#apuckish_wit

[steddierecs]

Rolled a 1 on the Check, Rolled a 20 on the Save by APuckish_Wit

Word count: 111,053 (incomplete) / 30/34 Rating: T Trigger and content warnings: armed robbery, hospitalisation

Summary: A modern AU where, after his relationship with Nancy flames out in spectacular fashion, Steve finds himself feeling increasingly depressed and adrift. With nothing better to do with his time, he gives in when Dustin begs him to join his online DnD game to round out the party. To his surprise, he finds himself really enjoying it--the guy running the game is amazing, and super patient when Steve doesn't get something. He and their DM, Eddie, often find themselves talking on the games Discord server for hours after their session ends. For the first time since Nancy left him, he's starting to feel like things aren't so bleak.

Still, when he has an opportunity to take Dustin and the others to the big gaming convention Eddie's planning on attending a few states away so they can all meet in person for a one-shot session, he's nervous. Really nervous. Like...way more nervous than he should be, just meeting a friend. Eddie IS just a friend...right?

[apuckishwit]

See, it's a METAPHOR

A preview of Chapter 31 of Rolled a 1 on the Check, Rolled a 20 on the Save by APuckish_Wit on A03

The boys are acting weird.

Not bad weird or anything. He doesn’t think that anything’s wrong per se. They’re just super giggly and clearly are having private conversations in their Discord messages that they’re not letting him in on. Like…way more private conversations than they usually do during a gaming session.

It's their last gaming session before a two-week hiatus so he can attend Origins (and take a little side trip to Chicago to meet the man of his—increasingly explicit—dreams face to face for the first time and hopefully sweep him off his feet with his epic love confession), and he’s been planning an epic cliffhanger for the last month. He just needs to get Will or maybe Dustin to take the bait and convince the others to investigate the Upside Down version of the mysterious Apothecary Brenner’s estate. Ordinarily he wouldn’t care too much, besides being a little miffed that they aren’t giving his masterful storytelling its proper attention…but Steve’s acting weird, too.

He has been for the last couple weeks, honestly. Again, not so much a bad weird. He’s just been quieter than usual. Distracted, almost. Eddie kind of feels like Steve is only half paying attention to their conversations lately, but when he asks about it, Steve just says he’s fine. Has something on his mind that he’s trying to work out. Eddie tries not to be saddened that Steve hasn’t asked for his help or opinion…Steve’s his friend, not his significant other (no matter how much Eddie’s hoping, praying, and fantasizing that that might be different soon) and if Steve doesn’t want to talk about what’s bothering him, he doesn’t have to.

He tries not to let the weirdness get to him, and in the end it’s actually Lucas who takes the bait and convinces them to check out the apothecary in case there are any healing potions or herbs that could be useful. The boys howl in delighted outrage when Eddie springs his trap—dozens of the sentient vines that have been harrying the party bursting from the floor and walls of the apothecary as soon as they start searching the building and ensnaring Xerxes, Will the Wise, and Sir Stephen as loud, ominous footsteps descend from the building’s upper floor.

“And that, unfortunately, is where we’re going to have to leave it for the next two weeks,” Eddie announces gleefully, eliciting more howls and bright laughter from the boys. “I do thank everyone for joining us tonight, and don’t forget to check out my Twitch and YouTube channels for live streaming events from Origins next week! I’ve got a great panel planned and a few announcements about future projects!” For some reason, that sets off more laughter from Dustin before he quickly mutes his mic, and the boys all sign off much more quickly than usual, until it’s just him and Steve in the Discord.

“You excited for the convention?” Steve asks. In the background, Eddie can here pots and pans being moved, the clink of dishes and running water. He closes his eyes for just a moment, pretending that he’s right there with Steve, the two of them debriefing their day together over the remains of a nice dinner. God, what is his life that he’s fantasizing about clearing away dirty dishes?

It would be worth a fantasy if it was with Steve, though.

“So be honest—scale of one to ten, how fucked are we when whatever it is gets down those stairs?” Steve asks, and Eddie lets out a short bark of laughter.

“Eh, I’m not saying I’ll definitely get my first character kill in…but you might want to have a backup ready.”

“Already done.”

“Is it a human paladin named Stephano?”

“No,” Steve replies in mock-offense. “It’s a human barbarian named Stefan. Totally different.”

“You’re ridiculous,” Eddie says, so much fondness coloring his tone he was sure someone looking at him would be able to see cartoon hearts circling his head. “Dustin will hate it.”

“You say that like it’s not my main motivation.”

Eddie laughs again, gathering his laptop up and heading out into the living room. Gandalf is waiting at the door to his recording room, immediately winding around his ankles as he makes his way over to the couch. A copy of Men at Arms he’d gotten from the local library is lying on the arm of the couch, face-down and open to the page they’d left off on a couple days ago. “You up for more of Sam tonight? We’re getting to the thrilling finale.”

“It’s his wedding—how much more chaos can there be?”

“Oh, Stevie, Stevie, Stevie—haven’t you been paying attention? There’s always more chaos in Discworld.”

“Hah, true. But, um—he and Sybil get a happy ending, right?”

Eddie tilts his head, curious at the sudden shift in Steve’s tone. He sounds almost…tentative. “I mean—do you want spoilers?”

“Maybe? Shut up, I know it’s stupid. I’m just…rooting for them. They’re so different, but they really love each other.”

Eddie can feel the soft, goofy smile splitting his face. “That they do. And yeah, I promise, they get a happy ending. Don’t get me wrong, they’re not perfect. Sam gets caught up in his work…kind of a lot now that I’m thinking about it. But they always make it work. Sir Terry wasn’t real big on fairy-tale perfection. His storytelling is so real. Sam and Lady Sybil…they have problems and challenges, but they just keep, I dunno, choosing each other? No matter what. So the differences don’t matter in the end, and the mistakes can be forgiven.”

Steve is quiet for a moment. “Choosing each other. I really like that.”

Gandalf leaps up on Eddie’s lap, and he absently scratches behind the cat’s ears. “Yeah,” he says softly. “Yeah, me too.”

[a-little-unsteddie]

Hiii!! Ok idk if this is something you even want but, I feel like you’ll either like this and know how to write it or have rly good recs. (But like don’t feel pressure to do either of those, I respect your time and interests!)

Have you seen any ‘Steve is tortured + aftermath but it’s Modern AU’ fic around???

Like he stumbles into the wrong scenario at the wrong time and is captured and accused and tortured for information he doesn’t have. And then the feds or whatever finally rescue him but because of how secret the organization is and all that ‘sweep it under the rug’ business, they just make him sign an NDA and send him on his way so he just has to like?? Survive?? In the real world with like no support??

Insert Eddie catching him in a panic attack or something and helping him put his life back together and he gets Robin and the kids to help to and it’s all love and happy endings!

This is a cry for help I’m dying for Steve!Whump rn and that boy deserves for his season 3 trauma to be recognized!!!

!! hello dear one! i have a few recs for you! i am gonna put this under a cut tho because the ask itself is already pretty long.

The Library of Engineering, Mathematics, and Sciences by Eddies_ArtofSuffering

WC: 86k || Rating: M || AO3 Link

Summary: Steve and Robin move out of Hawkins and go to college after the Starcourt Mall incident. For the next three quiet years, Steve and Robin work at the main library - but to Steve’s utter disappointment, they get separated when Steve gets assigned to the newest branch of the school library, built inside the School of Engineering, Mathematics, and Sciences. It’s obviously subpar without Robin by his side, but the range of students that come in isn’t all that much different than the main library, and it’s still the same old boring job for Steve. Until, one day, Eddie Munson comes in.

Or, Steddie college AU that no one asked for.

My Notes: i literally sent @/steddieficfind an ask for this fic because i was looking for it the other day and they were so helpful in finding it for me. this is the closest fic to your ask that i’ve read, the others in this list aren’t modern aus so i hope that’s okay.

—

A Hedge of Brier Roses by APuckish_Wit

WC: 43k || Rating: T || AO3 Link

Summary: They win.

After months of planning, and skirmishes, and learning to work with and trust (to an extent) the allies that Owens and Stinson swear they can work with and trust, they win. They make it out of the final confrontation with all their people alive and accounted for. Vecna will never hurt anyone again. The Upside Down is sealed away, and they are all free. They win.

And they lose.

Because one of their own didn't make it all the way back. And now it's their turn to take care of the person who's always taken care of them.

My Notes: i read this when jt originally came out and thanks to @sailing-through-hawkins, who reminded me of its’ existence, i am currently rereading it. it’s such a good fic w angst and a happy ending!

—

the aftermath (as documented by eddie munson) by ikarakie

WC: 20k || Rating: T || AO3 Link

Summary: a look into the effects of the upside down on steve harrington, through the eyes of his boyfriend, eddie munson. (and the one time it has effects on eddie, too.)

5 + 1

My Notes: i’ve read the whole series before, and it’s such a lovely one to read. this part specifically goes into the aftermath (obvi) of what steve specifically goes through. can be read as a standalone, but i definitely recommend reading the whole series! (also thank you to sails for helping find this one)

[steviesbicrisis]

I don't know if you're still asking about favorite steddie fics, but these are a few I didn't see on your rec list that I love:

The Warmth Pulls by TheDeathsWish- Supernatural/Magical Realism

Haunted by hyperrbolic_orange- Au where Steve and Robin don't get involved until after s3, events post s3 are completely different than s4.

Esculant Macabre by peytra- Steve and Eddie meet early

Rolled a 1 on the Check, Rolled a 20 on the Save by APuckish_Wit- No Upside Down au

Guiding Light by Kedeevra- Sentinel Au

Sorry if some are repeats you've gotten

I'm not actively asking but I'm always happy to discuss favorite fics!! I get the best recommendation from people here!

I don't think I've read any of the ones you listed (I have to check because I am terrible at remembering titles ahahah) but they all seem very interesting, especially Stobin getting involved after s3 and Steddie meeting earlier (which have been my favorites recently).

Thank you so so much for taking the time to list this fics, I can't wait to check them out!!

[starlightshadowsworld]

https://www.tumblr.com/starlightshadowsworld/722607362837446656/okay-kinda-random-but-do-you-have-any-fic

Answering to this—I should’ve been specific but I love the work you do with stranger things and maybe you have any old fics you’ve read? i understand you probably don’t read as much anymore but it’s worth a shot haha

Aw thank you.

Sure!

Here are some of my favs.

Will preface by saying they are Steve centric stories.

Most are completed but I've noted which aren't.

Tried to give a bit of a variety though I did get a wee bit carried away 😅.

.

The boy who listened by CrystalDragonette.

Short story about how Steve notices little things. And Gareth of all people giving him a chance to say his piece.

And than using said info to completely fuck with Eddie.

Also by them, Steve vists the Byers (and threatens a child).

Pretty self explanatory, a lil one shot about Steve visiting the Byers and encountering Angela.

.

A Hedge of Brier Rose's by APuckish_Wit

The group make a plan to rescue Max and defeat Vecna for good.

Steve ends up sacrificing himself.... But all hope is not lost.

You might want tissues for this.

.

with no cross to bear (these words just come out) by hitlikeahammer

Eddie has decided that Steve deserves all the love and recognition he deserves and is going to make sure he gets it.

Aka Eddie loves steve and wants everyone to know how awesome steve is.

.

You made us feel like we could fly by Caroline_is_not_here

The one in which multiple head traumas lead Steve to go deaf.

A fic about him managing that, learning ASL and falling for the Deaf schools music teacher.

.

Just Close Your Eyes ( the sun is going down) by httphimbo

Not completed.

Stranger things X hunger games AU

Where Steve volunteers for Dustin and isn't sure if the mysterious Eddie, the tribute from District 3 can be trusted or not.

.

The Fruity Four Beat 1983 To Death With A Nail Bat by TheKidReadingInTheCorner

Robin, Steve, Eddie and Nancy are all bought back to 1983, the day before Will goes missing.

Armed with this knowledge earlier, they go to kick ass, adopt a lab kid and save as many people as they can.

It is fucking chaos, it's amazing and a sequel is in the works called The Skittle Six Bodyslam 1984 Into Another Dimension (Literally).

.

off the beaten path by Pukner

Steve (finally after years of repression) comes out as Bi. And figures that hey Eddie is cute, and he has that bandana in his pocket so he must also be queer.

Except Eddie has that bandana for aesthetic purposes, he thinks he's straight.

Cue Steve and Eddie flirting and neither of them realising the others intentions.

Part 1 of the off the script series there's 2 other entries, no boys allowed and here be dragons.

Funniest shit I've ever read even with the oh... Oh no..

.

Now it's your Turn Baby by datfangirlman

Not completed.

Eddie doesn't believes Steve's changed. No matter how much the party insist he has.

So they make a bet.

For Eddie to be Steve's friend for a month to see if Steve isn't a jerk anymore.

This has unforseen consequences when Steve develops feelings for Eddie and vice versa.

It's like a train wreck you can't stop staring at it.

.

The Fallen King and the King of the Freaks by Knight_of_Tartarus

Not completed.

Season 2, Steve having to deal with everything and Eddie gets the great idea to help the former King.

Aka Hellfire adopts Steve.

.

How to rehabilitate a jock in four months by towardthesun

Not completed.

Essentially the above two put together. Except hellfire aren't as... Welcoming.

Steve's at rock bottom and Eddie decides to run an experiment by inviting Steve into hellfire. Striking a deal with them that he can get Steve to change in 4 months.

The group don't like him and think hell never change so they (begrudgingly) agree... Except they start to actually like him.

... And Steve has no knowledge of this deal.

Another delightful train wreck.

And if I may be so bold, my own fics My Emergency Phone call

A fic based on the Noah Kahan song Dial Drunk.

Where Steve gets into trouble and his real family comes through for him

And The new Hopper

Stranger things X The black phone

Not completed

Where Vance Hopper ends up staying at his uncles in Hawkins, and finds that one of his old friends has been their all along.

Finney and Steve are the same person, they reunite and it's just fun.

Both are by me, SparkyIceblaze.

Hope they are enjoyable, lemme know if you need a link if one doesn't show up.

[strawberryspence]

do you know of any fics where Steve dies and Eddie lives? (Can be temporary death or not) I just need the angst of Eddie holding a dying Steve in his arms trying to comfort him

Huh..... I don't have any of this..... Can you believe that??? Me??? Lover of angst? No Dead Steve fics???

I apologize for not having any recommendations for you. In exchange of that, here's some "some kind of dead" Steve and Eddie that I hope you'd like! Very angsty!!

A Hedge of Brier Roses by APuckish_Wit - Oooff. Heavy. But the angst is so good. They go back to get Max and Steve gets trapped. Leading to him becoming catatonic (also established Steddie)

Hells Bells by multi_fandom_help_me - Literally have no words to describe this. Please just read it. ITS SOOOOO good. I am not even exaggerating. 😭

exeunt ; enter stage by stardustcoral - my favorite Steve gets Vecna-ed fic. When I read this its a whole ass experience. I LOVE IT.

the unbearable weight of trying by pass76 - Steve gets Vecna-ed. This is his journey after that. Raw and real emotions, like phew. Amazing.

+ once upon a time, when Eddie didn't exist yet, I only read Steve centric whumps (okay, and sometimes stoncy.) I came across this. No Eddie. (Sorry) Just pure fucking angst.

I'd Ask You To Be True by chandy - Worst experience of my life. Steve gets cancer. Rating it 11/10, will read again.

[acowardinmordor]

Hi hello love your fics!!!! Do you have any steddie fic recs?

ooh boy. yes. But Im enjoying strong emotions right now, so if you are a delicate creature unable to handle angst, um. sorry?

These are all complete. I should grab the WiPs that I follow that are so good I have lied to my coworkers and said something important came up and stop to go read instantly.

So Tender I'm Ended, Surrendered to You by Sadstateofaffairs

Emotionally closed off steve. Sex. Bad decisions that have consequences but overblown.

Echoes by CaptainHoney

I love time loops where they become feral and desperate and ooooh boy but this delivers.

A Hedge of Briar Roses by APuckish_Wit

Do you wanna experience all of the emotions only to get punched in the face with relief right at the end? Read this.

It Gets Better it Gets Worse by Callmenewbie

Such a good representation of how a tiny confusion plus human discomfort with our own embarrassment becomes an agonizing mess.

[mojowitchcraft]

No way was I thinking about “Rolled a 1 on the Check, Rolled a 20 on the Save” by @apuckishwit earlier and then an update shows up in my inbox?! Incredible. I’m so excited to get back in this universe!!

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/41990580/chapters/105418311

[fanfic-chaos]

Don’t mind me just being emotionally devastated by this fic:

A Hedge of Brier Roses by APuckish_Wit (43k words)

They win.

After months of planning, and skirmishes, and learning to work with and trust (to an extent) the allies that Owens and Stinson swear they can work with and trust, they win. They make it out of the final confrontation with all their people alive and accounted for. Vecna will never hurt anyone again. The Upside Down is sealed away, and they are all free. They win.

And they lose.

Because one of their own didn't make it all the way back. And now it's their turn to take care of the person who's always taken care of them.

Or: A Stranger Things kinkmeme fill (though not a kinky prompt) in which Steve gladly pays a hefty price to bring Max back to them, and the results might be permanent.

[apuckishwit]

Pining!Eddie and Wingman!Gareth

A preview of chapter 25 of Rolled a 1 on the Check, Rolled a 20 on the Save by APuckish_Wit on AO3

Eddie is awoken by sharp rapping on his front door, at an hour that is entirely too early to be conscious when he has nothing scheduled for the day.

He groans as he rolls over in bed, dislodging Gandalf from his back with a grumpy mrrow. He runs his hand over the cat’s head in apology, grabbing his phone from his nightstand and squinting at the screen. “The fuck?” he mumbles.

“Eddie! Eddie I know you’re in there! Open up!”

Gareth.

“The fuck,” he mumbles again, with more feeling this time, rolling out of the bed and not bothering to throw on a shirt over the boxers he slept in last night. If Gareth wants to bother him at ass o’clock in the morning, he can damn well deal with Eddie not feeling like getting dressed just yet. Smacking his lips and grimacing at the sticky crust of drool at the corners, he pads out to his living room and opens the door, scooping Gandalf off the floor with practiced ease when he makes his predictable break for the freedom of the hallway.

Why he wants to get out into the hallway is anyone’s guess, as he always immediately starts scratching and yowling to be let back in if Eddie closes the door behind him, but he tries every time.

“Dude, seriously? You couldn’t put some clothes on?” Gareth scoffs as he shoves past Eddie, not waiting for an invitation.

“You have literally seen me naked,” Eddie says, shutting the door and letting Gandalf slip from his arms.

“Not willingly!”

Yeah, it was kind of hard to get privacy in a studio apartment with a postage-stamp sized bathroom…but Gareth had been letting him couch surf there for free, so he hadn’t exactly been able to complain.

“So, not that I’m not happy to see you, but what errand is so momentous that it requires you to come knocking on my door at this obscene hour?” He shuffles into the kitchen and hits the switch on the coffeepot, before pulling the fridge open and examining the contents. “You want a bagel?” he asks after a moment, digging a bag of poppyseed bagels, some cream cheese, and strawberry jam out.

“Nah, I ate on the way over,” Gareth says. He’s making himself at home at Eddie’s small kitchen table, pulling notebooks, pens, and highlighters out of his messenger bag. Eddie raises an eyebrow, propping his hip against the counter while he waits for his bagel to toast.

“Are we doing homework?”

Gareth spins a pencil in his fingers the way he used to spin his drumsticks, stabbing it towards Eddie with a determined glint in his eye. “Yes. We are coming up with a gameplan to figure out if you have a shot with Steve.”

Eddie blinks. “We’re doing what now?”

“You heard me. You’re pining, Munson. Like, I haven’t seen you down this bad for someone since Jackson.”

Eddie winces at the mention of his ex—his longest relationship to date, the man he’d been considering introducing to Wayne. He’d been ready to talk about moving in together, maybe even getting engaged, when Jackson had blindsided him by taking a job overseas. Hadn’t even talked to him, first, hadn’t even told Eddie he was considering it. He’d tried to spin it as not wanting to be influenced on such a big decision about his future. His future, not their future.

Yeah, they hadn’t lasted long after that.

Gareth’s face softens a little. “Sorry,” he says, voice sincere and contrite. “But the point stands.”

“Gar,” Eddie sighs, raking a hand back through the tangles of his hair. “We’ve talked about this. He had a long-term girlfriend—like, high school sweethearts shit. He hasn’t said anything, but I’m pretty sure he’d have married her if she hadn’t broken it off with him.”

“Valid data, but not conclusive,” Gareth counters. “Jeff had a couple long-term girlfriends too, and he and Aidan are going strong. Also bi people exist, Eddie.”

“I know that! And Jeff was so far in the closet before he met us, he was having tea with Mr. Tumnus,” Eddie says with an affectionate laugh. “Steve does not give me that vibe. The closet vibe or the bi vibe.” He fixes a couple of coffees to his and Gareth’s liking, and then sits down across from Gareth with his breakfast. He takes a couple morose bites of his bagel. “Dude, look. I appreciate it. I really do. But I did the whole ‘falling for straight boys’ thing in high school and it never brought me anything good. Steve’s a really great friend. I’m fine with that.”

Gareth tilts his head, staring at Eddie with narrowed eyes. “Uh huh. Anyway, so Jeff, Aidan, and I went back and watched all your streams with him. Side note, Aidan thinks he sounds hot, is he hot? I don’t care, but Jeff and Aidan really wanted to know.”

“So hot,” Eddie sighs, though he doesn’t mention how he knows. That video was public knowledge, but he doesn’t feel like getting teased for cyberstalking. “Like…he’s beautiful, man.”

“Mmhmm,” Gareth hums, making a notation on his notebook. Eddie huffs, reaching across the table to grab the top of his pencil.

“Gareth, seriously. I love you so much for what you’re trying to do, but there’s no point. I’ll get over him, eventually.”

“Ah, but you haven’t heard my rationale, yet.”

“Oh, there’s a rationale? Do tell.”

“I will. And that rationale is…we think he’s flirting with you, too.” It’s not quite a record-scratch moment, but it comes pretty close. Eddie freezes, staring at his best friend. Gareth smirks at him, leaning back in his chair. “Yup. All three of us. We watched all the streams you’ve put up, and we each wrote down any time we thought Steve was doing something we’d interpret as flirty and when we compared notes, they were almost identical. And that’s not even counting all the people in your views who think there’s something going on between you two.”

“You…you guys ran an experiment about this?” Eddie asks slowly, unsure if he’s grateful or horrified that his friends care so much about his (non-existent) love life.

Gareth waves him off. “Sort of. Point is, as two men in a committed relationship and one man who spent a not-insignificant amount of time in high school trying to sus out if people were serious or just messing with you when they were making eyes at you—we think this bears further investigation.”

Gandalf curls around Eddie’s legs, meowing pitifully until Eddie picks him up and swipes a smear of cream cheese onto his thumb for Gandalf to lick. “I don’t know,” he says, voice wavering even to his own ears. “I feel like I would have noticed if Steve was flirting with me.”

Gareth snorts into his coffee. “You absolutely would not. You put the moves on anything with a pulse, but you’re always shocked as fuck when anyone reciprocates.”

And that’s…okay, yeah, that’s a fair point. Still, Gareth doesn’t have to say it out loud and shit. “Rude,” he mutters, taking a drink of his coffee.

“But accurate. So, how ‘bout it?” Gareth hovers his pencil over the notebook, waggling his eyebrows. “Even if we’re wrong, at least you’ll know.”

Eddie gnaws on his lip a moment, scratching behind Gandalf’s ears. There are a myriad of reasons not to rock the boat—not least of which is the fact that he’s still not convinced Steve is anything but straight. That—that would’ve come up in their conversations at some point by now, wouldn’t it? And even if he’s not, how compatible are there lives, really? They live on opposite sides of the country, and Steve seems pretty set on building a life in Chicago.

Not that—not that Eddie’s, like, super invested in Seattle. He can do the work he does anywhere, really, and Chicago is a hell of a lot closer to Wayne. Not that…whoa, not that he needs to be thinking in those terms right now. Or ever, really.

Just…

He thinks of how easy it is to talk to Steve. How much he likes reading to him, listening to him ramble about how his favorite teams are doing in their playoffs as he putters around in his kitchen. How much Steve seems to like listening to him go off on any of the subjects that have caught his attention, asking thoughtful questions and remembering important points weeks later. They are so, so different, but they just mesh, making room for each other in their lives and being happy with the space they each take up, and all without ever having met face to face.

He shouldn’t encourage Gareth. He is rapidly realizing that Steve is pretty much everything he’s ever wanted in a man, but he is not lucky enough for life to have just dropped someone like that in his lap and have an actual chance with them. Life only works that way in his stories and games.

Still…would it hurt to know for sure? If—if there is a chance that Steve would reciprocate his feelings.

Oh holy fuck, if he did reciprocate…

“What do you have in mind?” he asks, leaning forward as Gareth’s grin turns as pleased as a cat who’s caught the canary.

[apuckishwit]

It's the final countdown, nee nee nee noo

A preview of Chapter 30 of Rolled a 1 on the Check, Rolled a 20 on the Save, by APuckish_Wit

Have some platonic Chrissy & Steve bonding :)

Chrissy graduates at the end of May with a shiny degree in special education and a signed contract to teach in her dream school in a little town just up the road from her family home. Steve, Robin, and Vickie are sitting with her family when she walks across the stage, and as soon as they are given the signal they stand up and cheer as loudly as they can, clapping, whistling, and stomping their feet on the bleachers. Her father takes them all out to dinner that night to celebrate. It’s a beautiful, bittersweet night.

Beautiful because Chrissy is glowing, so happy to finally have her dreams in reach, and even her mother’s rather pointed absence from her graduation (they don’t have a good relationship, and haven’t for several years from what Steve understands) can’t really put a damper on the evening. It’s bittersweet because Chrissy’s things are all packed in their apartment, and the moving truck is coming to whisk her back to Indiana in just a few short days. It's always hard saying goodbye to friends, even though they all know it’s not the last time they’re going to see each other.

The four of them go out to a club after Chrissy says good night to her father and brother, promising to meet them for brunch before they have to drive back to Indiana the next day. They while the hours away dancing and drinking, just enjoying each other’s company. Chrissy likes to dance almost as much as Vickie does, even though she only enjoys the clubbing scene once in a blue moon. Between her and Vickie, though, Steve rarely gets to sit down throughout the whole night.

“Hey…I wanted to say thank you,” Chrissy says during one of their turns on the dance floor, leaning up close so he can hear her over the thumping beat of the music.

Steve laughs, dipping her low to the ground before bringing her back up into a fancy twirl. “Not exactly a chore to dance with a pretty lady,” he says with a wink. Chrissy giggles and smacks his chest lightly.

“You’re not so bad yourself! But no, I just mean…thank you. For everything. The apartment, the help with lesson plans, the late night snack fests…for being my friend. After Jason—I didn’t realize how lonely I’d gotten until I wasn’t anymore. So thank you.”

Warmth blooms in his chest, and his smile gentles. “I know exactly what you mean,” he says softly, sincerely. “And thank you for being my friend. I’m really gonna miss you, Cunningham.”

Chrissy laughs again, and they both ignore how wet the edges of it sound. “Back ‘atcha, Harrington.” They take another spin on the floor, the song changing to something a little slower. Robin and Vickie are wrapped around each other, swaying back and forth in the middle of a throng of other couples. Steve watches them a little wistfully—they look so happy.

“You think we’ll have that someday?” Chrissy says suddenly, startling him out of his contemplation of their other friends. He reaches up to squeeze her hand where it’s resting on his shoulder.

“Absolutely. You kidding me? Someone’s going to figure out how amazing we are eventually,” he says, tossing his hair back with an air of bravado he perfected in high school. As he’d hoped, Chrissy giggles.

“Totally. We’ll have them beating down our doors.”

“Begging to date us,” he agrees.

“We’ll have to hold contests, Hunger Games style!”

“Welllll, maybe not Hunger Games style,” he snorts.

“Okay, fair.” They keep dancing after the song changes back to something fast, even when Robin and Vickie bow out and head back to the bar. “But Steve? Seriously…you are amazing. You’re going to be amazing for so many kids, you’re going to help so many kids.”

The warmth is brighter this time, accompanied by a rather suspicious lump trying to form in his throat. He coughs to clear it and hugs her impetuously. “So are you—I don’t know if I’d have been able to find my feet so fast this semester without you. Your students are going to be so fucking lucky to have you.” Chrissy’s answering smile is bright as sunshine.

They help load all of her boxes and her meager furniture into the truck her father’s hired later that week, both Vickie and Chrissy ugly-crying the whole time. He and Robin manage to keep it together long enough to get the heavy lifting out of the way, but Steve isn’t ashamed to admit that he has to wipe his eyes after he hugs Chrissy goodbye for the final time. He winds one arm around Robin’s shoulders, slinging the other around Vickie’s, and they watch the truck move farther and farther down the road. They wave until they can’t see it anymore, and then Vickie sniffles loudly and announces that they need alcohol, stat.

They order fish tacos and margaritas from Doordash, then crack open some beers and spend the evening toasting Chrissy’s new start, and pointedly ignoring the now-empty third bedroom. It’s hard to be too upset—Chrissy has been working towards this for so long. She’s truly following her dream, achieving a goal she set for herself fresh out of high school. As happy as they are for her, though, it still hurts. Poignant, Steve thinks. It’s a poignant end to a chapter in their lives.

Word of the day, today.

He’s kind of starting to wonder if that fucking calendar is haunted.

[apuckishwit]

Steve is handling this SO well

Previewing chapter 26 of Rolled a 1 on the Check, Rolled a 20 on the Save, by APuckish_Wit

All things considered, Steve thinks he deals with the realization that, yeah, he’s apparently not as straight as he thought he was his entire life, and it looks like he is going to deal with that right now pretty well.

That is to say, he promptly nopes right out of any thoughts about Eddie, grabs the entire six pack he bought for the week out of the fridge, and starts slamming them back like he’s at one of the ragers he threw in high school again, and spends the next six hours scrolling through anything on TV that’ll distract him. He ends up slumped on his couch, dead drunk, groaning at a competitor on Chopped because they tried to make a risotto for the main course round. Rookie mistake.

He wakes up on the couch the next morning with a pounding head, a crick in his neck, and the cold, merciless truth that Mike Wheeler, of all people, made him realize he’s got undeniable, inescapable, completely-non-heterosexual-in-any-way-shape-or-form feelings for the man who has become one of his best friends over the past few months.

He texts Robin and asks her and Vickie if they want to come over for—he checks his watch—lunch and maybe go shopping for a new couch for their apartment.

Then he screams into the throw pillow that gave him the crick in his neck.

Then he drags his ass to the shower, and, feeling marginally more human, looks into his fridge, deciding on BLT’s for lunch.

Yup. Definitely handling it pretty well.

It’ll take the girls at least an hour to get over here, and the bacon won’t have to go in the oven (who knew baking your bacon was the key to getting it perfectly crispy every time? Not Steve.) until about twenty minutes before they arrive.

So.

With nothing better to do until he can talk to Robin and Vickie, he sets his laptop up on the breakfast bar and, very calmly (see, he is handling this so well) Googles I think I’m bisexual. Pauses. Adds a question mark with a satisfied nod. So well. The top hit is an article from a national health organization that seems to be aimed at people who are ‘questioning.’ Okay, that sounds promising. Seriously handling this so well—just calmly looking up resources so he can maybe have some questions to ask the girls when they get here, just to clarify some things. Not having any of those big panics like he’s seen in movies or on TV. He's positively nonchalant (word of the day a while back—after almost a month of radio silence, his mother had called him. He had just stared at the number for a moment, and then very deliberately declined the call and blocked both of them. He hadn’t even had to think about it, debate about it…he doesn’t need them in his life, doesn’t want them.) about the fact that guys do it for him as much as women.

Or maybe…not?

He reads through the article, stomach tightening at the way he keeps going, “Huh. Huh. That makes sense.” Then he clicks through some of the related links in the sidebar, and kind of falls down a rabbit hole. Wait—it doesn’t have to be, like, 50/50? There can be a, a what do you call it, a sliding scale? It’s normal if you have preferences towards one or the other? Plenty of people get well into adulthood before it even occurs to them to question themselves? He somehow ends up on some forums, reading personal testimonials and he feels like the breath has been punched out of him at some of the stories. It…it makes sense. He feels like he’s reading about himself and…oh, holy shit. Holy shit.

He's not handling this well. He’s not handling this well at all.

But it’s not, like, bad? This isn’t—this isn’t shame or fear or denial churning in his gut, making his throat feel tight and his eyes burn. It’s not a bad thing…how could he think it’s a bad thing when he loves Robin so much it feels like he’s been waiting his entire life to meet her? How could he think it’s a bad thing when Vickie threads her arm through his with a dazzling grin every time the three of them go out somewhere where there’s dancing? How could he think it’s a bad thing when Eddie’s voice is one of his favorite sounds in the world? No, it’s not bad. It just feels so…big. Big in the same way leaving Hawkins was big, big in the same way that Nancy leaving him was big, big in the same way that applying for college was big.

His whole self has just been rearranged, and nothing is ever going to be the same. And yet, it also feels like something is slotting into place, something he didn’t even know was out of joint until it wasn’t anymore. He feels like he knows himself better than he did last night.

Why hadn’t he wanted to examine this more closely? What was he so afraid of?

He’s not handling this well. But he’s not panicking either, he’s not backpedaling, he’s not running. He needs to figure out what this means for him, what the tangled, bubbling mass of feeling that erupted in his chest once he let himself truly think about Eddie means for him.

He forgets to start the bacon for the sandwiches. But it doesn’t matter, because as soon as he lets the girls in, he says, “I think I need to talk about what happened at that club we went to,” and Robin, because she is his best friend, his other half, his fucking (platonic) soulmate immediately sees how shaken he is—not scared, not sad or angry or anything else, but it’s almost too big to feel, this realization—and flings her arms around his neck and leads him to his couch.

“Then let’s talk about it,” she says, steady and rock solid and sure, and Vickie shrugs out of her jacket.

“I’ll handle food,” she says, striding into his kitchen like she owns it. She starts ransacking the cabinet where he keeps all the snacks for the boys and then goes for the one where he keeps his bottle of good wine, as well as the glasses he bought especially for their movie nights. “Booze or no booze?” she calls. And he’s only just barely crossed back into not hungover territory, but he thinks his liver is just going to have to forgive him for this one.

“Booze,” he says, and Robin ruffles his hair. In a matter of moments he’s surrounded by snack cakes, chips, beef jerky, expensive wine, and two of the best friends he’s ever had in his life.

“Spill,” Robin orders, while Vickie pats his knee encouragingly.

He does.