#dustin henderson you will always be famous

[scooprtroopr]

Dustin?

[sinclairstarz]

and if i said these were probably the best looks in the whole show. what then

[pinnedwords]

we are sleeping on henclair

[jcforsapphics]

I had this stranger things au I've been writing ever since season 3 first came out and like it's more than an au at this point it's basically my canon like I had a conversation with someone about stranger things and completely forgot the events im my fics didn't actually happened and that my ocs aren't real characters and the poor guy had no idea what I was talking about

[sidekick-hero]

I'm in the corner, watching you kiss her

Written for @steddieangstyaugust day 3, prompt “The sunset looks lovely, don’t you think?”

tags: future fic, pining, not actually unrequited love, angst with a happy ending, Eddie Munson needs a hug

words: 2.5k | AO3 | rated: teen

Eddie had sworn to himself that he was done being a coward. He didn’t run from the demo-bats, and he wouldn’t run away ever again.

That’s why he decided to call Paige once he got out of the hospital in 1986. Years had passed since things ended rather abruptly and dramatically between them. He had left her hanging, even though there hadn’t been much he could have done about it, what with his dad dragging him into his shitshow of a criminal life. She still had paid his bail when he was arrested because of his dad’s scheming, even though he couldn’t join her in LA to audition for her boss, a famous music producer.

He never properly thanked her, never really talked things through. The pain, the bitterness, the shame were too big, too oppressive.

They cleared the air between them, and Eddie decided to use his hush money to pay Paige back and make the trip to LA, a few years later than planned.

Rekindling their old flame seemed like the logical thing to do, especially when Eddie managed to score another audition. While his music career took off, their relationship did not. Too much had happened, and they both changed over the last three years.

But they remained friends. Still are, in fact. She was one of the first people he came out to as bisexual. While his friendship with Robin and Steve had grown substantially since their shared adventures—nightmares, more like—Paige didn’t have a clear picture of who Eddie was supposed to be. The risk seemed smaller somehow.

Now, ten years later, he’s out and proud, thanks to men like Freddy Mercury and David Bowie, who made being a bisexual man in the music world somewhat acceptable. It still isn’t easy, but he’s happy.

Well, mostly happy.

Even though he’s a successful rockstar now, he still makes time to see the kids, who are all over the country. Dustin is in Boston with Nancy, Jonathan, and Will. Lucas and Max are back in California, so he sees them the most—he even officiated their wedding. Mike and El are still in Indiana, close to Hopper and Joyce in Hawkins.

He also visits his uncle Wayne, of course. And when he makes the trip West, he always stops by Chicago to spend time with Robin and Steve. They come to his shows whenever they can, sometimes making a vacation out of it, like when he played in New York.

They’re all still close, even if they don’t see each other as often as they’d like. So Eddie’s unfortunate crush on Steve Harrington never had a chance to fully go away. Every time Steve walks towards him with a blinding smile and wraps him in a tight, too-short hug, the butterflies in his stomach wake from their winter sleep.

There had been a few times over the years when Eddie thought that maybe, just maybe, Steve felt the same way. Like the morning of Joyce and Hopper’s wedding in 1989. They had bought a house together that was almost, but not quite, big enough to house everyone, so Steve and Eddie had shared a bed. Eddie had woken up in Steve’s arms, his chest pressed against Eddie’s back and a noticeably hard length against his ass. Steve’s face had been in his neck, hot puffs of air brushing against Eddie’s skin with each breath.

It had been the sweetest torture. Eddie convinced himself it was just a natural reaction to another body in bed with him, but when Steve woke up, he didn’t scramble away or push Eddie off. Instead, he stroked Eddie’s bare arm and murmured, “Morning,” in his ear. Then, he’d shifted back a bit so Eddie could turn around, searching his gaze. The air between them crackled with electricity, a tension so thick Eddie could barely swallow.

“Eddie,” Steve had begun, just as a pounding on the door startled them both. They jumped apart quickly before Henderson barged into the room, urging them to hurry up and get dressed because everyone was waiting for them.

Another time, in 1991, Steve had visited Eddie in LA without Robin, whose girlfriend had invited her to meet her parents. They spent a whole week together, swimming in the ocean, walking along the beach, and going to a few clubs where they danced with each other in ways you never could in Hawkins. At the end of that week, Steve held him for a long, long time, seemingly unwilling to let Eddie go when they said goodbye at the airport. They had to call his name over the speaker system to make him let go of Eddie.

The last time Eddie wondered if Steve could ever feel the same for him had been almost two years ago. Steve had called him while Eddie was in Europe. When Eddie answered, he’d just come back from the aftershow party of his concert in Berlin.

“Guten Tag,” he had jokingly greeted Steve, expecting at least a low chuckle, but Steve sounded… off.

“Eds, hi. Sorry that I’m bothering you so late—”

“You could never bother me, Stevie,” Eddie reassured him immediately because he was pretty sure there wasn’t any time Steve couldn’t call and Eddie wouldn’t want to speak to him.

“Okay.” Steve still sounded off, causing worry to creep up on Eddie.

“What is it? Did something happen? Are you okay? Is Robin?” Eddie bombarded him with questions, suddenly sure something horrible must have happened.

“No, nothing happened. We’re all fine. Sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you. It’s just… I’m calling because I met someone. A woman,” he clarified, as if it could have been anything else. The golden boy of Hawkins wouldn’t call because of a man, now would he? “It’s getting pretty serious. I’m thinking about moving in with her.”

“Oh wow, I didn’t know you were seeing someone. That’s… that’s great, Stevie. I’m happy for you.”

“You are?”

“Yes, of course! Why wouldn’t I be? That’s what you always wanted, right? Someone to marry, to have your six lil’ nuggets with. Aren’t you happy?”

Steve hesitated for a long moment, and Eddie had just started to wonder if they got disconnected when he finally answered. “I guess.”

“You… guess? That doesn’t sound very enthusiastic.”

There was something Eddie wasn’t getting, he was sure of it.

“Do you ever feel like you’re looking at everything you’ve done, everything you worked toward, everything you thought you wanted to be, and wonder if that’s really you or just something that was expected of you, so you made it your whole personality?”

Eddie didn’t know what to say to that, didn’t know what Steve needed to hear. He could be selfish and tell Steve that maybe he didn’t have to be the poster boy anymore, that he didn’t need to marry a woman and have a hoard of Harringtons with her to have a family who loves him unconditionally. But he would only be saying that to cling to the unobtainable dream of Steve and him for a bit longer, and maybe it was time Eddie faced reality.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to be supportive. “Steve, if she makes you happy, then you should go for it. You deserve to have someone who makes you feel loved. You’ve been through enough to not take a shot at happiness, right? If it’s what you really want, don’t let doubts get in the way.”

“So you think I should go for it?” Steve asked, and Eddie couldn’t place the tone of his voice.

“Yes, I think you should. You deserve your fairy tale ending, Stevie. The knight in shining armor should get the pretty princess, right?”

Steve sighed, and Eddie had no idea why he sounded so forlorn. “Right. Thank you, Eddie. See you at Friendsgiving at Joyce’s?”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Eddie replied, meaning it. But when they hung up, he still felt like he had said the wrong thing.

At their yearly get-together on Thanksgiving, Eddie met Laura for the first time. He liked her instantly, even though she got to have what he wanted so badly. She was beautiful, smart, and had a dry sense of humor he could appreciate. And she was clearly head over heels for Steve, something Eddie could relate to.

The Eddie before March ‘86 would have begrudged her happiness with the man he was in love with. He would have been petty, maybe even cruel. He also would have run away, avoiding Steve with weak excuses. Eddie did none of these things because he had grown up and learned that some things were more important than a bruised heart.

The happiness of someone he loved, for example.

So when Steve asked him to be one of the groomsmen at his wedding, Eddie said yes.

He was done running.

On the morning of the wedding, which was supposed to be in Hawkins, because they wanted to celebrate at Joyce and Hopper’s place with the whole ‘family,’ Eddie got dressed in his fancy tuxedo with a red bow tie and even tamed his wild curls into an artful man-bun.

Eddie Munson would go through with this, no matter how much he didn’t want to.

He would not run away.

When he climbed into his rental car and started to drive towards the church in town, he was convinced that he could do this. Watch the man he was in love with marry someone else. He wouldn’t be the first person in history and certainly not the last to do it.

For Steve, he would even face the Upside Down again. What was a wedding in comparison?

It was only when he puts his car into park at the side of the path leading up to the Quarry that Eddie has to admit to himself that maybe he wasn’t done running away just yet.

Sitting on the edge of the Quarry, he lets his thoughts wander, replaying the last ten years. How many times had Steve and he sat here with a cool beer and a warm blanket, gazing at the stars and sharing everything, from comfortable silences to deep secrets? He wants Steve to be happy, but he finds that he can’t be there to witness him being happy with someone else. Eddie swears to himself as he watches the sun wander across the horizon that he’ll make it up to Steve somehow. He can’t lose Steve, he just can’t.

Eddie hopes that Steve will forgive him one day for missing one of the most important days in his life.

The day goes by quickly, the thoughts in his head running in circles enough to distract him from the passage of time or basic human needs like thirst or hunger.

“The sunset looks lovely, don’t you think?”

The voice startles him badly, almost making him lose his balance and tumble down into certain death. What a poetic way to go, if not for the strong arms steadying him.

“Easy there. Don’t have to fling yourself off a cliff just to get away from me,” Steve jokes, but it sounds strained.

“Steve,” Eddie breathes out, wonder, guilt, and shame warring inside him. Even more so when he realizes that Steve’s still in his tuxedo, looking breathtakingly handsome. “Oh God, I am so sorry, Stevie. I—”

But there are no words to explain to Steve why he couldn’t be there for his best friend’s wedding. At least none that wouldn’t be “I couldn’t watch you marry someone else.” He can’t put this weight on Steve’s shoulders. And selfishly, Eddie doesn’t think he could handle Steve looking at him differently. He wouldn’t hate Eddie for it, but he would feel bad for him, trying not to make it any harder on him. They would see each other less and less, a new distance building between them until one day, Eddie was just a guy in some old pictures and memories.

“I didn’t marry her,” Steve says into the ensuing silence, and Eddie thinks he must have heard him wrong.

Eddie's breath catches in his throat, and he turns to face Steve fully, searching his face for any sign that this is a joke or a misunderstanding. But Steve’s expression is serious, his eyes reflecting a mixture of relief and something else Eddie can’t quite place.

“What do you mean, you didn’t marry her?” Eddie asks, his voice barely more than a whisper.

Steve sighs and sits down next to Eddie, their shoulders almost touching. “I couldn’t go through with it, Eddie. I realized that I was trying to force myself into a life that wasn’t mine. I was trying to be someone I thought I should be, instead of who I really am.”

Eddie’s heart pounds in his chest, a wild mix of hope and fear. “What are you saying, Steve?”

Steve turns to look at him, eyes filled with a vulnerability Eddie rarely sees. “I’m saying that I’ve been lying to myself. And to you. I’ve spent so long trying to fit into this mold that I forgot what it was like to be truly happy. I thought marrying Laura was what I wanted, but when it came down to it, I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

Eddie’s mind races, struggling to keep up with what Steve is saying. “Me? What about me?”

Steve takes a deep breath, as if gathering his courage. “Eddie, you’ve been a constant in my life for the last ten years. The one person except for Robin I can truly be myself around. You make me feel alive in ways no one else does. I think… No, I know that I have feelings for you. I’ve been too scared to admit it, even to myself, but I can’t keep running from it anymore.”

Eddie feels like the ground is shifting beneath him. He’s spent so long hiding his own feelings, convincing himself that they were one-sided. “Steve, I—”

But Steve cuts him off, placing a hand gently on Eddie’s cheek. “You don’t have to say anything right now. I just needed you to know. I couldn’t go through with marrying Laura because it wouldn’t have been fair to her. Or to me.”

Eddie leans into Steve’s touch, his heart pounding in his chest. “I’ve been in love with you for so long, Stevie. I didn’t think you could ever feel the same.”

Steve’s eyes soften, and he moves closer, their faces inches apart. “I’m sorry it took me so long to figure it out. But I’m here now, and I want to see where this can go. If you’ll have me.”

Eddie’s eyes fill with tears of relief and joy. “Of course, I’ll have you, Steve. I’ve always wanted you.”

Steve smiles, and it’s like the sun breaking through the clouds. He leans in, closing the distance between them, and their lips meet in a gentle, tentative kiss. It feels like coming home, and Eddie knows that he’ll do everything he can to never lose this feeling ever again.

[steddieasitgoes]

@steddiemas Day 21 Prompt: Home and/or Dinner

I honestly think this is my favorite one yet!

Tags: Pre-Relationship Steddie, Eddie Munson Has A Crush On Steve Harrington, Holiday Parties, Overstimulation (the bad kind, not the fun kind), Steve Harrington Is A Sweetheart

wc: 2215 | Rating: G

Read on ao3 | ao3 collection

The holidays were always a quiet affair at the Munsons.

A few gifts, wrapped in week-old copies of the Hawkins Post, placed under a modest tree from Merrill’s. Wayne’s famous (well, famous to Eddie) chocolate chip pancakes in the morning with a questionable amount of syrup and a reheated casserole from Ms. Jenkins down the street for dinner.

No church or family plans, just the two of them, a couple of beers (root beer in Eddie’s case until a few years ago), and whatever movie Eddie had insisted they watch before he turned the TV over to Wayne and the Christmas basketball game.

It was good. Great, even.

Eddie loved his holiday traditions with Wayne.

He did, but sometimes he’d catch sight of Ms. Jenkins welcoming her brood of kids and grandkids into her cluttered trailer or spot Gerald loading the passenger seat of his pickup with toys for his nieces and nephews and wonder what it would be like to have a big family to spend the holidays with.

Turns out, it’s loud.

So, very, loud.

The Hopper-Byers’ new house is bursting at the seams with guests. The entire We Survived The End of the World gang is here along with some guests — Wayne and Ms. Henderson. Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair stopped by for about an hour before excusing themselves to finish up holiday shopping (said in a hushed tone to not ruin Santa for Erica — as if she still believes, Eddie had thought). But mostly it was just the usual gang.

Eddie learned, in the form of Dustin’s “you’re being stupid” voice that it's become a tradition for them. Gathering a week before the holidays to pig out on food and dessert, play games, and exchange presents. Celebrate the year coming to an end and them making it.

As the apocalypse gang grew every year, the celebration got bigger and bigger until they were tripping over each other inside of the Byers house. That is, until this year when Joyce and Hopper got their shit together and finally moved into a decent-sized house on the outskirts of Hawkins. It’s no Loch Nora mini-mansion, but it works for them — even if it's still a tight fit when everyone is together.

Murray, Joyce, and Ms. Henderson are gathered in the kitchen — arguing over when to take the turkey out of the oven and the proper milk-to-cheese ratio in macaroni casseroles. A small radio sits in the corner, attempting to play Christmas music over the static. That’s the con about living farther out, Eddie supposes.

El and Max have claimed a fold-out table on the outskirts of the kitchen where they’ve been decorating cookies for hours, it seems. El’s simple and artistic, Max’s a chaotic mess of spilled-over frosting and candy sprinkles. (Eddie’s stolen one from each and thinks they’re both delicious much to their delight.)

The den’s been co-opted by Hopper and Wayne, and the TV volume turned all the way up (“We can hear just fine! It’s you kids that are making it hard,” Hopper gruffed when one of them pointed out the volume). They’re switching between basketball games while nursing beers and pretending not to hear the argument going down in the kitchen.

Jonathan and Argyle are hiding out in his room — smoking and trying to drown out the noise with whatever record he managed to pick up from the store he’s working at. Eddie thought about joining him, but the scowl he earned from Wheeler Jr. had him changing course.

The rest of them have taken refuge in the spacious basement. It’s too chaotic for Dungeons & Dragons so the boys and Erica have taken to playing an intense game of Monopoly. The threats he’s heard hurled at each other have been clever and downright terrifying. Way worse than anything they’ve uttered at his DM table. Those heathens.

For some reason, Steve’s taken on the role of the banker. Something about Dustin skimming from the top last time he held the role and played. Now, house rules say the banker has to be an NPC, and well, Steve fits the bill. Unfortunately, he seems to be struggling with the math of it all judging by the scoffs and annoyed eye rolls thrown his way. Eddie would go help, but he doesn’t think he’d be much help. Godspeed, Steve.

Nancy and Robin are there too, sprawled out on the couch and lost in their own little world. Occasionally Robin gets up to flip the record on the record player, but mostly they sit together, gossiping and talking about who knows what in hushed voices. Eddie might understand every little thing about dungeons and hobbits, but girl talk? That’s an alien language if he’s ever seen one.

As for him? Well, he’s hovering in the middle of it all. With Steve occupied, he’s taken on his babysitter role of sorts. Racing up and down the stairs to fetch whatever snacks the gremlins demand, rustling Max and El’s hair on the way in, and nodding at Hopper and Wayne on the way out. He narrowly escapes being sucked into being the official judge for the impromptu Murray vs Ms. Henderson pie off and almost makes it up to Jonathan and Argyle’s room before Dustin is bellowing for him.

It’s fun, mostly.

Getting to see everyone relaxed and having fun. A far cry from the last time they were all together like this back in March.

In some ways, it's what Eddie’s always dreamed it would be like. Being part of a big family, a cog in a never-ending machine of noise and organized chaos.

But it’s also becoming a lot.

Lucas is about to put a hotel on Boardwalk that has everyone shouting and throwing their own pieces at his head. Steve’s trying to keep them under control but it's a losing battle. One that pulls Robin and Nancy from their own little world to join the chaos.

And then there’s even more noise.

A crash from upstairs, the blaring voice of Joe Strummer coming from Jonathan’s room, more shouting, Wayne and Hoppers stopping, and giggles from Max and El.

Suddenly all Eddie can hear is noise.

It gets louder and louder and louder until finally, he’s certain his eardrums are going to explode.

Taking the stairs two at a time, he pushes through the chaos going on upstairs (dropped pies and frosting stains and shouting at TVs) and makes his way onto the wrap-around porch.

The crisp cold air is the first thing that hits him. Like an idiot, he ran out of the house without a coat or scarf or hell, even the warm hat Ms. Henderson knitted for him earlier in the month. He shivers, rubbing his hands up and down his bare arm as he tries to take deep breaths, watching as his warm breath twirls in the breeze.

As his body adjusts, so do his ears. He can still hear the chaos going on inside, but it's muffled now. Distant. He can hear himself think for the first time in hours and for once, it’s nice.

The snow is falling in slow but steady flakes, dusting the backyard in the white. Or, it should be white, but the hoard of Christmas lights decorating the house illuminates the backyard in reds and greens. It’s a real Christmas wonderland out there, now.

Reaching into the pocket of his jeans, he pulls out a pack of cigarettes and his trusty lighter. The first inhale of nicotine warms him from the inside out, sending the goosebumps packing as he focuses on his steady and slow inhale and exhales.

At some point he zones out, so focused on the snow falling and the repetitive nature of lifting the cigarette to and from his lips that he doesn’t hear the creak of the door or the heavy footsteps that follow until the intruder is standing shoulder to shoulder with him.

“Figured you might be needing this,” Steve says, hand outstretched with Eddie’s coat.

“Thanks, man.”

They swap, Eddie takes the coat from Steve and Steve takes the lit cigarette from Eddie, keeping it safe while he shimmies his way into the monstrosity that he calls his winter coat. When he’s finally situated in the plaid nightmare, he reaches a hand out ready to take his cigarette back only to find it perched between Steve’s lips.

Oh.

That’s different.

Sure, they’ve smoked together before. Bummed off cigarettes in the ally behind Family Video and in the parking lot of Palace Arcade waiting for the gremlins to be done. But they’ve never shared the same one. Never pressed their lips to the same filter. Felt the dampness of their mouths on their own lips.

“Sorry,” Steve says, lips turning up in a small smile as he removes the cigarette. “Couldn’t help myself.”

Eddie nods, unable to say much else as their fingertips brush when he takes it back. Is it weird if he puts it between his lips right now? Is he supposed to wait a minute? Let Steve’s taste linger for a moment. God, he’s being so weird right now. In the end, he brings the cigarette to his lips and takes the smallest inhale, nearly coughing as the smoke floods his lungs because he’s so distracted by the way the filter feels different now that it’s been in Steve’s mouth — as if that makes any sense.

“You okay? You sort of booked it out of the room.”

“Yeah,” Eddie sighs, before leaning against the banister of the porch. “Yeah, m’good. It just—“

“Got too loud?” Steve supplies, mirroring his position. “I get it. I remember my first holiday dinner. There were a lot less of us in ’83 but shit. It was still so loud.”

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m a pretty loud son of a bitch.” Eddie’s caught off guard by Steve’s snorting. Stealing a glance, he finds Steve lit up in reds and greens, a smile etched on his face so deep he can see the spot where smile lines are going to emerge in the next ten years, catching the way his eyes already wrinkle in the corners. Fuck, he’s beautiful. “But, uh, yeah, I don’t think I’ve ever been in a house that loud before. Not even when I’m fucking around with the Corroded Coffin boys.”

“Well, I doubt that. Your music is very loud.”

“Uh, yeah, ‘cause it's metal, Steve.”

“So I’ve been told,” Steve says, smiling that soft, private smile again.

If Eddie was braver, he’d close the distance between them and press his lips to his. But if this year has taught him anything, it’s that he’s not. Not really. So he lets a quiet fall between them instead. They continue to stand shoulder to shoulder, passing the dwindling cigarette between them despite the pack in Eddie’s pocket being brand new, and watch as the snow steadily starts to pick up.

“You know,” Steve says, then stops.

Eddie turns, watching the gears tick in Steve’s brain as he decides what to say next. It’s magical watching it all pass on his face — the knit of his brows, his pupils dilating and returning to their normal size, letting the hazel shine through. The way his lips open and close like some gasping fish.

“If it ever gets to be too much, you can tell us. Tell me. Hell, I know I need a break after a few hours with those shitheads. Maybe we could come up with a code word or something.”

“A codeword? That’s might nerdy of you, Steve.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Steve says, waving his hand through the air as he bites back a chuckle. “But yeah, a code word. It’d be easier to say than “hey it’s too loud and I can’t think” you know. Plus, it would annoy the shit out of Henderson.”

“Well, then. Count me in. You know I love annoying the shit out of that kid. Gotta keep that ego in check somehow.”

They spend the next few minutes going back and forth trying to decide on a word that could work. Steve wants something common — a fruit or a vegetable. Eddie disagrees, saying it has to be something uncommon so they don’t accidentally say it, but common enough that it doesn’t sound weird casually being dropped in conversation.

They wrack their brain, throwing out silly words left and right until there’s a crash from inside. Their heads swivel in tandem toward the source of the noise. A flurry of shadows passes on the other side of the window as Steve shakes his head and sighs.

“Come on,” he says, handing the cigarette back to Eddie. “If we’re not at the table the minute the food gets served, we won’t be eating. The gremlins know no manner.”

Eddie laughs, stubbing out the cigarette on the ashtray precariously balanced on the banister, “Teaching ‘em manners seems like a job for their babysitter.”

“Nah,” Steve snorts. “Maybe one for their Dungeon Master, though.”

Just as the words leave Steve’s lip, there’s a shout from inside followed by another crash.

“Think it might be a job for both of us, actually,” Eddie laughs. “Together?”

“We need all the help we can get,” Steve says. “Together it is.” 

[morganbritton132]

Dustin set up a continuous live-stream to his aquarium a while back because he likes to play it on his computer when he’s stressed out at work and doesn’t want an aquarium screensaver because he’ll catch where it loops. Once he does that, it’s all he’ll notice and it will drive him crazy.

Plus, he likes his fish. They’re curated.

For the most part, his aquarium is in his office and the microphone on it isn’t great so you don’t pick up a lot of sound. It’s a big hit with people. It’s a bigger hit if any of his fans know that he has quasi-famous friends over but very rarely do you end up seeing or hearing anything on the fish stream.

Unless you’re as close as Eddie currently is to the fish tank.

You can’t actually see Eddie, just his reflection in part of the glass from where he’s leaned in close to watch the fish. You can definitely hear him though.

Dustin must’ve said something that prompts him to reply with, “It’s actually kinda important that I have my phone so, I’m not doing that.”

There’s a short pause where Dustin must be talking because Eddie scoffs next, “I’m not always filming things for Tiktok.”

Another pause and then Eddie says more seriously, “Let’s be real, Henderson. Realistically, there very likely is going to be a day when Steve is not going to be able to remember anything and I know for a fact that the bad memories stick with you the longest. I don’t want all of his memories to be demogorgans, and bats, and Nancy Wheeler dumping him on Halloween. I want him to be able to see that we were happy and that he makes people happy.”

There’s a longer pause and then you hear a loud snort and Eddie says, “Dude, I’m not Fifty First Date-ing him!”

[bvtbxtch]

Welcome to Hawkins, Indiana. The sleepy city that can bring with you the sweetest dreams, or the most terrorizing nightmares.

WARNINGS: 18+ MDNI, Smut, Content might not be suitable for all readers (more updates coming)

If you would like to be notified of updates to this series, please add yourself to the taglist!

In collaboration with my love @darknesseddiem

"The quaint mundanity leaves Hawkins, Indiana a forgettable blip on the map. However, it casts a spell on you. Everyone in town has their jobs - go to work, take care of the kids, run their shops or prepare a new pot of coffee for the before-work rush. The neat and tidy form that lies in this sleepy city can make you fall in love, find yourself, or run into much more sinister happenings beneath the surface of the manicured lawns. It's your choice to figure out how to survive."

Jack O'Lantern Kiss - Carving pumpkins with bestfriend!Eddie leads to confessions you may or may not have always wanted to hear. Bestfriend!Eddie x Fem!Reader. Fluff, slight smut

Firestarter - Eddie has just told you he was bi, when the opportunity to explore appears at a bonfire at the Harrington house. Sub!Eddie x Dom!Reader x Switch!Steve. Smut

I Can Make You Scream - Your first collaboration with one of the most popular cam boys, Eddie, leaves you breathless and waiting for the next shoot with him. Camboy!Eddie x Camgirl!Reader. Smut

When It's Cold I'd Like to Die - The only way that Eddie feels he can get you out of the Upside Down safely is to sacrifice himself; but he forgot how stubborn you are. Boyfriend!Eddie x Fem! Reader. Angst, fluff

Paranoid - You watched Eddie make it out of the battle for Hawkins clinging to his life by a thread. Even though he has been acquitted for the crimes he was accused of, and life has gone back to normal, there is something not quite right with your boyfriend. Vecna'd!Eddie x Fem!Reader. Angst, fluff, slight smut

Dead by Daylight - You and Eddie have to stay together to survive your captors, a famous killing family situated on the outskirts of Indianapolis. Victim!Eddie x Victim!Reader. Angst, fluff

On the Line - Pumpkin Pie is back on the menu at Hank's Diner. What happens when the new waitress needs to stay with the Jaded line cook to prepare for fall festivities? Linecook!Eddie x Waitress!Reader. Fluff, smut

Let Me Love You - Eddie comes over to nurse you back to health after catching a cold. Bestfriend!Eddie x Sick!Reader. fluff

Jealous Guy - Steve Harrington is persistent with his advances towards you during the Hideout's Halloween party. Your co-bartender, Eddie, doesn't like the fact that you don't shoot him down right away. Bartender!Eddie x Bartender!Reader. Smut

Live From the Upside Down - There is a special Corroded Coffin show in Hawkins to celebrate Halloween. You've been a devoted fan since your brother, Dustin talked about Eddie and his band back in high school. Seeing the metalhead again stirs up feelings you forgot you had. Rockstar!Eddie x Henderson!Reader. Smut, fluff

Obsession - Eddie's obsession with you has been fun and games - late night drives, hookups and even a couple of dates. He has seemed to cross a line as of late... Ghostface!Eddie x Cheerleader!Reader. Smut

Children of the Corn - A group date in the new Hawkins corn maze sounded amazing to you: Hanging out with Steve, Robin, Nancy and Jonathan sounded like just your night, until your worst enemy is included in the plans. Eddie x Fem!Reader. Smut

Movie Marathon - Years after the Ghost face killer has ended his reign of terror on Hawkins, the local movie theatre has decided to put on a movie marathon of the movies inspired by the killer. You and Eddie decide to go and revel in his glory. Ghostface!Eddie x Fem! Reader. Smut

You Don't Scare Me - Eddie is used to scaring most of the people who walk through the Hawkins Haunted House in the old Starcourt mall. He's determined to make you scream after you walk through and show no signs of being scared by him. Scareactor!Eddie x Grumpy!Reader. Smut

Kiss Me Through the Phone - You nor Eddie could contain your excitement for your homecoming from college for thanksgiving... so much so that you needed a reminder of what you would be getting yourself into when you're back. A phone call would suffice, wouldn't it? Eddie x Fem!Reader. Fluff, Smut

Taglist: @eddies-acousticguitar @mmunson86 @sadbitchfangirl @hideoutside @anxiousobserver @tony-starks-ego @ohmeg

tagging some friends just for fun: @eddiemunsons-missingnipple @hellfiremunsonn @ali-r3n @andvys @eddie-munsons-mullet @changemunson

[arachpool]

Dustin was the first to figure out that Eddie and Steve were dating, and the funny part? They hadn’t even begun dating at that point.

Dustin had been close with the both of them long enough to understand how they acted around people they were attracted to; Eddie liked physical contact, always brushing shoulders or knees with the object of his affections. Steve, on the other hand, stared. He would stare and admire and smile and observe. Dustin saw both sides, and came to the assumption that they were together already.

He realized his assumption was wrong while helping Eddie set up for their DND session at Steve’s house (Dustin volunteered Steve; he had the biggest house, it was the easiest option).

Eddie and Dustin had snuck into Steve’s house at about 8 am, trying their bests to be quiet considering Steve appeared to be asleep. This all went down the drain when Eddie and Dustin began squabbling over something simple, both of them getting louder and louder, to the point they woke Steve up.

Steve came stumbling down his staircase, eyes squished shut to hide from the sun, white tee shirt riding up his chest as he scratched at his side and dark blue and white checkered boxers hugging his thighs, clearly a little tight for boxers. Eddie shut up within seconds, face turning shades of red as he stared at Steve with wide eyes. Dustin hid the half naked Steve from his vision.

“God, man, put some clothes on,” Dustin said, and Steve scoffed.

“You’re in my house, Henderson. Deal with it. Fuck, you two are early as shit. Did you pick up Dustin?” Dustin, after a second, realized that Eddie was being spoken to, and glanced at Eddie, who was still staring, seemingly completely oblivious to Steve’s question. Dustin kicked Eddie in the shin.

“Fuck! What?” Steve snorted a laugh, dragging his hand through undone hair, only distracting Eddie a little more.

“Did you pick up Dustin?”

“Yeah. The little shit left trash in my van again,” Eddie teased affectionately, ruffling Dustin’s hair and hat around a little. Dustin grinned slightly. Steve smiled, watching Eddie with admiration. Dustin, who was used to this pining by now, didn’t notice it much.

“Well. I guess I’ll get up now. Do you two want breakfast?”

“God, Harrington, you can’t cook-”

“Yes. Yes, please,” Eddie interrupted. Dustin gave him a look. Steve smiled gently and walked back up the stairs.

“God, can you two wait to be domestic until y’all actually live together?” Dustin grumbled, tugging the edge of a cloth to straighten it.

“I’m- what?” Eddie asked, brows furrowed in evident confusion. Dustin blinked.

“You and Steve. I’m pretty sure the entirety of Hellfire knows you two are dating by now.” Eddie flushed a bright red, shoulders tightening up.

“We aren’t dating!” he defended, voice pitching. Dustin snorted.

“Sure.”

“Seriously, Henderson. Not dating,” Eddie said, mumbling by the end of it. Dustin took that, turning to stare.

“You’re serious?” Eddie hummed and glanced at his watch, then glanced at the wall clock. “Dude. No way you two aren’t dating. He obviously likes you back.”

“Dustin, don’t meddle,” Eddie warned, and before Dustin could continue, Mike entered, an anxious Will entering behind him. Eddie grinned at the new member of the party, approaching instantly.

“Is this the famous Will the Wise I’ve heard so much about?” Eddie boasted, slightly pushing Mike. Mike huffed a laugh, and Will smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. Dustin saw Steve at the steps, and followed him into the kitchen.

“Harrington. Harrington. Steve!”

“Mm? Yeah?” Steve asked, turning as if his name hadn’t been repeated thrice now.

“Dude. You like Eddie.” Steve turned red.

“I do not.”

“You do too!”

“What makes you think that?” Steve asked, turning the stove on.

“Dude! You stare at him, incessantly. It’s kind of annoying at this point honestly, even I’m not that obsessed with Susie. You smile at him with that dork ass smile of yours and you make those shitty jokes that have worked on no one in the history of never, and Eddie always laughs at them, not because you’re particularly funny, but because he thinks you’re a fucking dork, because you are, and laughs because he definitely likes you too,” Dustin rambled. Steve blinked a bit, staring at Dustin.

“You think?”

“Dude, I know! Sure, sure, the guy’s kinda touchy with everyone, but not as much as he is with you. Good lord, he always sits next to you and he laughs at all your jokes and he calls you ‘princess’ all the time, Harrington are you dense?” Steve stared some more. Dustin blinked before rubbing his temples. “You’re hopeless dude. Absolutely hopeless.”

—

A week later, Dustin is pulled away from some code he was toying with by incessant knocking on his front door.

“Dusty can you get it?! Im making cookies and my hands are all greasy!”

“Of course, Mom!” Dustin called before making sure his code wouldn’t disappear and running downstairs to shut up the knocking. He yanked the door open, met with Eddie’s fist, which almost connected with his face before Eddie jumped.

“Henderson!”

“Munson!” Dustin returned with mock enthusiasm. “What are you doing pounding on my door at seven at night?? It’s dark out. Aren’t you working today-”

“Steve asked me out. Steve Harrington asked me out.”

“Yeah, Ed, Theres only one Steve that we both know and it’s Steve Harrington, oh my lord,” Dustin heaved before Eddie shook Dustin’s shoulders.

“He asked me out, Dustin!”

“Good! The world itself is exhausted with watching you two pine for each other.” Eddie’s face flattened.

“You need to bring the attitude down a few notches.”

“You need to bring your crush down a few notches.”

“Oh my god. Be happy for me.”

“I’m happy for me, you two are finally getting together.”

[erin-bo-berin]

By Your Side

L&D Nurse Steve Harrington x Pregnant!Reader

Warnings: Childbirth (In case that’s not your thing)

Part 2: Trust In Me

MASTERLIST

Big thank you to @keeryswiftie for talking through the medical aspects of this and helping me, quite literally birth the idea for this fic. You’re the best. ❤️

Steve Harrington had loved kids for as long as he could remember.

Apparently, it had started when he was a toddler. He had always seemed to be drawn to the younger siblings of friends—comforting them and entertaining them. He had no memory of this, but he did remember a fateful fall season when he met a group of rowdy preteens that ended up changing his life for the better.

After meeting Dustin Henderson, it was a natural progression of meeting his other friends after he was constantly put in the position of having to watch the younger kids. Only 18 at the time, he was supposed to be the responsible adult of the group. There was also an entire few years dealing with fighting monsters from another dimension, but that was a story for another time.

At the time, Steve had pretty much been an asshole. He was rebelling against parents who paid little attention to him and were hardly around—doing things that he’d hoped make them care—but probably in the worst of ways. It took him a long time to realize he deserved better than the way they treated him. A lot of that realization came from finding friends that loved him like family. Though he had no siblings of his own, the group of six kids filled that lonely space. Part of the time they felt like younger siblings, the other part they felt like his own kids. It was in those early years that he just knew he wanted to have a big family of his own one day.

In the meantime, Steve had done something he’d never thought he’d do—he’d applied to nursing school.

At the beginning of his education, he didn’t know what exactly he wanted to do, but he knew he wanted to work with kids.

That’s how he’d ended up here, in the Labor and Delivery wing at Hawkins hospital, back in his hometown.

His days—and sometimes nights—were filled with beeping monitors, baby cries and strong mothers. Even though childbirth had to be one of the hardest things in life, he couldn’t help but love his work. He was constantly in awe of the brand new little lives and how tough these women were, going through so much to bring their baby into the world.

Most of his work involved assisting OBGYN’s, keeping check on both mother and baby’s vitals, administering medicine and doing vaginal checks, but a lot of what he and the fellow nurses in the department did tended to fall on the emotional side of things. He’d found being calm, patient and attentive to the birthing mother helped things so much, especially in a crisis.

Apparently, he was so good at his job that he’d become somewhat famous with the mothers—which his coworkers liked to tease him about. Some had even requested him as a nurse after hearing about him from a friend’s or family member’s experience.

He couldn’t count the amount of times he’d received sweet notes and gifts of thanks from past patients, something that always made him smile. It flattered him to know that he’d made such an impression on them, enough that they’d think of him afterwards. After all, it was his mindset that the mother should have a positive birthing experience with as much support as possible—which extended past the husband or father and to the nursing staff as well, in his opinion.

They always said it takes a village to raise a child. In a way, it takes one to birth one as well. He always made sure that the mothers he aided would have as much support as they needed.

While it was nice to be appreciated, his favorite part of the job had to be the post birth tasks where he got to hold the baby. Obviously it included cleaning the baby, weighing it, swaddling it and other things, but he was always mesmerized by the tiny life in his arms, one he’d watched coming into the world. He’d been at this job for two years now and it had yet to get old.

Usually, it was the babies that he remembered the most, over the mothers, as they all tended to blur together after awhile.

But one day, one mother stood out starkly to him, one that ended up changing his life.

•

“Okay Y/N, you’ve made it this far. You can do this. It’s going to be hard, but you’re in the final stretch. Soon it will be over.”

Soon it will be over.

Your head fell back against the pillow as you looked around the bleak, empty hospital room with no one else in it.

The pep talk you were previously trying to give yourself wasn’t doing much to calm your apprehension. Things were starting to feel real and you didn’t have the time nor the strength to process all the emotions you were currently feeling.

“Get it together,” you muttered to yourself, closing your eyes and taking a deep breath, “You’ve made it this far all alone, you can do this too.”

“I’m sorry, did you say something?”

Your eyes popped open, embarrassed that you were overheard talking to yourself. You hadn’t heard anyone enter the room.

The nurse that had approached your bedside was different from the middle aged woman who’d performed a vaginal check on you just an hour earlier.

This one was young, male and attractive.

His brown hair was on the longer side, curling outwards at the ends. His gaze cast downward as he looked through what you assumed to be your medical chart.

“No, sorry, I didn’t hear you come in,” you said feebly, still feeling a bit embarrassed, “You’re not the same nurse that was in here just an hour ago to check on me.”

“Night shift,” he explained.

“Oh I’m sorry, got caught up looking through your file,” the nurse apologized, setting the clipboard back on the end of hospital bed where it usually hung, “I’m Steve, I’ll be your nurse for the night.”

He went about checking the machines that’s been monitoring your contractions, your heart beat and the baby’s before checking up on your IV.

“Last shift said you’re only a few centimeters dilated,” Steve said, finally looking back down at you.

“Unfortunately. It feels like I’ve been in here for days already.”

He smiled gently.

“It does seem that way, doesn’t it? I know it sometimes takes a while, but I promise it will all be worth it.”

He pats your arm gently and you notice he has warm and kind brown eyes. His face and what’s displayed of his neck is dotted with numerous moles and freckles, giving him an even more unique appearance. It makes him even more good looking, in your opinion.

A pair of glasses are folded and resting on the neckline of his scrubs; you figured they’re reading glasses. His ID is clipped to the bottom of the scrub shirt, a small picture of him smiling on it along with the name Steve Harrington.

His gaze swept around the room before returning to your face, a questioning look in his eyes.

“Has your husband—or boyfriend—stepped out?” he catches himself, knowing not every mother he’s encountered has been married, not wanting to offend his patient within the first few minutes of meeting her.

Trying to control the feeling of humiliation you’re feeling deep inside, you attempt to keep any sign of it off your face as the lie slips off your tongue as easy as butter.

“Yes, he went to find something to eat.”

Steve nodded, doing one last check on yours and baby’s vitals.

“Well Miss Y/L/N-”

“Y/N, please,” you corrected him.

He smiled, correcting himself.

“Y/N.”

He has a kind smile, one that makes you feel incrementally better about being in a situation like this. You find yourself giving him a small smile back.

“If you need anything, just call me,” he motioned to the call button for the nurse, before continuing, “I only have one other patient today and by the sounds of it, she’s going to be delivering soon, so I’ll be back to check up on you in a little while.

You nodded your understanding, watching him exit back out into the hallway.

Turning on your side, you stare at the window that provides a view of the sunset. According to the clock, it’s just after 7 pm. You’ve been here since early afternoon.

Another wave of pain nears, squeezing your abdomen and causing your belly to harden as another contraction hits you. So far, they aren’t horrible and feel just a tad worse than the awful menstrual cramps you’ve dealt with for years.

Closing your eyes, you try to distance your mind from the pain, as to not think of it.

The sounds of the other mother from down the hall fill your ears and you attempt to block that out too. The poor woman sounds like she’s birthing a giraffe, not a baby. Squeezing your eyes shut, tears escape your closed eyes and fall down your cheeks.

Never in your entire life have you felt so scared or so utterly alone.

•

Apparently, you’d managed to doze off at some point because you jerked awake to a rustling noise in your room.

The moans of the birthing mother have completely vanished and all you hear beyond your room are the typical sounds of a hospital—busy nurses, chatter and beeping machines.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” Steve apologized, “How are you feeling?”

“Apparently good enough to fall asleep,” you attempt to joke, causing him to laugh.

“Well according to last shift you were still in early stages of labor, but it should be picking up soon. You were 2 centimeters when you were last checked so it’s about time to see if you’ve progressed any further.”

Just then, a blonde, female nurse walked in, introducing herself as Kelly. She stood towards the back wall and gave a friendly nod to Steve.

“Don’t worry, just protocol to have a “chaperone” if you will, for any male nurses doing pelvic exams,” Steve explained.

You must’ve shown wariness because he immediately jumped back in, rambling.

“If you’re not comfortable with me performing the exam, then I can definitely have Kelly do it,” he offered.

You waved him off, shaking your head. You already felt so weary and you were hardly halfway through labor.

After a few uncomfortable minutes, the quick exam was over and Kelly had left to return to her own patients.

“Looks like you’re just about four centimeters. How are the contractions feeling?” Steve asked.

“Painful, but nothing I can’t handle,” you answered truthfully.

“Well when you’re ready for an epidural—that is if you choose to get one—just let me know and we can get the anesthesiologist in here. Do you need anything? Some ice chips maybe?”

“Ice chips, please? If it’s not too much trouble.”

Truthfully, you didn’t really care for any, but craved the company instead.

“You got it,” he grinned, “Be back shortly.”

It was hardly five minutes when he came back in with the styrofoam cup of ice chips and a plastic spoon.

“Thank you,” you said, truly grateful as you reached for the cup.

You noticed him glance at his watch, then up at the clock on the wall in the room.

“Somewhere you need to be?” you partially joked.

“No. Just wondering how long the fast food lines must be.”

You had a feeling where this was going and knew you couldn’t avoid the truth much longer. It’d been nearly two hours since he’d last checked on you and you knew your lie was about to be exposed.

You preoccupied yourself by putting a small chunk of ice in your mouth, realizing your mouth was drier than you’d thought—the cool liquid of the ice tasted amazing.

His question was quiet and somber, but you heard it well.

“The father’s not coming, is he?”

You shook your head, refusing to meet his eyes.

You looked up when you felt the stiff mattress shift just a bit and noticed he’d sat down at the end of the bed. He was looking at you remorsefully and you couldn’t stand it.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Steve didn’t sound angry, nor did he sound judgmental, merely curious.

You shrugged.

“I was embarrassed and I didn’t want you to pity me.”

“Pity you?”

Now he looked surprised and you found yourself surprised in return, by his reaction.

“I think you’re extremely brave. Besides, I’ve seen plenty of mothers not have the father with them. Granted they usually had a parent or friend…” he trailed off as he seemed to realize, “Do you need me to call your parents to let them know you’re in labor?”

You began to answer when a much stronger contraction than any you’d experienced so far, began.

“Shit,” you moaned, one hand clutching your stomach.

Steve was off the bed in an instant, grabbing the cup out of your hands to set aside. He instinctually put his hand in yours.

“Go ahead and squeeze my hand if you need to. Just breathe. Like this.”

He began rhythmically breathing in and out, similar to what you remembered the instructor teaching at the few Lamaze classes you’d attended. You’d never finished the class though after seeing the numerous amount of couples there, women with husbands, boyfriends or family members to support them—the complete opposite of your situation.

You mimicked the pattern, squeezing his hand as you got through to the other side of the contraction. Not once did he wince or make any sort of expression as you probably crushed the life out of his hand; he was merely focused on your well being.

When the pain subsided, you let out a shaky breath.

“Has it passed?”

You nodded, not letting go of his hand.

“That was the worst one yet,” you groaned.

“I hate to tell you but they’ll likely get worse from here on out. But it just means it’s getting closer to having your baby,” he smiled, “Speaking of, should I call someone? Your contraction seemed to cut off your answer earlier,” he chuckled.

“No. My parents died in a car crash when I was in college…it’s—” you paused, refusing to let your voice wobble and let on just how afraid you were feeling, “It’s just me.”

Steve was surprised, though he kept his face neutral. He didn’t want her to feel embarrassed or ashamed.

He’d seen many unique situations when it came to the patients he’d had, but this was a first.

His heart ached for her. She looked to be his age. Still, she was going through one of the toughest things in life, without the baby’s father, her own mother or even a friend to help her through this.

It was then he that he made the decision to stay with her, no matter how long it took.

•

Only an hour had passed and the contractions seemed to ebb and flow throughout your torso and a detached part of you was humiliated at how you whimpered, groaned and panted through it all.

Unfortunately, after another dilation check, you’d only inched a centimeter up, putting your progress at five centimeters. There was no telling how much longer it would be.

“You’re doing great, Y/N,” Steve soothed, placing the cool cloth he’d fetched earlier for you against your forehead, newly cool and damp.

“This fucking sucks,” you panted, eyes squeezing shut.

“It does,” he agreed, “But you’re making it through.”

You cried out at another contraction, gripping the railing of the bed.

“Breathe, breathe. Just focus on the sound of my voice, okay? In and out. That’s it, Y/N. It’ll be over in a moment, I promise. You’re doing amazing, keep breathing.”

Normally, one would think that hearing coaxing like Steve’s in the midst of pain would drive any laboring woman insane, but his voice was soft, soothing and melodic—a direct opposition to the sharp, harsh edges of pain from your contractions.

Maybe it was because he was the only support you had, the only lifeline, if you will, but his encouragement helped you make it through each and every contraction.

That being said though, you’d made up your mind.

“Steve?” you breathed, when the contraction finally eased.

“Yes?”

“I think I want that epidural now.”

•

“You’re going to have to sit very still for me, can you do that?” Steve murmured, facing you.

You were sitting on the edge of the bed, the anesthesiologist at your back, setting up the things she’d need to administer the epidural. You didn’t care about the needles, the insertion or any of the other things that had scared you months ago, you just wanted—no, needed—relief from this pain.

“Yes,” you said firmly.

“Just hold on to me, okay? Lean forward, back out and your shoulders slumped forward.”

You did what Steve told you, leaning forward into him, your hands clinging to his arms. His touch was gentle as he held you close to him and you tried your best to stay still.

It seemed to take an eternity, but you felt the gentle squeeze of Steve’s hands on your arms, letting you know he was still here with you. Finally, the insertion was complete and you were allowed to lay back in bed.

Glancing at the clock, you noticed it was nearing midnight, already well past 11:30 pm.

“I’ve kept you way too long, I’m so sorry,” you said, apologetically.

“It’s okay. Since my other patient delivered hours ago, you’re my only patient tonight.”

“So I won’t get you in trouble?”

He pulled up the chair that had remained glaringly empty and sat down at your bedside, shaking his head.

“It’s a slow night. Besides, I’m helping a patient,” he grinned.

You closed your eyes, just to rest as you began to feel the sharpness of the pain dull just a bit. You were glad to eventually feel numbness seeping its way through your lower body, the relief glorious.

Silence hung in the room between you two, yet you didn’t have the energy to try and make small talk. Besides, Steve’s company was welcomed, whether you spoke or not. Something told you he didn’t mind the silence either.

It was actually Steve who broke the silence. You might’ve actually slipped to sleep for a bit too as you didn’t quite hear what he asked.

“Hmm?”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” he said apologetically, looking genuinely sorry.

“It’s okay. Just resting my eyes,” you answered, rubbing your fingers over your eyes.

“If you’d like to sleep, I can come back.”

“No, no,” you shook your head, probably a little too fiercely.

You didn’t want him to go.

“I mean, I’m awake now. What was it you said?”

“Well, I said if you didn’t mind me asking, are you having a boy or girl?”

“Oh,” your face flushed, “I um…I actually don’t know.”

You sat up as best as you could, Steve helping you to reposition. You thanked him as he sat back in the chair at your bedside.

“You wanted it to be a surprise?” he asked.

“I guess you could say that,” you chuckled dryly, though there was no humor in it, “I kinda was detached from the whole pregnancy, so I didn’t want to find out. It was like if I didn’t find out what I was having, it wouldn’t be real.”

Steve watched you intently, no judgement on his face. You couldn’t tell what he was thinking and it quite unnerved you.

“That probably sounds horrible, I know.”

“No, it doesn’t. People cope with things differently,” Steve answered neutrally.

For some reason, though he hadn’t even asked, you found the need to explain to him. You didn’t want to sound like a horrible person, especially not to Steve.

“The baby’s father…we dated for a short while. Well, if you can even call it that. It was mainly physical and I’m sure I was more invested in the relationship than he was. I thought I was in love,” you laughed wryly, “How cliché is that?”

Steve listened patiently, although you can tell he’s just waiting for you to continue the story in your own time. You appreciated him for that.

“Well of course, when I found out I was pregnant, he wanted nothing to do with it. I also found out I wasn’t the only “girlfriend” in his life. So from the beginning I was distraught, mourning the loss of a relationship that never was, disconnected from the pregnancy because I didn’t want to admit that I was in this alone. I didn’t spend time bonding with the baby, I’m a horrible mother already. I feel so bad that I wasted all this time not paying attention to the baby. What if it’s born not loving me because I tried to act like it didn’t exist? What if I’m not cut out to be a good mother?”

You’re full on sobbing now, your shoulders shaking with your cries. Whether it’s all of the emotions you’d held at bay for nine months, your over exhaustion from the nearly 12 hours you’ve already spent in labor or a combination of both, it all comes spilling out.

“I’m so sorry,” you blubbered as you feel Steve’s arms wrap around you, pulling you close, “I’m so sorry.”

Part of you is apologizing to Steve, but the other part is to your unborn baby that’s currently making its journey to this side of the world. You only hope he or she can forgive you.

“Shh, it’s okay,” Steve soothes, rubbing your back.

Your tears soaked his scrubs, but he doesn’t move, letting you cry all you want. You feel pathetic, clinging to your labor and delivery nurse, in a mess of tears.

“Everything will be okay,” his deep voice murmurs, his arms holding you tightly against him, “I know it seems like it won’t, but it will.”

“God, I’m sorry,” you croak, when your tears subside to sniffles and you pull away to see the large wet spot against his chest.

“Don’t apologize,” he said sincerely, helping you lay back again, making sure you’re comfortable, “You’re exhausted and overwhelmed. Believe it or not, tears are pretty normal throughout this.”

“Have you ever had a mother cling to you and sob though?” you groaned, still feeling the burn of humiliation at your actions as he pulls the thin sheet over you, tucking you in.

“I can’t say I have. Though there was a fight between two mothers once on who would get me as a nurse. Apparently I’m popular enough that I sometimes am requested by name. It was a whole knock down drag out fight. I think one of them tossed their ice in the other’s face and then barely missed a purse to the face when she had to stop and bend over for a contraction. It was quite the scene.”

You laughed, then squinted at him.

“You’re making this up, aren’t you?”

“No, I swear!” he raised his hands defensively, though his lips twitch with a smile, which gives away his lie, “Okay, maybe I am. But I wasn’t lying about being requested by name. That, surprisingly has happened more than I’d ever expect.”

“I’m not surprised,” you said softly, “You’re a really great nurse, Steve.”

“Well, thanks,” he smiled, almost bashfully.

Your eyes are drooping, the crying spell having worn you out enough to become sleepy. You’re numb from the waist down, though according to the contraction monitor, you’re still steadily having contractions, though you no longer can feel them.

“Get some sleep, okay? You’ll need your energy for later.”

“No,” you argue, trying to stay awake, not wanting him to leave you.

As if he can read your mind—although maybe he sees it in your eyes—he takes your hand, giving it a gentle squeeze before sitting back in the chair.

“I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”

•

“Why does labor take so long?”

You’d managed to get a few hours of sleep—between being woken up by Steve doing his job and checking on you. It was miraculous in itself that you’d managed to get a bit of shut eye. When you’d woken up though, you were once again in pain and were shivering violently.

Apparently your epidural had halfway worked. While you weren’t nearly in the amount of pain you’d been in pre-epidural, you still felt it on your right side. Also, you were having a common side effect to it, trembling uncontrollably.

But, you’d rather this than the excruciating pain from before.

Steve sat in the same chair as earlier, though his feet were resting up on your bed. You’d insisted actually that he might as well get comfortable if he was going to stay with you and he finally gave in.

“Do you want the medical answer to that?” he asked, with a raised brow.

“Not especially,” you grumbled.

It was the dead middle of the night, the hands on the clock just passing the 3 am mark. Your baby was sure taking its sweet time.

“It’s not uncommon with first time mothers,” Steve assured you, “It’s something new your body is undergoing that it hasn’t done before, so it tends to take a little longer. All of that along with how fast and well the baby wants to move down the birth canal.”

You gave him a mildly grumpy look which surprisingly he took in stride, not seeming offended at all, but in fact, laughing.

“I’m sorry, blame the job. Medical explanations are kind of burned into my brain at this point,” he chuckled, “It stinks, I know.”

“But,” he emphasizes, trying to keep your spirits high, “You’re on perfect track and getting closer to the end. You were a little drowsy when Kelly woke you earlier for your dilation check, so I don’t know how much you remember, but you’re at 7 centimeters now. Not much longer to go.”

Steve got up, grabbing the fluffy blanket he’d brought in earlier for you, placing it around your shoulders and cocooning you in it.

“Here, this should help with the shaking. Technically, it’s not because you’re cold that you’re shaking, but because of the medicine in the epidural. The warmth tends to help some.”

“Thanks,” you said, pulling it around you, “Tell me doctor, why am I shaking then?”

“Hey, don’t give me more credit than I deserve here,” he teased, “I’m just a nurse. But to answer your question, it’s most likely the surge of hormones your body is producing currently. Your body’s adrenaline is also heightened during labor because it helps give you the strength to push when its time.”

You frown, nerves kicking in again at the unknown of what’s to come.

“Is it going to hurt? Pushing?” you asked.

“It varies person to person. Of course since I don’t know how much pain you’re feeling with your epidural only halfway working currently, I can’t really tell you. I won’t lie, it will probably be difficult because pushing is an exhausting task.”

You press your lips together before biting down on your bottom one, attempting to keep your anxiety at bay.

“I want you to know something though,” Steve said, his tone serious.

“What’s that?” you questioned.

“No matter if it’s easy or difficult, whether it takes two pushes or ten, you’re not going to do this alone, okay? I’m going to be right here, by your side.”

•

By the time the sun begins to peek over the horizon, you’ve finally dilated enough to begin pushing.

Not only have you spent the entire night laboring, you and Steve have probably talked about everything under the sun. From favorite tv shows, hobbies, his younger band of friends to even a debate on which cheese was better—Gouda or Brie.

He’d definitely gone above and beyond when it came to keeping you company, doing all that he could to keep your mind at ease and keep you occupied.

It’s nearing 7 o’clock when your doctor shows up, just in time, you think. About ten minutes before his arrival you’d began feeling a mounting pressure in your lower half that was bearable until now.

“Is it normal to feel so much pressure?” you grimaced, starting to feel uncomfortable.

“Yup. Means it’s time to push,” Steve said.

Thankfully, that was when the doctor decided to make his appearance, along with Kelly to help once again, too.

“Which means it’s time to have a baby!” your doctor announced with a smile.

Time to have a baby. The baby could be here any moment. You felt yourself begin to spiral with just how real it was becoming.

“Hey. Look at me.”

To your left came the dulcet sound of Steve’s voice as he offered his hand out to you to squeeze.

“Right here. Okay?” he reassured.

“Okay.”

Then, you started pushing.

-

You’d lost count how many times you’d pushed although you’d been pushing for over an hour now.

Daylight seeped through the window of the hospital room, golden sunlight of the early morning bathing the room in a glow. In any other circumstances, you’d find the sight pretty, but in this moment, you were occupied with much more important things.

“Good, good, you’re doing fine,” your doctor enthused, “I can see the head now.”

You were sweaty, sore and exhausted. Yet Steve didn’t let up on his encouragement. In fact, he seemed to increase it, especially in moments he could tell you were waning. It was like this strange connection between you two and he knew exactly when you needed the extra push.

“You’re doing amazing, Y/N,” he whispered, only loud enough for you to hear, “You’re almost there, okay?”

You nodded, feeling the building pressure of another contraction, knowing you were going to be pushing once again, incredibly soon.

“Okay, give me another big push now, Y/N,” your doctor ordered.

You squeeze your eyes shut, pushing as hard as you can and you hear the female assistant nurse, Kelly, counting.

“One, two, three, four!”

Squeezing Steve’s hand as hard as you can, he continues to rapidly praising you.

“That’s it, Y/N! Keep going, keep going. And rest.”

You collapsed against the pillow near tears, exhaustion overruling everything else.

“The head is almost out,” you heard Steve say, “Just one or two more big pushes and it’ll be over.”

“I can’t,” you shake your head, tears threatening to spill over, “I can’t do this, Steve.”

One hand is already in yours, but his free hand joins the other one, holding your hand in between his own. He rests his forehead against yours and your eyes lock with his. It’s as if he’s trying to channel all the strength he has into you.

“Yes, you can. You’re not alone. I’m right here and I’m not leaving, but I need you to do this. It’s only a little bit longer and you’re almost there. You can do this, Y/N.”

His words centered you, banishing the panic that was threatening to overwhelm you just a moment earlier. You breath in deeply through your nose, eyes fluttering shut as you gear yourself up for the finishing act.

The deep breath helps clear your mind, helps you to become more determined. Steve believes you can do this and his words continue to ring in your ears as you nod against him.

He stepped back, giving you space as you prepare to push on the next contraction. His face is filled with concentration and you’re sure yours is too. There’s a small glint in his eye as one corner of his mouth turns upwards—a small expression of his support.

With the newfound determination Steve has given you, you put all your strength into the following push and it happens to pay off. Loud cries immediately permeate the room and you’re breathless and panting when you fall back against the bed, in awe. Not only is your baby finally here, but you can’t believe you actually did it.

“Congratulations, you have a healthy baby girl!” the doctor boomed.

You don’t realize you’re still holding Steve’s hand until he gives it a squeeze, joy lighting up his entire face.

“It’s a girl!” he beams down at you.

“A girl,” you whisper in amazement, a smile on your face.

You don’t even manage to see her before Kelly whisks your baby away.

“Wha—What’s wrong? Is she okay? Is something wrong?”

Your brows creased in concern as you turn your head to Steve. He’s removed his hand from yours and he’s smoothing your mess of hair back from your face before answering.

“She’s okay. It’s normal for them to take the baby off to the nursery. She’s going to be cleaned up, weighed, vitals taken and bathed. You want me to go check on her?”

You nodded, relief coursing through your veins.

“Please.”

“No problem. Get some rest and I’ll go keep an eye on baby girl Y/L/N.”

Your eyes begin to feel heavy as you attempt to answer him.

“Thank you,” you whispered, not entirely sure if he heard your expression of gratitude before sleep takes over.

•

It was nearing 9 in the morning, nearly two hours since Steve’s shift was supposed to end, yet Steve kept his promise and headed to the nursery.

Babies are lined up in their own little hospital bassinets in front of the window where relatives can gaze adoringly at their newest little family member. It’s noisy, but not anything too out if control. There’s coos, gurgling and a baby cry or two—a few babies not being pleased with whatever is going on.

“Steve!” an older nurse named Ruth, exclaimed as she notices him walk in, “I didn’t expect to see you here. Wasn’t your shift over hours ago?”

“It was,” he admitted with a smile, “But I had a special patient and didn’t want to leave her.”

Her smile was kind, though teasing.

“You’re too good at what you do, kid. Keep this up and these mothers are going to petition for a mural of your face in the hospital lobby.”

He laughed, shaking his head at her wit.

“I just stopped by to see baby girl Y/L/N. I promised her mother I would make sure she’s okay.”

“She the one that didn’t have anyone with her for the birth?” Ruth asked.

“Man, word gets around here fast, doesn’t it?”

Ruth gave him a look like he ought to know better, before continuing.

“She’s doing fine. Brenda just finished checking her vitals and getting her measurements. She’s a healthy 6 pounds 8 ounces. She’ll probably be getting a bath soon, nothing to worry about.”

Steve nodded.

“Can you let me know when she’s ready? I want to be able to take her to her mother.”

Ruth glanced at the clock on the wall, amused.

“They don’t pay you enough for all that you do, Steve.”

He shrugged.

“Sometimes it’s more about the people than the money.”

•

You’d only manage to doze off for a few minutes after Steve’s departure before the doctor and nurse had woken you for the post-labor part of delivery.

After that was over with, you did fall back into sleep, but not before a new nurse came by. You faintly remembered her introducing herself as Marie. You’d also managed to mumble out only one question before falling back asleep.

“Where’s Steve?”

You heard more than saw the confusion in her remark.

“Harrington? He’s on night duty and has probably already left. His shift was over at 7 this morning.”

Your brain was foggy from a mixture of the drugs and the events of the last 19 hours, but you thought you remembered hearing the time of the baby’s birth being 8:47 am.

Steve had stayed long past his shift, just so he could stay with you.

“Tell him—” you mumbled, eyes falling closed as you gave in to the temptation of rest.

Tell him thank you.

When you woke, daylight streamed through the window of the hospital room, brightening it significantly. Peering at the clock, you noticed it was nearly 11 and you’d managed over an hours worth of sleep. Not much, but better than nothing.

“Hey there, mommy.”

You turned your head and gasped, surprised to see Steve sitting in the chair next to you, holding a swaddled baby.

“What? You’re still here? What are you doing here?”

“Ouch. Is that anyway to talk to the nurse that brought your baby to visit?” Steve teased.

It was as if your mind hadn’t processed the fact that your little human was no longer inside of you and was actually in the world now.

“My baby?” you questioned, eyes falling to the stirring bundle in his arms.

“I brought her to see mommy,” Steve smiled, standing up with her in his arms, “Would you like to hold her now?”

You nodded.

“Yes, please.”

You held your arms out and Steve placed the most perfect, warm, little bundle of joy in your arms.

It was awkward at first as you hadn’t had much practice holding babies, but Steve helped you, guiding your arms into a much more relaxed and less tense position.

Your little girl’s eyes opened the minute you took her, like she knew she was finally being reunited with her mother. One little hand stuck out of the swaddle and you chuckled at it, in awe of how tiny it and she truly was.

You ran a finger over the small, clenched fist then over her smooth, soft cheek. Her skin was as smooth as the finest silk imaginable. Tiny gurgles and coos came from her and her adorable puckered lips opened wide with a yawn, making you smile even wider.

For all the disconnect you’d felt during the pregnancy, the love you now felt for this tiny person was now multiplied tenfold. You may have tried to hide from the love that was developing for your child, but it’d caught up to you—nine months of love you’d try to run from, crashing down on you the instant you saw her perfect face. Your heart truly felt like it would burst from the amount of love you felt for her.

Labor had been so incredibly taxing and difficult, but knowing she was the reward for it truly made it all worth it. Steve had been right.

Steve.

You’d been so caught up in admiration, you’d momentarily forgotten about his presence. You wanted to thank him for all he’d done before he slipped away for you never to see again.

But when you looked up, he was still there. Now sitting on the edge of the bed, watching you two with a smile as wide as your own.

“She’s perfect,” you breathed, “I love her so much.”

“I know. I can tell,” he grinned, “She’s apparently very well behaved, according to a friend in the nursery.”

You beamed, already incredibly proud of your hours old daughter.

“You never answered my question,” you reminded him, “My current nurse, Marie, told me your shift was over hours ago. You should’ve gone home.”

“And miss the main event? Never,” he chuckled.

“Steve,” your voice was gentle, “I really can’t thank you enough for all that you’ve done. You did so much…helped me so much. I don’t think I could’ve done this without you. Shit. Now I’m crying again.”

You wiped at your face with one hand and chuckle, trying to stave off any more tears. He’s smiling too and somehow, you know he understands what you’re trying to say.

“You’re welcome,” he responded humbly before moving on from the subject of himself, “What are you going to name her?”

“Diana,” you said firmly, confident in how right it sounds for your daughter, “In honor of her grandmother—my mom, Diane. Diana Hope. But, I think I’d actually like to call her Hope. It’s because of her that I met you and both of you have given me hope.”

“It’s perfect.”

-

In the chaos of post-birth, there were nurses coming in and out at all times to check on you, making sure your body was on the right track for healing. Nurses came in to check on the baby, a specialist came in to discuss feeding options and taught you how to breastfeed and then there was the the matter of getting Hope’s birth certificate filled out—now that she actually had a name.

You got to spend more time with Hope, even taking a few naps in between the frequent visits.

Without your knowledge, Steve had managed to slip out at some point and you felt a pang of sadness at the fact you didn’t get to say goodbye before he left the hospital.

“Well, I guess that’s that, huh baby girl?” you spoke softly to Hope, not having yet put her down.

It was then that a slip of paper on the rolling table caught your attention. The table held your long melted cup of ice and other hospital room odds and ends, but you didn’t recall seeing a piece of folded paper on it before.

Holding Hope tight to your chest, you used one hand and slid the table closer to the side of the bed until you could reach the scrap. When you opened it, your heart skipped a beat.

There was a phone number scrawled on it and a message below.

If you ever need a friend. -Steve Harrington

•

Weeks had passed and work kept Steve busy.

He hadn’t heard from Y/N and it’d been nearly a month since she’d changed his world.

He knew he had no right to, but he couldn’t stop thinking of her, thinking of little Hope, wondering how both of them were faring.

He scolded himself for leaving his phone number. She probably had no use for it, but he’d really wanted her to know she wasn’t alone. Maybe the gesture alone had been enough to help her, he might never know.

Of course, newborns were a lot of work and maybe she’d just been kept busy settling into life as a mother. He knew he was foolish to hope maybe one day he’d hear from her, but it didn’t stop him from doing so.

Even still, he wished all the best for her, no matter what.

He’d just finished up assisting in the Operating Room during a Cesarean section, healthy twins just being delivered. Mom was doing good and in recovery, but she wasn’t on his patient roster for the night. He had one other mother that was just admitted in early labor, but he wasn’t needed right now for much assistance. It soon became eerily like the night he met Y/N—an unusual, slow night.

He sighed heavily, sitting in a chair at the nurse’s station, propping his feet up on the desk in front of him. He leaned back as far as the chair would let him, his hands resting behind his head, fingers laced. He stared at the hospital ceiling as if it held the answers to the world.

“That’s an awful big sigh over there Harrington. Everything okay?”

He looked over at his co-worker and friend Kelly, who’d also been there the night Y/N had given birth.

“You ever wonder about how the moms and babies are doing after they leave us?”

She gave him a knowing look and he raised a brow in question.

“This isn’t about that one girl from a month ago that you stayed with hours after your shift, is it?”

“Damn. Is it that obvious?” he asked.

“No, I just know you.”

“I don’t know,” he shrugged, “I guess I just worry for her and not out of pity. She’s probably one of the strongest women I’ve met in my time here. To go through all of that all alone and face motherhood alone. That’s pretty fucking admirable to me.”

Kelly was smirking at him and he gave her a confused glance, not quite sure why she was reacting to his comment in that manner.

He was about to question her when a nurse he wasn’t as familiar with—though he recognized her face—approached the desk.

“Steve Harrington?”

“Yeah, that’s me,” he answered, righting himself in the chair, feet dropping to the floor, “What’s up?”

“There’s a visitor in the waiting room for you,” she said, head motioning down the hall towards the waiting room.

With that, she walked off, leaving a confused Steve and an intrigued Kelly.

“One of your kids?” she teased.

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” he mumbled.

Ever since getting this job, his younger group of friends tended to show up from time to time for surprise visits. Sometimes for no other reason than just because.

Usually he didn’t mind them and was glad to spend a break with them, but still, he sometimes missed the days before they got drivers licenses.

Shaking his head, he stood, heading down the hall towards the waiting room. It was usually only used for extended family and friends to await the birth of loved ones’ babies.

If they were out this late to visit him, he at least hoped they brought pizza. He was starving.

The moment he stepped into the doorway of the waiting room, he froze. His suspicions of the identity of his guest couldn’t have been more wrong.

There she sat, the only one in the room, an empty baby carrier next to her. In her arms was a sleeping Hope, so much bigger in just the weeks since he’d last seen her. She was gazing down at Hope, clearly not having heard his arrival, swaying gently in the seat with her. He was utterly mesmerized at the sight.

“Hi,” he breathed, unable to believe both of you were right in front of him.

You looked up, a small smile curling on your lips in greeting to him.

“I think I’m ready for that friend now.”

[corrodedcoffinfest]

Week Three: Masterlist

Week Three is over! We're over halfway finished now. You all did so great, and I appreciate your participation so much! This week, we covered 7 prompts and there were 53 total entries: 52 Fics Written, 0 Pieces of Art & 1 Other Works submitted.

Don't forget there is also an AO3 Collection if you'd like to use it!

Color-Coded Ratings Key: General, Teen, Mature, Explicit.

Day Fourteen: And the Winner Is...

Fic Submissions:

take a break to win by @steddieas-shegoes | Rating: T | WC: 773 | CW: exhaustion | Tags: overworking, famous corroded coffin, friendship

JULY 14: and the winner is... by @the-unforgivenn | Rating: T | WC: 982 | CW: Strong language, a lot of American football talk and subsequent confusion | Tags: Jeff (Richardson is his last name in this particular story), Eddie, Gareth and Grant, and one very badass Violet Richardson, Jeff's eldest daughter

Corroded Coffin Fest - Day 14 - And the Winner Is... by @jo-harrington | Rating: T | WC: 616 | Tags: Angst, brief FOI references, introduction of Phil the Manager, Wayne being the best uncle/dad in the world

Getaway Car by @thisapplepielife | Rating: M | WC: 1000 | CW: Mild Sexual Themes, Language | POV: Eddie | Pairing: Steddie | Tags: Steve is to Corroded Coffin Music Videos as Alicia Silverstone was to Aerosmith Videos in the 90s

My Occupation is Syncopation by @dreamwatch | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: language | POV: Gareth | Pairing: Steddie (background) | Tags: banter, Gareth wears glasses, not as often as he should, 90s Corroded Coffin

Day 14: And the Winner Is… by @munson-blurbs | Rating: T | WC: 518 | CW: mention of poverty and bullying | Pairing: Jason Carver x Tammy Thompson (bear with me here) | Tags: Jason Carver, Tammy Thompson, Eddie Munson, Corroded Coffin, Grammys, 1990s

The New Generation by @corroded-hellfire | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: Language | Pairing: Hellcheer | Tags: It's time for a new generation to take on the talent show at Hawkins Middle School

Day Fifteen: Let's Talk About That Fic Submissions:

homework by @steddieas-shegoes | Rating: T | WC: 990 | CW: none | Tags: therapy, gareth pov, personal growth, self-discovery

JULY 15: let's talk about that by @the-unforgivenn | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: Dustin Henderson. That’s pretty much it. He’s the content warning. Eddie should know better than to listen to his wildly overconfident ideas. There’s also a mention of fire and injury, but no one is seriously hurt. | Tags: Corroded Coffin, Hellfire boys, Nancy Wheeler

Corroded Coffin Fest - Day 15 - Let's Talk About That by @jo-harrington | Rating: T | WC: 994 | Tags: Older!Eddie, Wayne, Angst, hurt no comfort, death and grief, Eddie-centric, dialogue heavy, Jo pulls a Flanagan for the umpteenth time

Got You Good, Kid by @thisapplepielife | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: CW: Language, Smoking, Mentions of Unplanned Pregnancy, Eddie Being a Bit Lot of a Dick | POV: Gareth | Pairing: Gareth/OFC (Off-Screen), Background Steddie | Tags: Modern Day Setting, Road Manager Steve Harrington, Eddie and Gareth are BFFs, But Gareth's Keeping Secrets, So They're Fighting, Fucking Interviewers, Fucking Paparazzi, Fucking Eddie

Day 15: Let's Talk About That by @munson-blurbs | Rating: T | WC: 877 | CW: mention of vomiting and getting sick (not described), stage fright, takes place in 2024, older Corroded Coffin, loosely based on Joseph Quinn's Tonight Show experience | Tags: Eddie Munson, Jeff, Grant, Gareth, talk show, flashbacks

Stream Punk by @corroded-hellfire | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: Language | Pairing: Eddie x Reader | Tags: Modern AU - Corroded Coffin hosts a live stream and fans notice you walk through the background

Day Sixteen: Struggling Fic Submissions:

always struggling by @steddieas-shegoes | Rating: T | WC: 971 | CW: none | Tags: steddie, post-break up, modern era, open ending but assume they get back together, pre-famous corroded coffin

JULY 16: struggling by @the-unforgivenn | Rating: T | WC: 911 | CW: Strong language, tiny bit of angst, surgery mention but no graphic depictions of, don't worry | Tags: Eddie Munson, Gareth Emerson

Corroded Coffin Fest - Day 16 - Struggling by @jo-harrington | Rating: T | WC: 901 | Tags: Modern!Corroded Coffin, Older!Corrded Coffin, memes, friendship, bickering and banter, pop culture/social media reference (link at the end of the fic)

Headlines by @thisapplepielife | Rating: M | WC: 1000 | CW: Substance Abuse, Addiction, Minor Mention of Pregnancy | POV: Gareth | Pairing: Gareth/Di (OC, Off-Screen), Minor Steddie | Tags: Clawing Your Way Out Of Rock Bottom, Tough Love, But Love

Day 16: Struggling by @munson-blurbs | Rating: M | WC: 877 | CW: drug abuse (cocaine), alcohol abuse, addiction, some comfort | Tags: Eddie Munson, Jeff, Grant, Gareth, Corroded Coffin, Wayne Munson, addiction, drug and alcohol abuse, tour life

Disenchanted Lullaby by @dreamwatch | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: depression, chronic pain, referenced drug use | POV: Eddie | Pairing: None | Tags: Eddie Munson, slice of life, introspection, the comedown after touring, loneliness, ennui

This One's For You by @corroded-hellfire | Rating: T | WC: 658 | CW: Language | Tags: A letter from Eddie to you. Yes, YOU.

Day Seventeen: "This One's For You" Fic Submissions:

love doesn't wait by @steddieas-shegoes | Rating: M | WC: 685 | CW: implied/referenced sex | Tags: famous corroded coffin, side steddie, jeff's love story, love confessions

Serenade by @medusapelagia | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: None | Pairing: Steddie

JULY 17: this one's for you by @the-unforgivenn | Rating: T | WC: 969 | CW: Grief, loss of a friend | Tags: Hurt/no comfort, Eddie Munson, Gareth Emerson, Elliot

Stayin' Alive by @thisapplepielife | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: Language | POV: Eddie | Pairing: Steddie, Mention of Pre-Robin/Vickie | Tags: Post S4, But Eddie Lives, But Is Still Recovering, Getting Together, First Kiss, The Band Has a Surprise For Eddie at The Hideout, Steve Harrington Just Wants To Help, Henderson Too

Know When To Hold 'em by @dreamwatch | Rating: T | WC: 999 | CW: death of a parent, depression, grief, referenced drug abuse | POV: Steve | Pairing: Steddie | Tags: Wayne Munson, Eddie needs a hug, protective Steve, hurt/comfort

Day 17: This One's For You by @munson-blurbs | Rating: T | WC: 541 | CW: I cried writing this, canon-compliant, breaking the fourth wall | Tags: Eddie Munson, love letter, fanfic writers

Corroded Coffin Fest - Day 17 - This One's For You by @jo-harrington | Rating: T | WC: 638 | Tags: Grief, Peace, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Intentionally Left Vague, Character Death (You can read it as Eddie visiting his mom OR Jeff visiting Eddie.)

Rock 'n Roll All Night (Or Until Bedtime) by @corroded-hellfire | Rating: G | WC: 1000 | CW: None | Pairing: Eddie x Reader | Tags: Snowed in during a blizzard, Eddie’s daughter Eliza proves just how like him she is.

Day Eighteen: Freak Fic Submissions:

Get Lucky by @mrsjellymunson | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: longing, self-deprecation, ogling, allusions to sex | POV: Grant (Unnamed Freak) | Tags: Eddie, Gareth, Jeff, Grant, The Hideout

frankie by @steddieas-shegoes | Rating: M | WC: 930 | CW: temporary character death | Tags: canon-adjacent events, frankie pov, eddie munson lives

JULY 18: grant by @the-unforgivenn | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: chronic illness, celiac disease (which was fucking hard to get a diagnosis in the 90s), a tiny mention of weight loss if you squint, food aversion | Tags: Grant (Unnamed Freak), Eddie Munson, Gareth Emerson, Jeff, gn!Reader

Charles III by @thisapplepielife | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: Language | POV: Goodie (Freak) | Pairing: None | Tags: Band Practice, Goodie & Gareth, The Birth of a Nickname, He's Goodie Goodwin the First

The fourth member of the band by @medusapelagia | Rating: T | WC: 994 | CW: None | Pairing: Freak & Eddie

Day 18: Freak by @munson-blurbs | Rating: G | WC: 643 | CW: canon scene, Grant (Freak) is neurodivergent, anxiety | Tags: Grant, Eddie Munson, Gareth, Jeff, Dustin Henderson, Mike Wheeler, Lucas Sinclair, Hellfire, Corroded Coffin

Corroded Coffin Fest - Day 18 - Freak by @jo-harrington | Rating: T | WC: 961 | Tags: Friendship, new friends, a bit of self deprecation, teenage angst, typical teenage snark, Freak #3 is named Dave, whats the friendship thing where you think someone's a raging bitch/asshole and then that ends up being your best friend? yeah that...

Hello, I've Waited Here For You by @dreamwatch | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: period typical attitudes to women, period typical homophobia, internalised fat shaming, period typical sexism, sexist language | POV: Matt (Freak) | Pairing: Steddie, Matt/OC | Tags: Falling in love, CC is a family, secret relationship

That's Not My Name by @corroded-hellfire | Rating: T | WC: 687 | CW: Language | Pairing: None | Tags: Why is it that no one knows his name?

Other Submissions:

Eugene Faulkner: Fluff Alphabet @hawkinsmafia | Other Type: Character Alphabet | Rating: G | CW: None | Pairing: Eugene Faulkner x Reader (no assumed gender)

Day Nineteen: In the Garage Fic Submissions:

from garage to library by @steddieas-shegoes | Rating: M | WC: 930 | CW: mild language | Tags: they're really just trying to make it, they're all idiots

JULY 19: in the garage by @the-unforgivenn | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: Some douchebag neighbor (typical Hawkins), strong language. No slurs but the dude isn’t real nice. Hashtag SatanicPanic | Tags: Corroded Coffin, Tim Emerson, Douchebag neighbor Marty (def not based on a real life douchebag neighbor Marty from my childhood or anything, nooo)

Corroded Coffin Fest - Day 19 - In the Garage by @jo-harrington | Rating: T | WC: 690 | Tags: Older!Corroded Coffin (it's the late 90s...), the pure boys will be boys energy, car speak thats probably wrong

Sweet Talkin' Lola by @thisapplepielife | Rating: T | WC: 1000 | CW: Language | POV: Jeff | Pairing: None | Tags: S4, "Welcome to Hellfire" Missing Scene, Misheard Lyrics, Band Practice

Day 19: In the Garage by @munson-blurbs | Rating: G | WC: 732 | CW: Principal Higgins is an ass, anxiety about being accepted, divergent from FoI | Tags: Eddie Munson, Gareth, Jeff, Grant, Principal Higgins, Corroded Coffin

Untitled by @br0ck-eddie | Rating: T | WC: 322 | Pairing: None

Check Him Out by @corroded-hellfire | Rating: T | WC: 977 | CW: Language | Pairing: Eddie Munson x Reader | Tags: Eddie gets a nice surprise at work when you come in with a car problem.

Day Twenty: Under the Covers Fic Submissions:

under the covers by @steddieas-shegoes | Rating: E | WC: 962 | CW: angst with an unhappy/open ending | Tags: friends with benefits, gareth/eddie, unrequited feelings, anal sex, mention of steddie

JULY 20: under the covers by @the-unforgivenn | Rating: T | WC: 944 | CW: Protected p in v sex, angsty sex, the accidental slip of someone else’s name | Tags: Gareth Emerson x fem!reader, Gareth x unnamed female groupie

Corroded Coffin Fest - Day 20 - Under the Covers by @jo-harrington | Rating: T | WC: 937 | Pairing: Eddie Munson x OC | Tags: Unofficial official Hymn of Heaven, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Eddie is simping hard, Fluff, allusion to monsters and nightmares, DnD references

Louisiana Rain by @thisapplepielife | Rating: E | WC: 1000 | CW: Sex, Brief Mentions of Past Trauma/Loss | POV: Gareth | Pairing: Gareth/Di (OC) | Tags: Future Fic, Established Relationship, Marriage, Post-Corroded Coffin, Gareth & Eddie are BFFs, Traveling Sucks, Delayed Flights, Coming Home, That Middle of the Night Quiet

Untitled by @br0ck-eddie | Rating: T | WC: 308 | Pairing: None

Day 20: Under the Covers by @munson-blurbs | Rating: T | WC: 656 | CW: None | Tags: Eddie Munson, Gareth, Grant, Jeff, Erica Sinclair, Lucas Sinclair, Mike Wheeler, Dustin Henderson, birthday party, cover band

Safe Haven by @corroded-hellfire | Rating: G | WC: 922 | CW: fear of thunderstorms | Pairing: None | Tags: fear of thunderstorms

Rambin' Gamblin' Man by @dreamwatch | Rating: M | WC: 1000 | CW: period typical homophobia (alluded to) | POV: Steve | Pairing: Steddie | Tags: secret relationship, sharp suits, Steve Harrington is stupid for Eddie Munson, Fluff but make it lustful

[poguesofthebau]

dating steve would include... (part two)

pairing: steve harrington x fem!henderson!reader part one

-sneaking him into your house for sleepovers

-him complaining whenever you dedicated time to schoolwork instead of him (even if you allowed him to sit with you while you worked)

-both of you being slightly territorial but completely unwilling to admit it, which was always entertaining for your friends to watch in action

-occasionally giving him a hard time over all the girls he dated before you just to see him get all worked up and defensive

-letting robin take the passenger seat when he drives you both to school, until he randomly starts picking you up first and doubling back by his house for robin afterward ("what? you're too nice to tell robin to get in the back, so i had to take matters into my own hands")

-dustin referring to you and steve as every famous duo under the sun •bonnie and clyde •romeo and juliet •holmes and watson

-understanding all the kids' d&d terminology, which only ever surprises steve ("babe, how do you know this stuff? am i the only normal one here?")

-randomly making a statement supporting queer rights during a conversation with steve and robin which eventually led to her coming out to you

-punching billy in the face in the school parking lot one time because he was being racist giving lucas a hard time, which steve was actually pretty mad at you for (“y/n, he could’ve seriously hurt you! do you not understand that?”)

-taking mid-day naps together after you got out of school/he got out of work

-steve being the best listener when you just needed someone to rant to •mumbling a supportive mhmmm whenever you made a specific point during the rant •you rambling for 5 minutes straight, then sighing and saying, “ya know?”, to which steve nods and says “i hear ya, babe” •when your anger fades a little and you ask him, “am i just being crazy?” his immediate response is something like ‘absolutely not! those dickheads are lucky i don't send el to fling them off a rooftop or something'

-dustin barreling into your room while preemptively covering his eyes and yelling threats every time he realizes steve is over and you have the door closed

-him offering to drive you whenever you mentioned having to go somewhere to him

-constantly having to explain lord of the rings/the hobbit references to him (“babe, please just read the books”)

-when you ask what's gonna happen when you go away for college, he looks genuinely dumbfounded before shrugging and saying, "i thought i'd just go wherever you go"

-a double date with nancy and jonathan that was both horribly awkward and incredibly fun

-spearheading all the kids' crazy plans, which drives steve insane

-steve looking at you and saying, “these are the people that are gonna babysit our kids one day” every time your friends did anything abnormal/ridiculous •while dustin, mike, lucas, and will have a full-blown argument over their d&d campaign •after robin trips and face-plants on the walk from her front door to steve's car •when el is using her powers to adjust the tv antenna so no one has to get up from their seats •after nancy convinced everyone to go back into the upside down/face vecna despite the terrible odds

-your mom adoring him, which kind of annoyed dustin but also made his heart feel whole

-his fingers hooked in your belt loops in a crowd to keep from getting separated

-him playing with your fingers while you talked to dustin about something that didn’t interest him

-listening to him sing in the shower when he didn’t realize how loud he was being

-giving him tons of nicknames but only reusing the ones that made him blush •lover •stevie (which he forbade anyone else from calling him) •batman (originally because of his iconic nail bat, but then a double entendre of sorts after his encounter with vecna's bats)

-him knowing your favorite song off the top of his head even before vecna came around

[strangerthingsreversebigbang]

In case you missed them, here are the next ten works posted from the Stranger Things Reverse Big Bang!

---

If I Could Turn Back Time by @stevesbipanic | Art by @maikaartwork

Rating: Teens and Up

Warning(s): No Archive Warnings Apply

Character(s): Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Eleven | Jane Hopper, Robin Buckley, Dustin Henderson, Wayne Munson, The Party

Relationship(s): Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson

Summary:

"Hide somewhere, somewhere you felt safe."

After the battle the party realises their fallen friend isn't so fallen after all, just a lot smaller.

Eddie likes these new people, especially the boy with the fluffy hair and a nice smile.

Together can they return Eddie to his original body and work through their pasts?

Here You Come Again by @cranberrymoons | Art by @glitterfang

Rating: Explicit

Warning(s): No Archive Warnings Apply

Character(s): Steve Harrington, Tommy Hagan, Robin Buckley, Robin Buckley's Parents, Dustin Henderson, Mike Wheeler, Lucas Sinclair

Relationship(s): Steve Harrington/Tommy Hagan

Summary:

Vaguely, over the sound of a bland pop song playing in the background, he hears the squeak of a pair of sneakers come to a halt at the other end of the aisle. He turns his head toward the sound… and promptly fumbles the tube of Pringles he’d been reaching for. He bats at it with his hand in a futile attempt at catching it, instead knocking it further toward the ground like a spiked volleyball.

He clears his throat.

“Um.” The tube rolls across the linoleum and comes to a stop at Tommy Hagan’s feet. Steve stares at it for a long, agonizing beat of silence, then he looks back up at Tommy’s face. “Sorry.”

Tommy raises his eyebrows, and Steve’s heart kicks in his chest.

Steve and Tommy haven't talked in nearly three years. After everything, maybe the best way forward is back.

Sneaking a Peak by @medusapelagia | Art (x, x) by @imfinereallyy

Rating: Explicit

Warning(s): No Archive Warnings Apply

Character(s): Steve Harrington, Steve Harrington's Mother, Eddie Munson, Corroded Coffin (Stranger Things), Chrissy Cunningham, Robin Buckley

Relationship(s): Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington

Summary:

Steve Harrington's face has always been on the most well-known magazines' cover, but since he broke up with the famous actress Nancy Wheeler he has done his best to avoid the public eye. Or so he thinks... until a picture of him kissing a mysterious boy becomes viral.

---

“Steven, stop it, ok? I don’t have time to waste. I called to find out the name of the boy you were kissing last night.” His mom says, annoyed. Steve turns toward the mirror and finally sees what caught his attention before: on the lower side of his neck, barely hidden from his t-shirt, there is a big blue hickey. Fuck! “How… how do you know?” “You were at the New York Fashion Week afterparty, right? Well, you know how people are. They love to take pictures and share them on their socials, don’t they? And guess what? No one cares about the stupid boys that were drinking some fancy cocktail they don’t even know how to pronounce, but you were in their picture. You, and a black-haired boy, and either one of you was in need of some CPR or the two of you were kissing. Hard.”

What a Lucky Man He Was by @nnocres | Art by @artgroves

Rating: Explicit

Warning(s): No Archive Warnings Apply

Character(s): Joyce Byers, Jim Hopper, Scott Clarke, Lonnie Byers (mentioned)

Relationship(s): Joyce Byers/Jim Hopper, Scott Clarke/Jim Hopper, Joyce Byers & Jim Hopper

Summary: When Lonnie leaves Joyce hanging for a ride at their senior prom, Jim is there to help.

Overnight Sensation by @ilovecupcakesandtea | Art by @pink-luna-moth

Rating: Explicit

Warning(s): No Archive Warnings Apply

Character(s): Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley, Chrissy Cunningham

Relationship(s): Steve Harrington / Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley / Chrissy Cunningham

Summary: Two different styles of music, two boys that really don't like each other. What could possibly go wrong?

More Than it at First Appears by @it-gets-worse-at-night | Art by @hereforanepilogue

Rating: Mature

Warning(s): Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Character(s): Steve Harrington, Robin Buckley, Eddie Munson, Dustin Henderson, Lucas Sinclair, Erica Sinclair, Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Wayne Munson, Other(s)

Relationship(s): Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington, Steve Harrington & The Party

Summary:

Soulmates weren’t something that a lot of people put much faith in anymore. As a kid, everyone is excited to meet their soulmate, they grow up watching movies about finding your soulmate, but the older most people get, the more they realize that the system just isn’t perfect. People meet too young, or too late, or not at all. Sometimes the matches just don’t seem right. Steve, for his part, wanted to believe in soulmates. He wanted so badly to believe, but his parents were soulmates and their marriage was a sham. They didn’t love each other. In fact, most days, they honest to God hated one another. His father was a chronic cheater and his mother followed him around in an effort to salvage her dreams of a perfect marriage. In Steve’s opinion, if it hadn’t managed to work itself out in the 20 years that they’d been married, it probably wasn’t going to. So, as much as Steve wanted to believe in them, he hadn’t tethered himself to the idea of eventually meeting his own soulmate. He’d dated plenty, fucked around, flirted. He’d even fallen in love, though that relationship had blown up in his face. This simple fact though, made the orange blooming over Robin’s neck that much more surprising.

Second Chances Mixtape by @medusapelagia | Art (x, x) by @maikaartwork

Rating: Mature

Warning(s): No Archive Warnings Apply

Character(s): Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley, Dustin Henderson, The Party (Stranger Things), Nancy Wheeler, Argyle (Stranger Things), Jonathan Byers, Henry Creel | One | Vecna, Original Characters, Wayne Munson, Mike Wheeler, Will Byers, Eleven | Jane Hopper, Terry Ives, Martin Brenner, Becky Ives, Scott Clarke

Relationship(s):Steve Harrington & Eddie Munson, Eddie Munson & Wayne Munson, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington, Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson

Summary:

It's 1986 and the plan to kill Vecna was a disaster: Vecna escaped, Hawkins was devasted by an earthquake and Eddie Munson is dead. Or so they presume.

---

“The cassette player broke.” Lucas whispers after hours of silence. “I couldn’t… I couldn’t help her. I was right there, but I couldn’t help her.” Steve holds him tighter, he has no words of comfort for him and he knows exactly how he feels. How hard is he judging himself, how he is playing the entire movie of the night in his head trying to find the point in time where he could have fixed everything. Steve knows all of that because he and Lucas are so similar and he is doing the very same thing, thinking about Eddie. Only…. Only Steve has another thought that doesn’t let him breathe: did he really hate him? Steve can’t deny that he was jealous of Dustin’s new cool friend but… did he let them risk their lives because he was jealous?

Made of Brick & Stone | Built On Laughter by @maxinemaxmayfield | Art by @doomcheese

Rating: General

Warning(s): No Archive Warnings Apply

Character(s): Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson

Relationship(s): Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson

Summary:

It all starts with a raccoon. Well, that depends where you want to start from, really. But this particular part of their life, this starts with a raccoon.

In which Steve and Eddie rescue critters, renovate a farm, and love each other through it all.

Let's Bring This Idiot Home by @ilovecupcakesandtea | Art by @kokoshka67

Rating: Mature

Warning(s): No Archive Warnings Apply

Character(s): Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley

Pairing(s): Steve Harrington / Eddie Munson

Summary: Eddie's dead, or is he? What happens when a dead friend isn't actually as dead as everyone thought they were.

(Don't) Hold Your Breath by @ukulilyjane | Art by @glitterfang

Rating: Explicit

Warning(s): No Archive Warnings Apply

Character(s): Carol Perkins, Nancy Wheeler, Barb Holland

Pairing(s): Steve Harrington/Tommy Hagan

Summary:

When Steve opens the door, on the doorstep stands Tommy, chewing on the inside of his cheek, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his shorts, backlit by the orange glow of the early evening sun.

Tommy who Steve hasn’t properly spoken to in almost half a year.

Just Tommy. No ‘and Carol’. No other half.

---

Stay tuned for more incredible works from the Stranger Things Reverse Big Bang!

Schedule | Sign Up | Info | FAQ | Rules | Ask the Mods

[strawberryspence]

DAE's STEDDIE HCS/FICLETS

-> Google Docs Masterlist

Steddie Week 2023

Winter Steddie

Eddie who never wears

Steddie gift wrapping

Steddie finally being happy + snow

Famous Trope

Eddie comes out at the Grammys

Everyone's famous and the world is curious as to how they're all friends

Singer!Steve Harrington and his muse

Steddie TV show AU

Steddie Famous Singers

Found Family

Wayne Munson and a life told in pictures

Hop helps Steve make his first tree house

Eddie Munson wants kids with Steve Harrington

Arwen Elizabeth Harrington-Munson

"See you tomorrow, Steve."

Wayne teasing Eddie

Wayne and the engagement ring

AUs

Pride and Prejudice Steddie AU

California legalizes Gay Marriage (Modern Family Inspired Steddie AU)

Eddie does the B99 Amy Santiago double hair tuck

Drabble (more than 100 words but less than 1k)

Steddie both thinking they don't deserve each other

Steddie gets shovel talks

Steddie goes to New Zealand

Yellow Steddie

Eddie gives Steve rocks

Eddie's legos

Eddie will always leave a light on for Steve

Eddie watches Steve

Eddie snores

Eddie keeps sneezing

Eddie falls asleep in class

Eddie always has orange juice (TW)

Steve gets Alzheimer's

Steve holds Eddie by the wrist

Steve's favorite kisses from Eddie

Steve's favorite season

thinking of Steve

The sky is blue, the grass is green and they're in love

Ficlets

Eddie Munson loves the water

Eddie takes care of Steve

Eddie and his bucketlist

Eddie and Steve get stuck in a crowd

Steve calls Eddie love

Steve's 60th birthday

Steve's 20th birthday

Steve's allergic to...

Steve learns how to play Happy Birthday

in another universe...

Dustin finds out about Steddie

Our Metal Guardian Angel

Ficlet Series

Eddie calls someone else sweetheart

Part 1 & Part 2

It's 1986. Steve falls in love with Eddie first. It's 1996. Eddie realizes he's in love with Steve a little too late.

Part 1 & Part 2

Daisy Boys

Annalyn | Wayne | BONUS

Bigger Than The Whole Sky

-> Steve Harrington loves the sky | Alternate Fluffy Version

-> Robin Buckley and sunrises (written by the wonderful, @undreaming-fanfiction) | Dustin Henderson and sunsets

Red String of Fate

Part 1 | @undreaming-fanfiction's Part 2

Last Will and Testament Ficlets

Dustin Henderson and the countdown

Robin Buckley and birthdays

Stobin

Stobin dying together

Steve learns what love is

Vampire Steve Harrington (with other lovely mutuals)

[berenwrites]

Freaks - Stranger Things - Steddie

Freaks: What the World Sees - A Stranger Things Future Fic

A/N: For @steddie-week day 5. This is kind of a sequel to yesterday’s fic (So Sorry), but you don’t have to have read that one to get this one. :D

Prompt: Together / Established relationship / Hold the Line by Toto

Summary: The world knows a lot about famous guitarist and singer Eddie Munson, including things about his husband, but there is so much they don’t see as well.

Also on AO3

Everyone knows that Eddie Munson of Corroded Coffin fame is a freak – his own description, not ours. Famous for hard rock and weathering the storm of being outed as bisexual during the band’s rise to fame, Munson is anything but average.

Not least of all because he still looks no more than twenty-five even though he’s in his forties. When asked about his lasting good looks he either responds with something along the lines of ‘It’s all the good sex’ or simply ‘I’m a vampire’. There was even that one story from the early nineties of a groupie sneaking onto the group’s tour bus and finding real blood in the refrigerator.

The band did a whole photoshoot with fake fangs and fake blood after that one to make a point, and their next music video was very gothic.

That Munson once stopped a large and heavy speaker tower from falling on the band’s drummer Gareth Emerson with apparently no effort helped fuel the rumours. He just claimed adrenaline and leverage were on his side before threatening to sue the festival they had been performing at.

What fewer people know is Munson’s long-time partner and now husband, is also on the eccentric side. Steve Harrington is a fixture with the group. Often assumed to be a roadie in the early days of the band, Harrington is never far from Munson’s side, and has several writing credits on the band’s albums. Often hiding behind dark glasses, Harrington remains just as youthful as his husband, and never gives interviews.

There have been a few peculiar stories about him over the years, including that he always travels with a baseball bat studded with nails somewhere close by. One fan even claimed to have taken a picture of it in the trunk of his car.

“It’s for monster fighting, of course,” Munson famously said when asked about it in one interview.

The couple have a rich and close social group, including the Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Nancy Wheeler and her long term partner, photojournalist Johnathan Byers, physicists & computing pioneers Dustin & Suzie Henderson-Bingham, basketball star Lucas Sinclair and his sister, youngest ever serving congresswoman Erica Sinclair, renown UN negotiator Robin Buckley, fantasy author Mike Wheeler and his long term partner, illustrator and graphic artist Will Byers, actress and director Jane ‘EL’ Hopper, and vocal children’s law advocate Max Mayfield.

Members of ‘The Party’ as they refer to themselves were involved in the tragedies which overtook the small town of Hawkins Indiana in the early to mid-80s. According to several of them, the events that took place there have bonded them together forever no matter how far across the planet they spread.

This can be seen in connections such as Munson’s band Corroded Coffin being contracted to do the soundtrack for two of Hopper’s breakout movies. Or the benefit concert Munson and Harrington organised, calling on friends in the music industry, to raise money and awareness for Mayfield’s children’s charity.

This list goes on. It seems there is little these incredibly successful people will not do for each other.

However, when asked what keeps him going and striving for bigger and better things, Eddie Munson’s answer since the pair came out as a couple has always been ‘Steve’. Unlike some celebrity marriages, this one seems built on very sure foundations.

As Corroded Coffin tour with yet another award-winning album, we wish them continued success bringing their music to the new generation.

~*~

Eddie put down the article after reading it out over the breakfast table.

“Stevie, you’re a freak now too,” Eddie said with a laugh.

“Still not a nerd though,” Steve replied, peering over the top of his dark glasses.

Ever since Eddie had carried him out of the Upside Down, turning him into a vampire to save his life, Steve hadn’t been able to deal with bright light. And their kitchen was definitely bright. It was something Eddie had never suffered from, which Steve was thankful for given Eddie’s career choice, although Eddie had his own idiosyncrasies to deal with.

“Your book collection begs to differ,” Eddie told him with a grin.

“Lots of those are Mike’s,” he defended himself.

“Sweetheart, one of the rooms in this house is a library, I don’t think you can blame that all on Mike,” his husband replied, laughing at him again.

“I don’t know, he’s a creative little shit,” he said, grinning back.

“Big shit these days, he’s taller than both of us. Isn’t his latest book launch party coming up soon?” Eddie asked.

“First Thursday of next month,” he replied.

“That’s next Thursday,” Eddie said, eyes going comically wide.

“I know,” Steve said.

“Shit, I’ve got nothing to wear,” Eddie said, pushing his chair away from the table. “I can’t turn up in anything I’ve worn before, the press would eat me alive.”

Steve watched his ridiculous husband scramble away fondly, slowly counting in his head. He got to thirty before Eddie appeared back in the kitchen doorway.

“It’s a costume party, isn’t it?” Eddie said.

Steve nodded.

“And Mike already allocated us costumes, didn’t he?” Eddie added.

“Yep,” Steve replied. “Now how about you come sit back down and finish breakfast?”

Eddie slunk back in and folded gracefully into his chair.

“How do you keep all this shit straight in your head?” he asked, picking up his glass of juice.

“I’m not writing the next billboard smash in the back of my brain while doing everything else,” Steve said and grinned. “All I have to do is look pretty, it’s easy.”

He blew his husband a kiss.

“You keep telling yourself that, Mr I-know-the-security-systems-of-every-stadium-better-than-the-guys-paid-to,” Eddie shot back. “And keep fluttering your eyelashes at me like that and neither of us are getting to finish breakfast.”

“Maybe I’m not hungry for food,” he said with a tiny, innocent smile.

He began counting in his head again. Eddie only had so much self-control and Steve always enjoyed snapping it.

The End

Find my other steddie fanfic listed here in my pinned post.

[steddieasitgoes]

@steddiemas Day 25: Christmas Day Traditions & Activities

Tags: Pre-Relationship Steddie, Christmas Morning, Christmas Fluff, Supportive Wayne Munson, Eddie Munson Is A Sweetheart,

wc: 1488 | Rating: G

Read on ao3 | ao3 collection

It’s not that Steve likes to be alone on Christmas.

He doesn’t think anyone likes to be alone on Christmas — let alone someone who aspires to be a father to six little nuggets one day.

But he has a hard time taking his friends up on their offers to host him for Christmas. Doesn’t want to feel like a burden or impose on anyone’s traditions.

He’s tried in the past — joining the Hendersons in ’84 and Robin basically held him hostage in ’85, refusing to let him wallow alone in his house like some Grinch (her words not his).

No matter how accommodating the Hendersons and Buckleys were or how many times Dustin and Robin assured him that he wasn’t imposing, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he didn’t belong. The cold weight in his gut and the nagging voice in his head telling him if his parents didn’t want him why would anyone else?

(He should probably go to therapy to get that checked out.)

It’s fine though, because Steve’s curated his own Christmas traditions now.

He wakes up whenever he wants to — usually still early because his body has never adjusted to the fact that it no longer needs to wake up at the ass crack of dawn to train — and makes himself an omelet or two. Then he moves into the living room and opens the gift Robin always leaves behind for him because she refuses to let him open something on Christmas.

After making his “Merry Christmas” calls and assuring Robin and Dustin that he’s fine and no, he doesn’t want to come over, he heats up the homemade casserole Ms. Henderson makes Dustin deliver by bike on the 23rd and settles down on the couch to watch this year’s Christmas Day basketball games.

It’s not much, but it works for Steve.

At least, it did until this year when Eddie threw a literal wrench in his plans by coaxing him into coming over because his car wouldn’t start and he had to pick Wayne up from a last-minute shift at the factory.

Honestly, Steve should have known it was a trap the minute he mentioned Wayne working a Christmas morning shift. Wayne and him aren’t close by any means, but he knows there’s no way Eddie’s Uncle would work on Christmas day and leave him home alone. He actually has good parenting habits, unlike some people in his life.

Still, the phone call came at six in the morning and Steve was too dizzy with sleep to question his motives until he pulled up at the Munsons to find both cars parked in their usual spots.

He doesn’t even have time to make a quick escape because Eddie’s perched on the worn sofa outside watching him.

“Took you long enough,” Eddie teases, sauntering over to Steve.

“From the looks of it you didn’t even need my help,” Steve sasses back as he gets out of the car. “Isn’t that Wayne’s car?”

Eddie glances in the direction Steve points as if he isn’t aware of the pickup truck. “Huh, guess it is. Must have been a dream I was having or something.”

“Or, something. Right,” Steve snorts, shaking his head.

“Well,” Eddie claps his hands together startling Steve. “Since we don’t actually need your help and you’re already here, you should stay for breakfast.”

“That’s okay, Eddie. I don’t—“

“Ah, ah, ah,” Eddie tuts. “You’re not bailing on me now, Stevie. Wayne’s in there whipping up his famous Christmas morning breakfast. You haven’t lived until you’ve tried his French toast casserole.”

Arguing with Eddie is worse than arguing with Dustin, so Steve saves his energy and agrees to stay for breakfast. He apologizes profusely to Wayne for the intrusion, earning a gruff “nonsense boy, you’re always welcome here,” several times before Wayne finally swats him with the spatula and insists he shut up or else.

The casserole is as delicious as Eddie made it out to be. Not that Steve was skeptical of Wayne’s ability to cook. He’s been over for chili nights and eaten Wayne’s perfectly cooked and fresh fish after the fishing trip Eddie also tricked Steve into attending.

With a full belly and Eddie’s demand met, he’s planning on heading out when he spots the mountain of dishes in the small sink. His parents may not have raised him to be kind and thoughtful, but it's the man he’s become so he hikes up the sleeves on his maroon sweater and gets to work cleaning the dishes even though both Wayne and Eddie shout at him that there’s “no chores on Christmas.” When they both offer to help, Steve throws “no chores on Christmas” back in their faces and shoos them out of the kitchen with a smile and lots of gruff laughter. 

He’s almost finished with the washing when the snow starts to fall. Not cute little snowflakes like in the movies. Oh no. Big ass sheets of snow dropping faster and faster as the seconds tick by.

Christ.

“Snowin’ mighty bad out there,” Wayne whistles, coming inside from the smoke break he insisted on taking outside. Kicking off his boots, he walks over to Steve and claps a hand on his shoulder. “‘Fraid you ain’t going anywhere.”

“I mean, it’s not that bad,” Steve says, throwing the dish towel over his other shoulder as he peers out the window. Who is he kidding? There’s no way the beemer is going to make it three feet in this weather let alone the two and a half miles to his house.

“You’ve got to be kidding, Steve!” Eddie shouts, from his spot on the couch. “If I let you leave in this weather and something happens, Henderson and Buckley will literally have my head on a stake. You’re staying and that’s final.”

He turns, expecting to find Wayne ready to object to Eddie’s theatrics but what he finds instead is the gruff man nodding his head in agreement.

“Guess m’staying then.”

Steve’s no stranger to surprises, but he’s downright perplexed when Wayne announces that it’s time to watch the Knicks game and Eddie doesn’t balk or go on some long-winded rant about how sports and Christmas don’t go together. Instead, he watches as Eddie nods and curls up on the sofa while Wayne settles in on the recliner.

“Hold on,” Steve says, waving his hands in the air to get their attention. “You, Eddie Munson, are going to watch basketball without complaining?”

“S’our Christmas tradition,” Wayne says.

“Unfortunately,” Eddie mumbles which earns him a pillow to the face curtesy of Wayne. “Hey!”

Wayne chuckles, shaking his head before shifting his attention back to Steve. “First Christmas I had Eddie, the boy was so upset after openin’ his gifts ‘cause he didn’t have nothin’ for me. Told him not to worry, just wanted him to watch the game with me. S’been a tradition ever since.”

Steve opens his mouth to say something when Eddie chimes in cutting him off.

“If you’re going to call me a hypocrite, save it.” “I wasn’t going to,” Steve says, holding his hands up in surrender. Crossing the room, he takes a seat on the sofa with Eddie, leaving the middle cushion open. “Actually, I was going to say watching the game is my Christmas tradition too.”

“Oh,” Eddie says. “Maybe it could be our tradition now. Wayne, me, you. I mean, I might not know what the hell is going on, but Wayne knows lots of fun stats he loves to share.” “Watch yourself, boy,” Wayne scolds with no bite. “S’you who never shuts up during the game. Always narrating made-up things while they play.”

“You know you love it!” Eddie defends, flipping Wayne off. After he turns his attention back to Steve, “M’sure watching with us will be better than watching alone, right?”

It’s presumptuous is what it is.

The thought of Steve coming over to the Munsons year after year to watch the basketball game. Cheer on teams and criticize plays with Wayne, listen to Eddie’s improv commentary. As if they want him crashing their traditions forever.

But something about the offer warms the usual Christmas day ache in his gut.

The truth is Steve doesn’t feel like a burden when he’s here with Wayne and Steve. He doesn’t feel like an awkward third wheel or like he’s a fly on the wall, listening to inside jokes and not understanding them.

He feels like an equal.

Like he belongs.

And what a wonderful feeling that is.

Maybe he won’t always spend Christmas with Wayne and Eddie and whatever NBA teams are playing, but today he will.

And he’s not going to deny himself this tradition next year or the year after that or any year Eddie and Wayne are eager to host him.

“Yeah, Eds,” Steve says pulling himself from his reprieve. “This is much better than watching the game alone.”