#but this did allow me to play a bit with Eddie moving shifts

[lover-of-mine]

Sevenish Sentence Sunday!

I was tagged by @try-set-me-on-fire @eddiebabygirldiaz @fortheloveofbuddie @wikiangela @spotsandsocks @daffi-990 @jesuisici33 @rainbow-nerdss thank you 💜

Have some more of the Buck proposes to Natalia fic because i really like this bit even if this is on Eddie's pov just because Buck refused to let me get into his head for the actual fight because i really do like my tragically pining Eddie povs prev snippet

You need to move on. I have.  Eddie doesn't know why he's thinking about that now. But he feels the same way he did in his kitchen trying to pretend he could feel like a normal human again if he just made it through a couple more days while Buck kept trying to get him to stop lying.  Buck always knows when to call bullshit on what Eddie's saying.  Buck's gonna call bullshit now.  Eddie can see it in his eyes.  And it's weird because Buck is never the one to pick a fight.  But there's a fire in his gaze that leaves Eddie scared, if he's truly honest.  Maybe he won't have to make it through the wedding because it seems like everything is about to crash and burn right now. 

No pressure tagging 🩷: @sherlockcrossing @watchyourbuck @steadfastsaturnsrings @giddyupbuck @captain-hen @wildlife4life and you if you have something to share 💜💜

[stevieschrodinger]

Part One Two Three

“Ow, not so hard man.” Eddie seems to be absolutely fascinated with Steve’s leg hair. Which, okay, Steve kind of understands, Eddie has neither legs nor leg hair, so he gets why it would be weird. He kind of wishes Eddie wouldn’t tug quite so hard though.

Eddie’s just demolished a big bowl of green things, and Steve’s sitting on the edge, legs dangling in the water where Eddie’s hovering, touching Steve’s skin with his slightly warmer than pool water temperature fingers. He’s scratching a little too, but it’s only a tiny bit, very gently, so Steve doesn’t mind. Eddie clearly doesn’t intend to harm him, and seems more fascinated with the thin white lines he’s leaving on Steve’s tanned skin.

Eddie gives a particularly vicious tug, Steve jerks, “Ow! Fuck. No, no more. Finished.” He sits up, pulling his legs clear of the water, waving Eddie away.

“Inied?”

“Yeah, finished. Ow. It hurts. You hurt me.”

Eddie tilts his head, swimming closer, “Steeee. Ow.”

Steve sighs, “Yes, ow. I’ll be back later.”

“I’m sure. Steve is the only one who feeds him, right?”

Steve and Robin both nod.

“Right, so, from his point of view, if he interpreted that as Robin trying to like, harm Steve, then his food supply would be jeopardized. He's just, resource guarding or whatever.”

“So...no play fighting within Eddie flopping distance?”

Dustin nods, “pretty much yeah, anything that could be interpreted as risk to Steve, I guess. Or, when Robin is here, she takes Eddie his food. Or anyone really, anytime anyone else is here. That way Eddie will start to see Steve isn’t his only resource.”

“Okay, yeah, that’s probably a good idea anyway,” Steve easily agrees, the now bare patches on his shins are still kind of stinging.

Robin returns with her bowl still full of veg, “he just won’t touch it. There’s still peas floating in the pool from last time.”

Steve sighs, “I really don’t know why he’s being like this.”

“Maybe he’s just pissed at me,” she shoves the bowl at Dustin, “you try.”

They all watch through the window as Dustin heads to the pool. They can tell from how he’s standing that Eddie’s at the end furthest away. Dustin kneels, tries offering things. It’s not long before he quits and comes back.

“How long did it take before he would eat? Maybe we just need to persevere?”

Robin disagrees, “once we figured what he would eat, it was pretty much straight away he was taking stuff from Steve.”

“Okay, so maybe it’s like, a trust thing, so if we stick this out long enough, eventually he will get hungry enough to give in, right?”

“We’re not doing that,” it just immediately strikes Steve as cruel, “he’s not put on enough weight yet for us to be fucking with his food supply.”

“Okay...okay yeah.”

Steve blinks awake. He’s not sure what woke him, but he’s almost certain he just heard something. He lies still straining to listen and yeah, he definitely heard something. Something or someone moving around downstairs. Steve quietly shifts, groping for the nail bat leaning against the wall as he slides out of bed, his heart feels like it's crawling up into his throat. He almost hopes it's a regular old burglary and not, like, monsters.

He creeps downstairs, luckily he was already sleeping in a tank top and shorts. He’s nearly to the bottom of the stairs when he hears it; a clunking noise and then, “Steee.”

He carefully puts the bat down immediately; figures Eddie got into the house somehow. Steve allows himself a moment to calm down, breathe deep and slow for a minute even as, in his head, he's calling Dustin a little shithead and blaming him for leaving the back door unlocked.

At the bottom of the stairs he can peer around the corner to see Eddie sitting in the hall. It’s light enough for Steve to make out that Eddie’s sitting quite tall, his tail curled into an ‘s’ shape underneath him. He has the phone from the hall side table held carefully next to his head, exactly like...well...like a regular person on the phone would, and while Steve is there, he says, “Steee,” uncertainly into the receiver.

For a moment, Steve is tempted to sneak up to the phone in his parents room and lift the receiver so he can answer Eddie, but quickly dismisses it; Eddie’s limited vocabulary makes it kind of pointless, anyway.

“Hey Eddie,” Steve steps off the bottom step.

“Stee!” Eddie turns to Steve, it's almost strange to see him without his sunglasses on now, and his eyes reflect what little light there is in a strange, silvery flash. He seems to remember then that he's holding something, forgotten for a second with the clear excitement of finding Steve, and he replaces the receiver on the cradle with surprising care; Steve wonders vaguely if he was just listening to the dial tone.

Eddie moves through the house, walking on his hands and using a unexpectedly efficient twist of his tail to push him along; he’s much more comfortable on land than Steve would have given him credit for. He stops and looks back, clearly waiting for Steve to follow him. Steve does. Dutifully following Eddie through the house, and it’s not until Steve’s at the door that he realizes it's not Dustin's fault at all – the spare key is in the lock. He doesn’t keep one out front – that’s just asking for trouble – but he keeps one out back. One that is only for absolute emergencies only, and it’s very specifically under the third plant pot along. Eddie must have seen Robin or one of the kids let themselves in and then just...worked it out for himself.

Well, huh, Steve thinks as he follows Eddie out into the yard and across the grass, past the pool and along to the tree line.

Steve wonders vaguely if Eddie actually does this often, getting out of the pool and exploring at night; he doesn’t seem to struggle, and he clearly knows where he’s going, passing through the tree line at the bottom of the yard and then a little further in.

Eddie comes to a stop, and when Steve gets there he sees what Eddie is looking at. It’s a bird. A pigeon probably, like a wood pigeon or something, if Steve’s very limited knowledge of birds is to be believed. It’s lying on the grass, clearly dead.

Steve crouches and watches as Eddie, very gently strokes the fluffy breast feathers of the bird, “Ow. Inied.”

Steve sighs he guesses finished is one way to put it, “yeah, yeah buddy. Uhm. Dead,” Steve pulls Eddie’s hand away, “dead. Don’t touch it. It’s dead.”

“Dead,” Eddie cocks his head.

“Yeah,” Steve yawns, getting sleepy again now the adrenaline’s died down and there’s clearly no danger, “come on, back to bed. Or, you know, the pool.”

Eddie’s reluctant to move at first, but then does when Steve gestures, sliding soundlessly back into the water.

“See you tomorrow buddy.”

“Budidy. Edidie.”

“Yeah, near enough.”

“Do you think he killed the bird?”

“Nah, there wasn’t any obvious like, injury or anything. And you should have seen how gentle he was with it Robs...it was like he felt bad, you know.”

She hums in agreement, “he must have seen someone at the lab use a phone, do you think?”

Steve figured the same, once he’d finished his night’s sleep and actually pondered on it. “Pretty sure he doesn’t know how to actually use it, he was just copying. But the fact that he worked out they were using it to talk to other people, that’s pretty smart, right?”

“Maybe we can teach him to use it?” Robin eats more waffle with her fingers, smearing the broken up bits through the cream. They’re sitting out on the pool chairs for breakfast.

“Dunno, numbers and stuff. A walkie though? I think he might be able to-”

“Steee! Steeee!” Eddie calls him from the water, arms resting on the sides. He’s smiling, looking happy, shades firmly in place today.

“What buddy?”

Eddie points confidently at the sky, “dead!”

Steve looks up; birds. There’s birds flying over.

“Oh no- birds. Eddie those are birds.”

He looks so confused, but Steve suddenly has an idea, “where you going dingus?”

“Be right back a second,” Steve heads into the lounge and runs his fingers along the lowest shelf of books, easily finding the thick children's encyclopedia he got for his birthday one year when he was little. He’s never even opened it, thought it was a shit present, but it’ll do for this.

He opens it on his way back to the pool, finding a page with a big colorful picture of loads of birds on it, sitting by the side of the pool where Eddie can see, “bird.”

“Buurd,” Eddie drags the word out, definitely making it more than a ‘u’ than an ‘i’ sound, but it’s definitely near enough.

“Yeah that’s right,” Steve lays the book out on the edge of the pool, “don’t get it too wet.”

Eddie tilts his head, “et.”

Steve slaps the water, “wet. Uhm.” Tapping the book, Steve says, “finished.”

Eddie looks at his hands, frowning.

“Right, wait,” Steve goes and grabs a towel, left forgotten on a pool chair, and brings it to the edge, “here,” Eddie’s close enough for Steve to take his hands easily, “wet,” after a moment of ruffling Eddie’s hands with the towel, Steve tells him, “dry.” Then he taps the book, “dry. Wet finished.”

He waits to see what Eddie will do, but he holds his hands carefully out of the water before he lifts himself to touch the book.

Steve turns to a page at random, showing Eddie a page with all sorts of big cats on it, lions and tigers and stuff like that, “go on, you do it.”

Steve gestures at Eddie, and, cautiously as he lets his elbows take his weight, Eddie carefully turns the page.

Part five

[butchdiaz]

ask for essays on tommy's nerves have essays on tommy's nerves delivered directly to your doorstep!!! sorry in advance for the length and incoherency of this ask because lou's acting choices genuinely make me feel deranged, we are so lucky to have him.

exhibit a: the hand on the chin when buck opens the door. he's thought about this so carefully you can tell from the moment he enters the scene. and i don't even mean the kiss. i don't think tommy knew that was going to happen until approx. five seconds before it did. but he wants to get this conversation right.

exhibit b: the fucking breathlessness when he says "we can talk" (yes we're still not even in the loft yet). like that is the breathlessness of a man seeing whom he assumes is his emotionally unavailable big boy crush and realising he's going to have to smooth things over between him and the man most likely making him unavailable to tommy. (it's also just tommy seeing big beefy tank buckley and getting a little flustered methinks)

exhibit c (moving actually into the loft now): obsessed, deeply deeply obsessed with the way buck removes the obstacle of the kitchen island between them and tommy immediately crosses his arms over his chest like he's trying to put it back between them subtly because he still doesn't think he's allowed to Want.

exhibit d: the way he literally cannot look at buck as buck starts moving in closer quite literally makes me want to rip my hair out. like baby, you're allowed to look i promise, i swear.

exhibit e: the breakout of the laugh to full seriousness as he commits to the "i'm renowned for my fake mouth static" is so special to me because. i have done that. i have committed to a bit that was perhaps a bit too revealing/suggestive with my heart pounding as a way of testing the waters. and then the relieved amusement of his "cmon hey" when buck plays into it.

exhibit f: the way tommy looks at buck when buck's giving his little "threw in with us no hesitation" speech is so. that man is ANCHORING his eyes to buck's eyes. he's still not allowed to look, he is being respectful, he is overcompensating, he is FIGHTING for his life.

exhibit g: his tiny little smile when buck mentions the tour. you wanted to see me? 🥺

exhibit h: the fucking recoil when buck says he wanted to get to know him. the disbelief. the oh. the maybe i can have this.

exhibit i: the slow drop of his smile the more time buck spends mentioning eddie (which btw why is that line so long fuck off buck stand up!!) thinking oh never mind.

exhibit j: "i could teach you" with that bashful little shrug of his shoulders. i could teach you if you'd let me.

exhibit k: the realisation that sinks in after buck says about flying lessons. he wants to spend time with me, he's moving closer. oh shit, i'm allowed, i'm allowed, i'm allowed. the seriousness. the i have to make him understand i want him. the first time he lets his eyes drop to buck's lips.

exhibit l: my attention? one last check. one last check just to make sure. i can want this, i can want him.

exhibit m: his little kind of glassy-eyed smile between "i did maim my best friend" and "my sister". he is not listening to a word buck says. he is making a decision. a terrifying decision, but he's already made it.

exhibit n (typed through tears lol): the way he squeezes his eyes shut as he pulls away. buck is opening his but tommy squeezes his shut harder. he doesn't want to see the disgust on buck's face. he's bracing for rejection. he's hoping, hoping, hoping.

exhibit o: the breathlessness of "like that?" please tell me that was okay, please tell me that's allowed, please please please. the clench of his jaw as he waits for buck's answer, the slight nod like he's confirming something to himself.

exhibit p: the smile when it sinks in that buck wants this. the smile before the immediate "so that was okay?" just needing that verbal confirmation for buck, yeah, but also for himself.

and then for me it's the complete shift in tommy's demeanour after buck confirms it's okay. he goes from this quiet, hesitant, reserved tommy to this confident, flirty, little bit sensual tommy the moment he's allowed. cross town traffic 🫦 came in a car this time 😏. it's just such a wild switch up but it makes so much sense because the nerves have gone. he's allowed to want. (jesus got halfway through the alphabet sorry)

SAMI IM GONNA SCREAM BRB TIME TO WATCH THIS SCENE SIDE BY SIDE W UR ANALYSIS THIS IS SO FUCKING GOOD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[b-o-e]

kiss farewell

Wally Darling x Reader

Warnings: snugllin, lil smoochy kiss, you're being watched at one point hehe

although it is not necessary, I highly suggest reading my fics in their recommended order for the best experience! here is the link to all my silly lil wally fics in order. this is #8 :)

After a night spent at Wally’s, he walks you home.

“Good morning,”

With a muddled grumble, you rubbed away at the sleepiness in your eyes. Peeking up, you caught sight of the man you’d trapped beneath you, offering a dopey smile.

“G’mornin’, Darling,'” you uttered. Laying your head back down to rest on his belly again, you sighed softly. His hand returned to its spot on your back as you did, rubbing soothing little circles into it.

…

Huh. Sudden wave of déjà vu.

You lifted your head, brows furrowed in confusion, looking at Wally drowsily. He laughed quietly, shaking his head.

“Hi,” he grinned. This felt awful familiar.

“... Hi.” You mumbled, things clicking together as you looked around. “Wally?” 

“Yes?”

You looked at him.

“... it wasn't a dream, right?”

“It wasn’t a dream,” he assured, chuckling a little. “I’m glad you didn't describe it as a nightmare, at least.”

“I would never,” you chuckled softly. “Only small portions of it,”

“How did you sleep?” He asked, shifting, trying not to move you too much.

“Wonderfully,” you hummed, “I’ve found my best sleeps have been while in your arms, it seems,”

Wally’s cheeks flushed, surprised by your answer. 

“You’re also a bit extra straightforward when you’re sleepy,” he mumbled, making you laugh.

“Sorry,”

“It’s cute,”

“You think so?”

“I do, yes.”

You giggled, pushing yourself up from your lying position and sitting back on your heels, seated in the empty space between his legs. 

“I fear if I don’t get up now, I’ll never want to leave,” You joked. Wally smiled. 

“Ha ha, I wouldn’t mind,” he said, propping himself up higher.

“I wouldn’t either, but I can’t let myself be so lazy,” you yawned, lifting your hands above your head as you stretched. “I’ve got to get back to my house and change out of these clothes,” 

“Allow me to walk you home,” 

“What a gentleman you are, Darling,” you smiled, “Sure, if you would like. Thank you for letting me stay,” 

“I wasn’t going to let you walk home so late at night. I wanted you to stay. Plus, I believe I was deserving of some compensation,” he quipped, laughing as you covered your face with embarrassment.

“I’m sorry,” you groaned, the shame from your actions the night prior resurfacing. “It was just– I don’t even know. Instinct, for some reason?” You hopelessly tried to defend yourself.

“Instinct to hang up when someone’s halfway through telling you they love you?”

You stayed silent.

“... yes.”

Wally laughed at you, shaking his head in amusement.

“Whatever you say. No matter, I am happy with how the night ended,” 

You huffed, sliding off the bed, though a smile played at your lips.

“Yeah, me too.”

Wally had followed you out of bed, excusing himself to switch out of his sleepwear before taking you home. You plopped yourself down on his armchair, talking to Home as you waited, expressing your thanks for letting you in last night.  

In no time Wally returned in his casual clothes, standing before you and offering his hand.

“All set?” he smiled. You accepted his help, standing up with his assistance.

“All set,” you repeated with a nod, heading with him to the door. Home opened it for the two of you, Wally gesturing for you to go on ahead.

“I’ll be back in a little, Home,” Wally waved goodbye as the two of you headed to your house. 

“Mornin’, Sally! Julie!” Eddie greeted with a tip of his hat and a smile, digging into his mail bag. 

“Good morning, favourite mailman of mine!” Julie returned with a gleeful grin. “How goes it today?”

“Just swell! I’ve got a letter for ya in here, somewhere!” He replied, brows furrowing. “Er… I should, at least…”

“Ooh! Take a look over there,” Sally piped, eyes set on a particular sight. The other two’s gazes followed.

“Well, wontcha look at that,” Eddie remarked, head tilting in curiosity.

“It looks like they’re coming from Home,” Julie noted.

“Wally’s dressed, but they’re in their pajamas. Their arms are linked too, but that’s pretty normal for them, isn't it?” Sally added.

“... you wouldn’t reckon something happened last night, wouldja?” Eddie questioned. “Look at ‘em. Doesn’t something seem different? They seem… lax, less uptight,” he continued, “do you think they’ve finally confessed or somethin’?”

“Well, look at you go. Didn’t know you were a detective on the side,” Julie remarked teasingly. “I do think you’re right, though…” 

“Let’s follow them! See if anything happens!” Sally pitched, Eddie’s head whipping towards her with a look of shock. Julie was quick to agree.

“Ooh, good idea, Sally!”

“Huh?” Eddie rubbed the back of his neck. “Err, I dunno, fellas. Doesn’t that seem a bit… intrusive?”

“They’re in public,” Julie shrugged.

You and Wally walked together, pace slow and lazy, neither of you in a rush to leave the other. You made small talk, commenting on the beautiful weather today and plans for later on. 

Far too soon did you make it back to your house, a pit of discontent in your belly as your time together was coming to a close.

You turned your back to your front door, facing Wally with a soft sigh. Noticing his neckerchief being slightly disarray, you focussed your attention on it.

“Your scarf is a little cockeyed,” you murmured, reaching out and carefully untying it, leaning over to readjust it so that it sat right. 

Butterflies fluttered in Wally’s belly at the close proximity, the man lifting his chin a little to give you more room to work with. He watched you wordlessly, lips slightly parted, before he pressed them together.

“There,” you pulled away, satisfied with your work. “All better now, handsome,” you snickered softly, your eyes meeting his.

His pupils dilated when they met yours. You paused, cheeks flushing, realizing how close you had been, up in his personal space. 

“Sorry,” you murmured bashfully, stepping back. Wally shook his head, smiling.

“Thank you,” he said, taking your hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it. “Where would I be without your help?” He chuckled.

“Somewhere looking like a slob,” you joked, wiping off a fuzzy from his shirt.

“Goodness, it appears so,” he uttered sheepishly. “I suppose I skipped giving myself a once over. I didn’t want you waiting long,” 

“For you, I’d wait an eternity. There’s never any rush,” you assured. “However, I’m sure you have other plans you’d best be getting to. Thank you for walking me home,”

“You’re always welcome,” his hands interlocked behind his back. “I’ll see you later, neighbour,” he mumbled.

You cupped his face with one hand, pressing a gentle kiss to the corner of his lips. His body tensed in surprise, cheeks reddening.

“See you, Wally,” you smiled, heading inside.

The door clicked shut behind you, leaving Wally standing there, trying to recover from his shock. 

Two fingers touched to his lips where yours had been moments prior, relishing the phantom feeling of them there. Releasing a lovesick sigh, he turned on his heel, ready to leave.

Your onlookers dropped like flies behind a nearby bush.

hello!!! I hope you enjoyed!!! lil snippets, hehe. I'm not too sure what to say today, so I suppose that's all!!! thank you!!!

here is a link to my silly lil wally fics in their recommended order if you would like :) these can also be found on my ao3 B) I also have a ko-fi if you'd like to support me!

likes and reblogs are very appreciated!! have a good day today!! I will see you next time B) MWAH!!

Posted Thursday, May 11, 2023 at 12:22 PM

[steddieas-shegoes]

The top of your blog says you're still taking requests,no pressure though of course: Eddie lives through the events of s4 and heals in the hospital, his name is cleared, Eddie spends his time with his uncle and his friends, plays games. He notices that Steve sort of remains on the back burner, shows up to little gatherings but keeps himself at a distance, busies himself with small tasks. Keeps the focus on Eddie, and is content to sort of stare at everyone, and not join in. Eddie gets worried and asks Robin whats up with Steve, why does he keep just standing in the corner or the kitchen smiling instead of joining in, I think he's bumming the kids out, Robin. And she has to calmly, and frightfully, remind him that Steve died over spring break. What are you talking about he's right there! I'd love a Ghost Steve who doesn't want to move on, wants to stay with his family. Doesn't want to be alone. Eddie is the only one who can see him at first(?)

OKAY SO THIS WAS SAD AS SHIT AND I LOVE THIS PREMISE. I especially love it because I have read A LOT of ghost Eddie fics, some where he was actually dead and some where it was a weird Upside Down thing and he was alive. I'm a big believer in happy endings so I went full speed ahead with the latter option for Steve. But since you requested ghost Steve not wanting to move on, I had to switch it up a bit to where Eddie couldn't just let it go. Still plenty of sad, but I had to make it hopeful and happy at the end because I am me. - Mickala ❤️

----------------------------------------------

While Eddie was in the hospital, it felt like he was in a bubble. His uncle was the only one allowed to visit for the first week, and then the kids were able to come by when his name was cleared.

They weren’t themselves, a cloud of sadness around them, but that was to be expected with everything that had happened.

Dustin, especially, clung to him more than he expected.

He figured it would be rough, he did almost die, after all, but this was on another level.

Dustin was with him every day for hours, sometimes had to be dragged out by his mom who understood, but only in the way a person who doesn’t know about the Upside Down could.

Robin came by sometimes, a haunted look on her face, none of her usual energy anywhere to be seen.

He managed to get her to crack a small smile twice.

When he left the hospital, things somehow felt worse.

The government had provided him and Wayne a new trailer, nowhere near the trailer park, even managed to get Wayne a new truck since Eddie’s van had been destroyed and Wayne’s truck was on its last leg for the last year.

His name was cleared, but that didn’t mean people changed their mind about him.

He mostly stayed at home, didn’t even attempt to go to the store with Wayne or anywhere but Dustin’s house or the Byers’.

The kids started begging for normalcy in whatever ways they could: meeting up for movie night, bringing Hellfire back, dinner at the Byers’ house.

Eddie was on board with it, wanted to put everything in the past just as much as they did.

He went to movie night, at Robin’s house while her parents were out of town instead of at Steve’s.

Steve, who hadn’t visited him once while he was in the hospital, hadn’t made it to any hangouts with the kids, apparently was coping with everything by ignoring everyone.

Eddie would have to do something about it soon because the kids were clearly missing him.

Movie night was okay, but he decided to have the next one at his house.

He told Dustin to let everyone know, didn’t think he had to be specific about everyone.

Steve didn’t show up on time, which was unusual since he was usually Dustin and Lucas’ ride. They rode with Nancy and Mike.

Everyone settled in, Eddie started the movie and passed out popcorn, waved goodbye to Wayne on his way out the door to his night shift.

Everything felt okay, but without Steve, it didn’t feel right.

Eddie could admit to himself he had a crush on him. He had one on him in high school, but that was easy to ignore when he was an asshole.

Now, he knew Steve was a good guy, protected these kids and Robin and Nancy with his life and didn’t hesitate even when he should.

It wasn’t just a crush anymore, he realized that while he was in the hospital. It was full blown feelings. Love.

Eddie sat in Wayne’s recliner in the corner, keeping an eye on everyone through the movie. He glanced over to the kitchen and saw movement, but didn’t think anything of it.

They paused the movie halfway through for bathroom breaks and refills on snacks and drinks, and Eddie followed all the kids into the kitchen to get his own beer.

He was startled when he turned the corner and saw Steve smiling at him from the corner.

He didn’t want to say anything, figured the kids had already said hello and he was just letting them get their stuff first.

But it was kind of weird that he’d come in the backdoor of a trailer he’d never visited when he easily could have come in the front door. Eddie watched as Steve leaned against the wall of the kitchen, watching everyone move around without saying anything.

It was weird, especially because the smile seemed to transform from a genuine one to a sad one quickly.

He didn’t want to draw attention to it, didn’t know how much Steve let the kids see usually, so he turned to grab his own snack from the counter.

Robin was standing there, staring at him, eyebrows pinched together.

“What were you looking at?”

“Uh,” Eddie glanced back over and saw Steve frowning now. “Steve? Looking like a kicked puppy in the corner?”

Robin’s face went from confused to worried in a millisecond.

“What? What do you mean?”

“Steve.” Eddie gestured towards where Steve was still standing, but now he looked panicked, like he wanted to interrupt. “Please feel free to make me not look insane, Steve.”

Robin glanced over to the corner, then back at Eddie, tears in her eyes.

“Eddie,” she said, voice sad, like she was about to break the worst news in the world to him. Then, she did. “Steve died. Remember? We had to leave him.”

That can’t be right. He could’ve sworn Steve was there when he was being pushed through the gate, when he gained just enough consciousness to look around and take inventory of the people around him. Steve was there.

“When did he die? He was at the…with the bats…he was at the trailer…right?”

Eddie looked back in the corner and saw Steve looking down at the floor.

And then Robin was pulling him into a hug.

“Nobody told you. They were supposed to tell you. And we-” she let out a sob. “We just haven’t talked about it. It’s hard to. Last time we tried, Dustin had to be given anxiety meds. I’m sorry, Eddie. He’s gone.”

