#dustin talking to eddie’s uncle broke me

[undreaming-fanfiction]

Written for @steddieangstyaugust day 4: angst with a happy ending.

Once upon a time, when the world almost ended and didn't, Eddie Munson used to think that surviving the near apocalypse would be the most difficult thing he'd ever have to do in his life. Surely being bitten to death, then resurrected by the big bad, then breaking away from his influence and helping save the world, that must have counted for something, right? He'd earn a happy end through all that suffering.

Well, no. Not really. That's what he learned the second the portal to the Upside Down closed. The lovely people of Hawkins still hated him, he and Wayne had nowhere to live because their trailer split open, and he barely escaped another group of government scientists very much interested in the whole "came back to life" thing.

It was only natural Eddie ran. Why wouldn't he? He brought Wayne only bad luck, even worse reputation, and a bunch of extra expenses. His friends from the Corroded Coffin? Tortured by Jason to find his location. The freshmen he dragged into Hellfire? Also targeted. Eddie's name was a target on the back on everyone he loved and he wouldn't stay long enough for it to put the others in danger. Not Wayne, Dustin…Steve. Steve who confused him as much as enticed him. But Hawkins wasn't the place to explore this forbidden space in Eddie's head.

Indy sounded like a good destination and so that's where he went. He wrote a bunch of goodbye letters, trying to explain, but mostly to ease the pain. I will be in touch once I settle in, he said in them. He was never a good liar, not even on paper.

The whole Upside Down affair had robbed him of everything. His baby, his guitar. His closest relationships. His only proper home. The future he saw with himself and the Corroded Coffin. But he still had his life, so that was something.

He made friends, but not really. How do you make a real connection with someone when you can't tell them anything about the most important event in your life? How do you explain staring at every girl with golden blond ponytail on the street, dreading the moment they turn around because it won't be her?

He would send letters to Wayne sometimes. They would be long, talking about this and that, he would sometimes call too. But he noticed that for how much he talked, the content was empty. He wondered if Wayne noticed too. He must have - his uncle was the most perceptive man he'd ever met. He sent a bunch of short messages to Dustin via Wayne, just to keep him from going all Sherlock Holmes on Eddie. He swore to visit them both one day. Just not today. Or tomorrow.

The only good thing about his life in Indy was the anonymity of a large city and with that, the possibility to explore who he really was. He saved as much as he could and bought a new guitar. It would never be like his first love, but he could get back to music and drive his roommates insane with how out of practice he was. He'd play here and there, become very slightly famous in the local queer community. Sometimes his performances would earn him a free drink, sometimes a kiss. Or if he was really good, company for the night.

Five years in, it was going fairly well, he thought. He wasn't completely broke, he could kiss who he wanted - boys, how long it took him to admit that!, his songs got more genuine. He even wrote a bunch about Hawkins, never naming the place or people, of course, but it helped him work through some stuff. And on some days, he didn't even think much about what and who he'd left behind.

Until that fateful evening when he was scheduled to perform in his frequented gay bar. He sat on his usual stool on the podium with his acoustic guitar, greeted the regulars, and said his usual spiel: "This one is about a very special boy. He wore a yellow sweater, saved my life a bunch of times. Was really badass too. I think he made me realize who I really am, even if he never knew how I feel about him."

He never gave the song a name. He considered "His vest over my bleeding heart", or maybe something like "Keep me like you kept the vest", something with sunflowers, nail bats, perfect hair. Everyone in the bar knew he hated naming his songs anyway, so he took a deep breath and got ready to play.

Only then did he notice a familiar shade of yellow near the bar. And a surprised, but still a smile.

Eddie didn't run that evening. He finished the set, thanked his supporters and fans, and then he found himself sitting next to Steve Harrington, the man from his songs and dreams.

"Everyone misses you like crazy. They still hope you'll stop by, but I get it. I just feel lucky as hell. I didn't think I'd see you again," said Steve and it sounded sad. Like he actually missed Eddie too.

"I didn't think I'd find you in a place like this," responded Eddie. He wanted it to sound more rough, defensive, but his heart betrayed him and it was more of a question. Of a plea.

Steve smiled at him again, and maybe it was Eddie's imagination, but did he shift closer to him? "You haven't seen me in a long time, Eddie. This is exactly the place you'd find me these days. And now…I don't even need to drag Robin with me as an excuse."

Oh. Okay. Eddie could work with that. Licking his lips, he prodded even more. "So…uh. I take it you still haven't found what you're looking for?"

Steve turned to him fully, reaching out for Eddie's hand, and Eddie realized that he might have been wrong. This might be his happy ending after all.

Especially when Steve's lips parted and he said: "I have now."

Eddie would visit Wayne. He'd call Dustin, catch up with Gareth and others. Because he no longer felt like a bad omen. The morning he woke up next to Steve Harrington, with a careful promise of much more than one night, with pancakes for breakfast and talking, so much real talking with no secrets and no lies, he decided that he was ready to stop running. For good this time.

[madelynraemunson]

CALL ME WHAT YOU WANT 𓆩♡𓆪

(Book #1 of the Hellfire Gentlemen’s Club series)

strip club owner!eddie x fem!exotic dancer!hargrove!reader

𝐌𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐍 𝐀𝐔 18+ MDNI

Chapter 019: The Piggyback

If you had the chance to do it over again with Eddie — and DO IT RIGHT — would you?

↳ chapters: 001, 002*, 003** , 004**, 005 , 006 , 007* , 008**, 009, 010, 011, 012* , 013**, 014** , 015, 016**, 017, 018, 019, 020* * = somewhat smut , ** = smut

CW: hospital setting, dialogue heavy, uncertainty, fluff, talks of blood/broken bones/etc., car accident implications

word count: 2.5k words

“I’ll pick up these broken pieces ‘til I’m bleeding, if that’ll make it right.”

♡

Hawkins Memorial Hospital reeks of bleach wipes and bitter tears.

“Eddie…” Dustin wails. “No no no, noooo. Eddie…”

You’re sitting on the floor of the nurses station with Robin, Steve, and Nancy while the ‘kiddos’ occupy the waiting chairs. Surely, it's got to be unsanitary, but contracting germs off the floor of the ICU were the least of your concerns.

Your eyes follow Wayne as he helplessly wheels around, talking to anyone who would lend him an ear... anyone who would possibly know anything about his nephew’s condition.

“And my nephew — Eddie — he's self-employed,” Wayne continues to tell them.

Wheeling…wheeling…wheeling…

“But the Program he’s with allows him to go through Scott Clarke. You know Scott Clarke Insurance? It’s S-c-o-t-t, C-l-a-r-k-e… I’m through them too…”

But the able-bodied personnel are too fast for old Wayne, walking at a speed about 5mph while his frail fingers can only allow him up to 2 and a half. Just like the liters of oxygen he is on.

“Does he have a case manager assigned to him yet?” Wayne wonders. “If so I would like their name, please.”

Eventually Wayne’s voice fades the further away he gets. And just so you don't wallow in your misery, you go to your phone to see if anyone else has been reaching out to you for updates.

Justice (Hellfire)

Omg just heard the news! Hey girlie, is Eddie ok??? Can we come see him yet??

Just as you expected. Annoyed, you respond.

Girl fuck you

Suddenly a hand squeezes your kneecap. You didn't realize how aggressively you were tapping your feet until Max stops you.

“Doing okay, sis?”

“Yeah I'm just...” you sigh. “…going through all the emotions I guess. And in a fucked up way, I'm kinda convinced this is all my fault."

“You're a dumbass," she scowls at you. "How could you have possibly seen this coming? This was not in anyone’s control."

“I broke the rule,” is all you say. “We never go to bed angry.”

The odds have always been against you. You would think you knew that by now. It was probably why you spent all morning beating yourself up; because you knew that if you did, there's a huge possibility that Eddie would pull through. The Universe is twisted like that.

Suddenly, a pair of white coats are seen coming out of Eddie's room. Everybody in the party immediately stands, like it's some formation exercise at a bootcamp of sorts. Wayne eventually circles back as well, gazing up at Dr. Owens with hopeful eyes.

“Eddie is going to be okay,” Owens concludes. “You can all breathe now.”

The room fills with bone-weary, but nonetheless celebratory cheers. Owens and Eddie's nurse, Nurse Patty allows everybody to hug one another in relief. Eddie's doctor goes to speak again when the clamor dies down.

“But he did have to undergo emergency surgery,” Dr. Owens adds. “And he lost a lot of blood, so we have him on additional transfusions, as well as an antibiotic for an infection caused by his wounds. The plan for him is to recover, hopefully get him up with therapy when the time is right, and then he can get out of here.”

“Can we see him?” your voice cracks.

“That is up to him," the doctor responds. "But for now, what the young man told me is that he wants chocolate pudding... and to see his Uncle and girlfriend."

You and Wayne waste no time. Unlocking the brakes of his wheelchair, you lug Eddie's uncle into ICU room #010, unsure of what is to greet you behind the curtains.

The room is littered with juice and jello, laced by an overpowering bleach-esque fragrance that most likely was there to mask the innate smell of blood and other bodily fluids.

Beep, beep, beep, goes the familiar IV machine. And funny enough, Eddie has his TV on, blasting South Park on full volume, exactly the way it normally would be playing at the Harrington-Munson estate.

"…tell everyone the truth about whose fault this is! I didn't do anything!" ... "...you KNEW about the prank, you could've stopped it at any time, but you didn't say a word. SILENCE IS VIOLENCE!"

And there is Eddie, dressed in a mesh-fabric gauze bandana, a worn-out beige hospital gown, with matching grippy socks. His entire lower lip is busted, left arm in a cast, both of his heels elevated with blood-saturated pillows. And his hair... you didn't even want to think about the matting. But that is ground to be covered much later.

When Eddie sees the two of you, he only utters one sentence:

“Does this mean I finally get that motorcycle?”

“You fucking idiot!” you wail going in to hug him.

Eddie chuckles solemnly as you completely fall into his embrace, soaking his gown with your salty tears.

"I thought we lost you, Eddie,” you whisper in his ear as you sniff your tears away. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself if we did...knowing what I said."

He strokes your hair. "You have every right to be mad at me. I've been such a shitty boyfriend to you."

“I second that,” Wayne huffs, crossing his arms. “The idiot part, I mean… but I’m glad you’re okay, son.”

“Tell me something I don’t know, Wayne,” Eddie grumbles. “I knew those Eddie Stops would catch up to me one day.”

Eventually, the rest of the party spills in, starting with the batallion of younger Hellfire boys who were inconsolable all morning, absolutely petrified of losing their role-model.

"Jesus,” Dustin breathes. “We thought you were a-goner!”

"Hey guys, good to see ya," Eddie grins, soaking up every bit of attention from his little minions as they all pile on top of him. Suddenly, he flinches. "Hey hey hey, watch my IVs! I've got an important med running through that piggyback."

"Right, sorry," they all utter in unison as they separate themselves from him.

Steve is next in line to give Eddie a hug, followed by Robin, and Nancy, and soon Jonathan. Chrissy and Argyle are the next people to trail in, with Henry and Nina at their tail. Then, the Corroded Coffin boys soon after.

"Eddie, oh my god!" Chrissy cries. "Don't you ever scare any of us like that again!"

"Good to see ya, Chris," Eddie smiles, giving her a one-armed hug. "Hey Neens! Creel! Villalobos. Boys.”

"So not cool man," Argyle shakes his head. "So not cool. We were worried sick for you."

As you all iron out the details, it is discovered that Eddie got into the accident shortly after leaving your place. He, in fact did, pull an Eddie Stop, failing to see the car coming at him from his left side, which then resulted in him getting T-boned. The other driver was okay. In fact, he was the one who called the ambulance for him.

"How much longer until you're discharged?" Nancy asks.

"I'm not too sure," Eddie sighs. "Hopefully in a few weeks."

He fails to sit up completely, wincing once again when his pain drags him down. Everybody nearly rushes to his aid, tenderly lowering Eddie back onto the bed while encouraging him to take it easy.

"Don't even worry about it, Eds," Lucas assures him. "We can hold down the fort."

"Oh that's reassuring," Eddie mutters sarcastically, shaking his head in discontent.

"What'd you say?"

"Nothing!"

---

You decide to stay with Eddie for the afternoon while everyone else goes home. A couple others stay behind as well, so you all take turns alternating, helping the nurses with their care and making sure Eddie isn't alone when a specialist from his team comes to see him.

But for now, it's just you and him, cuddled up in his rather stiff hospital bed, watching TV to pass time by.

"It feels weird sitting in place for once," he comments. "My body isn't used to laying down for a long period of time."

"Constantly in fight or flight, huh?" you tut. "Always on the go..."

Eddie whistles. "God, you have no idea..."

"Nah, I do," you insist, grabbing his hand to kiss it. "Our flights just look a lil different is all."

Suddenly, your phone rings again, causing both you and Eddie to jolt in shock. This time, it's your FaceTime ringtone... and on the other line, is Kassidy, quite possibly accompanied by the other Hellfire Girls.

"Jesus H. Christ," you mumble. "They've been spamming me all morning. Probably just wanna know how you're doing."

"Answer it," Eddie encourages you sharply. His tone is rather gruff, and urgent. "I need to talk to them."

Because you're nice enough to allow the girls the luxury of knowing their lord and savior is alive, you answer the call and hand your phone to Eddie. There's a slight pause before the call is connected.

"Hi," is all Eddie says.

"Eddie! OMG!" the girls squeal through the other line, of course all while failing to acknowledge you — the person whose number they called in the first place. "Are you okay?!"

"Yes girls, I'm fine..." he sighs. "How's Hellfire? Everyone holding down the fort?"

"Of course, just like we do best," Kassidy responds. "We just miss you, Eddie. What happened?"

"Got T-boned."

"OMG, whose fault was it?"

"Mine," he seems relatively short with them.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm in a little bit of pain. But I got some pain meds to help me."

"Thank God!"

Meanwhile, on the other side of the hospital walls, Nina and Chrissy stare at each other in bewilderment, a look that is naturally followed by one of disgust.

"Oh I know damn well..." Nina shakes her head.

"Stupid ass bitches," Chrissy adds.

Being the nosy girls they are, Nina and Chrissy crane their heads over into the room, eavesdropping on the FaceTime conversation between Eddie and the Hellfire Girls.

"Oh Eddie," Emmy pouts. "We're so glad that you're doing okay."

"Yeah, Eddie!" Lady chirps. "When do you think you'll be released?"

"Hopefully I'll be out in about two weeks," Eddie responds. "But I'll stay at home for a bit before coming back. You won't even know I'm gone."

The girls cheer obnoxiously on the other line. You try to act indifferent towards everything for Eddie's sake, but it's hard for you to feign something that so evidently isn't true.

Eddie senses it. And what he says next to the girls takes you by surprise.

"...But," Eddie says. "In that same amount of time, I expect your lockers to be cleared... as well as your side of the dressing room."

There's a brief silence while the girls try to piece together what Eddie means by that. Because surely it doesn't mean what they initially thought it meant.

"Why? Are we getting moved?"

"No, you're all getting terminated."

So it was exactly what they thought it meant.

"Wh-what? Why?!"

"What do you mean why?" Eddie demands.

He begins to list off everything they have done wrong, all of which they pretended to be oblivious about until now.

"The final straw is calling my girlfriend's phone, non-stop, knowing that's the only way to get through to me," Eddie goes on. "And not even acknowledging her! And even if you did, you all have some damn nerve considering what you guys did at Hellfire."

"You don't even have proof of us damaging her property though!" Justice argues. "So for all we know, you're just accusing us of things, Eddie."

"That's funny," you speak up. "Who said anything about property damage?"

Caught in their own trap.

The MAIN reason Eddie couldn't fire the Hellfire Girls when they put sugar in your gas tank was because you didn't have any proof that they did it, therefore it wouldn't hold up well if the girls decided to sue for wrongful termination. Again, lots of legalities to come in to play.

The girls were smart though. Choosing to wreck your car because they knew it was parked in the security camera's blindspot. Essentially, after the damage was done, it would be your word against theirs. And there was only so much that Eddie could do with the "subtle jabs". But now that you have a confession, Eddie can work off of that.

"But Eddie!" Justice whines. "This is so unfair. We've known you, and been at Hellfire longer than she has."

"Two weeks," Eddie reiterates, still firm on his decision. "That's enough time for you ladies to figure out the next step. I wish you the best of luck."

The ending of the FaceTime call wasn't a pretty one. It mainly consisted of denying and bargaining, all of which Eddie did not have the energy to be receptive to.

You and Eddie continue to hash it out with the girls over the phone, all while Nina and Chrissy were twerking in celebration because it meant more money for them during tip outs. And most importantly, celebrating you getting the justice you deserve...along with the possibility of you coming back.

"That was something I should've done way long ago," Eddie sighs as he hands you your phone back. "I hate dealing with legal shit."

"I'm sorry that they ended up being horrible," you frown.

"And I'm sorry that they ended up being horrible to you," Eddie counters. "I really wish I could've done more for you. But up until now my hands were tied legally, honey. And financially."

"It was a sticky situation," you mutter. "But...I knew you had a favorite."

He kisses your forehead once more and you lean into him again, resting your head against his chest and wrapping your leg around his torso.

"Ow, ow, OW!" Eddie yelps.

"Sorry!"

You asunder again.

"You think you're gonna find enough dancers in time?" you ask him.

"We'll be okay four dancers short," Eddie assures you. "And besides, more tips for the other ladies when it comes down to tip-outs. They did Hellfire a favor."

Exactly what Chrissy and Nina were thinking.

"Speaking of Hellfire..." Eddie quips. "Does this mean you're coming back?"

"Only if I'm still welcome."

"Of course you are, babe," Eddie chuckles. "Everyone there loves you."

Your heart flutters at the forsaken "L" word, uttered with so much certainty and fondness.

"...including me," Eddie adds. "I love you, man."

You bite your lip to contain your excitement as you blush, giving Eddie a light punch across his chest.

"I love you too...man."

And as a way to poke fun at you, Eddie flashes you a "surf's up" sign with his non-crippled fingers. He puts on his most pretentious California accent possible, one he learned how to do from Argyle.

"Righteous...man."

And before it could get any more intimate, Chrissy makes her way into the room, reaching into her tote bag to give you something she's been holding onto since she arrived.

You watch as she unveils a familiar velvet garment — your cloak. She gives you a courtly bow as she hands it back over to you, symbolizing an end to your very brief retirement from Hellfire, and a permanent seat at The Party's table.

"You know Hargrove, I believe..." says Chrissy. "...that this is for you."

🏷️ tag list: @chrrymunson , @the-fairy-anon , @ali-r3n , @corrodedcoffincumslut , @bebe07011 , @mmunson86 , @eddiesguitarskills , @chelebelletx , @imonhereforareasonsadly , @eddies-trailer-babe @motherfckerr , @jxpsi , @sidthedollface2 , @manda-panda-monium , @elvendria , @micheledawn1975 , @hereforshmut , @siriuslysmoking , @mediocredreams @nymphetkoo , @m-chmcl-rmnc , @ahoyyharrington , @keepittoyourselftellnobodyelse @kellyxo1 @emsgoodthinkin @winchester-angel @chloe-6123 , @redbarn1995 @angietherose @kiyastrf94 , @purplewitchcauldron @kellsck @joyfulfxckery @munsons-mayhem28 @dragonfire @emma77645 @drivelikenina @livosssblog @thinkingth0ts @hugdealer @ellielunamckay @xblueriddlex @maskofmirrors @babyloutattoo89 @queenofhawkins @feral-pumpkin-energy @bl0ssomanddie

[strangersteddierthings]

Porcelain Steve - Part 8

Part One🦇Part Two🦇Part Three🦇Part Four🦇Part Five🦇Part Six🦇Part Seven🦇Part Eight🦇Part Nine

Eddie hears the commotion in the living room, and it takes everything left in him to move away from the door. He just crawls himself forward and onto a pile of nearby clothes because he knows he'll be out of the way there when they open his door.

He knows he should open the door and go out there. Wayne's still out there, confused and concerned, and he needs to call Jeff. He can't just not show up. Yet he remains on the ground, cross-legged this time, face hidden in his hands.

Steve is broken. Because Eddie broke him.

He's been so afraid that something would happen to Steve if he wasn't around but given the track record of Eddie's life, he feels like such an idiot for not realizing the biggest threat to Steve and his safety is Eddie himself.

The commotion beyond his door gets louder, bursting open, and then Robin and Dustin are falling through it, stumbling over each other in their haste to get into Eddie's room. Wordlessly, Eddie points to where he abandoned Steve on the floor, knows that they're here for him.

He's a bit startled when the two finally untangle themselves and Dustin goes to Steve but Robin drops herself onto his dirty laundry, all but draping herself over him in a hug. His body moves on its own, wrapping around Robin and all but pulling her into his lap in a bear hug. He's not crying, too numb for that now, but he does shove his face into the side of her neck and let out a dry, sobbing noise as she coos softly.

"Shhhh. We're here. We've got Steve and we've got you," Robin's voice is wet. She's crying, too, silently but tears are definitely falling because one lands directly in his ear.

He feels detached from himself after that. He's aware of things going on around him but doesn't feel sentient. Robin pulls back from him slowly, she says something as she stands up but Eddie's too busy watching Dustin ever so gently pick up Steve's pinky finger and then Steve. He thinks the smile Dustin gives him is supposed to be reassuring but it's mostly just sad.

Eddie's head followed Dustin as he heads out the door and down the hall, at which point he starts to track Robin as she's coming back down the hall, dragging Wayne behind her.

"Can you stand up, Eddie?" she asks, and Eddie feels like he's watching himself shake his head no more than he feels like he's actually doing it.

"That's alright," Wayne says, as he pats one of Robin's shoulders before moving around her. "I'm not so old as to not be able to get down there. I still don't understand what's goin' on, Eddie, but I'm here."

Wayne joins him on the floor, sitting beside him so he can fling an arm around Eddie's shoulders and tuck him into his side. Robin flops down on his other side, once again draping herself across Eddie like a weighted blanket. It's all very grounding, and a little bit jarring, and that's probably what makes Eddie come back to himself sooner than he would have if he were alone in his room.

"You should be with Steve," is what Eddie decides on saying when words return, turning his head to look at Robin.

"Nah."

"He'd want you-"

"No, he wouldn't. I'm Steve's soulmate and I know him better than anyone else in the world. Which mean you don't get to tell me what Steve would want, because I know what Steve would want. And that's me, here, making sure you're okay first."

"What's happened with Steve?" Wayne asks, and Eddie stiffens. Robin starts rubbing soothing circles on his back.

"It's a long story, Mr. Munson. But I promise we'll fill you in once the crisis has passed."

"Is this related to whatever happened last year durin' the supposed earthquake that y'all can't talk about?"

"Well, I couldn't say either way, since we can't talk about it."

"Right. Get one o' the kids to tell me, then. Whatever they signed ain't legal anyhow."

Robin shoots Eddie a look, like she's trying to figure out if Eddie broke his NDA and told his uncle everything. He gives a quick shake of his head, and then Robin looks to Wayne. "I'm certain Dustin would be thrilled to fill you in, then. Now, Eddie, can you tell me what happened?"

He looks down the hall. He can see people crowded into the trailer's tiny living room but none of them look like any member of the Byers-Hopper household. "Uhh, yeah, but where's El?"

"They're in Indy, some family day thing. But don't worry, we went out to the Cerebro and were able to get El on the Walkie, so they're on the way back."

"You went- how long have I been just... sitting in here," Eddie is mostly talking to himself because it hasn't felt like enough time has passed for them to have made it to pick everyone up, get to Weathertop, communicate with El, and come here.

"Well, Nancy called me-" she cuts off, grabbing Eddie's arm and twisting it around so she can read the time on his watch, "-about an hour and a half ago. So, I guess you've been here that long."

Eddie untwists his arm, shaking her off. "You are being scarily calm right now, Queen of Catastrophizing."

"I already had an hour and a half to freak out. You think I need more?" Robin says as she stands up.

"I guess not," Eddie follows after her.

"Hey, help your old man up," Wayne grumbles, hand out for Eddie to grasp and help pull.

They go down the hall and now Eddie can see the full collective of people in his living room. Nancy, Mike, Lucas, Erica, Max, and Dustin, who is still holding Steve. It settles something inside Eddie, that the group he sees before him is the same one that fought tooth and nail to clear his name and keep him alive.

"So, we're all really sure that we can't just glue it back on?" Mike is asking when Eddie, Robin, and Wayne make it to the living room.

"We aren't sure about anything, Mike," Nancy replies, the frustration in her voice clear.

Everyone stops talking, though, as Wayne gives Eddie a thump on his back and wades through the crowd to get back to his chair. "Well, don't stop on my account. If I hear somethin', no I didn't."

That gets a snort of a laugh from Dustin.

Nancy looks like she wants to argue but doesn't. Instead, she wheels on Eddie, full journalism mode seemingly on, "what happened?"

Eddie swallows thickly before answering, "I dropped him. I-I pick him up and something pinched my palm. It surprised me, or something, and I just- I just let go. He landed on his left side before falling onto his back."

Nancy nods, brain processing much faster than Eddie right now, "And the crack appeared before or after you dropped him?"

He tries to remember, "I don't- I think so?"

"You think or you know?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"I don't know, Wheeler," Eddie says it more harshly than needed but he doesn't know! He doesn't remember because he didn't even look at Steve for longer than a second or two after Jeff saw him. "I've been having a mental breakdown kind of all day so no, I don't know! All I know is it's my fault because there wasn't a crack this morning, and now he's missing a finger-"

She's not even effected by his outburst, "Eddie! I'm not blaming you! I'm asking for the details because if you didn't do anything to cause the crack, then maybe that's just Steve, breaking the curse or something."

His anger drains from him almost as quickly as it built. "What?"

"I've been reading a lot, researching you know. About magical transformations. But there's not a lot of nonfiction on the subject. Ergo, I've been reading a lot of fairy tales."

"Which isn't really good for research-" Dustin starts, but Nancy just talks over him.

"My point is that, if you didn't do anything to cause the crack, maybe it just happened naturally. Supernaturally? Whatever, maybe it's a sign of whatever curse is on Steve is fading on it's own. That's why I wanted to know," she shifts from one foot to another now before adding, "I'm sorry about your day. I might have broached the subject differently had I known."

"No, you wouldn't have, but that's why I like you, Wheeler. You're a no-nonsense gal and I appreciate that," Eddie says.

Nancy gives him a small, almost shy, smile in return and the room falls into a silence that just this side of uncomfortable.

"Alright, Dustin, since the talkin' seems to be done, you wanna fill an old man in on what the hell's been goin' on around here for the last few years?" Wayne breaks the silence and Eddie barks out a laugh at the look on everyone's faces.

"Uhh, we don't-I don't know what you are talking about," is Dustin's eloquent answer.

Wayne nods and Eddie knows his uncle well enough to recognize the look on his face and in his eyes. Wayne switches tactics, then, and says, "You got any one older than twenty-five that knows what's happenin'?"

The group exchanges looks before Dustin says, "yes."

"Alright. They comin' here?"

"Yes."

"I can wait, then. Anyone hungry? Thirsty?" Wayne asks, and then without waiting for an answer, looks to Eddie and says, "Eddie, get to makin' some sandwiches. What kinda host are you?" Wayne is shaking his head like he can't believe Eddie's audacity.

Eddie sputters out some indignant response, even as he turns to round the corner cabinet to officially be in the kitchen. His first choice is peanut butter and jelly, but when he gets the peanut butter out, he can see there's probably enough for two sandwiches, three if it's a thin layer of peanut butter. Opening the fridge shows a sad amount of lunch meat; the cupboard has two tuna fish cans.

"Guess we're making several different sandwiches," Robin's voice so close to his back makes him jump, which earns a chorus of chuckles from the peanut gallery in the living room.

"Someone needs to get you a bell," Eddie mutters. "Get to work on the PB and J's. I'll get this tuna mixed."

They work in silence, making three different types of sandwiches. Wayne knew they didn't have enough of any one thing to make enough for everyone here, and the ones who will be showing up eventually, but he told Eddie to do it anyway. Asked, but didn't wait for an answer. Wayne's making busy work for him, he realizes. A distraction from what he's done. He's not sure if he should be thankful for that or not.

The only thing separating the kitchen from where everyone is seated in the living room is a counter and cupboards, so when the sandwiches are done, Eddie just shoved them across the counter. "Sandwiches are done."

It's not exactly a rush for the sandwiches on the other side of the counter but everyone does gather to grab one. There's not even an argument about wanting a specific one, except Max, who is offered all three kinds and when she says PB&J, Mike hands over the one he grabbed without hesitation. It's the most mature thing Eddie's seen him do, if only because every other time he does something mature he complains about it, which kind of ruins the 'mature' part.

It's about three minutes into eating that the trailer's front door bursts open and at first no one is there, like a gust of wind had blown it open, but then El comes barreling in and Hopper can be heard shouting something about knocking first.

"Where is he?" El demands.

"Here," Dustin is already holding Steve out to her. She doesn't even approach Dustin, just pulls Steve to her using her mind, grabbing him out of the air with one hand. She examines him quickly, finding the crack. She trails one of her fingers along the crack to where his pinky is missing. Dustin adds, "Do you want his finger, too?"

She shakes her head and turns to Eddie next, and he doesn't even feel the bandana leave his pocket, but he does watch it fly across the space between them. She moves over to sit in front of the TV, Steve in her lap as she's folding the bandana into a blindfold.

"TV," is her final demand as her eyes vanish behind cloth and she's trying off the bandana. Mike moves instantly to the TV, clicking it on to fill the room with static.

Wayne, to his credit, has only the tiniest hint of an eyebrow raised from watching things move about the room seemingly by nothing. El hadn't even stopped to consider someone not In The Know was here. Guess he's In The Know now.

Will, Jonathan, Argyle, Joyce, and Hopper have made it into the trailer, closing the door silently behind them. Hopper finds Wayne among the crowd of kids, eyes going wide, while Wayne just lifts his sandwich in a salute before taking a big bite out of it.

"Steve, I cannot hear you. I do not think you can hear me in your mind. Nod if you hear me now." El's voice breaks the tense silence that had fallen.

Of shit, what did Eddie do?

"Oh, good. