking a smile that he hoped was disarming enough as he offered his hand. Will glanced at it for a moment, then at his face, his eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Assessing him. Eddie wasn’t too worried, though, simply wiggled his fingers and waited for Will to make the next move. He did. A surprisingly strong hand grabbed his own, shaking it firmly. “By the by,” Eddie tagged on in a low voice so that only Will could hear, planning to go all in, “I personally thought Zombie Boy was a pretty badass name.”

like you wanted it forever - T, 1.6k, 1/1 cpressmn

Steve is too much, and it’s not fair, and now they might die and Steve might hate him forever if they both even make it out of this, but Eddie can’t bring himself to care. They’re already in hell, so why not? “Yeah?” Steve’s still staring at him, expectant. His mouth is turned down in concern and Eddie doesn’t feel like resisting anymore. “Hey, man, you alr—” He strides forward, determined, and grabs a stunned Steve by his cheeks before pressing their lips together.

Love Without Strings - T, 5.4k, 1/1 sillylittleclowndude

Hopper sighed out, “Getting used to getting your face beat in is not something that you should have ever had to deal with. You or Robin.” “Oh no, it’s really okay, Hop, I swear. It’s like, kind of my job, ya know?” “I’m sorry?” Hopper spoke up, looking at Steve’s face like he thought he may have misheard. The rest of the crew also turned to look at Steve with confusion on their faces. Or Steve doesn’t realize that his friends didn’t know about what happened in the underground Russian base and everything spills out when Hopper mentions his time in a Russian prison.

Love, let me see my way back to you - E, series StarsHideYourFires

Eddie Munson and Steve Harrington were high school sweethearts, separated by circumstance. Thanks to their meddling twelve-year-old twins, they have reunited and have the chance to work at being the family they always wanted to be.

Mallrat - E, 3/3 ozwrites

Eddie Munson is the furthest thing from a mallrat. But there are three very persistent 14-year-olds tugging on his sleeve, begging him to take them to Starcourt after school. ‘The Game Player’ has D&D dice and the kids, the actual mallrats, want to go. Who is he to deny them this simple joy? Eddie takes Mike, Dustin, and Lucas to the nerd store. On the way back to the lot, they pass The Gap, Zales, Jazzercise, and- “Jesus Christ, dude is that Steve?!”

Man Of My (Wet) Dreams - E, 14k, 1/1 xeoncain666

“Oh, you like when I call you princess?” Steve nodded with a whimper. “How about baby? Sweetheart? Honey?” It felt like Steve’s brain was being overloaded and about to self-destruct. “All of it, Eddie. Everything you say drives me up the fucking wall.”

mark my skin, use your teeth - E, series Adure (@toburnup)

Eddie's holding the tattoo needle, arms splattered with ink, and he's pressing the tip to Steve's skin. Dragging it along to form a curved line, right over his chest, across his beating heart.

maybe a kiss before i leave you this way - E, 5.7k, 1/1 ruinations

“Don’t you have work?” “Yeah,” Steve confirms, blinking owlishly, innocently, “but I want to make a baby with you.” - Steve wants a baby and Eddie tries his damndest to give him one.

Melt - E, 2k, 1/1 Blapblaps

Steve’s gotta wake up to get ready for work soon, and Eddie’s in the habit of waking him up in the mornings since he’s always the first to crack open his eyes. Eddie woke up this morning with the aftertaste of Steve in his mouth, and he needs Steve on top of him before he goes, just for a little while.

melt your headache's, call it home - G, 3.8k, 1/1 PoolToast22

Steve squeezed his eyes shut. They felt tender and bruised like an apple dropped on the ground, soft to the touch and ever visible beneath the darkened flesh. The muscles in his jaw, his temple, his forehead, they all ached. Tension stretched his skin thin like a day-old sunburn.  He didn't fucking have time for this.  With a deep breath, he opened them. Sunlight accosted him, sending a pulsing awareness through his skull. Where were his fucking sunglasses? - AKA the one where Steve gets a headache but Eddie helps take care of him

Misjudged Your Limits - T, 3.2k, 1/1 kikisifi13

"According to Robin, the first signs that Steve was getting a migraine were the little things, things that would seem normal if they were coming from anyone else. Steve had walked into Family Video that morning fifteen minutes late, wearing sunglasses and clutching a thermos of coffee. And sure, it was summer. But the knowing glance that Robin shot Eddie told him this wasn’t that." After being beaten up one too many times, Steve Harrington has some head trauma to show for it. This also means migraines, which he tries his best to avoid displaying. 3 months into dating Eddie Munson, that particular situation becomes unavoidable, and when Steve is forced to be vulnerable, Eddie doesn't know what the hell he's supposed to do. Cue Robin leading Eddie through Caring For Steve's Migraines: A Comprehensive Guide. TW: headaches, nausea, vomiting

Mutual Future (Reapeat) - T, 6k, 1/1 sidekickjoey (@sidekickjoey)

It's Hawkins, Indiana. November 1983. Again. By some grace, our gang has a second chance at life - some literally. Faced with a chance to do it all over again, many choose to spend their time finally acting like kids and enjoying the childhood they were deprived of for three years. Steve Harrington, on the other hand, returns with a long to-do list of things he needs to change. To make up for. To fix. First on that list? Finding Eddie Munson, and single-handedly making up for everything bad that ever happened to the man with three little words: "Is that Metallica?"

my hands are tied - T, 1.5k, 1/1 lesbianrobin

As their kiss deepens, Steve goes to reach for Eddie's hair, and freezes as the black bandana around his wrists binds them together. Eddie smiles against his lips and leans back to whisper, "What'cha trying to do there, Stevie?" Steve's heart stutters in his chest. He can feel goosebumps starting to form on his arms as Eddie pushes them above his head, wrists still bound, and presses himself back to Steve's chest and continues to kiss him. Steve tries to focus on Eddie's lips, on Eddie's hands cradling his face, even though he can feel the fabric binding his wrists together and the way they press against each other, his pulse seemingly magnified by the dual pounding of each artery, and it's fine, it's okay, he can focus on Eddie and the faint smell of laundry detergent and cigarettes, and Eddie's weight in his lap, and Steve is fine. - (he's not fine)

My Hands Have Made Some Good Mistakes. (They Can Always Make Better Ones.) - G, 2.3k, 1/1 Atlas_M_33

The first time that Eddie notices, they’re trekking through the woods looking for some kind of gate, though it's not until a few minutes later that he realizes what it was that stood out to him. For all that he was very much a jock, Harrington’s still a rich kid who shouldn’t have had to work a day in his life, cruising through on his daddy’s reputation, but there were calluses, rough and prominent, on his palm where their hands touched. (Five times Eddie notices Steve Harrington's hands, and one time Steve thinks about Eddie’s.)

My Heart's In Bloom - G, 2k, 1/1 harperfinkle

“And these are for me?” Eddie looks at him like he’s just grown a second head. “Well… yeah,” Steve smiles, and Eddie’s brain suddenly stops working. OR: Steve keeps giving Eddie flowers.

Need Your Love So Bad - E, 2/2 Blapblaps

Something’s up with Steve today. He’s been working all week and too tired to think about himself, but there’s something else there, too. Eddie takes it upon himself to cater to his needs; make him feel safe, loved, and desired.

Never A Thank You - T, 2k, 1/1 Arrival_Of_Dawn

Being the babysitter is a thankless job, but Steve wouldn't trade it for anything because damn if he doesn't love his kids. At least he has Eddie by his side to make everything better. And for some reason Eddie really likes the way Steve looks when he's covered in blood.

new times, cause old ones aren't really us - M, 4k, 1/1 saturnatlast, thoselittlelights

His heart has been swelling and he wants a shower but he can't pull himself out of this coma that Steve playing the piano, always so hauntingly beautifully, draws him into, like the stars are the sky and the sky is the fucking stars.

No Rest for the Wicked and Horny - E, 2.4k, 1/1 HopelessRomantic_12

“You beg so nicely for me. And I know you would be so good. But I also think it’s pretty selfish of you to ask me to sacrifice my precious sleep just so you can get off. So how ‘bout I make you a deal?” They’ve been together long enough for Steve to know how evil Eddie can be with his games, but he has to admit his interest is piqued. Eddie doesn’t wait for him to respond before continuing. “I’ll keep my hand right here,” he strokes Steve through his pants to emphasize his words, “and you can move around all you want. But if you don’t come within… let’s say 60 seconds, we might just have to wait until morning to solve your little problem.” Steve’s eyes widen with understanding. His cock twitches with understanding, too. 60 seconds? Steve supposes he must have gotten off that fast before, and he’s definitely on his way there right now—but still, a lot is on the line here. He takes a deep breath, ready for the challenge. “When does my time start?” Eddie’s eyes flicker, complimented by a devilish grin. “Now.” *** Or: Steve can't sleep and Eddie makes him a deal.

nothing's gonna harm you (not while i'm around) - T, 2.8k, 1/1 judasofsuburbia

when max mayfield shows up at eddie munson's door after a nightmare, the last thing she expects to see is steve harrington staring back at her. or steve and eddie being the big brothers that max deserves.

now and forever - E, series FromTheEmbers

Eddie Munson is everything Steve is not supposed to want in an alpha. It doesn't make him want him any less. Following the lives of Steve, Eddie and their children through the years.

Obey Your Master - E, 9k, 1/1 goldenringboy

If Eddie Munson was asked a year ago– hell, even a month ago– if he ever imagined Steve Harrington, the King of Hawkins High, sitting around a scratched up table in a dingy basement with a bunch of high school kids playing fucking Dungeons and Dragons, well he’d ask what drugs you were on and where he could get some. ___ Steve plays D&D for the first time. It goes about as well as you expected.

Odds and Ends - T, 5.4k, 1/1 kikisifi13

The plan is this: Steve is supposed to take the kids to see the newest Star Trek movie this Friday. The problem is this: Steve is due for a migraine. sequel to "Misjudged Your Limits"

On and on - T, 9/9 Belladonnax

After Nancy calls him bullshit, Steve finds another party. He decides to keep drinking. He's not too sure how he ends up curled up with Eddie Munson but he's kind of glad he did. It quickly becomes the best thing that could have happened to him.

On Your Knees When You Look At Me - E, 5.1k, 1/1 god_hates_tyler (@bisexual-cryptid)

Steve tries on his uniform for his new job at Scoops Ahoy, just to make sure it fits. When he shows his boyfriend, he has an unexpected reaction to it. (i.e. he thinks it's very hot.)

one ring to rule them all - T, 1.7k, 1/1 arrowxsun

Steve was already down on one knee when Eddie looked at him again, the concrete hot against his skin. Eddie’s eyes widened. “Get up, Harrington.” Steve smiled. He could feel his hands shaking. “Why Munson, you usually like it when I’m on my knees for you” or: Steve, Eddie and Dustin go watch The Fellowship of the Ring together when it comes out and Steve has something planned.

paint me in trust - E, 5k, 1/1 jojojokestar

It's Steve's first time getting stoned, and he wants to try something new. He's completely blown away by the results.

paper rings - M, 2k, 1/6 sam_writes_fics

Eddie picks up his head just enough to prop his chin up on Steve’s chest. “Looking at what?” “Your rings,” Steve answers easily, staring down at the silver bands sitting on three of Eddie’s fingers. “I’ve never really looked at them before. Not up close.” // 5+1 times Steve and Eddie talk about rings.

paradise in a new light - E, 2/2 spoilerings

Steve doesn’t even have time to think about it before his body decides for him, and he kneels unceremoniously down on the carpet between Eddie’s open legs. He has no clue where the urge comes from, and he can’t help but notice that it feels good. He hears a shocked little ‘oh’ from above him, but he can’t find it in himself to be embarrassed; just rests his temple against Eddie’s thigh and closes his eyes. or Steve arrives at Eddie’s exhausted beyond belief after a long shift. Eddie takes care of him.

paralyzed - N/A, 4,5k, 1/1 chlorue

Tonight was proving to be one of the worst nights of Steve’s life. It was the first night of Corroded Coffin’s tour in Indiana in a sold out venue and Steve had barely seen Eddie all day. Of course Steve and the rest of the group caught tickets for the show, like hell they were going to miss this show. But Steve has been hanging out with Dustin, Max, and the rest of the kids all day. Not that he didn’t enjoy hanging out with them (making sure they were making good decisions), but Steve was crawling out of his skin being away from Eddie today.

Partners In Crime - T, 2.3k, 1/1 god_hates_tyler (@bisexual-cryptid)

Jason ambushes Steve and Eddie on their way to Eddie's van. He starts antagonizing Eddie and calling him names, which Steve will not put up with. They get in a fight and Hopper has to come and break it up.

Peaceful Bliss - G, 2.1k, 1/1 unkreativstermensch

"Henderson,” Eddie groans. “Do you have any idea what time it is?" He rubs his hands over his face. Dustin nods. "Of course, it’s 6:15, but we need to talk, it's really urgent, I noticed something about the-" he stops in his tracks when he notices the patch of hair next to Eddie, sticking out from under the covers and in between pillows, and the way Eddie winces because Dustin's talking too loud, and oh shit- there's someone else in bed with him. or: Dustin has the annoying habit of just busting into Eddie's trailer at ungodly hours. One morning Eddie's not alone though.

Poison - E, 4.3k, 1/1 vampyremoney

“My, my. Steve Harrington holding me down? Now that’s a sight I never thought I’d see-“ Steve pressed the knife further, itching at Eddie’s skin. “And with a knife at my throat, you really know how to make my blood flow, big boy,” he cracked a venomous smile. “Or, what would be flowing.”

Polaroids of a Pretty Boy - E, 2/2 sparrow_in_hawkins

Eddie discovers a secret that Steve has been keeping; little does Steve realize just how much it will drive Eddie wild. " “And you still answered the phone?” “Was hoping it’d be you,” Steve said, his voice dreamy, biting back a moan. “Even if it wasn’t, it’s one of the fun parts. Almost getting caught. Getting away with it.” “Fuck,” Eddie muttered, the words going straight to his dick. How, after a month of dating, Steve was managing to become even hotter was enough to melt his brain. He shook his head. Focus, this was important. “So, I think you have to tell me,” he mused, smirking into the phone, “What are you wearing?” "

[milf-harrington]

Hi hello hi it's been a long time I'm just passing through and i just wanted to say that I am ABSOLUTELY enamoured with the st dirty dancing AU it's starting to take over my brain and so here's your free pass to rant about it if you want !

Sincerely hope you've been doing great! Much love /p

–💐

OH HI HELLO OKAY UHHH

so. stranger things dirty dancing au: ronance edition, here we go.

in terms of characters i've got: steve as johnny, eddie as billy (who is johnny's cousin in the film, but is just steves friend/friend-he's-in-love-with in this au), robin as penny, nancy as baby/francis + then jason as either robbie or that annoying dude (kellermans nephew, cant remember his name bc i dont like him lmao) aand finally higgens as the main boss dude

(this is probably how the characters would work in the steddie version as well except technically eddie would be in baby's character slot but also the way it works in my head is different but this isn't that post so *waves it away*)

in terms of plot: it would still follow the same general storyline of johnny and baby in the film, (they meet, johnny needs a partner bc penny's gonna be out of commission, they practice, they fall in love, johnny's accused of theft, "nobody puts baby in the corner", they presumably live happily ever after) but with some adjustments!!

i'm cutting out most of the conflict with baby and her dad + lisa and robbie just bc it wouldn't fit in anywhere naturally yknow?

okay this is going to get a bit long so it's going under a cut <3

so the Wheelers go to some fancy resort-type thing for the summer and Nancy and Mike are both kinda moody about not getting to spend summer with their friends/doing what they want but Mrs Wheeler is like. trying to fix her family yknow so they're there.

Nancy sees Steve and Robin perform on that first night, after being forced to dance with some dunce and when she finally manages to escape she decides to go snooping, bc she's a Journalist (very much a "this sign can't stop me bc i can't read" type situation), and she ends up stumbling across Eddie who is attempting to haul like three entire watermelons on his own so she gives him a hand (he makes the lamest attempt ever at telling her she's not allowed there, and she ignores him and he's like 'aight') so she follows him to the staff house where they're having their lil party and then Robin and Steve come in again and dance some more but it's totally different to how they were dancing down at the main house and Eddie's like "That's Steve Harrington, he's one of my best friends- he actually got me the job here." and then he's like "And that's Robin Buckley, she's my other best friend and she got Steve his job here." and Nancy's trying to be totally normal about how Robin is moving bc sheesh is that a lot of hip work ("You'd think they were together!" "They're not?" "Nah, they're platonic with a capital P, if you can believe it.")

anyway so Robin is the one who comes over and hip checks Eddie and asks what Nancy's doing here and Eddie's all "she's here with me" and Nancy doesn't quite get why that makes Robin laugh but she's also sort of distracted by how pretty Robin is when she laughs and then suddenly Robin is dragging her on the dance floor to teach her how to dance like the staff kids and it's all sorts of accidentally flirtatious and boom Nancy's got a crush now

and then a few nights later she's being uncomfortably flirted with by whoever-i-decide-that-guy-will-be and he whisks her off to the kitchens where she see's robin curled up in a corner crying but trying to be quiet about it bc holy shit that guy is her boss and Nancy gets him out of there and then she finds Eddie and tells him and then Eddie tells Steve and then Steve immediately starts heading to the kitchen and it turns out Robin was having a meltdown due to sensory overload and Robin's kind of mad they told Nancy bc she's worried Nancy's gonna go tell someone from management that she's not fit to dance there but Nancy just wants to make sure she's okay

she comes back to the staff house another night just to check on Robin and finds out that Eddie's band has their first gig of the season lined up at a bar somewhere and at first Nancy doesn't get why Steve seems so upset about it until she finds out that it's booked the same night that Steve and Robin have a show at the other hotel so Steve won't be able to go and Eddie's trying to tell him it's fine but Steve's like "but i've never missed your first show" and Nancy's like "well can someone fill in for you so you can go?" and they give her the whole spiel about how everyone works there so everyones booked in doing other things and then Robin's like "unless you wanna do it" and then Steve's like "I mean..." and Robin elbows him and tells him it was a joke but then Eddie points out that Nancy can sorta dance, she picked it up fairly quickly that first night so now suddenly Nancy is Robins partner for this show that they've got in two weeks.

all the usual practice shenanigans happen, with the "this is my dance space" and the "see this? spaghetti arms" and "don't put your heel down!" until we finally get to the "are you trying to kill me?! is this your idea of fun?!" "oh yeah- we've got the show in two days, you won't show me any of the lifts, im not sure of my turns, im doing all this just to save your ass when all I really wanna do is drop you on it." "well then let's get out of here." and then they go practice in the woods.

(side note: the reason im so hellbent on figuring out a steddie version of this au is bc i just know they would be so perfect for the above scenes, i can imagine eddie saying the thing about dropping steve on his ass so vividly)

they do the show and Robin is really pleased with getting to wear a suit instead of the dress, and Nancy spends half the night trying not to get distracted by the sight of Robin in a suit, and then when they get back they find out Steve got his shit rocked bc some homophobe saw him and Eddie kissing outside the bar (Steve did win tho so he's got that going for him) and Eddie's like. still too mad about Steve getting hurt (not mad at steve, just heated yknow?) to really be useful and Robin doesn't want to leave them so Nancy like. breaks into the main office bc that's the only place she knows there's a fully stocked first aid kit and she does her best to fix Steve up

later she goes to Robin's room to like. apologise for fucking up some parts of the dance and also for not really being able to help Steve 'enough' and then that's how they have the whole "You're not scared of anything-" "Me? I'm scared of everything. I'm scared of what I saw, what I did, who I am. And most of all, I'm scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life...the way I feel when I'm with you." interaction where they wind up dancing in a scene that is probably more sexually charged than any sex scene could hope to be and then they DO sleep together and then they're all couple-y and shit

and then blah-blah-blah maybe someone see's Steve's face or whatever and makes a tasteless comment and Robin rocks their shit bc no one gets to talk bad about her best friend and then that ends up being what prompts someone to accuse Robin of being the thief and there's the whole thing with Nancy trying to convince everyone it couldn't've been Robin without giving their relationship away until she finally admits they were together all night so there's no way Robin could have stolen anything

and they find the real thieves but they end up firing Robin anyway bc the dance staff aren't supposed to mingle with the guests and Nancy is both outraged and upset but Robin's just touched that she stood up for her and she tells Nancy she'll be okay, she's always landed on her feet and they have a teary goodbye and yeah (i've decided that Robin still can't drive, but Steve quit when Robin was fired bc they're a DUO (but Eddie is gonna stay until the end of the season bc Steve and Robin were both like "dont you dare-") so he drives her sjdfshk)

BUT THEN THE NIGHT OF THE TALENT....NIGHT (for those who haven't actually seen dirty dancing, im so sorry about the lack of context for some of the things im saying sjfhsdk bc im aware that this seems to have come out of fucking nowhere) and Nancy's hidden away in the corner with Mike and their parents while they watch the opening but then! who comes through door? it's Robin! and she grabs Nancy (i dont know yet if i'm gonna use the iconic line or not, bc i am thinking of actually having Nancy known as 'baby' throughout the fic and then they can have the "what's your real name, baby?" "Francis" except this time it's "Nancy." but idk yet) and she gives her little speech about she's sorry for crashing but her and steve always do the last dance and seeing as her and steve are technically fired, she's gonna do it her way.

Eddie's already there changing the music bc he's probably the one who helped her sneak in in the first place and then they do their little routine from the show at the other hotel and then Robin jumps into the crowd and all the staff kids are dancing their way and it's chaos in the best way and Nancy joins her in the crowd and they dance together before slipping away and Nancy's mum stops her and just kind of looks at them and then hugs Nancy and then they escape into the night or whatever.

and then maybe there'd be a time-skip and Robin and Steve are now freelance dance teachers and Nancy comes in to show them the article she wrote, fresh off the printer, that boasts the opening of their brand new dance studio.