She was crying through the explanation, almost too much for him to understand what she was saying.

But he watched as Steve wiped at his eyes in the corner.

Like he was crying. Like he was there.

He knew Robin wasn’t lying, she would never lie about something like this, and it would explain a lot of the behavior of everyone and Steve’s absence up until this point.

“Robbie, I-” Eddie didn’t know if it would help or hurt her to know he could see Steve right now. He made a decision based on the way Steve was watching them now, his eyes wide and sad, like he would be crying if he could. “I can see him right now.”

Robin pulled away, looked at him, then over at the corner.

“Right now? He’s there right now?”

Eddie nodded.

“Can you hear him say anything?”

“No, he hasn’t said anything. I don’t think he can.”

Steve was still just staring at them, and Eddie knew he was stuck.

If he was truly dead, he wasn’t moving on the way people do. If he wasn’t dead, then something super weird was happening and he would have to get help from everyone.

But he didn’t want to involve the kids, not for this. Because if Steve was dead, like they thought, and they went through the trouble of trying to find him, they’d be hurting all over again.

But if he wasn’t.

“Robin, were you sure he was dead? No pulse or breathing, no movement?”

Robin’s eyes widened.

“I mean, I guess as sure as we could be with how rushed and emotional we were? Nancy couldn’t find a heartbeat and he wasn’t moving, and we waited as long as we could, but he didn’t wake up. Do you think he isn’t dead?”

Steve was watching them, his fingers tapping against his arms that were crossed over his chest.

“How long can someone survive down there?”

“Eddie, look. I already talked to Hopper about it. He said even if somehow Steve managed to survive his injuries, they were bad enough that he would have probably been found by something and attacked. And even if he survived that, he’s been down there without food and water and clean oxygen for a month. The fact that Will survived a week was a miracle.”

He didn’t push. He could hear it in Robin’s voice that she’d already thought of every possible outcome, probably even tried to plan a rescue mission at some point.

She couldn’t take the disappointment either.

Eddie dropped it for now, but he watched as Steve watched him.

He just had a feeling that this was more complicated than Steve being dead.

—-----------------------

He let himself mourn that night.

While he didn’t feel like Steve was dead, he knew that no matter what, Steve had been missing from all their lives for a month.

He cried for hours, he cried for Steve, for Dustin, for Robin, for Max, for everyone who Steve loved so much that he died for them.

Himself included.

Because that’s what it came down to: Steve died protecting them.

They all took a risk, but Steve paid the price.

It wasn’t fair. The guy who put everyone first was the first one gone.

Eddie finally fell asleep, but it was restless. He kept getting flashes of Steve in his dreams, his face bloody, his body bloody, his screams loud.

Which was weird for a lot of reasons, one of them being that he didn’t know what injuries Steve even had when he died. The ghost he saw in his kitchen earlier had just been Steve, not bloodied or broken or scared.

When he managed to get up, he went through the motions of his day: brush his teeth, shower, eat breakfast, do his stretches, play guitar, eat lunch, clean up, talk to Wayne.

But by dinner, he felt like he had to do something. He had to figure out why he felt this buzzing energy around him.

He waited until Wayne left to get their dinner at the diner and bring it home, then he called Robin.

“Robin, is there a gate open somewhere?”

“Seriously, Eddie.”

“I just need to know! Maybe you’re right, in fact, you probably are. But what if you aren’t? What if he’s stuck down there? What if he’s too hurt to find a way back here?”

Robin was silent, but Eddie didn’t let that deter him.

“I know you guys were pretty sure. And I know you wouldn’t have left if you didn’t believe he was dead. But you said yourself you were emotional and overwhelmed and feeling rushed because of everything happening. It’s not that far of a stretch to believe that he could be alive.”

“Eddie.”

Her voice was broken.

She didn’t want to believe him.

“Okay,” he sighed. “Okay.”

“I know it’s hard. It’ll get easier, I hope. His parents just sold the house, and his car, so. He’s gone. We have to accept that.”

“Okay.”

But it wasn’t okay.

He hung up with Robin, promised he would try to get some sleep, take care of himself. It was a lie.

He ate dinner with Wayne, pretended he was doing alright, pretended he didn’t still hear the echoes of Steve’s screams in his head.

Wayne left early for work, claimed he was picking up some overtime due to them being short staffed still after the quake. He said he wouldn’t be home until nine the next morning.

Eddie nodded and pretended to head to his room for the night.

He did a lot of pretending until he was alone.

Then, he got on the phone with El.

El had gotten attached to him while Max was in a coma, stopping by to talk to him after she’d spent an hour or so with Max. She saw him as a cool older brother, especially when she realized Hopper wasn’t his biggest fan.

“I need to know if there’s a gate open.”

“Eddie, I do not know if I can help with that,” El responded slowly, carefully.

“What if I say it’s for a really good reason?”

“I am sure it is, but I promised Dad I would not open one.”

“But what if there’s one already open?”

“There is not. I would feel it.”

Eddie sighed. He didn’t want to make El break a promise, but this was worth it.

He knew Hopper would forgive her and him if he was right.

“Has Will mentioned feeling anything weird?”

Sometimes Will felt things that even El couldn’t, usually things happening only in the Upside Down. Everyone’s running theory was that it was because of the time he spent down there.

“No, he just feels the usual.”

“What’s the usual?”

“It is just there. Sometimes it is more there than other times.”

“And right now? It isn’t more than other times?”

“I think it is just always more than other times since Vecna.”

Hm. That could be something.

“Why does it feel like more sometimes?”

“It is hard to say. Sometimes it is nothing, sometimes it is because something is moving and trying to get out.”

“Is it always a creature?”

“It always was before.”

“El, I think Steve’s alive.”

There, he said it. He said it to someone who could probably actually help him, who would would help him if she believed him.

“Why do you think that? They said he was not breathing.”

“I know, but, look. Robin even said that they were being rushed and were crying and could have missed something.”

“But it has been a month.”

“I saw him. In the kitchen.” He hated saying this to one of the kids. They all loved Steve so much and if he was wrong, he really didn’t want this to hurt her. “At movie night. He was there, but only I could see him. Robin said maybe it was a ghost, but it seemed too real.”

“It was Steve?”

“Even if he’s de-,” Eddie stopped. “Gone. If his body is where it was left, it should be put to rest here. And if it isn’t, and he’s alive, then we can save him.”

“But we will get caught.”

“Not if we do it tonight. Hopper works nights this week, right?”

“Yes.”

“So he won’t be home to know you’re gone. Will is over at Dustin’s. Jonathan is so high, he won’t notice you’re gone. Joyce will be asleep by ten. You can sneak out.”

“What if you get hurt? I cannot go down there.”

That was a valid concern.

They defeated Vecna, and the Mindflayer hadn’t been a problem since, but that didn’t mean the other creatures weren’t still prowling around down there.

Out of all of them, he had the least experience with them, and she had every right to be worried.

“I can handle it. I’ll bring Steve’s bat.”

—------------------------

He met El in the woods behind the cabin they were staying in. Hopper had redone it, adding two bedrooms and a bathroom so they could all fit more comfortably.

They silently hugged and kept walking further, away from any chance of being seen or heard.

El warned him that opening the gate was risky in other ways too. She had a lot of control over her powers, but sometimes using this much strength would leave her too tired to close it again, and they couldn’t leave a gate open for longer than it took for Eddie to get in, check for Steve, and get out.

They also ran the risk of her using a little too much power and making a gate that was too big for her to close at all.

But these were risks Eddie deemed worth it, and with some convincing, El did too.

They found a small clearing, big enough to make a gate that Eddie could fit through.

He didn’t let himself stop to think about the last time he was being pushed through a gate, how he was bleeding out and barely breathing. He only thought about how Steve was down there, dead or alive, and didn’t deserve to be.

“Are you ready?” El asked him, her hands digging into the earth below her.

“Ready.”

“Two hours. If you are not back in two hours, I call Hopper.”

That was the deal. That was the only way she agreed to do this.

He knew if it came down to him being gone for more than two hours, he’d probably be grateful to see Hopper.

“Got it.”

El nodded and closed her eyes.

The ground started shaking, Eddie held back the panic, and suddenly El was staring up at him, blood dripping from her nose, smiling.

The ground had opened between them, just big enough for Eddie to slip through, small enough for El to cover with sticks and leaves if someone came looking before their time was up.

“You will come back in two hours.”

“Sure thing, supergirl. With Steve, hopefully.”

“With Steve,” she added with a small smile.

Eddie didn’t think anymore.

He dropped himself down, ignoring the sinking feeling in his stomach when everything turned upside down on him.

He didn’t let himself hesitate, even though he wanted to.

He had a lot of ground to cover in a short amount of time, and if Steve was alive, he could be anywhere.

But he walked towards where Robin and Nancy had left him. It would at least confirm if he was dead, his body hopefully would still be there if so.

It was only two miles, but Eddie was never a very fast runner. The first mile went surprisingly well, much faster than he expected to be able to do it. But during mile two, he felt his legs shaking.

He was still technically healing, the physical therapy stretches he did every morning further proof that he still had a long way to go before he was completely recovered.

But he pushed through it, knowing that the way back would be worse and he couldn’t waste time now.

But when he got to the area between the Creel house and the trailer park, he saw no sign of Steve, or anything for that matter.

There weren’t even vines or dead creatures around.

He tried to remain calm.

Steve had been alive when they left him here.

He may not be now, but he had been.

That felt worse.

He pushed that aside and decided to run to the trailer park.

Steve wouldn’t have gone in the direction of the Creel house, and he wouldn’t have wandered aimlessly no matter how much blood he’d lost.

He would have gone to the place he knew they would be in hopes the gate was still open.

The trailer park had always been kind of eerie, even in broad daylight, so the Upside Down version was downright horrific.

Eddie ran directly to his old trailer, hoped that somehow Steve found shelter here.

It looked worse than what he remembered, blood on the floor from when they were half dragging, half carrying him after being a meal for the bats.

The door had been kicked in at some point, and he wasn’t sure how or when that could have happened after they left.

He almost didn’t want to know unless-

He could hear movement in the back bedroom. His bedroom.

It could be anything. Wind blowing through a broken window, a creature he wasn’t entirely prepared to kill, Steve.

God, he hoped it was Steve.

He slowly walked towards the bedroom, his hands shaking where they were holding on tight to the bat.

The door was open a few inches, and he could hear the movement more clearly.

It sounded like someone was in bed, shifting in the sheets.

Holy shit.

He pushed the door open.

Holy shit.

“Steve!”

Eddie dropped the bat and ran to the bed, only stopping himself from jumping onto it when he saw the blood.

There was a lot, though most of it looked old, like maybe Steve had crawled here and then couldn’t quite find his way back out.

Steve was pale. It was dark, and hard to make out a lot of details, but he could see that he was deathly pale.

“Steve?”

“Eddie?”

“Holy shit, Jesus Christ, Steve. Where are you bleeding from?”

“Um, I think my leg? And my stomach.”

His voice was raspy, sort of nasally like he was coming down with a cold. Could you catch a cold from being down here? Probably.

Eddie’s hands hovered over the sheets, ready to move them so he could try to help, when Steve suddenly turned on his side and threw up.

“Shit. Hold on, let me help you sit up.”

“Sorry. Sorry.”

Steve was crying, and Eddie didn’t know what to do.

He took a deep breath.

“You don’t have to apologize, Stevie. I’m sorry you’ve been stuck here. Can I check your heartbeat?”

Eddie needed to see if it was ridiculously fast or slow, needed to determine how quickly he had to move them out of here, if he could take a few extra minutes to try to patch him up or if he just had to put him on his back and run.

Steve held his wrist towards him and Eddie quickly found his pulse.

He counted like a kind nurse showed him while he was in the hospital, filed away for future emergencies so he could be useful.

“It’s a little fast, but I think that’s normal for the situation. Let’s get you up and we can go.”

“Go how?”

“You can hop on my back.”

“I-”

“Steve, it’s not up for debate. You’re coming back with me and I don’t care if it means I break my back.”

Steve nodded once, his eyes closing as if he was just too exhausted to fight.

Eddie was sure he was.

Even if he managed to sleep here, it couldn’t have been well. It’s hard to rest when you know scary monsters are just outside the door.

“Tired,” Steve said, almost like he could read Eddie’s mind.

Hell, maybe he could after spending so much time down here.

Something to test later.

He checked his clock. Still had almost an hour and a half to get back to the gate.

“Have you had anything to eat or drink lately?”

“Found some water four days ago I think? Maybe five. Managed to stretch it until yesterday. Food’s been gone for days.”

How was he not passed out?

“How much of this blood is yours?”

“All of it.”

Awesome.

Eddie felt his forehead. He had a fever.

Even more awesome.

He probably had infections, which can be treated if you get them taken care of quickly, but he could have had them for weeks by now.

Cool.

“Alright, on three, wrap your arms around my neck and your legs around my waist. I’m gonna lift, and I just need you to try to keep leaning forward while I get you on my back.”

“Mkay.”

“And you cannot close your eyes. You hear me, Steve?”

Steve didn’t answer.

“Sweetheart, I need you to talk to me.”

“Mhm. Eyes stay open.”

“And mouth keeps moving. Alright,” Eddie helped him out a bit by placing his arms around his neck. “One…two…three.”

He lifted, and huffed out a sharp breath when his ribs started aching almost immediately.

“Okay?” Steve whispered against his neck.

“I’m okay. You?”

“Okay.”

“Okay.” Eddie let himself take one calming breath, just enough to get himself back on track. “Talk to me.”

“Hurts.”

“I know, love, but I need to know you haven’t passed out,” Eddie said sympathetically.

“Wanna hold your hand.”

God, okay. He could handle that.

He could.

“Okay, one hand for a minute. I need them both to hold you up though.”

He moved one hand up to his chest, where Steve’s hands were sort of dangling. He let his thumb run along the side of Steve’s hands, then Steve grabbed it and squeezed, surprising strength behind it.

“Is Dustin okay?”

Jesus Christ, this guy was half dead and still asking if others were okay.

“Yeah, he’s doing okay. Misses you, though.”

“Miss him.”

“Max is gonna be mad you came back from the dead in a more impressive way than her.”

“She can win.”

Eddie let out a laugh and tugged his hand back to adjust Steve on his back.

They had barely made it out of the trailer park and Eddie’s legs were shaking. He could do it though, he had no choice.

“How long?” Steve asked.

“A month.”

“Robin?”

“She’s hurting. She thought I was crazy. Didn’t wanna come because she didn’t wanna see you like she left you.”

“Not dead though.”

“Nope, not unless dead people can talk down here.”

Steve’s breath was hot against his neck, tickling him and sending chills down his back.

“You?”

“What about me?”

“Hurt?”

Steve’s voice was getting more strained, like he was doing his best to still talk but it was causing a lot of pain for him to do so.

“I was really hurt, yeah.”

“Still?”

“Not as much. Just a little.”

“Love me?”

Eddie knew he was losing it. The pain, the dehydration and hunger, the deliriousness. Steve didn’t have a clue what he was saying.

“What?”

“You love me?”

“Um.”

Steve squeezed his legs around Eddie’s hips.

“Came back. Love me.”

When it was put like that, yeah, Eddie guessed it seemed kind of obvious.

“Just a little.”

He could sense the eyeroll Steve wanted to give, but didn’t quite have the energy.

“I saw you. In my kitchen. Were you there?”

“Dunno.”

“Did you dream about it?”

“Just you. Kids. Robin. Missed you.”

“We all missed you.”

Eddie was making more progress, his determination to get Steve medical attention far outweighing any weakness or pain he was feeling.

“Ow.”

“What hurts, sweetheart?”

“Stomach.”

“Bites?”

“Mhm.”

Eddie could feel where the blood was soaking through his shirt, but he knew it wasn’t so much that he couldn’t at least make it through the gate before bandaging it up. He’d made it this long with them out, another 30 minutes wouldn’t kill him.

Hopefully.

Steve was quiet again, but he was breathing against Eddie’s neck steadily, so he didn’t push.

“Man, you won’t believe the place they gave me and Wayne. It’s got two bedrooms. And we have a whole kitchen instead of just a small counter area with a stove and fridge. Maybe you can cook us dinner when you’re better, you know, as a thanks for rescuing you.”

“Not a good cook.”

“I don’t believe that. Robin said you made her chicken parmesan from scratch for her birthday.”

“Yeah.”

“Alright, so chicken parmesan, my kitchen, soon.”

“Soon.”

They were close, creeping into the edge of the woods, and Eddie was trying not to panic at Steve’s silence.

“Stevie, just a few more minutes. Tell me about the first thing you wanna do when you’re back.”

“Mmm.” Steve’s head rolled back and forth like he was trying to focus. “Kiss you.”

“That can be arranged. What else?”

“Hug Dustin. Love him.”

“Yeah, he could use that.”

“Hug Robin. Love her.”

“She could use that, too.”

“Hug you, love you.”

He wouldn’t hold Steve to this, he wouldn’t. But it would hurt so much when Steve forgot about this whole conversation.

He bit his lip and nodded.

“Yeah, I could use that.”

Steve’s lips were pressed against his neck, most likely accidental, but Eddie let himself pretend for a moment it was a kiss.

When he reached the gate, he whistled to get El’s attention.

“Oh! Eddie, is that…”

“He’s alive. Really hurt and needs water and food. I need to get him through.”

El was prepared with everything and it only took a couple of minutes for them to get through the gate, Steve whimpering slightly as they moved him around.

“You were right.”

El seemed surprised, like she had only done this to give Eddie closure. She hadn’t expected Steve to be alive.

“He loves me,” Steve said.

El looked at Eddie, then at Steve, then back to Eddie.

“You love him?”

“I do. And I’ll love him a lot more if he stays alive. We have to get him to the hospital.”

“I can call Hopper?”

“Tell him to meet us at the cabin with an ambulance.”

“Jus’ need sleep.”

Eddie looked at Steve, mouth open in disbelief.

“You’re going to the hospital.”

“Sleep.”

“I’m not arguing with you. You can barely form a sentence. You’re going to the hospital.”

“You come?”

“I won’t leave your side.”

Eddie put him on his back again so he could walk towards the cabin, hopeful that Hopper wouldn’t ask a lot of questions until they got Steve taken care of.

“He is on his way!” El yelled from the porch, Joyce coming up behind her, hair a mess from being asleep.

When she saw Steve, her eyes widened and she nearly tripped running down the stairs.

“Oh God, Steve! Honey, are you okay? Of course not, you can’t even walk. You’re bleeding!”

“Mrs. Byers, can you get him some water maybe please?”

“Yes! Oh my God!”

She was running back up the stairs, mumbling to herself the whole way.

El giggled as she watched.

Eddie loved her.

He could hear sirens in the distance, and he hoped he would be able to ride with Steve.

He shouldn’t have to be alone anymore.

Steve’s eyes were closed, but Eddie kept his fingers on his pulse, making sure he didn’t have any changes while the sirens got closer.

Hopper’s patrol car arrived first, barely in park before Hopper was jumping out and running to where Eddie was cradling Steve.

Joyce came out with the water and handed it to Eddie.

“Dammit, why would you go down there alone? You know the rules.”

Eddie ignored him, just focused on getting some water past Steve’s lips.

“C’mon, sweetheart. Just a few sips.”

Steve’s lips moved, then he swallowed some of the water.

“There ya go. Good job.”

Hopper was watching in silence now, Joyce with her arm around him.

Eddie knew they were wondering how the hell they would ever get over leaving Steve behind.

The ambulance pulled up next, EMTs rushing out and asking Eddie question after question.

He had to keep it simple: found him in the woods, must’ve been out there since the quake with the injuries and level of dehydration. They took him at his word.

When they loaded Steve up, they let Eddie in only because Hopper insisted.

“I’ll be right behind you.”

And he was.

Eddie kept his eyes on Steve the whole time, but he could see the lights of Hopper’s police car in the window next to him.

Steve’s eyes fluttered open a few times as they hooked him up to oxygen and an IV, kept checking his vitals.

Eddie smiled at him each time, made sure he knew he was there and he loved him.

—---------------------------

It was two days before Steve woke up again.

The wounds weren’t bad, but they were infected, which was why they kept randomly bleeding despite not being very deep.

The infection was actually the worst of it, but it had potential to be life threatening if they couldn’t get it under control.

They pumped him full of pain relievers and antibiotics, fluids and nutrients.

Eddie sat by his bed the whole time.

None of the kids were allowed in yet, doctor’s and Hopper’s orders, but he heard Dustin in the hall multiple times a day giving it his best shot.

Robin hadn’t come by yet. Eddie knew she felt guilty, immensely so. She left her best friend down there, suffering, and didn’t even think to double check when it was safe to do so.

Eddie didn’t blame her, and he knew Steve wouldn’t either, but Robin would.

But when Steve’s eyes finally opened, bloodshot and glassy from his IV concoction, he smiled at Eddie.

“Love me?”

“Just a little.”

He fell back asleep a few minutes later, holding Eddie’s hand like a lifeline.

—------------------------

It took another four days before the doctors said he could be around others. His infection symptoms had gotten better and they believed the worst was over.

Eddie called Robin and told her to bring Dustin, no arguing. Steve was asking for them.

It wasn’t a lie, but he may have exaggerated it slightly just to get them here.

And when they did show up, everyone cried.

Robin collapsed next to the bed while Dustin folded himself against Steve the moment he was given permission to.

Eddie just watched from his chair, took in the way Steve comforted them despite the fact he was still in the hospital after spending a month alone in the Upside Down.

That was just who Steve was.

It probably wasn’t healthy, but it’s why Eddie loved him. Just a little.

[miss-bushido]

you make me feel like I am home again

Written for @steddiesmuttyseptember week 2: prompts ‘backseat’ and ‘clothes on’

Rating: Explicit (very explicit)

October 3, 1988

Steve leaned against the column just outside of the Arrivals exit at the airport, lightly tapping his finger against his arm. Eddie’s flight had been delayed coming in from Boston: he’d opted to take a different flight than the other guys so he could take a quick trip up to Salem and see all the quote-unquote spooky shit up there. Steve had teased him about coming back with a witch’s hat or a spell book or something, and Eddie had threatened to put a spell on him if he didn’t be quiet. Steve had laughed and pretended he was going through a tunnel and had to go.

“You’re on the phone in the kitchen!” Eddie had scream-laughed as Steve made his words fade in and out before he clearly yelled back, “See you at midnight!” and then hung up.

Delayed Flight 5498 now arriving from Boston. Baggage will be available at carousel number 4 sounded over the speakers.

Steve checked his watch as he stifled a yawn and shifted his stance. He was tired- it was after midnight after all- but he knew that he was going to get a burst of energy soon. Being around Eddie always did that. His energy was infectious even under normal circumstances. Especially when he hit you with that dimpled smile. God, it made Steve weak every time.

It would be more potent now considering how long it had been since they’d been in such close proximity to one another. Eddie and the other members of Corroded Coffin had done a mini-tour of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Their Wraiths on Wings Tour had started in late August, kicking off in Indianapolis before moving to Cleveland, Columbus, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Syracuse, New Haven, Providence, and finally culminated with two nights in Boston. Steve had only been able to go to the one in Indianapolis, but he’d been more than happy to support Eddie doing something he loved. On the numerous phone calls they’d shared after each gig was done, Eddie had gushed about how electrifying it was to be on stage. How fucking awesome it was to be able to play on the same stages that bands like Dokken, Metallica, and Iron Maiden had years before.

Steve was so proud of Eddie, and the other guys, and he always made sure to let Eddie know that. The praise always made Eddie’s tone turn soft on the phone, almost bashful. Whenever Steve heard Eddie ask, “You really mean it, Stevie?”, that was when he dialled up the praise: telling Eddie what a good boy he was, how hardworking and dedicated he was. And all of the things Steve was going to do for him once he got his hands on him again. He sincerely hoped that none of the switchboard operators of the hotels they stayed at ever listened in on their phone calls, or else they would have gotten an earful of the lead singer of Corroded Coffin and his boyfriend having phone sex more than a few times while the guys were on the tour.

Apart from the quick call earlier in the day, the two of them hadn’t been able to connect before the show in New Haven five days prior. As it was, Steve was itching to get his hands on Eddie more so than normal. The fact that the flight had been delayed was like rubbing salt in the wound. He just hoped deplaning and getting the baggage wouldn’t take too long. And while he didn’t drive like Eddie did, he was planning to go a little bit faster to get them back to their apartment sooner rather than later.

About ten minutes later, he saw the shadow of a familiar figure making its way through the arrivals corridor towards him. It rounded the corner, and there stood Eddie: looking every inch the rockstar sex god he showed to the world. He had developed an on-stage persona to play to the audience, which allowed him to separate a little from how he acted onstage to how he was normally. Onstage Eddie was more cocksure, ten times more brash, and he exaggerated his movements as he played and sang, really milking the sexy rockstar angle. The clothes he wore- tight black jeans, a tank top with a deep v-neck (or sometimes no shirt at all), combat boots, studded bracelets- and the way he carried himself fed into this, and the audience couldn’t get enough of it.

Eddie looked up and broke into a big grin as he saw Steve at the end of the corridor waiting for him. It wasn’t Onstage Eddie. It was His Eddie. Still sexy and brash, of course, but also nerdy; shy at times (which always surprised Steve when those times happened); in constant motion even when he was sitting down; and happy to stay in rather than going out and partying.

Steve stood up straight and gave him a little wave, immediately holding out his hand for Eddie’s suitcase as the distance between them closed. The Warlock was in its case across Eddie’s back, and Steve had learned very early on that only Eddie would carry his beloved guitar. “Good flight?” Steve asked as they fell into step, moving out of the airport and into the cold damp air of the Indiana night. “How was Salem?”

“Decent flight,” Eddie answered, brushing his hair away from his face. “Salem was nice. Kind of crowded, though. I want to go again. One day wasn’t enough to see everything.”

“Did you get a spell book?” Steve asked as they approached the Beemer. He opened the trunk and put the suitcase in, letting Eddie maneuver his guitar on top of it, before they both got in the car.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Eddie asked as he buckled up.

Steve shook his head, giving him a smirk as he started up the car. The radio came to life at the same time the engine did, the last few chords and lyrics of ‘Hazy Shade of Winter’ by The Bangles filling up the car. As Steve drove them out of the parking lot and down the road, INXS’ ‘Don’t Change’ came on.

Eddie smiled. “I actually don’t hate this song.”

Steve raised an eyebrow, putting on the windshield wipers as he turned onto the dark back road. “Really? I didn’t realize you listened to INXS.” It was beginning to drizzle, so he slowed down a little.

“Not usually,” he admitted. “Just this one song.” He turned his head to look at Steve, the orange glow of the passing street lights reflecting in his eyes as they drove. “It makes me think of you.” As if the radio heard him, the lyrics he was thinking of came on, and he couldn’t help singing along with Michael Hutchence:

Resolution of happiness, Things have been dark for too long. Don't change for you, Don't change a thing for me

Steve reached over and took Eddie’s hand in his, bringing it up to kiss the back of it. “You’re sweet.”

“You’re just saying that to get into my pants,” Eddie countered, sliding over a little. He kissed Steve’s wrist and took his hand back, sliding it up Steve’s arm and onto the nape of his neck. He used his nails to slide up the back of Steve’s head, feeling him shudder at the touch.

“Babe,” Steve breathed, adjusting in his seat. “I’m driving.”

“I know,” Eddie said, massaging the back of Steve’s scalp. He leaned in closer and kissed Steve’s neck. “You look so sexy. And I don’t know if I can wait until we get back home.” He placed his other hand on Steve’s inner thigh, mere inches from his dick. Steve gasped and gripped the steering wheel tightly.

“I’ve really missed you, Stevie,” Eddie purred, sliding his hand from Steve’s inner thigh to his bulge. He squeezed him lightly, his own moan echoing Steve’s at the feeling of his cock pulsing inside his jeans. “I want to taste you, baby.”

Steve groaned loudly, slowing down as he pulled the car over, the gravel crunching under the tires as he made his way off of the road. As soon as he put the car in ‘Park’, he undid his seatbelt, and pulled Eddie almost onto his lap to kiss him in one fluid motion.

Eddie smiled against Steve’s lips, fumbling for the seatbelt to unhook it. Once he did, he straddled Steve, kissing him hungrily, hips grinding against him. “God, fuck, I need you so badly.” he groaned.

“Me too,” Steve moaned, sliding his hands up into Eddie’s hair. He moved his leg and hit his knee on the steering wheel. “Ow,” he hissed.

“Backseat?” Eddie asked, almost breathless with desire.

“Backseat,” Steve agreed.

Both of them scrambled over the front seat and into the back, limbs tangling as they resituated in the backseat. Steve pulled Eddie back on his lap, hands sliding up the back of his shirt. The familiar feel of his skin and the muscles underneath made Steve gasp. “God, I missed the feel of you,” he said against Eddie’s mouth. “I missed your mouth, how you taste.”

“I missed you, too, baby,” Eddie moaned, breath catching in his throat as he rolled his hips, feeling Steve’s erection below his own. “I want all of you. Your taste, your smell, all of the sounds you make. The phone calls helped, but it wasn’t the same. How you sound in person? Fuck. It was all I could hear in my dreams.”

Steve tilted his head back, sliding down in the seat. The new position made Eddie loom over him, his hair falling around them. “I want to fuck you. I need you so much,” he rasped.

Eddie grinned, all teeth, as he resumed kissing Steve. His hands travelled between them, quickly undoing Steve’s belt and the button on his jeans. He unzipped him and gave his jeans a tug. Just enough to move them from his hips to the middle of his ass. It allowed his briefs to be pulled down, too, so Steve’s cock could be released from the cotton confines of the briefs.

Putting his thumb in his mouth, Eddie sucked on his finger pad. “Touch me, Steve,” he breathed.

Steve made short work of getting Eddie’s cock out of his jeans, too. Steve’s tip was wet, but Eddie’s was wetter, precum streaming out of him to drip down onto Steve’s lap. He let out a deep groan at the sight of his boyfriend’s cock, mouth watering at the image of wrapping his lips around it.

“Thought about you every night, Steve,” Eddie rasped, rubbing his wet thumb over the tip of Steve’s cock, making his hips jerk forward. He wrapped the rest of his hand around him and began stroking, the slick sounds of precum filling the car. “Thought about deep throating you, spreading your legs on the bed and fucking you hard into the mattress. Thought about cumming all over your face, having you lick all of it up and then beg me for more.” Steve let out a sharp gasp at this, eyes rolling back into his head.

“Thought about you too, Eds,” he managed, panting hard as Eddie stroked him and put all those pretty images in his mind. “Thought about eating you out from behind while I stroked your cock. Thought about you using your handcuffs on me to keep me in bed, fucking me over and over until we’re both spent.” As Steve spoke, he had also begun stroking Eddie.

“Stevie,” Eddie whimpered, closing his eyes as he bent forward, his forehead resting on Steve’s shoulder. “Oh fuck I’m so fucking close.”

“Me too,” Steve gasped. “I thought about you riding me, my hands gripping your hips as I fucked deep into you. Your cock was dripping all over me, and when you came, you covered my chest and stomach. And after I came deep inside you, I fingered you until you came again while you straddled my shoulders and your cock was deep in my throat. So I could get every drop you had to give me.”

“STEVE!” Eddie shouted, hips thrusting forward as he came hard, the loud groan turning into a whine. “Oh my Go-o-o-od!”

The sight and sounds Eddie made meant Steve followed with his own orgasm no less than ten seconds later. He repeated Eddie’s name over and over before he kissed him hard, still feeling himself pulsing for a good minute afterwards.

Eddie caught his breath first, giving a few breathy chuckles as he pushed his hair out of his face. The back of his neck was sweaty, his cheeks were flushed and his throat was raw. “That was so fucking hot!” he exclaimed.

“Mmm,” Steve hummed in agreement, blindly reaching with his free hand for the hand towel he kept in the back of the front seat. Ostensibly, it was to get rid of condensation on the windows, which he did use it for: they had steamed the car up something fierce. It was also a good way for them to quickly clean up.

Eddie kissed him hard before he threw himself to the right, extricating himself from Steve’s lap so he could catch his breath and get his pants back up. He watched as Steve did the same, cheeks ruddy and mouth wet as he got himself together. “Let’s shower together when we get home,” he said, reaching out to run his hand up Steve’s arm.

“Yes,” Steve breathed, leaning over to kiss Eddie on the mouth. “I want to fuck you on the stairs before I eat you out in the shower.” He gave Eddie’s lower lip a quick bite before pulling away. With a grunt, he pulled himself back into the driver’s seat, getting himself situated once more.

Meanwhile, in the backseat, Eddie watched Steve, wondering how he’d gotten so lucky to deserve him. His sweet, handsome, surprisingly kinky partner. He zipped his own jeans up and moved back to the passenger seat. “Sounds like you’ve had this planned, huh?”

Steve gave him a smirk as he put the car back in Drive and started off down the road. “I guess you’ll just have to find out when we get back to the house.”

“It wasn’t a spell book,” Eddie said abruptly.

“What?” Steve asked, confused until their earlier conversation came back to him. “Oh. What was it?”

Eddie didn’t immediately answer. It was only when they were at a red light, about two miles from home that he finally said, “It was two rings.”

Steve bodily turned to look at Eddie, eyes wide and shining at the implications of this purchase. “Eddie,” he breathed.

Eddie leaned over and kissed Steve on the lips. “Get us home, big boy, and I’ll give you one of them.”

Steve seemed at a loss for words until Eddie kissed him again. “However far away,” he sang-spoke quietly, “I will always love you.”

“However long I stay,” Steve responded, also sing-speaking, voice thick with emotion, “I will always love you.” He kissed Eddie once more and then leaned back, wiping his eyes. “Since when do you listen to The Cure?”

“Not usually,” Eddie answered, watching as Steve continued the drive back to their house. As he parked in the driveway, Eddie continued, “Just this one song. It makes me think of you.”

[justmeinadaze]

I Have Nothing (If I Don't Have You) Part 7 (Steddie X You)

A/N: I was going to release this later but it may be a week or so before I post anything written again because I'm moving. I was writing a lot more these past couple of weeks because I was avoiding packing lol Any way please enjoy the angst.

Warnings: Security Guards/Softly Dom Steddie X Sub Singer Fem reader, I AM PUTTING A DARK THEMES WARNING ON THIS! There is not smut but much angst dealing with addiction and overdosing. Y/N does have a slip and ends up in the hospital. There are talks about her ex and her parents involving trauma. PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS CHAPTER IF THAT MAKES YOU UNCOMFORTABLE!

My inspiration for this chapter was "Dancing with the Devil" by Demi Lovato so that should give you some idea of what you're heading into.

Word Count: 4538

“I’m here with Y/N Y/L/N a few months after her cancelled tour and I think I speak for everyone when I say you look amazing. How have you been?”

“Aw, thank you. I’ve been doing really well actually. I’ve been sober for about six months—”

“Congratulations!”

“Thank you. Thank you so much. It’s been hard but I’m trying.”, you giggle. 

“We’ll we’re all routing for you and are extremely proud of you! Now Y/N, I have to ask, do you have any comments in relation to what your ex has been saying in recent interviews.”

Eddie growled low at the question and Steve quickly placed his hand on his shoulder to calm him. 

“Um, I mean, Simon can say what he wants. Our relationship was tumultuous to say the least but I’m not allowing him to bother me anymore. I’m in a new healthy relationship and I’d rather focus my energy there.”, you softly smile as your eyes hastily shift their way before coming back to the interviewer. 

“Oh my goodness. You are just wonderful. I love it. Do you have any news for us on a new tour or maybe a new album.”

“Right now, I don’t have any plans for another tour but I am working on some new songs so hopefully you guys will get to hear them soon.”

“Well, we’ll keep an eye out and thank you for meeting with us today!”

“And we’re clear!”, a tech guy shouts and the interviewers smile promptly falls. “Oof I need a drink. Alright Y/N, thank you so much doing this.”

“No problem. Thank you for blind siding me with your question about my ex.”

“Hey, he wasn’t on the list of no go questions I got from your team and it’s not like I’m not going to ask when he’s blowing up every form of social media.”

Rolling your eyes, you stalk away from her and out of the studio into a hallway. 

“Hey! You okay?”, Steve asks after they both follow you. 

“Yeah. I can handle bitches like Becky Stone. I’m struggling a bit with Simon though.”

“I can understand that. Fucking dick has been everywhere since you started getting sober.”, Eddie sighs as he reaches up to pet your head. “You did really well out there.”

After checking your surroundings, you lean in and wrap your arms tightly around him. 

“I’m so glad you both are here.”

***

Steve wakes up to the sound of music playing in their living room and you not between them. You had started spending a lot of time and nights at their house saying it made you feel safer. People didn’t know where they lived plus your house was littered with memories you were trying to heal from. 

“Hey you. Why are you awake?”, he asked when he found you on their couch strumming your guitar. 

“I just had a nightmare and couldn’t go back to sleep so I thought I’d come hang out here.” You smiled as your eyes scanned over his nonprofessional demeanor. Most of the time they were on guard securing you so they were dressed well and alert. In calm moments like this, you found them to be the most attractive. Steve’s honey brown eyes radiated a softness you hadn’t seen in a while. Him in only his black sweats allowed you visual access to the muscles in his arms that made you feel safe and secure especially when he held you. His chest and stomach were always extremely kissable especially when you pressed your face into him after they would make love to you or when you were falling asleep. 

When Eddie was at home and relaxed, he usually sauntered around in his boxers and a band shirt of some kind. Curling up in his warm embrace and broad chest was one of your favorite things to do as you kissed his neck and ran your hands along his skin under his attire. 

You loved being able to let down your own guard with them and allow them to take care of you in more ways than one. 

“You know you should really learn to play, Stevie. With those beautiful hands, you could have all the ladies swooning.”

“Oh?”, he chuckles. “What if I only want one girl to swoon over me?”

“For that you can just use your hands for other things.” 

He laughs again when you wink and smiles before patting his knee for you come sit on. Placing your guitar to the side you, you go to him, and seat yourself horizontally in his lap, resting your head in the nook of his neck. His palm gently caresses your bare legs as his other rubs along your back. 

“Do you want to tell me what you were dreaming about?”

“I don’t want to make you feel bad.”, you coo as your voice dips into that little girl tone telling him all he needs to know.

“Was it about Simon?” Steve kisses your forehead when you nod. “I can understand that. You went through a lot with him and his more recent need for attention isn’t helping. You know, though, we would never let him hurt you again, right?”

“I know, baby.” 

He grins when you place your lips on his. 

“Come on, honey. Let’s wake up Eddie and see if we can help get you to sleep.” You giggle when he stands up with you in his arms and carries you back to the bedroom. 

###########

“God, I hate Becky Stone.”, Sarah sighs before taking a bite of her food you guys had brought her. “But you did phenomenal, Y/N.”

Grinning at her, you glance towards the boys who playfully smile back before Eddie gestures with his eyes towards your own food silently telling you to keep eating. 

“I’m still working with our lawyer about Simon and getting a cease and desist but there’s only so much we can do because it’s just him flapping his gums, you know.”

“I know. I mean fuck him right?”

“Yes, ma’am. Of course, the three of us will do whatever we can to keep him away from you. Speaking of…”, she turns towards your security. “How did the interview go with Pearce Security? I know we’d hate to see you guys leave but that is an amazing company.”

Their wide eyes find yours as everyone freezes. 

“Um, we think it went well. We haven’t heard back from them though.”

“Good. If they need a recommendation…or…anything…Y/N, are you ok?”, your agent asked as she gave you her attention. Your eyes were closed as your breathing became a bit more erratic. No, you were not ok; you were panicking. Sarah grabbed a pen off her desk and threw it in their direction. “You assholes didn’t tell her?!”

“We didn’t want to worry her if we didn’t get the job.”, Steve explained. 

“Of course, you’ll get the fucking job. You both are good at what you do!”, you shout. 

“Y/N, honey, breathe.”, Sarah tried to soothe. “You two leave and let her calm down.”

Nodding, they exit the office and wait in the lobby. An hour passed before your agent’s door finally opened and your seemingly calm demeanor sauntered out, swishing passed them as you headed for the elevator. They followed you silently till you got to their car in the parking garage. 

“I would like you to take me home, please.”

“I…I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Well, Mr. Munson, I don’t pay you for your ideas. I pay you to secure me so, please, secure me home.”

“Really? You’re going to throw a tantrum and we’re not even going to talk about this?”

“Oh, Mr. Harrington? NOW you want to talk? Honestly, there’s nothing to talk about. I really hope you do get that job. You’re great at what you do. Hopefully, your next client isn’t someone that requires as much up keep as I did.”

“Y/N—”

“Mr. Munson, I don’t want to hear it—”

“Yeah but you will!”, Eddie interrupts. “This right here is exactly why we didn’t say anything. We knew you would take it personally when quite frankly, sweetheart, this has nothing to do with you. This is our dream, Y/N. Just like with you and singing.”

“If we decided to take this job, we’d still be here for you, honey. You’re our girl. We…we love you, Y/N.”

Tears began to fall as you hugged your arms around yourself.

“People who say they love me abandon me or use me. Don’t love me. Just go and forget about me. You both deserve better than me anyway.” As you start to walk away, Steve grabs your arm but you promptly smack him before running.

Both men are hot on your trail before losing you as you jump into a cab and it speeds away. 

##############

“FUCK!”, Eddie roars as he throws the pen he was using against the wall. “She’s so FUCKING STUBBORN! That’s a no on the hotel by the airport, Harrington.”

Both men had been hunting for you since you disappeared. Not playing games with them this time, you turned off your phone entirely so they couldn’t track you. They checked your house as well as any place you might normally be and had yet to find you. Currently they were calling every hotel in LA searching for any name they thought you may be under to no avail. 

“Sarah’s right. We should have talked to her.”

“She’s still so fragile, Munson. We didn’t want to rattle her if we didn’t have to.”

“Oh yeah, Steve, because this is fucking better. Yeah! What?!” Eddie’s phone had vibrated to life with a number he didn’t recognize and he angrily answered without thinking.

“Heeeey Eddie.”

The metalhead’s head shot up as his eyes met Steve’s at the sound of your slurred voice, quickly putting you speaker.

“Y/N? Sweetheart, where are you?”

“Oh, honey, you don’t have to be so nice to me anymore.”, you giggle but there’s a huskiness behind you tone that tells them wherever you’ve been you’ve been crying.

As soon as they realized it was you calling, Steve went to work trying to find you. Your phone was still off but the number you were calling from was local. 

“Ok…you don’t want me to be nice?”, Eddie sighs as he switches gears shifting into his more dominate tone. “Tell me where you are now, little girl. You already scared us half to death. Now, where are you so we can bring you home.”

“Home… I don’t have a home… This is ma life, sweetie. Gah, what was I thinkin’ pretending to be sober?”

Steve grabbed the phone from his friend and handed him his own. 

“Y/N, you weren’t pretending. You were doing so well. If you slipped because you’re scared that’s ok. We’ll still love you, honey.”

“Stop. Saying. That.”

“What? Telling you the truth? I LOVE YOU!”

“STOP!”

“I love you to, sweetheart.” Eddie flashes Steve his screen showing him the number that you’re calling him from IS from a hotel that’s not too far from them. 

They pause when they hear knocking on your side of line. 

“Y/N…Whose there with you, baby?”

“Don’t love me. I deserve…I deserve men like him. At least I know what to expect…”

“Y/N! Did you OD in there or what?! I’m all alone out here.”

“Y/N.”, Steve warns at the sound of Simon’s voice as his tone drops into a strong authoritative growl that pushes through your inebriated brain. “You are not safe with that man. Do you hear me? Tell me where you are NOW.”

“I can’t—”

“No. This is security Steve and Eddie talking to you. You are in danger. We know what hotel you’re at but we need the room. If you don’t tell me, I swear to God Y/N, we will kick down every door searching for you. Do you understand me?”

“Yes. I…I’m sorry.”

As soon as you give them the room number, they grab their keys, and run towards their car. 

“Listen to me very carefully. Stay where you are and keep the door locked. We’re on our way.”

The sound of you heavily inhaling through your nose makes them cringe in anger. They weren’t angry with you but themselves. They should have been up front with you and told you everything; reassured you that if they did move on to a different job they’d still be there for you because they cared about you so much. 

You started saying something to them but it didn’t make any sense. 

“Y/N, you’re slurring too much. I can’t understand you, baby.”

Eddie pushed his foot on the gas as he sped towards the hotel. He knew what that meant and knew they needed to get to you.

“…I say…I…love…you.”

***

They don’t even bother knocking, the door banging open as Steve kicks it in. 

“What the fuck?!”, Simon drunkenly hollers as he tries to get to his feet. 

“Stay down.”, the boy warns while Eddie runs into the bedroom and pounds his palm on the bathroom door. 

“Y/N, it’s Eddie and Steve, sweetheart. Open the door.” After counting to five with no answer, his boot connects the wood and it swings open. Finding you on the floor passed out, he collects you in his arms, and lightly taps your cheeks. “Y/N, open your eyes for me, pretty girl. Come on, now.”

“Yes, we need an ambulance now!”, Steve yells into the phone as he grabs your ex’s collar and forcefully shakes him. “What did she take?!”

“Jesus, I don’t fucking know. Get off me.”

“What do you mean you don’t know!?”, he shouts as he smacks him hard. “She didn’t have anything on her so whatever she took YOU brought!”

“Oh please.”, he slurs. “She fooled you with that sober routine? Small town whores like her never change. Trust me.”

Steve punches him in the face, throwing him to the ground before running to the bathroom and watching as Eddie rubs your back as you throw up in the toilet.

“I know. I know it hurts, baby. You have to get as much of it out as you can.” Collapsing into his arms again, you cried into his neck as he rocked you back and forth. “Good girl, princess. Stay with us, okay? Everything’s ok.”

##############

Sarah fiddles with a keychain on her keys as the boys and her wait to hear anything from the doctor. As soon as the guys called her, she ran down to the hospital sporting her jeans and a pajama shirt. Eddie had offered her his jacket which she appreciated.

What she didn’t appreciate, however, was when Jack (your ex-agent) sauntered in with a smugness that made all three of them want to hit him. 

“Wow, Sarah. You had her for what, six months, and she ODed. Good job.”

“Fuck off, Jack. Why are you even here?”

“Because you’re going to need me for something this big. After six months of sobriety, she overdosed on a hotel bathroom floor with the ex who’s been badmouthing her to the press in the next room.”

“I think you forget; I was her publicist. I know how to handle the press and her image. To be honest, that’s the last thing on my fucking mind.”

“That should be the first. At this rate no one in this room is going to have a job. Either she’ll kill her reputation or herself.”

Eddie angrily rose to his feet to confront the man but Steve hastily grabbed his shoulder. 

“Get the fuck out. She fired you, you’re not welcome here. Get. Out.”

“As far as I can tell, you two are the ones that shouldn’t be welcome. She’s never been this bad.”

“Oh please. She was worse before we came into the picture but you were too greedy on the money she was bringing in to notice. As long as she continued to sing and bring in income, you didn’t care how wasted she was!”

“Last time I checked, you boys are security. You’re not her father or boyfriend—”

“Sure, because men like Simon and their opinions about her matter so much more.”, Eddie growled. “And last time I checked, her father doesn’t care about her either. She needs people in her life who give a damn.”

“Yeah well, you can take that up with her parents because I called them.”

“You what?”, Sarah asked as she rose to her feet as well.

“She’s their daughter.”

“Since when?”, Steve accused. “That was not your call to make. Their judgements are the last thing she needs right now.”

“For Miss Y/L/N?”, the doctor calls as he comes around the corner. 

As everyone moves forward, Eddie places his palm on Jack’s chest, stopping him and motioning for the security guard behind the nurse’s station. 

“This man is not with our party and he has no family or relatives here. If you could escort him out we’d appreciate it.”

“YOU’RE GOING TO NEED ME, SARAH!”, Jack shouts as they drag him towards the exit. “This is about to get out of control!!”

***

“So, she’ll be ok?”, Sarah asks as she anxiously adjusts the blanket by your feet.

“Yes, ma’am. You got her here just in time it seems. Legally, we have to keep her for 72 hours for observation but even if we didn’t I would anyway. She had a lot of drugs in her system… I know she’s an alcoholic…Thankfully we didn’t find any in her stomach. I fear if she had been drinking…”

“She’s been sober for about 8 months.”, Steve murmured as his fingers reached down to gently caress your arm. 

“I see. Well…slip ups are normal. Honestly 8 months without one is a quite a feat. She should be proud of that.”

“Knowing her, she won’t. She’s going to wake up and blame herself.”, Eddie sighed as his eyes scanned your sleeping face.

The doctor could only nod before he finally continued, addressing the boys. 

“We do have security watching the doors to keep out fans and paparazzi. Is there anything else we should be aware of or people we should be on the lookout for?”

“That idiot we just threw out said he called her parents but they’ve never come to California before and I really don’t think they will now but I have a picture of them from her social media. I can give them to your security.”, Sarah confirms.

“Also this man…”, Steve flashes the doctor his phone. “Her ex is not allowed anywhere near her. If we can keep him out of the hospital entirely that would be great. He ran off before EMS arrived.”

“Simon Gates?  That’s the one the police are looking for. Ok. We can do that. She’s safe here, guys. I promise.”

Eddie offers Sarah a chair after the doctor leaves but she shakes her head as she gathers her things. 

“Now that I know she’s ok, I’m going to go home real quick and change. I’ll post a statement and get anything else from her house she may want. I assume you two aren’t going anywhere?” She grins when they nod. “Ok, good. I’ll be right back.”

As the door swings shut, the metalhead reaches out to touch your face. 

“This is our fault, Steve.”

“Eddie—”

“Look at her!”, he hisses through his teeth. “Look at her. We should have told her the truth. We asked her to put her faith in us and we still fucking hid something from her.”

“I know! I fucking know but THIS is why I thought we didn’t tell her.”

“How do you think that made her feel?! That we didn’t trust her enough to handle news that involved our future, a future that we want her to be a part of!”

They glared at each other before turning in the opposite directions but the sound of groaning got their attention as they towards you.

“Hey. Hey, pretty girl. How are you feeling?”

Your eyes took in their worried exhausted demeanors as you remained silent. 

“Honey, are you ok?” Again, no response as you shifted your gaze towards the wall behind them. “Y/N, baby, please. Talk to us. Tell us what’s going on inside your head.”

Sighing, each boy took a seat as you quietly began to cry.

***

“Uh, Mr. Munson?”, one of the guards called as he poked his head into your room. “There’s a man out here claiming to be your uncle.”

Flashing the man a quizzical look, he headed for the hallway, bewildered by the sight of his uncle who was leaning against the wall waiting. 

“Wayne? Hey, what are you doing here?” Extending his arms, they hugged each other before Eddie nodded at the guard. 

“I saw on the news Y/N was hospitalized so I came down as quick as I could. With the way you talk about her, I knew this would be hard so I didn’t want you two to be alone.”

“You didn’t have to do that but I really appreciate it. The doctor said physically she’s doing much better but she hasn’t said a word since she woke up. We’re concerned.”

After entering your room, Steve stands to shake the man’s hand as Wayne comes around to sit in the empty chair beside him. 

“Sweetheart, this is my uncle Wayne Munson.”

Your eyes flick towards him for a moment before shifting them back where they were causing both men to glance towards each other nervously. As the night droned on, you listened to them talk to each other until a nurse arrived to check your vitals and bring you something to eat.

“Y/N, honey, you have to eat.”, Steve cooed as you stared at the tray in front of you silently. 

“Hey, uh, boys why don’t you take a break and go get some coffee. Bring me a cup as well, hm?”, Wayne suggested giving the man pause. 

Tugging on his sleeve, Eddie ushered his friend towards the door knowing that his uncle would keep an eye on you while they were gone.

“My nephew says you have an extremely beautiful voice. He would definitely know. Kid’s been into music since he was born. His mom used to rock him back and forth when he would cry and sing some old songs from musicals she loved.” Wayne’s eyes shifted towards you but as soon as they met yours you looked away. “There was one she used to sing all the time from that one movie with Olivia Newton-John and he would just giggle up at her.”

Rising to his feet, he nonchalantly removed the plastic around your fork and opened the can of ginger ale they had brought you, pouring it into your Styrofoam cup. 

“You remind me of her a bit. She was such a strong woman… I remember once, when she found out she was pregnant, she asked me ‘Wayne, what if I fuck up?’ and I told her that if she did that’s alright. Nobody is perfect. As long as you keep trying and keep working to move forward…if you falter…then, sweetheart, it’s ok.”

Your bottom lip trembled as you absorbed what he was saying.

“My brother, Eddie’s dad, never tried. Even after my nephew was born and his wife passed, he just kept getting worse till he ended up in jail.”

Lifting your cup, he brings the straw to your lips and flashes you a small smile when you take a drink. 

“God, I wish I could remember the name of the song his mom used to sing it was something like ‘But now there's nowhere to hide since you pushed my love aside—”

“I'm out of my head…Hopelessly devoted to you…”, you sang in response making his grin grow.

It was just then that the two of you realized Eddie and Steve had been standing by the door watching everything unfold. 

“Yeah, that’s the one.”

############

That following morning, you still weren’t very talkative but the guys were content with the fact that at least you were eating and doing things the doctors suggested. Whenever there was lull in the room, Eddie’s uncle would talk to you about random things making you smile occasionally. 

Commotion in the hallway, however, grabbed their attention as they slipped into security mode and commanded you both stay put. As they entered the hallway, a couple of photographers were being held back as doctors ran through with a gurney into an awaiting operating room.

“What’s going on?”, Steve asked in a firm tone.

“Police found the boyfriend. They’ve been trying to revive him but nothing is taking.”

“Ex-boyfriend. What do you mean revive him?”

“A friend of his called saying he passed out on their floor. They found much harder drugs than what your client had.”, the hospital security sighed. 

“Shit.”, Eddie exhaled as well, walking with his friend back to your room only to find you both gone. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

It doesn’t take them long to find you, skidding past an open door where you and Wayne were standing. The man kept a firm grip on your arm as you watched through the glass in front of you while nurses and doctors did what they could to save Simon.

“Honey, you shouldn’t see this.” 

Steve reaches for your hand but you promptly yank it back. 

“I’m not glass, Steven. You can stop treating me like any little thing is going to break me.”, you whisper.

“I see we’re back in our old mindset. Wayne, would you mind?”, Eddie asks as he gestures towards the door. 

“I’ll be in her room. Be gentle, Edward.”, he warns making the metalhead nod.

“Sweetheart, this…”, he continues as he points towards your ex. “…this isn’t a little thing. Don’t treat it like it is. You need to feel what you’re feeling.”

“Stop. Stop talking to me like child.”

“Fine. Then let me talk to you like a boyfriend who loves you. That was you 36hrs ago… own it.”

“Y/N, you didn’t fail just because you made a mistake. You did the right thing by calling us and getting us to you. You could have been like him and ran but you didn’t. That’s a wonderful improvement. The old you would have been in jail or worse.”

Your head hung as you begun to cry and Steve gently reached out with his fingers to lift your chin. 

“You deserve better than me.”, you reply in a hoarse voice.

“And you, baby, deserve better than this.”, he absently gestures around the hospital room. “The problem is you don’t believe it.”

Beeping fills your ears and the three of you turn just in time to see the machine flat line as the doctors in the room exhale heavily. 

Your knees gave out and Steve quickly caught you, falling to the floor with you as he pressed your head to his chest. Eddie sunk down beside you, his hand petting your hair as they listened to you sob. 

“It’s ok, sweetheart. Everything’s ok.”

“I’m sorry…I’m so sorry for everything. I love you…”

“Shhh. It’s ok, Y/N. We love you to. We’re right here. We’re not going anywhere.”

Series here

#####################

@rckstrbee @melodymishahiddlestan @nailbatanddungeon

@siriuslysmoking @micheledawn1975 @cositaslua

@munsonmoonshine86 @unfocused81 @paleidiot

@dad-steddie @aol19 @strngrlytn @mrsjellymunson

@needylilgal022

[kyotakumrau]

2023.11.06 DIR EN GREY at CLUB CITTA

The beginning of the ending as Kaoru said.

The doors opened at 18:00, the start of the show was scheduled for 19:00.

The final sound check started 18:58 so it was certain the show won't start on time xD they were 14 mins late xD

The animated intro A book titled Phalaris opens and for a brief moment we see the text on the first page. Phalaris was always renowned as extremely cruel. (googling the sentence took me to Wikipedia, they actually simply copied the Wikipedia entry about Phalaris xD) In the intro Phalaris is portrayed as a parasite, changing it's forms one by one, from a larvae to an insect to a monster to a dragon to a brass bull, changing its hosts into something evil until they infect the next victims. The parasite growing inside their bodies into something grotesque and transforming them. A set of dice next to the book. Priests and prayers mixed with torture and dying girls, women. Is Phalaris a sickness of cruelty and hatred causing people lose their humanity? The members walked on the stage as the intro footage was shown on the front screen. They played Otogi as the images continued on the screen. The screen went down as Otogi ended.

Die had his fabulous hair and a black jacket with red stains. Shinya wore white shirt with silver decorations. Toshiya had a sparkly jacket with one sleeve only, shorts and long leather boots. Kaoru's hair was silver? grey? He had some kind od painting on his face but from my place I couldn't see properly what was it, like lines over his cheeks and forehead? (apparently he cosplayed Father Pucchi from Jojo😆) Kyo came wearing a black Adidas tracksuit, he removed the jacket a bit later on, staying in a white cotton tank top. He's growing a mustache or a goatee I think? His hair was parted and sleeked back a bit, not so much hair product to make it flat.

The set list was so interesting. The energy went up with the few following songs, then Oboro shifted the mood and finished with the Inward Scream. The sound/musical part of the inward scream was new. Kyo ended it with '壊れて・broken' cried softly. And after a brief pause they continued the set with The World of Mercy. The first line of 誰が知る？本当の私 本当の心 Kyo changed 'kokoro' to '意思・ishi' (intentions).

During Rinkaku's 'Minerva' we got to shout for him as he turned with his arms stretched to the sides.

The following flow with 13, keigaku, different sense and Eddie was so good! Kyo moved around his box to get fans to let go even more and give him more😁

The main set ended with Kyo leaving quickly. Fans were clapping and shouting encore. Btw we had to wear masks for this show but singing and shouting was allowed (so hot with a mask on😂)

Encore started with Increase Blue, very nice as Kyo got us singing and dancing. But when I heard the first notes of NATIONAL MEDIA BOYS I almost cried. I hoped they will do something as a tribute and they did😢❤️ Interestingly a lot of people didn't recognize the song and thought it was a new dir's song😂

TDFF and Rubbish Heap were pure 🔥 Toshiya climbed to the back of the stage so he stood at the bottom of the back screen, showing off his looooong leather boots and shorts.

Finishing with Kamui changed the mood drastically though. The footage matching the style of the intro started on the back screen. Some images of the war they used before but the main theme was different. A girl standing inside the sinking boat, the sea being so angry. Small group of people walking through a desert. A praying jew. A bible. A cross. A closeup of the chest of Christ, a trail of blood and next to it a trail of tears. So much death.

The footage ended with the tour title on the black background.

Kyo left very quickly after the song ended (usual for him, especially at the start of the tour). But Shinya did as well? Did I miss him throwing stuff or he really didn't? Die and Toshiya walked around the stage throwing picks, all smiley. Kaoru stayed the longest having fun spraying fans with water, then throwing those bottles into the crowd. I bet he was in the celebrating mood with Hanshin Tigers winning Japan Series. Before Kaoru left he pointed at the screen in the back to show there will be some announcements, waved and left :)

First we got 19990120 and then the special January tour info. We tried briefly for the second encore but the staff insistingly kept announcing that the performance is over so we clapped one last time and it was over.

[badpancakelol]

It happens when Steve thought that everything was going good, and everything was mundane and normal and cheery. Eddie and him sit down on the couch, huddled together to watch some classic movie that Steve had never bothered to see, but even before the opening titles, he can tell that Eddie is distracted.

“What’s up?”

“Hmm?” Eddie says, turns to him. Steve waits a bit before the words process in his mind, and then he is replying. “Just thinking about something.”

“A good something or a bad something?”

Eddie weighs the question in his mind. Steve can see him doing it — the way he looks up to the ceiling, tilts his head a bit. “I don’t know.”

Steve leans back on the couch, turns to face Eddie. “Do you want to talk about it or—”

“Why did you never remember me?”

Okay. So it was a bad something. A medium-bad something that Eddie must’ve been stewing on for a while, because the first time they met was — he doesn’t know. 

“I didn’t really bring it up before because, like, we were dealing with monsters,” He says it hushed and in secret, in the same way he always addresses them. “But now that they’re… gone. I wanted to know.”

And Steve kind of gets it. Waiting to ask questions like this until after everything has settled. Because now, they have their own apartment, with their own two cats, without any form of unwanted, needed, parents looming over their shoulders. The movie plays in the background, quiet.

“I don’t know what you want to hear.” Steve whispers.

“Just whatever you remember.” Eddie soothes.

So Steve sits. Thinks. Because it really shouldn’t be that hard to try and remember his first meeting with Eddie — he actually had a pretty good memory for important details. The time loop and the minute changes he made could tell you that. He combs through his memories of high school, going through his entire time there. It isn’t nice to remember who he used to be, how he used to act, but he doesn’t really know when he first met Eddie.

“I mean, when Hellfire still ran through the school, I used to pickup the kids there, and we would have those talks, right?” Steve sees the way Eddie’s eyes waver. It’s like the physcial embodiment of you said the wrong thing, you’ve upset him. Steve doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do, how he’s supposed to fix this.

“Nothing before that?” The question is leading, but he doesn’t know where to.

“I don’t— I don’t know.” Steve says, frustrated. Because this was obviously important to Eddie, something that he’s been thinking about since before he knew of the monsters, so why can’t Steve— why can’t he think of it? Why can’t he picture their first meeting?

“Like, you don’t know when we first met, or if we first met in high school or—”

“No I— I don’t remember meeting you. Knowing you before the pickups. The carpark.”

Eddie shifts in place, turns to look at Steve more clearly. His hair is still wet from the shower they just took, so Steve knows he isn’t going to go to bed anytime soon. He knows that Eddie doesn’t like to go to sleep with wet hair, knows that it takes forever to dry. Learning these things are like little gifts that he cherishes, because he knows, now, that he’s allowed to love and be loved, to consider the mundane as beautiful. It hurts to know that he doesn’t remember something this important. 

“I’ve noticed you slipping.” Eddie says, quiet. He takes on that voice he uses when he’s about to say something important and world-shattering. Steve doesn’t know what he did wrong. Why he’s slipping. How he’s slipping. He doesn’t understand.

“What?”

“Everyone’s worried. It’s just— okay, by itself, it doesn’t seem like a big deal, right? But all of these times, the past few months since moving in, nearly everyone has seen it.”

“Eddie,” Steve says. What’s happening? What am I doing? What have people noticed that I haven’t? “What’s wrong?”

Eddie breathes deep, hands ghosting over the crest of Steve’s hair. It calms him down a fraction, but still, underlying, he can see it in Eddie’s eyes. “You’re forgetting.” 

(Later, he will be told that it was Jonathan that figured it out, that had told Eddie all about it. His missing memories. He had noticed it when he was teaching Steve about film photography, when he had lifted the camera strap around his neck, had said I never thanked you for this, only to be met with a questioning gaze. 

It would have been a small moment, something that wouldn’t really tip anyone off, but Jonathan knew that this was something Steve remembered. He knew, because this was something important to him, something that Steve had gifted in apology. A detail that was so tiny in the grand scale of things, that had made Jonathan worried.

As life goes on, Steve will find that there are patchworks — missing places that when he tries to remember start to give him headaches. Headaches that he used to just attribute to stress, or the repeated head trauma. 

He’d been dealing with those things, headaches, gaps in memory, for as long as he could remember. So why had it started to be something to worry about, now?)

He used to have a really good memory. His dad used to give him certain dates at rapid fire, I’ll be home by the 11th, you need to water the plants out front on the 8th, you have enough food at home until the 5th. It used to be so easy for him to recall things, little things, like that. Someone’s favourite colour, what song a melody came from, where he was placed in the wilderness. 

Was he really forgetting, now? It wasn’t like he was just absentmindedly not thinking, or not paying attention, and so there was nothing to remember, because — how does nearly every party member have an example of him forgetting? He doesn’t remember saying anything, doing anything, that would be seen as unhealthy, or different, or out of place.

It makes him look at his own palms. Was he just fading away? Sometimes it felt as if people would see through him, never really look at him, just past the frosted glass panes of his shell — was this how he was always destined to be? Forgetting all these moments, only remembering versions of time that don’t exist?

Steve thinks that, maybe, this was his cruel punishment. For daring to be loved.

“Tell me about it.”

“What?” Eddie asks.

“The first time we met.”

Because there is nothing that he can do to make himself remember. He knows this, somehow, deep in his bones. That there is no way that he will ever remember the small things that he has forgotten. The moments of himself that he’s lost.

“We were twelve,” Eddie smiled, reached to fiddle with his fingers in his lap. “I crashed my bike into the pavement, and, god, it was horrible. Blood everywhere. So I’m sitting there, crying, bloody, and then this angel—”

“Oh shut up.” 

“—Comes and offers me a bandaid. I don’t really think it helped much, but, you know. It made me feel better.”

Eddie’s smiling, softly, wistfully, as he recalls it. He’s always been a bit rough around the edges, they both have, but Steve likes to think they’ve mellowed out a bit in recent years. He guesses monster fighting will do that to you. Or maybe it’s just the love.

And, it’s almost a picturesque moment, for a second. It would be, he thinks, if he could remember any of it. Any of their first meeting. 

Steve doesn’t remember patching anyone up. It might not seem like something he would even remember, because they were young, and it happened so fast, but a kid riding their bike in Loch Nora? You weren’t allowed to. There was some uproar about how the tires were leaving skid marks, and how it was making their neighbourhood look dirty. Nobody was allowed to ride their bikes until they got to the end of the street. 

Steve would have noticed. He would have remembered Eddie crashing.

“I don’t remember it, Eddie.” He says, tries not to show how much it hurts him.

Fingers card their way through his hair, urging him closer and closer until he’s resting against Eddie’s chest. The movie is maybe halfway through, and he doesn’t know what’s happening. 

He stops for a second, thinking in the way he does, before his words, hushed and contemplated, and rushed out of him. “I think it’s because of the loops — you dying. Maybe you’re forgetting things that happen in them.”

It doesn’t make sense. “I can remember the loops perfectly,” Steve says, before pointing to the scars on his body. “But I wouldn’t be surprised if it was something to do with the loop, again.”

He doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do, though. How he’s supposed to navigate around everyone, when they could say something that he’s meant to remember, that he’s meant to understand, that he knows he’s meant to understand. Is he just meant to pretend? Does he point it out? Is there even a way to do what they did with his deaths — list them out, make them be known?

“We’ll figure it out,” Eddie hums. “Like we always do.”

“But what if we can’t? I can’t promise that I won’t—”

Forget you. It’s already happened before. They know that it’s already happened. Who’s to say that it won’t happen again?

“Then we work through it.”

-- -- --

a little epilogue post before i go back to sleep <3

[stervrucht]

Proximity - Part 5

● Part 1 ● Previous ● Next ● AO3 ●

cw: explicit sexual content

“You got all that, kid?” the older man asks tapping a notepad with his pen. 

The late summer sun is glaring down on Eddie and he has to squint to see the man — a safety officer at the building site. The hard hat Eddie wears is annoying, making his forehead sweat and his head itch. 

“Yeah.” Eddie scratches his head. His shirt is already starting to soak with sweat, not unlike the other men at the building site.

“That’s ‘yes, sir’ to you, Edward.”

“Yes, sir.” Eddie kicks at the ground with steel-toed boots, sawdust crushes underneath his soles. He frowns at the use of his real name but keeps his mouth shut.

“Good. Now, follow me. We’ll set you up.”

Eddie hates this. 

He hates having an actual job, but now that he sold the last of his stash he is quickly running out of money. He had tried a few other places but quickly discovered that his looks weren’t as globally appreciated as he would have hoped. Cutting his hair was off the table, especially for something as ridiculous as working in a supermarket. 

Hawkins is sheltered and narrow-minded. He knew that, of course, but he didn’t expect how much this town would actively discourage him from becoming a contributing member of society. 

A part of him hopes Corroded Coffin will make it big someday. They have a few gigs lined up, but they don’t earn him money — not yet — only free beers, a bit of pocket money if they’re lucky. 

Steve’s parents are still looking at apartments. There is no rent, no rush yet, except for Eddie’s dwindling gas meter. Having a steady income allows him to save, to help out Wayne, even though he refuses to take any of Eddie’s money. Eddie makes sure the fridge is stocked, replaces things when something breaks, and it helps. He can see the tension ease in Wayne’s face. 

For now, working in construction is as good as it’s gonna get. 

Or as bad, given the temperature is currently in the 90s. 

The job isn’t hard though, just physical and exhausting. After his first day, Eddie felt every muscle in his body ache, and somehow that ache is never-ending. By the time it should be gone, he has lifted so much weight during the day he effectively created a new batch of pains. 

Steve seems to appreciate it though. He compliments Eddie on his endurance and that combined with the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow — moving in with Steve — creates enough incentive for Eddie to keep it up. 

The dynamic has shifted after that night when Eddie played guitar for Steve — at least it has on Eddie’s side. He realizes now that Steve wants to be touched, that he seeks closeness. It isn’t romantic, not completely. Not for Steve. 

But it's close.

And Eddie dares now, to touch, to seek out Steve’s skin when they lie in bed. Feel him, breathe him. Anything but taste. 

A new line in the sand.

“You’re getting buff.” Steve comments when Eddie walks in, clad in boxers and a towel around his neck. He is fresh from the shower. Steve is reading some sort of magazine in bed. 

Waiting for him.

“Am I?” Eddie looks himself down. He hasn’t really paid attention to it, but now that Steve points it out, his arms are definitely gaining some definition. Working in construction has its perks it seems, mostly in the physical department.

“Great timing too. You can carry our stuff this weekend.” Steve chuckles. 

“Really sticking that king title, huh?” Eddie throws his towel over the back of his chair and flops down on the bed.

“Get your wet hair off me!” Steve jerks towards the wall, pulling his magazine away from Eddie’s weight. He folds it close and throws it over Eddie’s head on the desk. It lands with a quiet thud.

“What, you can’t stand a bit of water? Did I book a lake spot for nothing?” Eddie lowers himself on the bed, crawling under the thin covers. 

“You’re gonna get the pillow all wet.” Steve pulls a face, lowering himself as well. 

Steve is right, the pillow is already getting damp. Steve never sleeps with wet hair, he usually showers in the morning if he can help it, or otherwise blow-dries his hair — to keep his look consistent, as he puts it himself. Eddie’s hair on the other hand is a surprise each morning, but in the end, it always vaguely looks the same anyway. Wild and big.

“Unlike your drool—”

“I don’t drool!”

“Keep telling yourself that, sweetheart.” Eddie laughs.

“Just kill the lights, dude.” Steve huffs, and Eddie does, turning around to cover the room in darkness with a single click.

Eddie wakes up before Steve, usually at the first signs of dawn. 

Construction work starts early, much earlier than Family Video opens, yet Steve gets up with Eddie every morning, shares a coffee with him on the porch before Eddie heads out. 

Night still clings to Steve’s hair as the first hints of light peek through a gap in the curtain. It kisses Steve’s face and colors his hair a rich bronze. Eddie likes these mornings. The ones where he can linger in bed before Steve wakes up — observe him at his most peaceful.

This morning Eddie doesn’t have to leave early. Steve, Robin, and even Vickie all asked to have the weekend off, to go camping like Steve wanted to. It feels like the perfect culmination of summer; a form of closure before autumn rears its head. 

Next to him, Steve stirs, opening his eyes to the first hints of shy sunlight. A lock of hair covers his eyes and Eddie leans in to brush it away.

Steve blinks himself awake and raises himself to look over Eddie’s side towards the alarm clock. He stares for a moment before allowing himself to fall back.

“Normally we’d be out by now,” Steve mutters, closing his eyes again.

They laze around a little longer until the warm yellow of sunrise is replaced by a brighter, more insistent light. Steve's bag for the weekend is already packed and Eddie doesn’t need long to gather his stuff as well. The only thing that takes some time is finding Wayne’s old fishing tent. They find it tucked away, buried underneath a whole array of other items. 

Once they’ve loaded up the van, Eddie slides the door closed and gives it a gentle tap.

“Locked and loaded. Let’s get Buckley.”

Picking up Robin took surprisingly little time. It’s only ten more minutes before they arrive at Vickie’s house. Once the van is parked, Robin jumps out and skips over to the front door.

“I’m so proud of her,” Eddie says. He watches as Robin waits after ringing the bell. She glances back once before Vickie opens the door. Vickie smiles, motioning for Robin to come inside.

“Yeah, well, let’s just see whether Rob can actually reel her in now that she’s got her hooked,” Steve remarks.

Eddie taps the steering wheel while he watches the door. “Ever the cynic are we?”

Steve is leaning his arm out of the opened window, watching Robin as she walks back out carrying a crate.

“You need some help there, Rob?” Steve yells from the open window.

“I got it!” Robin walks with fast small paces, the crate visibly heavy. When she sets it down in the van with a thud, the vehicle moves with it. Not much later, Vickie arrives behind her, carrying a duffle bag. 

“Thank Robin.” Vickie smiles sweetly as Robin moves aside to let Vickie put her stuff behind the passenger seats. 

“You got a lot of stuff there, Vickie,” Steve says turning around in his seat and Eddie follows his movement. “I’m Steve, by the way, Harrington.” He gives her a small wave.

“I think we’ve met at Robin’s party. Nice to officially meet you.” Vickie playfully bows her head. Then her eyes move to Eddie. “You too right?” 

“Eddie Munson. A pleasure to officially meet you.” He sends Vickie a little royal twist of the hand and Vickie giggles, playing along by giving Eddie a curt nod. 

Robin rolls her eyes at his antics.

“So, these are my idiot friends I’ve been telling you about.” Robin gestures for Vickie to enter the van, then follows behind her, pulling the door closed.

“Don’t worry, I’m not easily influenced,” Vickie says looking at Steve, then Eddie, while fastening her seatbelt. 

Vickie seems like a sweet girl, although Eddie has a feeling there is an edge to her. Maybe something they’ll find out over the weekend.

“Oh don’t worry, you will find out I’m right soon enough.” Robin smiles at them. She looks slightly nervous but mostly giddy. 

Eddie shoots Steve a knowing look and Steve looks back, so cocky that Eddie is sure Steve is feeling like fucking Cupid himself right now. Eddie rolls his eyes and turns the key. When the van roars to life, so does the radio — the radio that Steve tuned to a pop channel as soon as they left the trailer park, much to Eddie’s dismay. 

Once they leave Hawkin’s, the forest slowly makes way for fields of yellow. With the better part of summer past, tractors are working the fields, pulling up clouds of dust as they harvest wheat. 

It smells like a memory in the making.

“Robin told me you’ve never been camping, Steve,” Vickie says after a while. “Said you watched some horror movie and suddenly you wanted to. Seems like an odd choice.“

“Harrington here is full of surprises, aren’t ya?” Eddie keeps his eyes firmly on the road while he slaps Steve’s thigh, giving it a brief squeeze before moving his hands back to the steering wheel. Steve lets out a noise in protest.

“Kinda seemed like a pivotal experience when you’re young,” Steve says, rubbing at his leg before turning to look at the girls when they talk.

Eddie looks in his rearview mirror. Robin and Vickie are sitting close, but where Vickie is eyeing Steve curiously, Robin’s gaze is focused on Vickie. And Eddie gets it, probably, because Steve is a chick magnet and Vickie is showing interest. 

Not the romantic kind necessarily, but interest nonetheless. 

“My family goes camping every year — that’s what the crate is for. I figured you guys would probably forget some essentials. No offense.” Vickie fidgets when she talks. A nervous habit, not unlike Robin. 

“Eh, you’re probably right about that,” Eddie offers. “We brought a tent though, and the van has a mattress for you ladies.”

“Such gentlemen,” Robin says sarcastically. She looks at him through the mirror, eyebrows raising in challenge.

“I brought us some sleeping bags,” Vickie looks towards Robin. “I kinda figured you boys took those along for yourselves.” 

“Did we?” From his periphery, Eddie sees Steve look at him. 

“Eh, no. I brought blankets though. And Wayne’s sleeping mat.”

Steve pinch his nosebridge.

“Don’t worry. A bad camping night is pretty much a rite of passage. Once when we went camping our tent leaked during the worst rain I’ve ever seen. My parents, my sister, and I were piled in the middle of it just to keep dry.”

“There wasn’t any rain forecast right?” Steve asks stressed.

Eddie grins to himself. “Just sunshine with a side of mass murder.”

“Oh my god, will you guys ever let me live this down?”

Eddie looks back in the mirror again, eyes meeting Robin’s.

“Never,” they say, almost simultaneously.

“Put it in!” Eddie moans. “For God’s sake, just put it in Steve!”

“It won’t fit.” Steve groans back. “And please, stop moving so much. It’s hard enough as is.”

Eddie is panting. They’ve been at it for a good twenty minutes now, but without any instruction, they really don’t know how to set up a tent. 

Vickie and Robin are watching them from the door of the van. 

“Should I help them?” Vickie moves to stand up but Robin places a hand on her arm, shaking her head. 

“Let them sweat a little longer.” 

“We can hear you,” Eddie replies in exasperated sing-song. 

He sits on his heels, holding one of the bendy tent poles in its socket. On the other side, Steve lets out an annoyed huff when one of the poles shoots out of the other again. 

Steve throws the poles down, crosses his arms over his chest, and looks at Robin. “C’mon Rob, don’t be cruel. Let Vickie help, please.” Steve pouts.

Vickie moves to stand, not awaiting Robin’s approval this time. 

Eddie lets himself fall back on his ass. Twigs are digging into his flesh, but he doesn’t care. He watches as Vickie explains to Steve how to set up the tent. She’s a hand-talker, gesturing to Steve how to assemble the poles, where to put the pegs, how to pull the bottom of the tent taut. Robin watches too, doesn’t tear her eyes away as she furrows her brows. 

Eddie lifts himself from the ground, patting his backside to remove most of the dirt clinging to his pants. He moves over to Robin and sits down next to her. The van dips slightly under his weight, but she doesn’t look up. 

“If you keep it up, your face will get stuck like that.” Eddie jokes. Robin’s face immediately smooths out, only now aware of her own expression.

“Sorry,” she says quietly. “You booked a nice place.”

Eddie smiles. “I figured Steve would want some cliche magical memory of camping. Took me quite some folders to dig through, believe it or not.” 

Eddie pauses for a moment, taking a breath before opening his mouth again. “You know he’s just being friendly right?”

In front of them, Vickie and Steve are making quite some progress on the tent. Robin tears her eyes away, looking at Eddie now. 

“I know. I shouldn’t be jealous, Steve’s not like that,” she starts. “Since the dawn of time, every girl ever has been in love with him. I can’t help but wonder if taking Vickie along might be a mistake.” She smiles wryly.

“If you could see it the way I see it, you wouldn’t be worried in the slightest.”

Robin’s smile turns more genuine at Eddie’s words. “Pff, right.” She playfully hits him on the shoulder. 

It only takes Steve and Vickie ten more minutes before the tent is set up. She’s a real natural, Vickie. Or maybe it’s just experience. Eddie is impressed either way. 

Once all the necessities are taken care of, Vickie pulls out a picnic blanket from the van — one of the many things she brought along — and they lay it down near the lake, just before where dirt makes way for pebbles. There’s a deck too, with room to dock a boat if you choose to rent one. 

Steve and Eddie change into their swimming trunks, racing each other on the deck before letting the water engulf them. It’s nice. The water is heated by past sun and the trees cast shadows that dance across its surface. Eddie floats, his ears submerged and filled with the sound of his own heartbeat while Steve pulls some laps, speeding past him with arms beating down on the water. 

Back on the shore, Robin and Vickie are reading and chatting, Robin’s head in Vickie’s lap. 

Eddie stares up at the sky as he floats; looks at the way the colors of the leaves shift overhead depending on where the sun hits them. The gentle warmth of the sun is hitting his skin in leopard spots, contrasted by the cool water on his back.

He hears the sound of water breaking before he’s pulled down; his peace broken by hungry hands and the sound of laughter. When Eddie resurfaces, Steve is laughing and out of breath. Eddie sputters, running his hands over his face and wiping at his eyes. Before he can open them, he feels Steve’s hands on his face, pulling his hair back like he had done in the pool, and when Eddie opens his eyes, Steve is grinning at him, his face so full of affection that Eddie can’t even muster faking annoyance. 

“Asshole,” he says, playfully stomping Steve on his shoulder. But Steve just holds him. Watches him with his hands on either side of Eddie’s face, eyes moving over his features. Eddie feels his heart rate pick up, anticipation swirling in his gut. 

“Thank you,” Steve says finally, giving Eddie’s cheek an affectionate slap. 

Eddie blinks at him. “What for?”

“Just— this.” Steve’s hands move from his face, down to Eddie’s neck, then shoulders, before releasing him altogether, gesturing at their surroundings.

“Anytime, Stevie,” is all Eddie manages to say.

They eat by fire — one that Vickie makes because that was yet another factor that neither Steve nor Eddie anticipated. Going camping when no one knew how to was probably a bad idea. If it wasn’t for Robin’s convenient crush, they would probably have slept hungry and cold under a collapsed tent.

Wayne’s fishing tent is small, technically only fitting one person and some belongings.

Eddie moves himself closer to Steve, seeking his heat. The blankets are thin and the nights deceptively cold when sleeping outside.

Out here in the woods, the sounds are different. Crickets are joined by the rustling of leaves and the breaking of twigs. Somewhere nearby an owl hoots and every now and then he can hear something splash in the lake. 

It’s a loud kind of silence. Undeniably present if one chooses to listen, easy to tune out when not. Despite the pressing darkness, he can hear Steve blink when his eyelashes move over their makeshift pillow — a pile of clothes because of course, they forgot that too. It’s usually a sign Steve is thinking, maybe processing the day.

Eddie noticed it after a while — that Steve can be kept from sleep when his thoughts get too loud; that he blinks in tandem with his mind.

The tent is nearly pitch-black and Eddie can only feel; feel the hairs on Steve’s legs against his own, feel Steve’s fingers creep up Eddie’s neck, lay them where hair transitions into skin, moving strands between fingers.

Eddie’s hand finds Steve’s and he runs his fingers along them, feeling the bone of it beneath his fingers. They’re nice hands, not particularly dainty or bony — maybe more on the square side — strong. Not made for the more delicate arts like painting, but for sport. 

Still, Steve’s hand feels gentle in his hair. They feel gentle anywhere.

Eddie gets a sudden urge to kiss them, feel the places where fingers meet the palm of his hand; where the skin is calloused from basketball. He hardly notices when he has his lips pressed against the tips of Steve’s fingers — running his mouth along them until he reaches the last joint — until he hears Steve’s breath hitch. 

It’s a beautiful sound, something akin to music, and Eddie does it again, moves his lips until he is once again at Steve’s fingertips. This time Eddie really hears it; the way Steve holds his breath, only to let it escape with a shudder.

It’s encouraging. Intoxicating. Eddie moves Steve’s hand until he has his lips pressed against his wrist. He can feel Steve’s pulse underneath his lips. The way it beats at an erratic pace. Eddie isn’t thinking when he places a kiss there. Opens his mouth to taste Steve’s skin. 

And that’s all it takes to push Steve over the edge. 

Eddie feels Steve’s hand pull from his grip and then Steve is on him, pinning Eddie’s hands next to his head and Eddie doubts for a second if maybe he went too far this time and this is Steve’s way of stopping him. But then he feels the heat of lips on his mouth, their press insistent and dry. It’s so dark, Eddie isn’t sure whether he has his eyes open or closed and he is almost convinced he must be dreaming were it not for teeth pulling at his bottom lip. 

Urging for access.

Eddie lets him, parts his lips for Steve. Let’s Steve consume him. 

It feels electric, the air charged. Everywhere Steve touches leaves a mark. 

Eddie doesn’t want it to stop. He kisses Steve back like he means it; like he has meant it for a long time now — and he wants Steve to feel it.

Maybe longing makes a man a fool — and love must make a man the biggest fool of all.

There is nothing he wouldn’t do for Steve right now. 

Eddie savors it — every nip, every lick. He gives it back to Steve in earnest and is rewarded with the sweetest sounds.

When Steve breaks the kiss and moves to Eddie’s neck, he wants to speak — wants to tell Steve everything and nothing at the same time — but all that comes out is a strangled gasp when Steve laps at the hollow of his collarbone, bites softly where Eddie is most vulnerable. 

Steve releases his grip on Eddie’s wrists, allows his hands to travel down Eddie’s arm, before moving his hands to Eddie’s jaw. Fingers dragging over skin, burying themselves into his hair. It’s so sweet — so gentle — that it feels almost out of place with the urgency Eddie feels right now.

When Eddie lifts a leg between Steve’s, he can feel a hardness there. It shoots a jolt of excitement right down to his cock. 

Steve is just as affected as he is. 

Eddie moves his now free hands down Steve’s torso, feeling the peaks and valleys of Steve’s ribs underneath his fingers. Steve moves his head back up to capture Eddie’s lips once more. Lets his body sink down until they’re flush and Eddie pants against Steve’s lips when he rolls his hips. 

Chest to chest, Eddie can feel the insistent beating of Steve’s heart, matched by his own like they are beating as one.

Steve’s mouth is experienced. He kisses Eddie slow and deep, and he moves his body like all of it is part of the same dance; to a tune Eddie can’t quite hear. 

Eddie feels like he can’t take it. The slowness — the delicacy of it all.

When he flips them over, traps Steve underneath him, the latter lets out a surprised gasp. He straddles Steve, runs a hand down Steve’s chest, and plays with the rim of his boxers, before leaning forward to kiss Steve again. 

When Eddie dips his fingers underneath the waistband, Steve makes a stifled sound against his lips. Eddie’s fingers follow the trail of hair until he reaches his destination. Steve’s cock is hard, straining against the fabric of his boxers and Eddie wraps his hand around it, feeling its unfamiliar girt, the scorching heat in his hand. 

When he moves it experimentally Steve gasps against his lips. His fingers dig into Eddie’s shoulder as he gives it a few slow strokes and Eddie wishes he could see Steve now. Watch him fall apart beneath his fingers. Instead, he hears Steve’s hitched breathing, the feel of breath moving against his neck, Steve’s fingers digging into his skin with enough force to bruise. 

Eddie moves his hand with increased pace, running a thumb of the head to spread the precome that collected there and Steve’s breath is cutting shorter, strangled cries at shorter intervals. Eddie wonders if Steve’s always this quiet, or only because they’re so close to the girls. He wonders how loud Steve can get when they’re truly alone.

“Eddie.” Steve’s hands grasp at Eddie’s back in warning. Eddie doesn’t stop, ups the pace instead and Steve is writhing underneath him, grabbing for the back of his neck as he pulls Eddie back in for an open-mouthed kiss — sloppy and wet, with little technique to it. When Steve comes, Eddie swallows the sounds, works Steve through it until he’s gone slack underneath him.

Eddie rolls off Steve and lies on his back next to him. His own arousal alive and kicking, his breathing fast. He wipes the come on his hand on his own boxers while he catches his breath.  

Steve is breathing shallow and fast. Eddie turns on his side, reaching out for Steve, but when he does Steve flinches. With a sudden jolt, Steve sits up, gathers himself and gracelessly moves over Eddie towards the opening of the tent.  

It is only when he hears the zipper cut down that Eddie realizes what he heard was Steve’s panicked breathing.

The flap of the tent dangles softly as Eddie sees Steve’s black figure retreat — a cut-out against cold moonlight.

Eddie sits there for a moment, too stunned to move.

Maybe he has finally broken Steve — has finally managed to get so close that Steve responds

No, recoils. 

He hates it; regrets it instantly — feels nauseous with it.

This was a game he longer longer wanted to win. 

---

'Proximity' Part 5 ● Part 1 ● Previous ● Next ● AO3

If you liked this, please consider dropping by on AO3 as well! ♡

[distortionbobble]

Sick Day

pairing: eddie brock / venom x fem!reader

summary: Eddie’s sick day goes a little differently than expected, and you both end up discovering more about one another than you’d bargained for.

warnings: venom (he deserves a warning on his own), oral (f receiving), literally venom’s tongue, i don’t know if this even counts as tentacle porn tbh, uhhh bondage if you squint??, sensory play, this ended up sappier than i expected but oh well, sorry idk how to title things . minors dni

word count: 2.4k

You didn’t trust people. Never did, not even from a young age. Not for any particular reason, but maybe it was remnants of your mother’s skepticism in the people you were surrounded by and her rather Hobbesian belief that everyone had a price. But with Eddie Brock, things were different.

Your journalist coworker was brutally honest, with his intent and overwhelming principle of justice on display. After all, everyone had watched his fall from journalist-grace when he’d called out Carlton Drake’s unethical practices. The man was, to some extent, your personal hero, and you had been more than a little starstruck when he’d found work in the small printing press you were employed at.

You couldn’t recall the last time you’d felt so comfortable with someone else. He was vocal about his emotions, honest about any damn thing you’d ask him about. Eddie had shared his story, bit by bit, even down to his split with Annie. Poor guy had been through a lot, but he never failed to see humor in the situation. And slowly, Eddie had become a source of strength for you. It was hard to admit, considering how fiercely independent you were. But it was okay, you could trust Eddie. He was honest and, at his core, a good man. Months of collaboration at the office and drinks over dinner at his house on the weekends had slowly but surely allowed your friendship to blossom.

So, because of this, you’d felt comfortable enough to swing by with the ingredients for homemade chicken soup and ensure that Eddie was fully taken care of, because he’d been uncharacteristically silent, save for a few “sick” texts when you checked in on him for the last three days.

“Eddie?” You called out, rapping your knuckles on the door. “Hey, Ed, it’s y/n from work, I figured I’d swing by because you’ve been M. I. A. for the past couple days and uh, I- I missed ya, so… anyways, I’ve got stuff for chicken soup, I’ll go ahead and make that for you. I can also help you clean the place up a bit if you need it.” Silence. “Eddie, I’m starting to get worried. If you don’t open the door soon I’m coming in, can’t have you dying on me when I just met you, okay?”

The door swung open to display Eddie himself, pale and sickly looking.

“Hey, sorry,” he coughs, avoiding eye contact with you. “Not feeling too well, I might be contagious, so I appreciate the thought but maybe not today, yeah?” Eddie offers a weak smile before moving to shut the door, but before you could even process the interaction fully, you felt something wrap around your waist and whirl you into Eddie’s apartment.

“She has chicken,”a distorted voice stated.

“What the fuck?” You whispered, mostly to yourself, but Eddie was within earshot and cringed.

“Sorry about that, I don’t know what got into me, that was weird, and it’s not happening again, right?“ Eddie attempted to push you away again, but the same thick arm wrapped around your body and pulled you flush to him.

“Brock, what the actual f-” you began, but as you spoke, Eddie began to shift, black tendrils crawling up his shirt and up his neck, until you were faced with the scariest fucking creature unknown to man.

“Hello y’n,” it hissed out, grinning at you as it snatched your bag from off your shoulder and began to rummage through it, grasping the raw chicken.

“You could get salmonella from that,” you whispered. The creature paused, chicken still wrapped in its tentacle, and began to laugh— at least, that’s what you hoped it was. You cracked a weak smile at that, still frozen in place. The black began to retract once more, leaving a mortified looking Eddie Brock where the creature once towered.

“Let me explain, please,” he pleaded, reaching for you but stopping when he saw you flinch ever so slightly.

“You’ve got ten minutes, Brock.”

“Is it too late to ask for that soup?”

🖤

“Holy shit.”

“I know…”

“Okay, hold on, let me get this straight— you got infected with an alien species and, once you got it out, let it back in and now it—sorry, he, is just… chilling in your body. Eddie, that’s fucking insane!”

“But I promise you, everything else that I’ve told you is the truth,” he pleads with you from across his living room, scratching the back of his neck after explaining, in excruciating detail, exactly what had happened.

“And he’s got a name.”

“Yeah, Venom. He’s really nice, actually. Once you get past the whole carnivorous desire for, uh, humans.” You snorted at that, and turned your gaze to your hands. The situation had put you on edge, because it wasn’t exactly great to hear that the person you trusted the most was hiding something so important the whole time.

“Can I meet him?” You asked quietly. You couldn’t deny that you were nervous, and terrified to an extent you’d never been before, but what else was left to do? Eddie looked hesitant, but allowed the black veins up his body to give rise to Venom.

“Hi, Venom. It’s nice to finally meet you too”

“I’m glad we’ve formally met. Eddie thinks about you a lot. Although, you’re wearing more clothes than you do in his thoughts. I was not supposed to say that. Sorry, Eddie.”

“Um.” “Ignore that!” Eddie’s face merged with half of Venom’s before disappearing again.

“So are you gonna like… eat me?” You asked the symbiote, who walked towards you and picked you up with a tentacle around the waist.

“No. Eddie says I can’t go around eating people. Fucking buzzkill. But a symbiote gets hungry, you know? So we’ve limited it to the bad guys.” Comforting. “Can I eat the chicken now?” You nodded, eager to have your feet on the ground again.

“Make sure to wash the chicken, Vee.” One of Venom’s arms grabbed the container with the raw chicken in it, and flew backwards into the kitchen to rinse the chicken quickly before whipping it back to his mouth, causing water to splash everywhere. The chicken went into Venom’s mouth, and Eddie quickly replaced Venom.

“Okay, but none of this explains why you look like you’re on the brink of death,” you stated. “And your place is more of a mess than I’ve ever seen it be.”

“Oh, yeah, I clean up before you get here, usually. And I dunno, I guess I just haven’t ate in a couple days, usually Vee can keep me from feeling hungry when he’s fed and I’ve been broke as fuck so… no takeout and I’ve been too tired to cook?”

“Okay. I can help with that. First, though, go take a shower. You are in dire need of it.” Eddie nodded at that, while you grabbed some cooking supplies out of your bags and began to slice the vegetables and prepare everything for a nice meal to eat. As you prepared the meal, your mind wandered. Maybe to the wrong priorities. What had Venom meant when he said that Eddie thought about you a lot? And with less clothes on?

Could you two ever be more than just friends?

A shiver ran down your spine at the thought of Eddie being yours. He was genuinely an amazing guy who knew how to engage people and ask just the right questions. He was honest and kind-hearted, humble yet talented, and all you could think of some days was just being closer to him. He’d changed your life in just a couple of months, changed you for the better, and proved to you that you could rely on people Just the thought of being his made your heart flutter.

Not to mention how attractive he was.

You gulped at the mental image of him in the shower, knowing he was only a few doors down. You thought of him pulling you into the shower with him, water running down his hair and nose as he’d stare at you intensely. Rivulets streaming down his collarbones, running down his pecs. You’d drop to your knees as you stroke him, kissing your way down the bones of his v-line as you made your way to his hard length before taking it into your mouth. He’d hold your hair up, maybe. The thought of Venom holding and fondling your tits as Eddie mouth-fucked you entered your mind and made you drop your knife. You stepped away from the kitchen counter, body warm with the heat of your fantasy and heart pounding. You could hear the distant sound of the shower turning off, and the door opening quickly, but you didn’t process it until Eddie was standing in front of you, chest heaving, still wet from his shower with a towel wrapped around his midsection.

“What’s wrong?” He asked frantically, growing into Venom and peering over at the door.

“Huh? Nothing, what do you mean?” you responded, eyes fixated on his bare chest. He smelled clean from his shower and part of you wanted to help him… dry off. With your tongue. Yeah, that would be helpful. “Venom said your heart rate spiked all of a sudden. I kinda assumed it was an intruder.” You meet Eddie’s gaze, suddenly hyper aware of the heat pooling in the pit of your belly. You knew your eyes were dark with desire, and you knew he could sense that. Your eyes flicked to his chest, then down, then back to meet his eyes. An invitation of sorts. And it seemed as though he understood you, because he stepped towards you, slowly, until he was pressed against you, cold water transferring from his chiseled body to your clothes.

“There’s no intruder, huh?” He asked softly, watching you react from his proximity, no doubt hearing your heart rate spike and breathing grow heavier.

You shivered, and he took note of it as he ran his fingers down your jaw. You watched his eyes as he observantly trailed his finger down the column of your throat, tracing your collarbones before stopping right above the first button of your shirt. “Say yes,” he pleaded. And at your nod, he began to slip the buttons off of your shirt. Venom’s tentacles sprouted out of his bare back, making light work of the rest of your clothing as Eddie continued his slow descent down your shirt. Both of you now stood in the kitchen, chests still touching. Your breaths synced with one another, faces a mere inch away from one another as you gazed up at him with fear and excitement. You realized there was nothing you wanted more than to make the leap with him. Just him.

Eddie’s warm, big hands cradled your jaw as he neared your face, peppering kisses to your forehead. You shut your eyes, feeling him move his way down from your temple to your mouth, where he waited for you to kiss him first. You pressed his mouth against his, gentle, slowly at first before a sense of urgency overwhelmed you and your kiss went from soft and sweet to breathless excitement. All you knew was that you wanted more.

You could feel his tongue meet yours, flashing between Venom’s thin long tongue, and Eddie’s, flat and heavy against your own. His lips were full and warm, and you were dimly aware of his bulge pressed against you and growing underneath the towel he still donned. You moved to undo his towel, but he caught your wrists, bringing it up to his mouth to kiss them and moving to kneel at your feet.

“No, baby,” Eddie murmured. “You’re finally in my arms. I finally get the chance to worship you. Don’t take that away from me, sweet girl.” He kissed the tops of your thighs, gently spreading them apart. The rough hairs on his beard dragged against the sensitive skin on your legs, making you gasp. The sensation quickly changed though, going from Eddie’s warm and rough skin to what you recognized as Venom’s, cold and smooth. Venom looked at you, face blank.

“Can I come play too?” Venom growled out, and you nodded. Venom’s face retreated once more, replaced by Eddie as he continued to work up your thighs. You shut your eyes, feeling Venom’s tentacles wrap around your midsection and thighs. They hoisted you gently into the air and brought your exposed core to Eddie’s face as he sat up straight. His hands found the small of your back and he began to tongue your center. You could feel his warm breath on your folds and his mouth latch on to your clit. His tongue pressed against your clit, heavy and demanding, as his fingers found their way to your center and pushed past the resistance. His fingers pushed in and out of you rhythmically, and more of Venom’s limbs began to brush against your bare skin. Skimming the tops of your breasts, tracing along your neck and shoulders before running down the length of your spine.

The combination of the chill from the air and Venom’s arms contrasted to the sinful warmth of Eddie was almost too much for you to bear. Eddie’s tongue flicked and circled your clit, his fingers still pulsing in a rhythm bringing you close to your peak.

His fingers left you suddenly, making you cry out at the gaping emptiness you felt just as you had begun to near your peak. But Eddie’s fingers were quickly replaced by something far longer and thinner at the tip, delicate but strong as Venom tongued the inside of your pussy.

Venom’s tongue curled against your g-spot, the thick base of his tongue stretching your hole as it thrusted inside you. You could feel yourself nearing your orgasm, warmth spreading across your body as Venom continued his methodical assault against your sweet spot.

Then it hit you, waves of pleasure rippling across your body as you found your release. Your vision went blurry and you cried out unintelligibly, grasping Venom’s arms.

The soft brush of Eddie’s beard against your thighs accompanied by kisses brings you back to reality, Venom’s arms lowering you gently to the ground and into Eddie’s embrace.

“You did so well, sweetheart,” he murmurs, holding you close as you sagged against his chest, his chin resting on your head and thumb rubbing against your back.

You’d never felt safer.

[writing-blog-iguess]

I didn't ask for this

Summery: Y/N was many things, college student, babysitter, daughter, Eddie Munson's best friend. What she wasn't is a coward, so when she saw Eddie fighting off the bats on his own, all she could think of is no not him. So she protects him, what she wasn't expecting was to fall asleep and then wake up feeling hungry.

Warning: spelling and grammar mistakes, blood, character death (and its not who you think it is), angst, happy ending.

A/N: Anyone have any ideas of where they would like to see where this could go, please let me know! I'd love to hear what you guys want to see.

-----

Not Eddie, something whispered into your ear, anyone but Eddie. Despite not knowing where the thought came from, you agreed. Maybe on any normal day, you would question something like this, but today was far from normal. Later, when everything calms down, you’ll question it. You couldn’t picture a life without Eddie, and you didn’t want to either.

So without thinking, you ran towards him making as much noise as you could, hoping the bats would move towards you. And it worked, you’re not sure how but it worked and you weren’t going to question it.

“What?” Eddie mumbled, watching in confusion as the bats flew from him. He turned around and watched as they surrounded you. But it was impossible, right? You should have been in the real Hawkins, not here.

But there you stood, fighting off the bats as hard as you could until one by one they bit you. “Y/n!” Eddie shouted, running towards you as fast as he could, but by the time he made it, the bats had flown away and you were on the ground.

“Y/n,” Eddie whispered, dropping down beside you. He carefully lifted your head, cradling your face with one hand as you coughed up blood. “You idiot, why did you do that?”

“I couldn’t imagine a world without you,” you wheezed out. Now wasn’t the time to lie. You could feel it, feel your life draining away slowly. Eddie held back a sob, but you could see the tears in his eyes. “Awe, don’t cry.”

“I’m not crying, stupid,” he sobbed, carding his fingers threw your hair so it wasn’t covering your face. “How am I supposed to live without you?”

“I didn’t-” another wet cough went through you before you could finish the thought. “I didn’t think that through. But there’s always going to be another me.”

Eddie shook his head. “There’s never going to be another you.” And Eddie kept talking, but your attention was waning in and out.

You know that saying? About your whole life flashing before you before you die? While that was happening as Eddie talked. You watched as little you and Eddie played around in the yard, watched you two argue about who was better at tag, then proceeded to chase each other around the school yard. Watched as the two of you grew up into teens, and then young adults.

But there was a particular memory that stuck with you, and the fact that it only happened a few days ago was crazy.

You sluggishly made your way through your trailer. It had been a long day at school and you couldn’t wait to curl up and read. Your day had been busy with school and homework and working at the diner, you were half convinced you would be spending the night at work.

But your boss took pity on you and allowed you to go home a few hours before your shift ended. So, when you drove home, there was still sun out, which you were thankful for.

Opening the door to your room, you dropped your backpack and fell face first onto your bed. You sighed in content as you sank into the mattress, and let your muscles relax. It was nice to finally do nothing, and you could almost let yourself fall asleep right then and there.

And you would have too, if not for the guitar drifting through your window. Smiling into the blanket, you rolled over and moved to open the window. It was like clock work, every time you came home, Eddie started playing. It didn’t matter what time, it could have been early in the afternoon or late at night, Eddie was there to play a song for you.

Well, you liked to believe it anyway. It was one of your favourite sounds and you had commented on it offhandedly to Eddie once. And since then, you always heard him play.

Resting your chin on your arms, you looked out to his trailer and imagined him headbanging and dancing around his room. The thought only made you smile more.

Your lifted mood soured when your dad called your name. Making a face, you turned away from the window to yell back. “What?”

“The dryer broke! You need to finish the laundry your mother started before she went to work,” he called. You hang your head and groaned. If it wasn’t one thing it was another. “Hurry up!”

“Alright, alright! I’m going!” you called, and rolled your eyes when he called out about watching your attitude. You slowly made your way to the washing machine and quickly grabbed the clothes before going outside. Maybe if you’re lucky enough, Eddie was still playing.

And he was, so you took your time hanging up the laundry.

For the next ten-twenty minutes, you were lost in your own world with the sound of humming coming from you and around the trailer park. So immersed in your thoughts, you didn’t hear the guitar stop nor did you hear the sound of footsteps coming your way. Not until it was too late, anyway.

You bent down to grab a bedsheet, just as you stood to put the sheet over the wire, Eddie popped out from the clothes. You shrieked and out of reflex, threw the sheet at him, nailing him in the face.

Eddie laughed as he pulled the sheet off only to see you clutching your heart, waiting for it to calm down. “Holy shit, Eddie,” you said, punching his arm half heartedly before grabbing the offered sheet. “Did you have too?”

“Couldn’t pass up the opportunity,” Eddie said with a shrug. “Besides, I did call your name, you were in la la land.”

You made a face and clipped the closing pin on the clothesline. “What are you doing here anyways?”

“I’ve come to see my favourite person in all of Hawkins,” Eddie replied, moving out of the way so you could finish.

“Great, I’ll let my dad know you're here,” you said and laughed as he pulled a face.

“Your dad hates me.”

“Can’t imagine why, you're the most loveable person in town.”

“Exactly! Everyone lo-“ he paused and squinted at you as if a thought occurred. “That was sarcasm wasn’t it?” You merely shrugged, and he poked your side in retaliation. “No, but why does he hate me?”

“I wouldn’t go with hate,” you said, avoiding his question. “He just really dislikes you. A lot.”

“Ah huh, that sounds like hate to me.”

You shrugged and squirmed under his stare. You would have won the staring contest if not for how cute Eddie looked at that moment. Damn your stupid crush on your best friend.

You sighed in defeat and ignored his smirk as you picked up another piece of clothing.

“He didn’t always hate you,” you mumbled, though you don’t know why you were defending your dad. The two of you never had the greatest relationship.

Eddie hummed and waited for you to continue. “I think it started around high school? Maybe before then I guess? I don’t know. It was around the time you found metal music and I was growing boobs.”

“Well yeah, you were hitting puberty,” Eddie said, looking confused. “What does that have to do with anything?”

You gave him a pointed look before continuing to hang the clothes. “He said, and I quote, ‘if that Munson kid won’t stop leering at my baby girl, I’ll shoot him in the face.’”

“Okay, first of all, I did not leer. I glanced once or twice and that’s it,” Eddie said as if it was supposed to defend him. You raised an eyebrow at him and he pushed your face away gently, making you laugh. “Shut up I was a dumb kid back then.”

“Some might say you still are.”

He pointedly ignored your comment and waved his arms around you. “And secondly, your dad doesn’t know shit. He just doesn’t like me because I’m a freak.”

“No, you're Eddie, not a freak. He doesn’t like your taste in music and that you play D&D and that I followed you around like a lost little puppy and somehow corrupted me. Don’t know why though, I wasn’t going to stay innocent forever.”

“Come to think about it, you did look like a lost puppy.”

“Why do you care what he thinks anyways?” you asked, ignoring his comment. Even though there was a little truth with the statement, you weren’t going to give him the reason why.

“I don’t, never really cared,” he answered with a shrug. And the his stupid smirk that always meant trouble. You groaned and waited for the question to drop. “So, what did you think of me?”

You didn’t even hesitate with your answer. “A dumb kid who fell off his bike trying to do a trick because he was trying to impress one of his neighbours.”

“Listen, we were ten so we do stupid things. And you thought she was cute too, considering you kept ditching me for her.”

You flushed and ignored his laugh. “Shut up. At least I didn’t break my arm.”

“No, that is true. But alas, we lost her love to another.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me. I was heartbroken for two weeks when I saw her kissing someone else.”

Eddie laughed and agreed. "Oh, to be young again. Not a care in the world and all you had to worry about was who you were going to play with at school tomorrow."

You hummed and lapsed into silence as you finished putting up the laundry as Eddie stood back and watched. You frowned slightly as Eddie's words from earlier finally sunk in. Dropping the laundry pin in the basket you turned to look at him.

"They still call you the freak at school." It wasn't a question, and both if you knew that. But Eddie still answered it with a shrug.

"Yup. It stuck I guess when they first started calling me a freak," he said. "What was it that they called you again?"

Giving him a deadpanned look, you bent down and grabbed the basket, and slowly made your way to your trailer. "You know damn well what they called me. I was either the geek or the freaks girlfriend," you said, opening the door and setting aside the basket before joining Eddie back outside.

"We never got rid of those rumours, did we? The ones about us dating,” he clarified. Truth be told, you liked those rumours. It gave into the fantasy of you dating your best friend. Though those thoughts stayed with you and you alone.

"Nope, not that I minded. it kept away the people I don't like," you said, causing him to snort.

"You never liked people."

"And I still don't," you said, trying to ignore the flutter your heart did at the sound of his laugh. "So, have plans tonight Edwardo?"

"You did not say what I think you just said," Eddie said and there was a warning in his tone that meant trouble. You only smiled and took it as a challenge. 

Taking a step away from him, you continued your teasing. "What's the matter, Edwardo? You don't like your name?"

"That's not my name, and you fucking know it," he hissed, taking a step towards you. You took one back and turned slightly so you could run.

"I think it suits you...Eduardo," you said laughing as you ran away from your best friend. Eddie chased after you muttering something about being a little shit.

You only laughed as you ran around your trailer and towards Eddie’s, hoping to hide before he could catch you. But Eddie was faster, so you changed tactics and ran behind a nearby picnic table. Skidding to a stop, you leaned on it slightly as you caught your breath.

Eddie was on the other side of the table, clutching the end of the table and glared at you. "Why would you ever utter that name in my presence?"

"I don't know, I thought it would be funny," you answered with a shrug. 

"It was not, I hate that nickname," he scoffed and slowly smiled as a thought occurred to him. And your heart lurched as he said, "although, I do recall a name you use to go by."

"Eddie, don't you dare," you warned, narrowing your eyes in a glare. His smile only widened. "Its a stupid nickname that your dad came up with. It should never see the light of day. Ever."

"Well I don't know, I think it's time to bring it back out. Wouldn't you say-" but before Eddie could utter the nickname, you jumped over the table and tackled him to the ground. 

The two of you rolled around a little until you straddled him. You covered his mouth with your hands and glared down at him. "Don’t say it."

Eddie shrugged, and quirked his eyebrows up when you didn't move your hands away when he licked them. Maybe back when you were little, it might have worked. But you grew up with Eddie and grew used to....well him.

"Licking my hands will do nothing but annoy me," you answered his silent question. "Do you know how many times you've licked me growing up? This is normal, you need something else." 

Evidently, that was the wrong thing to say. One minute you were staring down at him, and the next you were laying on the ground with him leaning over you. You stopped breathing for a moment as you took the time to study him.

Every wrinkle you could see, how bright his eyes were that moment as they stared at you with an emotion you couldn't identify. You drank everything in and committed it to memory. 

You loved Eddie, always have. From the moment you met in kindergarten when he stole a coloured crayon from your pile. You both argued over it and both got in trouble, since then the two of you were inseparable.

You’re not sure when that love towards Eddie shifted to being in love with him. Maybe it was in third grade, when he stopped your bullies from picking on you and you have seen him as a hero since.

Or in seventh grade when he saw you crying at the dance that year. And instead of teasing you about it, he offered to beat up the person who made you cry, making you laugh. And after, he dragged you for a dance before skipping the dance all together, only to goof off at the back of the school until your mom came to pick you up.

Or, perhaps it was any point in high school. Eddie doing the things for you that you only started noticing when your friends started teasing Eddie about. Like waiting for you to finish class to walk with you to your next class, having your food with him in the cafeteria if he knew you were going to be a little late. Being awake in the middle of the night because you had a nightmare, and you always went to him for comfort.

Whatever the case, you were in love with Eddie Munson and you wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. Now if only you could tell him that.

You continued the staring contest, and maybe it was wishful thinking, maybe it wasn't, but Eddie was leaning down as if he was going to kiss you. There was something in his eyes that told you he will, that there was nothing stopping him. And he might have, if the tickle in your nose wasn't there.

Making a face, you knew you were going to sneeze. The matter was when and if you could avoid sneezing in Eddie’s face. With your hands currently pinned to your side, you resigned and let it happen.

Without warning, you turned your head to the side and sneezed. Eddie jerked back in surprise and his face twisted in disgust. "That was gross Y/n," he said, wiping his hands on your shirt.

"Sorry. I'll let you know next time," you said dryly. He made a face and rolled off of you only to lay down next to you. The two of you laid on the grass and looked up at the sky.

"And to answer your question, yeah I have plans. Going to band practice and then finishing writing out the session for tomorrow."

"Tomorrow's the last one before spring break, right?" Eddie hummed and you smiled. "That's going to be fun."

Eddie hummed and let a comfortable silence fall between the both of you. You looked at Eddie from the corner of your eyes, and saw he had his eyes closed deep in thought. You smiled slightly and shifted around slightly until your head was laying on Eddie’s stomach. 

A second after you settled down Eddie’s hand was in front of you. You smiled softly as you started playing with his rings. You’ve done it ever since he started wearing them, and most of the time he didn’t mind. The only times he didn’t let you was during school. Not that you minded, this was something between the two of you that you didn’t want to share.

“So,” you started once the silence got too much for you, “what’s the song you’ve been playing all week?”

“Master of Puppets,” Eddie murmured. You whipped your head to look at him in shock. “What?”

“That song came out two weeks ago. How are you already so good at it?” 

Eddie cracked an eye open to look at you before closing his eyes. “Underestimating my ability to master a song in so little time, I see.”

“Never. Sometimes I forget how good you are on the guitar,” you muttered, settled back. Eddie snorted but chose not to comment on it.

You spent the rest of the afternoon like that. You would fill the silence with mindless conversations, and when it dulled, you hummed softly. You were pretty sure Eddie fell asleep at one point, but that was okay. It wasn’t the first time you’d taken a nap together and won’t be the last.

Eventually though, Eddie had to leave and you had to finish putting away laundry. So after a quick goodbye and a promise of seeing each other later, you both separated.

And the next day, you played D&D that Dustin and Mike convinced you to go to. Not that you didn’t like it, you loved playing with them. It was a good time, and then everything went down hill the moment Eddie banged on your door saying something about Chrissy.

Despite Eddie’s warning, you walked over to see what he was talking about. You wished you had listened.

After throwing up, you walked back and calmed Eddie down, before coming up with a plan. But it didn’t stick once you woke up and Eddie wasn’t there. All that was left was a note, saying that he’s leaving and to keep living life as normal as possible. That he didn’t want to drag you into whatever was going on.

Which was stupid, because you would have moved mountains for him if he asked.

So for two days, you did want he asked. But it was difficult, you spent it worrying about Eddie and what was happening, that it started to affect your work. It was so bad that your boss gave you a break from work. And told you to not come to work until you felt better.

That didn’t happen until the third night, when you saw Dustin, Max, Lucas and Lucas’ sister enter Eddie’s trailer. Once again, curiosity got the better of you.

Opening up the door slightly, and stepping through when no one was paying attention, you watched as Robin and Eddie climbed through a hole on the ceiling. “What the fuck?” you whispered, yet no one paid much attention, especially when they started frantically looking for music.

Why? You weren’t sure, and you didn’t want to draw attention to yourself when something more serious was going on right now.

“I’m coming with,” you had said once everything calmed down and they had finally noticed you were there.

“I told you to stay home,” Eddie said, crossing his arms like a disappointed parent. Everyone else watched as the two of you stared, not wanting to get in between the two of you.

“And I tried, but I spent the last two days in a panic. So despite what you say, Eddie. I’m coming with,” you said with finality, daring him to argue.

He didn’t, and that’s how you ended up in an RV with Eddie while everyone got supplies to destroy the new monster in Hawkins.

“So, the Upside Down is just Hawkins but in a different dimension,” you started, pacing up and down the RV as he watched. “And there’s this monster-”

“Venca.”

“Right, Venca. Who’s killing people in their minds, like the venca in D&D,” you finished. Eddie nodded and you stapled your hands together and tapped them to your chin as you continued to think. “So, for the last year and a half, these kids. The kids I used to babysit, plus two more and one of them has superpowers, have been fighting a war no one knows about.”

“Sounds about right,” Eddie provided unhelpfully. You didn’t mind, he knew this was how you process new information, and he didn’t mind.

“Right. And Venca used to be someone before he became a monster, and killed his whole family but his dad managed to survive. And now he wants to level Hawkins and create a new world where it’s better.”

“Yup.” 

Rubbing your face, you plopped down beside Eddie and let your head fall behind you with a dull thump. “Cool.”

“You know, you’re taking this a lot better than I thought you’d be,” Eddie commented, rolling his head over to look at you. “I thought you’d be freaking out by now.”

“Oh I am,” you said, staring at the ceiling. “But there’s a part of me that already accepted this is real before I got the whole story. And quite frankly, I’m too tired to have a full freak out.”

Eddie furrowed his eyebrows in worry, and took the time to really study you. “When was the last time you slept?”

“The night Chrissy died. Even then, I didn’t get much sleep,” you answered. Eddie sighed, and wrapped an arm around you, tugging you so you were leaning on his side.

“Sleep. Since I know you’re going to come with us, sleep. You need to rest.”

“Okay,” you mumbled out, already letting yourself fall asleep. You faintly felt him kiss your head, but you were already sleeping that you thought you imagined it.

“Hey, Y/N? You still with me?” Eddie called, tapping your cheeks gently. You blinked back to attention. Eddie smiled when you turned to look at him, but it was sad. It wasn’t a smile you didn’t want to see on him. “There you are. Where’d you go?”

“I wish you had-” another cough but this one was rough. So you turned away so you wouldn’t get blood on Eddie’s shirt. Not that it helped any, Eddie just turned you back, and waited until it stopped. 

“You wish I had what, Sweetheart?” Eddie asked once you stopped coughing. You tried to move your hand to wipe away the blood from your mouth, but it didn’t move. It felt heavy and you whimpered. Eddie moved a hand and gently cleaned your face. You couldn’t help but lean into it, and it broke Eddie’s heart.

“Wish you would have kissed me,” you answered when it clicked that Eddie had asked a question. 

“When?” Eddie asked, sniffling. You closed your eyes by then, so you couldn’t see the surprise on his face.

“There were a lot of times,” you mumbled, “but the most recent was the day before all hell broke loose.”

Eddie snorted, leaning down to kiss your forehead. “Man, I wish I could have too. But you sneezed, and it kind of ruined it for me.”

“M’sorry.”

“Don’t be. I thought I had another chance to,” he whispered, into your hair. “Guess I ran away from that too, huh?”

“Can’t put all the blame on you,” you said, struggling to open your eyes. When you did you gave him a halfhearted glare. “I ran too. I didn’t want to get rejected when I told you I’m in love with you.”

“I wouldn’t have rejected you.”

You snorted, but winced when it hurt. “Maybe not, but a big part of me thought you didn’t love me the same.”

“But I do,” Eddie whispered, hugging you close.

“Guess we’re a bunch of idiots, huh?” Eddie laughed, and nodded into your hair. “I’m tired Eddie.”

“I need you to stay awake a little bit longer,” Eddie barely got out. But the words didn’t register, you simply closed your eyes and snuggled a little into his chest.

“I think I’m going to go to sleep,” you trailed off, body going slack.

“I want to hate you,” Eddie mumbled, “I want to hate you so much right now, but I can’t. I can never stay mad at you for long. And now you’re not here for me to be mad at. Y/n, how am I suppose to live without you beside me?”

Though Eddie hoped, there was no answer. So he pulled you tight against him and cried.

Steve, Dustin, Nancy and Robin found Eddie clutching you as he cried. They waited until Eddie’s sobs died down before telling him that they needed to go.

“I’m not leaving her here,” he said, voice rough after crying. He cleared his throat and looked up, waiting for someone to argue. No one did. “I can’t leave her here.”

“Okay,” Steve said, and with his help, Eddie was carrying you on his back. As if giving you a piggyback ride he’s done before, and he has. Though the only difference is, you weren’t laughing in his ear as he raced around.

The walk to his trailer was long and quiet as they thought about what happens now. Though Eddie’s thoughts strayed to want life could have been like if the two of you hadn’t ran away from your feelings. He’d imagined it to be the same as it was, just with kissing and other things.

He hung his head, letting his curls cover his eyes as he let a few tears go. Lost in thought, he didn’t feel you stir. 

You hadn’t meant to fall asleep, it just sort of happened. And you’re pretty sure he said something about staying awake a bit longer. Dread pooled into your stomach. Oh man, he’s gonna be mad that you didn’t listen to him.

Oh well, what’s done is done and all you can do is hope that he'll forgive you. Thinking back at the conversation you had with him, your cheeks reddened as you remembered you confessed to Eddie. Well, it's a good thing he feels the same, otherwise it's gonna be awkward.

You stirred slightly and froze when something didn’t feel right. It felt like you were moving and you could hear everything so much clearer. Which was odd, but the oddest thing was that you heard Eddie crying. You wanted to lift your head to see if he was okay, but it felt a little heavy. And you were a bit too hungry to move.

At the thought of hunger, your stomach growled when you sniffed and whatever you were smelling, only made your hunger known. Aside from the sweat and whatever else you could smell, the blood was sweet and you couldn’t help but take a bite.

“Ow, what the fuck?” Had barely registered as you continued to suck on the blood. Which tasted a lot better then you had ever thought, and wasn’t that a strange thing to think about?

All too soon, you were being pulled away from your food. Someone, Steve your brain supplied, held you tightly as you tried to move out of his grip. You stopped struggling when you realized it wasn’t working and pouted as they all turned to look at you.

“What?” you asked, when they wouldn’t stop staring at you like they saw a ghost.

“Y/n?” Dustin asked with a bit of hesitancy.

“Last time I checked,” you answered, moving to cross your arms but failed when Steve tightened his hold on you. “Would you let go? I’m not going to hurt anyone.”

“You bit Eddie,” Steve answered. You turned to look at Eddie only to stall when you saw tears, hands on his neck to stop the bleeding

“Oh sorry,” you mumbled, looking down. “I was hungry and I guess he was the first person there when I woke up.”

“You were hungry and the first thing you did was to bite your friend?” Robin asked in disbelief. Not having an answer, you shrugged.

“This has got to be some sick joke,” Eddie muttered, stalking up to you, grabbing your chin he tilted it up and stared. You stared back. “Are you really you?”

“Yup. Why wouldn’t I be?” you asked, scrunching up your nose, confused.

“You fucking died, Y/N. So I’m sorry if I don’t quite believe you.”

“I-what?” you gaped at him. “I did not die! I fell asleep!”

“Mm, pretty sure you died, you didn’t have a heartbeat or anything.”

“Then how the fuck am I alive?” you asked, looking up at the sky to glare at it. Like it did something to you.

“I don’t know, but there’s like a good chance you’re one of Venca’s goonies now,” Dustin supplied. You turned your glare at him, but he shrugged.

“I am not. He can die for all I care,” you said, ignoring the fact that there was a voice in your head that said to kill them. “Can we go? Before the door closes and we’re stuck here forever? We can figure out whatever happened to me later.”

You didn’t want to mention the fact that you wanted to stay, that there was a part of you that wanted to help Venca with his mission to destroy Hawkins and El. But you squashed it down hard, you were not going to betray your friends. Not now, not ever.

We’ll see.

You refrained from growling at the voice whispered and waited for them to decide what to do. “I don’t want to rush, but we don’t have much time.”

“She’s right,” Nancy piped up, “we don’t know how long we have until the doors close. And I don’t know about you, but I feel better if we bring her with us to the real Hawkins. Might be safer.”

Steve sighed and let go. “Fine, but you’re walking in front of me,” he said. You shook out your arms and shrugged. 

“Whatever,” you mumbled and continued the walk towards the trailer. You ignored Eddie as he stared at you, and wanted to ignore the theories Dustin and Steve were coming up with. But with your now improved hearing, it was hard. Especially if it sounded like they were talking right in your ears.

“What happened to the rope?” Robin asked, staring at the whole in the ceiling.

“Eddie cut it, didn’t want us to follow,” Dustin answered, getting pushed by Eddie. “What? It’s true.”

“It’s not like it didn’t do anything.”

“How are we going to get through it now?” Nancy asked, no one gave an answer. 

“Hold on, I got an idea,” you said. You stretched a little before jumping high enough to grab hold of the vines. Once you were sure your grip was fine, and that you weren’t going to fall, you climbed through and landed on your feet.

“Holy shit,” you heard someone whisper. 

“Could she always do that?” someone asked, and no one answered so you assumed they shrugged. You walked to the sink and filled a glass of water before chugging it.

“Hey! Where’d you go?” someone shouted, you walked back and shrugged.

“I was thirsty,” you answered. “Don’t worry, it was water.”

“Haha,” Steve said, “now get us out already.” Giving him a two finger salute, you moved the mattress back under the hole and jumped up again. You climbed through it enough that you were half hanging in the door and reached your hand out.

“Okay, someone give me your hand,” you said, and they all looked at you with uncertainty. “What now?”

“How do we know you’re not going to drop us?”

“You gotta trust me then.”

They continue to stare and you dropped your head, hitting your forehead on the vines around the hole. “We really don’t have long before this closes. So unless you guys want to stay in the Upside Down, give me your hand.”

That seemed to get everyone moving. Steve helped Dustin, Nancy and Robin before he went, and it only left Eddie. Who was staring at you with wide eyes.

“Eddie, come on. We have to go,” you urged. He shook his head and you sighed. “Why not?”

“You’re supposed to be dead, but you’re not and now you’re here. And just…why? Why did you do it?”

“Because I didn’t want to lose you,” you answered, “because I love you. And love makes you do stupid things. Or, that’s what I’ve been told. Now Edward, if you don’t grab my hand right now, I’m going to figure out a way to close this door and leave you here forever.”

Eddie let out a laugh and reached out and grabbed your hand. You pulled with little effort and soon the six of you were standing in Eddie’s trailer.

“So, if we talk about everything that’s happened to Y/N so far,” Dustin said, and started ticking off everything he listed on his fingers. “We have super strength, sucking blood, I’m assuming super hearing judging by the annoyed looks she kept shooting at me and Steve. And if we pulled back her top lip we’d probably see vampire fangs poking out.” 

Everyone turned to you, and waited for you to do something. Sighing, you lifted up your lip and sure enough, your vampire fangs grew out. They shrunk back in when you moved your finger.

“Are you telling me that Y/N’s a vampire?” Robin asked, Dustin shrugged.

“It’s the only thing that makes sense!” he said, throwing his hands up. “Unless you have a better idea on what happened to her, this is all I can come up with. And when was the last time I’ve been wrong?”

No one said anything, as they silently agreed with him.

“Okay,” you said slowly, swinging your hands beside you. “Well, you guys have more important things to worry about then me. So I’m going to go and sleep.”

“Nope, you’re staying with us so you don’t accidentally kill someone when you eat or whatever,” Steve said, stopping you from leaving. You stared at him as if he grew two heads.

“Steve, and I mean this in the nicest way possible. But what the fuck? I won’t? I’m not hungry, I’m just tired and I would really like to sleep. But if it makes you feel better you can have someone stay with me so that doesn’t happen. I’m sure you’re worried about the three that planned to distract Venca. You don’t need to worry about me.”

The mention of Max, Lucas and Erica made him pause. He looked like he wanted to fight some more, but the worry about the other three had him conflicted. 

“I’ll watch her,” Eddie offered. That seemed to be enough for the five of them, so they left the two of you in favour of seeing how the other three were doing.

“Are you sure?” you asked, “you don’t seem to want to even see me.”

“It’s not that,” he said as you two made your way to your trailer. “It’s just a lot I guess. I mean you died. I’m pretty sure you did, I mean I watched you die! And now you’re here and a fucking vampire I guess.”

“Okay, yeah that…that does sound like a lot,” you said, wanting to go and comfort him, but you weren’t sure where you stood. “Sorry I put you through all that.”

“You can’t be serious. You died, and got turned into a monster and you’re apologizing over something that wasn’t your fault? Well, half your fault,” he tacked on. “I want to be mad but I can’t because it’s you.” 

“Because you love me?” you asked, though your tone was teasing you couldn’t help but let the nervousness seep into your voice.

“Because I love you,” he answered. You almost walked into your door, not at all expecting that answer. 

“Oh,” you mumbled, and plopped on your bed, hiding your face in your pillow. Eddie laughed, and you felt the bed dip and assumed he sat down at the edge.

“Really after the whole dying and love confession thing. And your only response when I told you that I love you was oh?”

“I didn’t think you did,” you mumbled into the pillow. Eddie poked you on the side, making you squirm until you were on your side and he could see you.

“Say that again.”

“I didn’t think you did,” you repeated, “like I know you love me back, I remember the conversation. But it’s still surprising that you love me.”

“Welp, guess you’re going to have to deal with it. Because I love you and you will not be getting rid of me anytime soon,” he said, moving to lay down beside you. 

You blinked at him, surprised he was willing to be so close after you bit him. “Even though now I’m a vampire and could kill you if I wanted to?”

“Well, yes. But I trust you to not kill, I hope you love me enough not to snap my neck and all. Even though that does sound kind of hot,” he said, lips twitching into a smile at the laugh you gave.

“Oh my god,” you said, shifting over so Eddie could wrap his arms around you. “So what now?”

“Now we sleep, and we’ll figure it out when everything calms down a little,” he answered and that sounded like bliss.

You weren’t expecting your Spring break to turn out the way it did, but you can’t find it in yourself to regret any of it.

Vampire and all.

[panandinpain0]

I would looove a second part to the Old D&D buddies with Munson. Maybe Ed and the reader meet up to talk about some of Eddie’s NPCs from the campaign? Sketching and fluff??

Sketches (Old D&D Buddies Part 2)

Part One

Requested by/people I want to @: @teplejtrouba @mistonk @bangfinch24

Eddie Munson x Male!Byers!Reader

Warnings: Swearing

I really hope this lives up to the first part, and I hope ya'll like it!

(also may or may not be restarting my other Eddie Munson series 👀)

Enjoy!

--

"Jonathan, (Y/N)?" Joyce shouted from down the hall.

"Yeah, Mom?" (Y/N) shouted back, Jonathan perking up from his spot on the couch in attention.

"Can one of you go pick up Will from school? I thought I'd be able to but I need to take this call!" Joyce shouted again.

Jonathan looked over the couch at (Y/N), waiting to see what he'd say. (Y/N) pulled his work bag over his shoulder and grabbed the keys from the table next to the door.

"I've got to run by work so I can pick him up and take him with me," (Y/N) responded, trying to be loud enough for her to hear.

"Thanks, honey!"

"No problem!"

Jonathan waved from his spot on the couch and (Y/N) smiled and nodded back.

"Bye Jonathan."

"Be safe."

"Always am." (Y/N) winked and left the house, getting into the car and making his way to the Hawkins High.

Driving up and slowly stopping behind some other parent's, (Y/N) rolled the windows down and turned up the music a little bit. He and Jonathan always did this when picking Will up as a sign that it wasn't their mom. Seeing as he had a little while, (Y/N) pulled out his sketchbook and pencil, adding some finishing touches to a character sketch he had made earlier.

It was one of Dustin's, and the character was a beefy Viking. As (Y/N) was making the thick curls under the helmet more dramatic, something knocked on the car roof right above him.

Jumping in fright, (Y/N) gasped and looked to the side with wide eyes. After seeing who it was he sighed and turned down the music a bit, turning back to the person.

"Hey, man. You scared the shit out of me," (Y/N) breathed out, laughing at it.

"I can see that!" Eddie nodded with a smirk, bending halfway to fit his arms and head through the window.

"What's up?" (Y/N) asked, tapping his pencil on the side of the paper in his lap.

"I saw you chillin' out here, thought I'd crash the party," Eddie explained, observing the interior of the car.

"Don't you have a few more minutes until school is out?" (Y/N) asked, checking his watch just to be sure.

"Yeah," Eddie confirmed, but he made no move to elaborate or walk away.

Raising an eyebrow at Eddie, (Y/N) let out an exasperated sigh.

"Well, come in, then." (Y/N) motioned to the passengers seat, soon to be Will's place.

Eddie smiled and bit his lip, walking around the car and sliding into the seat, playing with a piece of his hair. (Y/N) rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, revealing his forearms. Eddie couldn't tear his eyes from the movement, mesmerized. He was finally knocked out of his daze when (Y/N) shifted to sit closer to Eddie, bringing the sketchbook into the gaze.

"How's this for Dustin's?" (Y/N) asked, showing Eddie the sketchbook.

"Woah!" Eddie gasped and took the sketchbook into his own hands, running his finger gently over the graphite lines.

"Will and I will color it in later, I just bought these new colored pencils that are so high quality. I'm going to surprise him with them later," (Y/N) explained, chewing at his lip and gesturing to take it back.

Eddie laughed nervously and handed it back.

"Sorry."

"Oh, don't be! Just, don't want any incidents like last time." (Y/N) laughed and nodded.

"About last time-"

"(Y/N)!" Will shouted, him and his friends waving to him. (Y/N) smiled and waved back, ducking his head down to see them all better.

"What were you saying?" (Y/N) asked as Eddie got out, allowing Will to climb in.

"Oh, nothing!" Eddie shrugged and smiled. "Hey, Byers-" both of them looked at Eddie- "if the other characters look like that I might just have to ask you to draw the NPC's too."

Will's eyes lit up and he smiled widely, "Thanks! (Y/N) did Dustin's and I'm working on Mike's right now. We have family night every Tuesday so we can work on it during that tonight, right?" Will turned to (Y/N) with that last question.

"Of course we can!" (Y/N) nodded and smiled at his brother and then Eddie. "We'll see you on Thursday, Eddie?"

Eddie's cheeks dusted pink, making him look at his feet and sway back a little.

"Of course. Bye, Byers'." He waved as the brother's drove off, Will basically buzzing as he listed off ideas to (Y/N).

Sighing, Eddie watched after the car, backpack still hung over his shoulder. Gareth came up behind him, clapping him on the shoulder.

"Man, you're just as smitten as Lorena is to Yorland," he teased, laughing at the reference he had made to their current love struck characters in the campaign.

Not responding, Eddie just let his smile grow, fiddling with the guitar pick around his neck.

End

--

Okay, this was short, but I'm going through a rut right now and wanted to get something for this done.

Hope it was okay?

I love coming up with fake campaign characters, I've gotta tell you-

-Author Max <3

[midgardianweasley]

Movie Night

Movie night

Natasha Romanoff x fem!reader

Summary: It’s friday night, or more commonly known as movie night for the Avengers. A horror movie was put on and Y/N isn’t feeling so brave, luckily she’s got a Romanoff nearby.

Warnings: coulrophobia (fear of clowns), mentions of the IT movie and pennywise.

Word Count: 2.5k

Идиоты. - ‘Idiots.’

Requests are open!

“I vote action movie”

“We watched an Action movie last week, Sam.” Steve pinched the bridge of his nose, briefly looking up and meeting my eyes, earning a small smile in return, attempting to provide some sanity for the man.

“Plus, do you not think we’ve had enough action for one week?” Bucky grumbled, this week having taken a toll on everyone. We were all exhausted from our missions, some more than others, the soldier being one of them.

“Okay okay, no action, damn” Sam put his hands up in defeat, accepting that he wasn’t going to win this one. A few more options had been suggested, Bruce suggested rom-com, Thor suggested comedy, Vision proposed a documentary, all of which were shut down with groans and sounds of protest.

I turned to my assassin girlfriend who had been sitting beside me watching the scene unfold with an amused smirk on her face, her green eyes darting around the room whenever someone else spoke and taking sips of the drink she had in her hand. I nudged her slightly to get her attention

“Hey.”

“Hi”

“If it was up to you, what would you choose for movie night?” I asked. She morphed her face into a thoughtful one, still with a slight smile on her face, taking time to make her decision.

“If it was completely up to me? I would-”

“Aha!” Tony interrupted with a loud snap of his fingers. “I know, we haven’t watched a horror movie in a while, and the new IT movie just came out, we can watch that” He smirked, proud of his contribution to the discussion at hand. I looked around the room, praying that they would pick anything else, literally anything, even Vision’s documentary.

Unfortunately, everyone seemed to be really into it as they all shared nod’s and “yeah” “sounds good” before splitting up to go and get their snacks and blankets to bring back to the large sofa.

Although I wouldn't admit it to the rest of the group, I was absolutely terrified of clowns and have been since I was a child. If there was a clown at a birthday party or an event, I’d pretend I was sick so that my mum wouldn’t make me go. She soon noticed a pattern in my behaviour, putting the pieces together and realising that I hadn't come down with the flu three times that month, I was avoiding the ‘entertainment’ of the parties.

She tried explaining that it was just a guy in makeup and a funny suit, showing off fun tricks and jokes. However, 9 year old me still refused to attend, faking a sneeze and hiding under the blanket.

“Woah, Y/L/N, you good over there?” Tony furrowed his brows, concern written all over his face. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

I wish it was a ghost.

I regained my composure, nodding and sending a firm smile his way, hoping that would be enough to prevent any further questioning. With a shrug, he made his way out of the room and caught up with Thor to explain what ‘IT’ was.

“You don’t look so good, sure you’re okay?” Nat placed her hand on my back, rubbing small, reassuring circles with her palm. I wanted to put on a brave face and tell her I was fine, that there wasn’t a problem and my heart wasn’t racing with fear, but the look on her face, while caring and concerned, was also warning me not to lie to her. Not that i’d manage anyway, she always had ways of finding out the truth eventually.

I shook my head, letting out a small sigh and turning in my seat to address her. My eyes met hers and I felt my heart settle slightly just by looking at her, she always made me feel safe.

“What’s wrong sweetheart?” She whispered, her hand coming up to rest on my cheek, her thumb stroking my cheekbone in small movements.

“It’s so silly, really.”

“Nothing is silly if it’s upsetting you Detka. Tell me.”

“It’s this movie.”

The confusion was obvious on her face, yet she stayed quiet, allowing me to elaborate.

“I just, I’ve never been the best with clowns. Ever since I was a child, I’ve had this fear of them. If I saw one, I’d run in the opposite direction, which was more often than one would think. I mean, seriously, who wants one of those things at a party? What happened to princess parties? Or tea parties!” I exclaimed, my tone becoming more intense as I spoke.

Natasha nodded, I could almost see the cogs turning in her head, figuring out how to approach the situation. After a minute or two, she focused her eyes back on me and her hands had trailed down to meet with mine, interlocking them in the process.

“Do you want to skip it tonight?” She suggested.

“No, no, I don’t want to cause a fuss. Plus, I kinda don’t want the others knowing.”

“Are you absolutely sure? I’m sure we can pull a sickie for one night.”

“I’m sure. Just, can you stay next to me? And let me hide if it gets really bad?”

“Of course you can. I’ll be next to you the whole time.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

___________________

We were at the haunted house scene in the movie. There had already been jumpscares that I'd managed to avoid for the most part, but I don’t think I've moved past Georgie’s death yet, let alone have time to process the psycho killer clown on the screen.

Eddie was in a room alone, he was staring at this dirty, old fridge and a white hand had appeared, curling itself around and tapping on the side so you could only see it’s fingers. I tugged the blanket that was laid across Natasha and i’s laps and pulled it up to my nose, eyes still on the screen, but prepared to take cover. It appears as though nothing has changed from all those years ago.

As the fridge door creaked open, my blanket had raised higher and higher, my grip tightening by the second while the hand reappeared, this time, you could see it’s entire body contorted into this small space.

“Nope. No, absolutely fucking not. No.” I mumbled, covering my eyes with my fluffy shield. Luckily, Nat had stolen the sofa at the back, meaning I could skip the scary parts without anyone taking much notice, them being too entranced by the movie. Weirdo’s.

In my safety bubble I'd created, I felt my girlfriend’s hand on my thigh, rubbing small circles to reassure me that I was okay, and that she was here. I shuffled a little so I was closer to her, if that was even possible, her then adjusting so that her hand was still on my thigh, but another arm was wrapped securely around me, pulling me into her side a little more.

I assumed we would stay like that for a bit, until she started to shift more noticeably and lifted the part of the blanket closest to her, and put it over her own head, taking me by surprise, a faint gasp leaving my lips when seeing that she’d joined me.

“You doing okay under here?” She spoke softly, a hint of amusement playing on her face as she looked at me folded up into a ball.

“I am. This blanket protects me from all.”

“Of course it does, the fluffier it is, the more protection, right?” She quoted words i’d spoken earlier on when bringing in the blanket for us.

“Are you sure you’re not going to boil under there?”

“Nope. And even if I do, the fluffier the blanket, the more protection from cannibal clowns.” I’d explained proudly. Yes, I'm an Avenger that fights extraterrestrials and demigods and still runs to a blanket for safety, leave me alone.

We stayed under there for a minute or two, holding hands and sharing small kisses while the movie continued and we hid in our little bubble.

“C’mon lovebirds, the movie isn’t over yet, you can continue that when we’ve gone to bed if you must.” Stark called out, causing Natasha to roll her eyes and retreat back to her previous position.

I don’t know what ran through my mind, I clearly didn’t think twice about the situation I was in, my default being to follow Natasha and pull the blanket down and off my head. Upon resurfacing from my cocoon, I looked towards the Television. Bad idea. With a shriek that I'm almost certain could be heard from Asgard, I flew under the blanket again after seeing Pennywise with all of his teeth on show, edging towards Eddie to eat him.

Natasha’s arms wound their way around me again, slightly shaking now from the fright. Even though the blanket tended to muffle sounds, I could hear the room fill with laughter and comments from the Avengers.

“I didn’t know your voice could go that high Y/L/N”

“Pennywise! You scared Y/N!”

“Y/N, it’s literally-”

“How about you guys shut up and watch the movie? Otherwise I swear to god Thor, I’ll bring snakes in here and Sam, I’ll cut the wings off of your suit.” I heard the redhead next to me threaten, alongside some more punishments to the others who laughed, immediately silencing them, all of them knowing that she wasn’t one for an empty threat.

Even though the laughter died down and no more words were spoken, tears still built up in my eyes and were daring to fall down my cheeks. I feel so embarrassed. A room full of superheroes and I was scared to death over a fictional clown in front of all of them.

I tried to keep my sniffles to a minimum and at a level where no one could hear me, however, they seemed to have caught Nat’s attention as she whispered to me, loud enough for me to hear, but quietly so that it was only me that could hear.

“Mind if I come in?”

I chose not to verbally respond, instead, I pulled the edge of the blanket up, allowing her to bend down and make her way underneath. After making herself comfortable, she turned to me and did, what felt like study, my face before tutting under her breath.

“Идиоты. Are you okay?” I smiled at her speaking Russian. She often switched between the two, interchanging within sentences. I’d been around her enough to pick up on some of the terms, funnily enough she’d said that word so often, my understanding was immediate.

“Feeling a bit humiliated” My voice came out weak and slightly gravelly from the crying, her thumb immediately wiped the tears off of my cheeks, lingering afterwards.

“Don’t be. Everyone has their fears, you shouldn’t be embarrassed by having them. Okay? It just means you're human.” She patiently explained, sparking a question to leave my lips before realising.

“Do you have a fear?”

She smiled “mhm”

“Can I know what it is?”

She leaned in closer to me, lips hovering beside my ear so I could feel and hear her breathing quietly.

“Идиоты” She whispered, resulting in me clamping my hand over my mouth to limit the noise my laughter was making.

“There’s that smile I love.” She took my chin in her index finger and her thumb, her face once again, coming closer towards mine before our lips met in the middle, sharing a soft, quick kiss, distracting me from any embarrassment i’d previously felt.

________________

The movie had just finished, everyone was getting up and starting to clear up any mess they’d made, mainly popcorn that had fallen everywhere, Wanda and Vision being the main culprit, jumping at the scary parts had caused a popcorn avalanche near their seats.

Nat and I gathered our blankets and snacks we’d brought in, trying to ignore the slight tension hanging in the air, and just as we were about to walk to our bedroom, I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Peter.

Rocking back and forth on his heels and fidgeting with his hands, he smiled.

“Hey, uh- miss Y/L/N. Miss Romanoff, sorry, I just wanted to come and make sure you were okay.” He rushed, clearly anxious to approach us considering the telling off Natasha gave everyone earlier.

“I’m okay, thank you Peter. You can call me Y/N by the way, ‘miss’ makes me feel old.” I chuckled, visibly seeing his shoulders relax at my response, he was really sweet, never wanting to get on anyone’s bad side. He’s a good kid.

“Sorry mi-,Y/N, sorry, I’ll remember for next time. That movie was pretty freaky, if there’s anything I can do to help, let me know.”

“I will, thank you.”

Feeling more relaxed, I made a slow but steady beeline for the bedroom, wanting to have cuddles with Nat and go to sleep, hopefully forget the movie ever happened. Soon enough, we were both changed into a vest top, I wore a pair of shorts and Nat wore a pair of sweats and we were in bed, facing each other with our legs tangled together, our noses bumping every so often.

“I love you” I mumbled in between kisses, eyes opening briefly to be met by her green orbs looking back at me.

“I love you more, Detka.”

A silence then overtook the room, only being able to hear the breeze outside and a slight whistle from where it was flying through the trees. I’d usually adore this, finding peace in the wind and the darkness, tonight however, it felt unsettling. All I could hear in my head was the soundtrack to the movie, picturing the bloody teeth and that creepy smile from earlier in my head.

“Love?” I nudged my girlfriend’s nose gently, hoping she was still somewhat awake.

“Mhmm?”

“Can you, can you possibly sing to me?” Her eyes fluttered open, a sleepy smile on her face, wrapping her arms tightly around me before humming a quiet melody, sending me into a blissful sleep.

By noon the next day, I had received apologies from everyone in the compound, a couple of bone crushing hugs from Thor and some complementary pancakes that Wanda had made with some help from Bruce, aprons on and covered in flour. Everyone tucked into their individual stacks, enjoying some lighthearted conversation, Nat taking the opportunity to press a small kiss to the back of my hand, I quickly returned the gesture. It was lovely.

Movie night was a rollercoaster, but at the end of the day, I was surrounded by the best people, and nothing would change that, not even the fear of clowns.

Though they’re still really fucking scary.

taglist: @the-dumbass-that-throws-knives

[tomhardysteeth]

Use Your Imagination

[ao3]

2.9k Eddie Brock/Venom Based entirely on the Venom: Let There Be Carnage trailer

Eddie woke up to the feel of his body tugging indiscriminately out from his back. He sighed and reached behind himself, easily finding a tentacle and tickling it until it retreated back inside him.

Wake up, Eddie, Venom said cheerily, running a slimy three-pronged tendril across his face delicately. We’re hungry.

“Ugh, can’t you just bring me something in here?” Eddie replied grumpily, burying his face in his pillow.

No. Venom took control of his legs and lifted him up and onto the floor, and Eddie momentarily lost his balance before a tentacle righted him.

Eddie groaned and stretched his back, cracking it. He headed to the bathroom and took a piss while a tentacle brushed his teeth.

He was exhausted, because he and Venom had finally tracked down all the guys harassing Mrs. Chen and had spent half the night running—literally running—them down. But Venom was even more chaotically energetic than usual because it had gotten to eat three people.

And Eddie couldn’t drink caffeine anymore—Venom hated it—so he was resigned to his orange juice and to spending the entirety of the morning just trying to wake up. 

“Babe, what the hell are you making?” Eddie asked as his body shifted minutely with the extension of several tentacles all over the kitchen. 

Breakfast, Venom replied as it knocked several things out of the fridge and onto the floor.

“You can’t possibly be hungry.”

No, but you are. 

Eddie wasn’t entirely sure how their digestive systems worked, but he knew his body didn't even notice when they ate people, and his appetite was completely different than it used to be and also completely different from humans in general. He had to eat big, disgusting meals at least three times a day, and despite Venom assuring him that they both needed the sustenance to survive, Eddie couldn’t help but notice that he had gained weight.

Not that he could get on a scale. He broke his bathroom scale when he tried, presumably because a massively dense alien inhabited his body. That being said, his belly stuck out farther than it used to and his jeans were too tight.

Venom was making a mess and singing along (terribly) to the radio, so Eddie took a seat at the kitchen table and tried to dig his phone out of the pocket of his robe with his hand, but a tentacle got to it first and handed it to him.

He scrolled for a few minutes, ignoring the crashing sounds and the fire that he could see in his peripheral vision. Venom would clean it all up eventually, so it was fine. 

“Don’t forget to feed the chickens,” Eddie said distractedly, still looking at his phone.

Don’t forget to feed the chickens, Venom mocked in a nagging voice. 

They always had a few chickens in their apartment that Eddie got from a local farmer so Venom could eat live meat whenever it needed it. Except for the one chicken Venom had apparently imprinted on and was actually just their pet. Venom had named her Popsicle.

Ta-da, Venom said as it dropped two plates stacked high with who knows what underneath the waffles. 

“Thanks, Vee. Looks great,” Eddie lied. 

Venom swirled the end of a tentacle across his face, and Eddie reached up a hand to hold it steady so he could kiss it. 

Venom always helped with eating, because despite Eddie’s weird appetites, he still found it difficult to actually put food to mouth without gagging a bit. He also hated how long it took to eat enough to make him full, so Venom took to mindlessly feeding him, quicker than Eddie could feed himself, while he checked his emails and read the news.

What do you want to do this weekend? Venom asked as it put a fork to Eddie’s mouth.

“Nothing,” Eddie mumbled around the food.

Oooh, spicing it up a bit from last weekend when we did nothing.

Eddie huffed a laugh and reached for a limb, tangling his fingers through the threads of Venom’s biomass. 

After breakfast, Eddie got caught up in reading on his phone, so Venom took over control of his body and moved him onto the couch. It laid him on his back and propped pillows behind his head and under his arm, then it produced several tentacles out of the center of his chest and took to cleaning the mess it had made.

Eddie couldn’t see his phone past the tentacles, so a smaller tendril emerged and held it for him. His hands free, he stuck his right down the front of his boxers and lazily played with himself. 

Venom ignored him, too busy humming along to the radio to notice that Eddie was getting hard. After about five minutes, Eddie got bored and stopped his hand, resting it palm down inside the waistband of his boxers. His neglected boner softened.

There was a knock on the door, followed by Anne’s voice shouting at them to turn off the music. 

Eddie jumped and reflexively sucked a couple tentacles back into his body. Another limb caught his phone before it fell to the floor, then even more tentacles came out of his back and pushed him upright and closed his robe for him. 

Venom had cleaned much of the mess in the kitchen, but there was still cereal all over the counter, dishes piled precariously in the sink and on the stove, bullet holes in the fridge door, a tire swing hanging by the kitchen table, gaping holes in the ceiling, a four-foot stack of various bones from different creatures in the corner—hacked up by Venom during digestion.

“The chickens—grab the fucking chickens,” Eddie whisper-shouted as he walked to the door, Popsicle under his arm. 

Venom grabbed the other three chickens and held them out of sight of the cracked door. 

“Hey, Annie,” Eddie greeted. 

She tried to peer through the door, but Eddie had a tight grip on it, only revealing a sliver of his body to her. 

“You didn’t text me last night,” she said.

Eddie closed his eyes. “Right. Sorry. We got home really fucking late, and it just slipped my mind.” 

“Eddie, I have to know you’re OK.” Anne tilted her head and moved her eyes like if she looked hard enough then the door would magically swing open. 

“We’re fine, Annie. We took care of things.” Eddie avoided telling Anne details of his and Venom's vigilantism, but he always tried to text her to let her know they were safe. 

“Eddie.”

“Hmm?”

“Are you holding a chicken?”

As Eddie looked down at the chicken under his arm, Anne shoulder-tackled him and the door simultaneously and made a break for it into his apartment. Venom immediately encased her in tentacles and tossed her back into the hallway and slammed the door shut in her face.

I HAVEN’T FINISHED CLEANING UP IN HERE, ANNIE, AND I’D LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTHER ABOUT YOUR FUCKING MANNERS, Venom shouted.

Several neighbors yelled and banged on the walls, demanding that Venom shut the fuck up. 

“HEY!” Eddie shouted at the top of his lungs. He grabbed a broom with his hand and a mop with a tentacle and aggressively hit the ends of them against the ceiling and walls. “NEED I REMIND YOU FREELOADERS WHO TOOK CARE OF CRAIG?” 

Craig was their (missing for 35 days and counting) landlord. 

Anne pounded on the door. “Eddie, open this fucking door, I swear to god!”

Eddie forcefully cracked the door, only enough for Anne to see one of his narrowed eyes. “You’re not allowed to judge how we live.”

She pushed on the door, and he allowed her to come inside. A solid minute passed in which Anne stood in the middle of the apartment with her hands on her hips and surveyed the room without saying anything. Then, in an even tone:

“Alright. First question. Tire swing?”

Venom continued cleaning. Eddie stood next to Anne.

“Do you want the real answer or the PG answer?”

Anne’s whole body revolted. “Ew, oh my god. Gross, gross, gross—”

No, Annie, look, it’s just for this, Venom said, extending a head out of Eddie’s shoulder and snaking several tentacles around the tire. It spun the tire as fast as possible in one direction and then unraveled itself in a gooey mess as the tire spun in the other direction. 

“Oh,” Anne said. “Is that really what you use it for?”

Venom’s head was in the middle of the tire with limbs extending out to swing itself back and forth. No, I suspend Eddie in it and fuck him until he cries.

Anne cursed and threw her hands up in the air. Eddie and Venom laughed.

“Alright, next question.” Anne said after she had recovered. “Are the chickens for eating?”

“Yeah, except for Popsicle.” Eddie pointed across the room at where Popsicle was pecking at unidentified detritus on the floor.

“How the hell do you know which one Popsicle is?” 

“What do you mean? She’s that one.” He pointed again.

“They all look the same, Eddie.”

No. Popsicle looks like that. Venom pointed a tendril toward Popsicle. And the food looks like that. Another tendril split off into three prongs to point at the other chickens. 

Anne dropped her head and put her fingers to her temples, rubbing in circles. 

The toaster oven exploded. 

“Jesus, Vee, what did I tell you about—”

WELL maybe if SOMEONE would let me steal an oven then we could—

“Where the hell are we gonna put an oven in here? You gonna steal it from one of our neighbors?”

They continued arguing with each other while a tentacle grabbed a fire extinguisher from their stash of fire extinguishers in the coat closet and put the toaster oven out. 

“I don’t think you’re gonna get your deposit back, Eddie,” Anne said, still looking around his apartment. Her eyes stopped on the wicker basket full of dildos by the TV, but she didn't comment on it. 

A rock hit Eddie’s window. Venom opened it and stuck a tentacle out, and the neighborhood kids down on the street cheered and asked if it had time to play. 

“Go ahead, babe,” Eddie said.

It always felt a little strange when Venom removed so much of itself from inside Eddie’s body. It of course had to leave some still inside him, but just one tiny thread connected them together as Venom fanned out on the outside of the apartment building and juggled as many mundane objects as the children had in their power to throw up at it. Rocks, old toys, dolls, basketballs, baseball bats, a lawn chair, a pan of broccoli casserole, a cat. 

“How the hell do you live like this, Eddie?” Anne asked. 

Eddie cleared a space on the kitchen counter by shoving cereal onto the floor, then he grabbed two mugs off the sink pile and dug the coffeemaker out from the back of an extremely disorganized cabinet. The coffee itself was hidden from Venom in a plastic bag duct taped to the wall behind the fridge, so Eddie easily nudged the fridge to the side to retrieve it. He figured if Venom played with the kids long enough, he could get a little bit of caffeine in his body without it noticing. 

He said to Anne, “I’m in a relationship with an alien. What do you expect?”

Anne looked at the fridge then at Eddie, clearly confused by his inhuman strength. “I don’t know? For you to still act like an adult human?” 

Eddie internally tugged at the strands of Venom still inside him and found just enough biomass to make thick black veins pop out all over his face. “How ‘bout now? Do I still look like an adult human?”

“Jesus fucking Christ.”

Eddie pulled the veins back in. “Stop worrying about us, Annie. I know it looks like a disaster in here, but that’s because our life is a disaster. It works for us.”

A child shrieked in a loud laugh. Eddie could just barely see through the window that Venom was juggling the 5-year-old twin girls that lived in the apartment below them. 

“Babe!” Eddie yelled. “Put the girls down before somebody calls the fucking cops!”

The girls aww’d their disappointment as Venom carefully lowered them to the ground. 

“Eddie.”

He turned his attention back to Anne and waited for her to continue.

“Are you, um, safe? Like, what are the logistics of your...sex life?”

Eddie scrubbed a hand down his face. “Well, Annie, Vee is made up of a whole bunch of malleable tentacles, so I’d say use your imagination.”

Venom slithered its way back in, so Eddie tried to gulp down his coffee but didn’t finish before a tentacle wrenched it out of his hand and slung it into the sink.

“How do you know you’re not, like, subjecting yourself to some kind of alien STDs?” Anne asked. “Or, like, what if it’s changed your body composition so much that you guys are, like, capable of reproducing?”

Venom and Eddie both gasped and smiled at each other, Venom’s head floating just a couple feet away from Eddie’s. 

Eddie said, “Oh, that would be so cute if we had a little—” at the same time that Venom said Aww imagine if it had your good looks and my complexion—

“Fucking Christ, you guys are intolerable,” Anne interrupted. “Can you not be weird for, like, two seconds?”

Venom pouted at her and moved its head over to Eddie’s shoulders, nudging at his face and bumping against him like a needy cat. It wrapped two big tentacles around his waist like arms, and Eddie dropped his hands over them and squeezed affectionately. 

“What else did you come over here for, Annie?” Eddie asked.

She cleared her throat. “I was going to ask if you and Venom would like to come over to my apartment sometime to have dinner with me and Dan.”

Venom’s head popped up from where it was resting on Eddie’s shoulder. Dan is finally ready to hang out with me?!

“Yes, but he’s still a little delicate since—”

I tried to stick my tongue in his mouth when you were kissing him goodbye before going to rescue Eddie from Riot, yeah, I get that.

“You what?” Eddie asked.

“So if you could just try to temper yourselves a tiny bit, maybe leave the chickens at home and don’t talk about fucking each other,” Anne concluded. 

“He knows that we’re fucking each other, though, right?”

“Yes, but knowing it and being confronted with it are two totally different things.”

Hey, Annie, tell Dan I think he’s boring.

“Hey, be nice,” Eddie chastised, reaching a hand up to pat Venom’s face. 

Anne told them she would let them know a date and time, then she headed for the door with Eddie close on her heels. She turned and hugged him on her way out and didn’t flinch when a couple tentacles clung to her, too. 

They’re not going to feed us enough, Venom said after she was gone. 

“Yeah, we’ll have to pre-game.”

Eddie went back to his lazy spot on the couch and Venom went back to tidying up. This time, when Eddie’s hand inevitably found its way into his boxers, Venom took notice right away and teased a small tendril out of his thigh to join in on the fun. 

ALEXA, PLAY “LET’S GET IT ON” BY MARVIN GAYE.

“You broke the Alexa yesterday, babe.”

Right, I’ll just have to sing it myself.

Eddie closed his eyes and leaned his head back, stroking himself slowly. “Please don’t.”

Venom rumbled a complaint through Eddie’s entire body, but then it snaked two tentacles over his shoulders and down his chest and pulled his boxers off completely. Two more tentacles pushed out of Eddie’s back and hammocked him in, folding underneath him and then turning up toward the ceiling to grip the holes.

When they started having sex, it wasn’t really so much of a monumental decision as it was Venom participating in literally every single other aspect of Eddie’s life that it just didn’t make sense for it not to be involved in the most fun bit. After Venom had been with Eddie for a week or so, Eddie couldn’t avoid his sex drive anymore and tried to quietly jerk off. Venom, having already stuck its tentacles into everything else Eddie did, simply wrapped a limb around Eddie’s hand and helped him out. And Eddie, stupid and horny, had immediately asked the alien to fuck him with its tongue. 

So, here they were.

With Eddie suspended, Venom moved its head under him and licked its way around his rim. There was still only one small tendril helping his hand pump his cock, but they had plenty of time to—

“Eddie, I forgot my—oh my god, oh my fucking god, oh my fucking—”

Eddie dropped back down on the couch, biomass encasing his nakedness in a safe little cocoon, but Anne had already rushed out the door and slammed it shut. 

He sighed. “I guess she doesn’t have to use her imagination.”

[justreadingfics]

It’s a Deal (Chapter 4)

Chapter Summary: You have a challenge for Bucky.  

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Words: 5.1k

Warnings:+18 only, smut, masturbation, boytoy!Bucky, casual sex, open relationship, unrealistic sexual performance, the tiniest bit of angst related to past relationships.

A/N: Next chapters we’ll move forward with the plot and it will be less smut centric, maybe… I can’t promise anything, actually, lol.  I dedicate this chapter to @suz-123​, who’s a Rockstar and to @tilltheendwilliwrite​ who once wrote chapter 10 of Canadian Girl (if you haven’t read it, yet, I don’t know what you’re doing with your life) and this chapter is heavily inspired on a certain aspect of it, with a small twist. The link to my masterlist, where you can find the other chapters, is on my description. Feedback is highly appreciated. Tag list for this story is closed.

The sight meeting your gaze as soon as you step out of your bathroom is one to behold. There is the man himself, laying sprawled and careless across your bed, unashamedly naked while nonchalantly scrolling through his phone, like he hasn’t just now done unspeakable things to you right there.

You take in a contented sigh. How lucky are you to have found a fuck buddy like Bucky? Incredibly hot and handsome, with all those uncountable muscles on his whole body and the most gorgeous face you’ve ever seen. He’s breathtaking to look at and to feel in each sensitive part of your body.

But it’s not just that, that you’re lucky for. His damn personality… So uncomplicated, laid back, straightforwardly honest and, even in all his blatant whoriness, more considerate towards women than any man you’ve ever known, Eddie included. You know about his tragic backstory and you can only wonder the path he had to take to get where he is now.

Apart from the amazing fuck, it’s been so fun to get to spend time with him and get to know the way he thinks, his life philosophy. You’ve found out that relationships don’t have to be complicated, that you don’t need to love or date someone to have a nice time together and that fun and respect can walk hand in hand. Also, something you didn’t know about yourself: that you can be fun and laid back, too.

You can tell Bucky enjoys spending time with you as much as you do with him, you know he’s not faking. The only reason he would have to fake in that situation would be to get you in his bed and he wouldn’t have to, since you got into that deal just exactly for that. Also, he’s too transparent, he has been from the beginning. And with him, you’ve become a fun person in these last few days… or maybe that’s who you were all along and just didn’t know.  

“Enjoying the view, sweetheart?”

In your gawking, you haven’t noticed his cell phone now laying forgotten on the mattress beside him as he tilts his body to the side, facing you, and supports his head on his hand, with that signature smirk of his, completely unbothered by how exposed he is.

In fact, so are you, as you smile and walk back to your bed in all your nakedness, “And what a damn view,” you cheekily say, laying in front of him and mimicking his position. You can’t help but reach over and trace your fingers over the hard muscles of his flesh arm and ripped chest, “I’ve never seen so many muscles gathered in only one person,” you add, completely serious with your admiration.

He chuckles, “Well, that thing they injected in me helped a lot.”  

You don’t have to ask who they are. Every once in a while he mentions his past but it’s always quick and with no sign of heaviness. It does feel like you’ve met him in a new and brighter stage of his life. Your eyes, which have been following the path traced by your fingers, drop to his lower body. Like it usually happens right after you had sex or between the sexy sessions, he’s not as hard as you know he can get, but he’s definitely not completely soft. You’ve been nurturing that curiosity for a while and now you see the opening to bring it up.

“You know, I’ve been wondering,” you start, a little timid and avoiding his eyes, “Did the serum help with… ahm, other things, too?” You glance at him before letting your eyes drop to that particular part of his body, hoping you’ve made yourself clear.

“What do you mean?”

When you look back at him the confusion on his face is poorly feigned and you know he’s messing with you.

“You just want me to say it, don’t you?” You squint your eyes, pulling back your wandering hands from his beefy body, and when he only keeps the faked expression on his face and shrugs, you decide to play along and blurt out, punctuating each word, “Your cock, your fucking marvelous and precious huge cock, Bucky. That’s what I mean.”

You can’t help but grin widely as he lets out a belly laugh, his head falling backwards on the mattress before he comes back to the position on his side facing you with a satisfied and teasing smile on him.

“I’ll tell you what, it didn’t mess up with the size, sweetheart. That’s all good old human biology there, no evil super juice needed.” He bites his lower lip and winks, making you roll your eyes playfully, “But, like you know, I’m always honest and I’m not gonna  lie to you. It did pump me up with the…” he pouts and squeezes his eyes, as if looking for the right word, “Performance,” he adds, satisfied with his choice.    

“How so?” You cock an eyebrow, very interested in the information.  

“It basically raised my levels of stamina way higher. I’m always ready to go,” he says like it’s no big deal, “As long as I have motivation, of course. Like such a pretty dame like you,”  He gestures towards your naked body with a reverence and winks, prompting a heat to rush up to your cheeks at the old fashioned but still efficient term, which sounds surprisingly sexy coming out of his lips as he says it so naturally while you both lay stark-naked next to each other.  

“Oh…” it slips out of your lips before your forehead creases, “Hold on…You’re telling me that as long as I… ahm… motivate you, or something, you can keep it up, no matter how many times?”

That teasing smugness etches on his face again as he tightens and twists his lips, “Pretty much, yeah,” he answers, bringing a hand to stroke the curve of your hips. 

“Huh,” you let out in a puffed breath as you come to your conclusion, “You’re practically a human dildo.” Your eyes widen as soon as you realize what you just said, “Sorry,” you cringe.

“No offense taken at all,” he chuckles, the corner of his eyes crinkling in that way you find adorably sexy, “I’m actually flattered…”  he adds before boring a suspicious gaze into you yours, “I see something glimmering in your eyes, though.”

You bite your lower lip. The mere thought and the teasing hand on your body are enough to rouse your senses and make your entire skin prickle, “Just an idea that crossed my mind,” you answer, voice a little trembling with equal parts of horniness and nervousness in presenting said idea.   

“Ooooo… this sounds exciting. Tell me,” he encourages, putting a bit more pressure on where his hand touches your skin and dragging his body closer to yours.  

“Well…” Your gaze comes across his mouth now that is so closed to yours as you bring your eyes down to follow your fingers dancing over his chest again, brushing over the little whiskers of hair there, “Since we know you can keep it up… ahm…indefinitely,” Your fingers skim lower and lower and his breath hovers yours as a humming sound for you to continue not only touching but talking slips out of his lungs, “It would be interesting to find out how much I can take it, don’t you think?” You lift innocent eyes to his from under your eyelashes.  

A groan rumbles from his chest as his fingers dig into the skin of your hips, with the certainty of leaving marks, “Let me see if I got it straight… You wanna find out how many times you can orgasm in one night?” Like usual, he speaks more directly than you, the lust dark in his gaze.  

“I’m pretty curious… aren’t you?” Your hand wanders down the muscles of his body and follows the path of little hairs, which gets thicker and thicker till you reach his now fully rigid cock.

He brushes his parted lips over yours and lets out a deep exhale as you wrap your fingers around his dick. He’s hard as a rock and twitches in your hand, you’re still amazed that it has reached that point again just by the teasing exchange and little touches.

“Oh yeah, you’re very, very curious, too, I see,” you tease him again, slowly pumping him with your fist.  

“That I am… that I am,” he whispers, his hot and heavy breath hovering yours as his hips ever so lightly starts rocking against your hand. “But, tell me,” he asks putting on some seriousness on his voice, “Would this very obliging sex toy over here be allowed to use not only my fucking marvelous and precious huge cock,” he repeats your words using the same tone as yours, “But also other equally skilled parts of my body, like tongue,” he darts his tongue to lightly lick your upper lip, but quickly retrieves it back to continue speaking, tickling your skin with the tip of his fingers as he drags them from your hips towards your lower belly, “Fingers-”

You suck in a whine, already too turned on to prolong the teasing, “Now it’s definitely not the time to start with rules- ah-” Apparently you aren’t the only one ready to get into the real action as he bats your hand away and swiftly shifts on the bed, rolling over you and between your legs.

When he reaches over the nightstand right next to you, where he already knows is your stash of condoms, you stop him with a hand on his forearm. He looks down at you questioningly as he hovers you supporting himself with his arms on the mattress.  

“You told me before you can’t get sick due the serum. It means you wouldn’t pass me anything, either, right?” You ask, somehow managing to regulate your breathing.

“Yeah, that’s right.” He nods.

“I’m on birth control since forever,” you add, heavily implying what you want from him. 

“Are you sure?” He checks, “I really don’t mind-“

“I wanna fucking feel it. All of it.” You reach between you two and wrap your hand around his bare cock.

“Fuck…” His eyes flutter shut at your touch before snapping open at you, filled with renewed hunger, “You’re in for a ride, sweetheart,” he breathes before grabbing your lips withs his.  

Number four – because he had already graced you with the first three, moments before -  happens right there when he pulls your legs up and bend them backwards till your knees straddle your face and takes you hard and raw, because neither of you can wait. Number five he flips you over and keeps you completely still under him, almost crushing you with his delicious weight, having his chest glued to your back as he shoves his hips into yours.

Six and seven happen in a row when he eats you out while you sit on the countertop of your kitchen, after a quick snack and water to regain your forces. Eight, he pounds into you from behind as you grab with sheer force the edges of said countertop…

You have no idea how many hours pass. It happens on your bed, in the kitchen, balcony, table, chairs. In the living room, sofa, carpet, floor, over your desk in your small office… The filthy smells filling up the air of your home along with naughty fluids left on your way. You don’t even dare to think about the cleaning you’ll have to do the next day. Your mind is completely blanked by the constancy of pleasure and sensitivity your body has been sunk into. His cock, lips, tongue, fingers, thigh, hot skin… all of him devoted to you, to your desire, as his body merges into yours turning you into a blur of bliss.

When you become just a sack of numb limbs and dizziness, he scoops you up from the living room carpet and rests you on your bed, bringing you water right before laying behind you, forming a breathless spoon on the mattress. He might be thinking you’re finally done, but if that’s the case, he’s miscalculating the effect the heat of his body against yours has on you. So, after you roll your hips against his cock – which hardens almost immediately- he lifts your leg and eases himself inside your poor, but still somehow ready and eager, cunt. Knowing how overstimulated you are, he reaches over you and just ever so lightly brushes a finger over your clit. That’s how you reach the 24th orgasm of the night and, at last, throw the towel.

“That was… something,” you say when you’re in the shower with him after a deserved, but quick nap, still in your sticky and fervent skins. When you announced you needed a shower, he joined you promptly, “I thought I would reach 15, 16 at most. I’m pretty impressed with you.”

He clicks his tongue, while pouring some of your shampoo on his hand, “Nah… you’re just underestimating you, sweetheart.” He puts the shampoo on his hair and brushes the locks with his fingers, “I, on the other hand, know exactly what kind of insatiable minx you are,” he says right before sinking his head under the shower to rinse his hair. 

Under the water he doesn’t see your jaw dropping and your outraged gasp, but he certainly feels the little shove on his chest to express your protests, because he takes his head out of the water and brushes the water out of his face with his hand, “What?”

“Fucking rude,” you answer, already laughing quietly, while using the sponge to leather your body.   

“Ok, I could’ve used better words, but I didn’t mean it like that,” he says, “But I get it. It’s been almost 80 years and somethings haven’t changed that much.” He twists his lips, reaching over  for the hair conditioning, “I know women grow up listening to this fucking culture who teach men and women that enjoying sex is a guy thing… and when a woman shows the opposite she’s judged, which is stupid. The issue is pure fucked up sociology rather than biology. A man needs a damn super serum to reach that many orgasms in one night while all women need is their own body and will. It’s lame what society can do when it comes to repressing women.” He shrugs.  

Once again your jaw drops, but for an entirely different reason, and for a while you just watch him, dumbfounded, while he hums a tune, applying conditioner on his long locks and dives his head on the running water again, like he hasn’t just now slapped your face with a damn feminist discourse about female sexuality, “That’s… true…” You have no choice but to agree.

“Of course it is…” he smirks proudly, before squinting his eyes at you while you wash out the soap of your body, “And you know what? I bet you have one more there waiting for me,” he lifts his chin, like he’s challenging you, as water drips from his face and hair.  

Your eyes widen for a second at the implications of said challenge, “I can’t.” You’re quick to shake your head. You have no idea how you’re managing to stand there, since every little muscle of your body is sore.

“Actually, I bet you have one more there waiting for you… Wanna see?” He cocks an eyebrow.

“Shit, Bucky, I don’t think I can handle you one more time,” you reply, honestly. As tempting as the idea sounds, you can’t even think about taking him again.

“Don’t worry… I won’t be doing anything.” His voice lowers a tone, as he walks you back towards the shower seat Eddie was so adamant in adding to the bathroom.

Looking down, you’re not surprised at all to see his cock already hardening and you would be lying to yourself if you don’t feel a little tingle in your belly.  As soon as you’re seated, he props his metal arm on the wall above your head and wraps his flesh hand on his cock, which is inches from you, bumping it a few times till it’s quickly fully hard.

“Tonight was an interesting experience for me, too,” his voice, laced with silk and mischief, props your gaze to lift to his. As he stares down at you and his hand jerks on his cock, locks of wet hair fall on his face and droplets run down his naked body.

It’s only instinct when your tongue darts out to lick your lips. You can’t believe you’re already getting turned on after everything you’ve already done, “Yeah, how so?” You encourage him in whatever treat he has planned for you.

“Hmmm,” his eyes flutter shut for a second as he swipes his thumb over the rosy tip, keeping a slow pace on himself, “Getting to know your body even more… the little places I touch and your whole body trembles, yeah… open up for me, that’s it, that damn pussy of yours,” he coos when you prop one heel over the bench beside you, letting the other on the floor and allowing your fingers to dance over your breasts and skim down your wet body.

“What else…ha,” you gasp when your exploring fingers reach your clit. It’s still sensitive from the previous actions, but it doesn’t reject your touch as the water from the shower mixes up with your natural wetness. It’s not hard to feel your arousal rising again in your body, not when you have that obscene sight of him touching himself inches from you and that dirty mouth saying all the things he likes about having sex with you. Your body responds to the sensuous scenario instantly.   

“I lose my mind at how that pussy squeezes my cock when I talk dirty to you…  These fucking tits of yours,” he groans and you can see his cock twitching.

Your hand on yourself speeds up in rhythm with his, but it remains a light touch on your clit, the kind of touch your body is asking for right now, but it feels good, so damn good, like a feather tickling the sensitive nub. Your eyes are stuck on his as much as his is stuck on yours. You feel like the sexiest woman alive under his gaze and fuck if you’re not gonna reach your 25th orgasm of the night soon. 

“I wanna have my cock between them one day, would you do that for me, beautiful, fuck my cock with your perfect tits?” He continues his verbal fucking, biting his lip till the blood rushes out of his skin, “Fucking you is an experience I can’t seem to get enough, sweetie, what about you, huh? Tell me what you like about fucking me.”

So many things… “I-I like your fucking big cock,” you say before letting out a small laugh, “Obviously,” you wiggle your eyebrows making him laugh briefly with you, before you look down at where he’s jerking himself. You have no idea how you’re managing to talk like that, you’ve never been that verbal when it comes to sex, but with him… it’s different. “It’s so damn thick…” You lick your lips, breathing hard as the feather touch in your clit sparks laces of pleasure inside you. Looking up at him, you see him clenching his teeth, hooded eyes still on you, “I like when you’re rough to me, when  you throw me around like I weigh nothing, you’re so fucking strong, ah.” Your head falls back as you’re almost there… “I like that you know exactly what gives me pleasure, even before I know it myself…”

“Fuck, you’re damn sexy…” he breathes out and you can tell he’s holding himself back, probably waiting for you to finish before he does, “What about that ass of mine, huh?” The playfulness comes back to his voice between harsh panting.

You chuckle, “I fucking love grabbing it while you’re pounding your dick inside me and… oh, God… that fucking filthy mouth… Especially when it’s all over me.” Your toes curl as the pressure inside your core tightens, driving yourself closer and closer to the edge, the words come out of your lips like they have a mind of their own, connected solely to your desire, “I love how you love eating me out, oh, goddamn, fuck…” Your eyes shut and your body shakes as you close your legs around your hand, reaching an orgasm for 25th time that night, this time by your own hand. And is just as good and powerful as the others he has given you.

“Shit,” his voice falters and as you still struggle to breathe you look up at him, “Can I come on those tits, sweetheart?” He nods towards your body, his voice coming out tight from between his teeth.

“Fuck yeah,” You nod, arching your back and exposing your breasts even more to him.  

“Holy shit,” he moans as, after a few more expert bumps, he spills his climax all over your chest, “Fuck,” he keeps his metal hand on the wall as he stares down apparently in a spell, admiring his handiwork, before grabbing your arm and making you stand, pulling you to him and grabbing your breathless lips in a kiss.  

Your chest is tight against his and the thought of the mess between you two makes you moan through his kiss. He’s the one who pulls back with that signature smugness all over his face.

Your eyes roll playfully, “Yeah, I know… You told me so…”

~~~

After you finish the shower for real this time, you’re drying yourself with a towel while Bucky, already with his black boxes on, uses one of your combs to work on his hair in front of the mirror in your bathroom. He huffs in frustration as the long locks don’t seem to stay in the style he’s looking for.

The sound of your quiet laugh makes him glance towards you. He smiles tightly and shrugs, a whole new sheepish expression on his face, “I’ve been meaning to cut it, but… I don’t know… other stuff keeps getting in the way,” he shrugs again, turning back to the mirror.

“I like it that way, it suits you pretty well, but if you’d liked I could cut it for you?” you offer, lacing your towel with a knot around your body.

“Really?” He tilts his head while something like amused skepticism etches on his face.

“Yeah, sure, I have all the tools here now if that’s something you want.”

He looks at himself in the mirror, taking a good look at his locks before turning back to you, “Let’s do this.”

Next thing you know you have Bucky still only in his boxes sitting on a chair he carried to your bathroom while you’re on an old t-shirt, displaying the set of shears, combs and trimmer over the countertop.

Wrapping a towel around his shoulders, you look at his reflection on the mirror, “So, are we just cutting the ends or are you going overboard here?”

“Overboard,” he answers right away and you smile at the trust he lays on you, “But leave something to grab. You all seem to love that.” The corner of his lips twists.

You laugh, reaching for the shear, “We all love it indeed,” you agree and run your hands over his locks, analyzing what you’re dealing with, “Trust me, I know exactly what to do.” You wink at him through the mirror and get on to work.

“Haircuts, huh?” he asks as the little strands of hair fall over the towel and the floor, “Quite an arsenal you have here.” He nods at your tools in front of him.

“Yeah,” you don’t move the focus from your working hands to answer, “I used to cut Eddie’s. We’ve been on a low budget for years so we could buy this place.” You give him a brief tight-lip glance.

“Very nice place, by the way.”

“It is, isn’t it?” You beam at him before focusing back on his hair, “But it’s a bit strange, actually. When we found it and moved in, I thought I would spend the rest of my life here with him… And now…” you sigh.

“Now we’re ruining your furniture,” he beams when you look at him.

You can’t help chuckle and agree, “Pretty much, yeah.”

“Are you keeping it?”

Your lips tightens as you look down at your working hands… You haven’t really thought of it straight and you’re sure that not thinking about it means you still had some hope to resume your life from where it had stopped when Eddie broke up with you. But, now that you’re talking about it, the answer feels right when it rolls off your tongue, “I want to. I love this place…with my promotion and the money that comes with it, I think I could make it happen, but… I still need to work things out with Eddie, though.”

“You haven’t talked to him yet.” Bucky affirms rather than ask. All along, even when you’re not looking at him at times, you can feel Bucky’s gaze not leaving your reflection in the mirror as his hair goes through a transformation by your hands.

 “No.” You shake your head and decide to share with him an idea that has been wandering in your mind lately, “Stark mentioned a party to celebrate my promotion-“

“Of course…” He adds.

“Yeah…” You laugh, before clearing your throat, “I was thinking about calling Eddie, letting him know I was promoted… I mean… we went to collage together and went through our careers together…” You look back at him through the mirror, “I think he’ll be happy to know from me and maybe even go to the party to celebrate. Also, we’ll be working a lot with each other again since he’s the leader of Shield’s team.”

“Were you still together when he got his promotion?” He asks, genuine interest in his voice.

You shake your head no, “It was right after he broke up with me.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what happened?”

“I don’t know, actually, “ you answer, going back on working with the shears, finding a bit funny how he’s been fucking you senseless and exploring every little inch of your body these last few days and still is careful in asking a personal question, “I noticed he was distant a few weeks before, but I brushed it off.” You shrug, “We’d been together for so long and we had our ups and downs… I just thought we were going through one of our downs. And then he woke up one day and said he didn’t want to be together anymore… Natasha thinks he has someone else,” you say, with a small and humorless laugh as you turn on the blow drier and positions it over his hair.

He tightens his lips through the reflection. Yeah… he thinks the same. 

You’re glad for the sound of the drier as silence settles between you two. It’s not awkward or anything like that… you’re just glad for the silence so you can evaluate how the possibility of Eddie having someone affects you. It’s fucked up to admit even to yourself, but it sucks. It’s not like you’re crying alone right now, but it’s different. There’s nothing romantic with Bucky and, honestly, you feel like shit picturing Eddie, your boyfriend of ten years, in a relationship with someone else.   

“Did he call you to let you know once he was promoted?” Bucky asks as soon as you turn off the drier.

“He didn’t. I sent him a text when I found out, he didn’t answer,” You bite your cheek, as your shoulders drop and you slowly comb his hair.

“It sucks, huh?” He twists his lips as you meet his eyes through the mirror. They’re full of kindness and understanding, and you’re glad he doesn’t make you feel more embarrassed than you naturally are in sharing that with him. 

“We had just split, though… now it’s been months… things should be a little less weird… and voi lá.” Thankfully for your embarrassment, you finish his hair right then, an opportunity to change the subject.

He takes his eyes from you to his reflection on the mirror and you bite your lip waiting for his reaction, since it feels like it’s the first time he’s paying attention to himself ever since you started cutting his hair. Like he asked, you went overboard and cut it a lot shorter than before, letting a fluffy quaff on the top. As much as you loved the long locks, you think he looks more handsome than ever, like a movie star.

“Oh, wow”, he lets out in a jovial voice, running his hand over his soft and shorter locks, “It’s awesome.”

“Really?” you smile, letting out a relief breath, “See?” You grab the fluffiness on top of his head and smirk, “Perfect to grab.”

He laughs, “I really like it, I don’t look homeless anymore. Thank you.” He nods.

“You’re welcome, but wait, there are still some final touches before we’re really finished.” You grab the trimmer, and turn it on to work on the outlines behind his neck.

“Alright, ma’am.” He promptly straightens up his posture as you go back to work, “So, is it important for you that he knows?”

He resumes from where you had stopped and doesn’t have to clarify who and what he’s talking about. “It’s important for me that he goes,” you admit with a sigh, turning off the trimmer and looking at him through the mirror. You run your hands once again through his soft and new hair, before grabbing a little brush, “It feels weird to not share this with him,” you mutter, using the tool to meticulously brush off the remains of hair on his neck and shoulders. 

“Ok, then you should call him, why not?” He shrugs, “It’s been ten years, you just don’t erase that.”

A small, but thankful, smile curls your lips. You could expect being scolded for admitting something like that. Not from Bucky, apparently. And his support is really significant at that moment, much more than any lecture one of your friends would give you about the troubles of calling an ex-boyfriend who broke up with you.

“But just so you know,” he continues, shutting his eyes for a second and letting out a long exhale, “It may be just me, but I don’t think a man who doesn’t like to eat pussy deserves any kind of consideration.”

You laugh, letting your head fall back, before shaking it in lighthearted disbelief.

Bucky smiles and, if the fact that he makes you laugh with his stupid jokes lights up a warm and mysterious sensation in his chest, he thinks nothing of it, concentrating only on the touch of your gentle fingers grazing the skin of his neck while you go back to cleaning the little hairs off him.

~~~

Next chapter (from Bucky’s pov) coming soon.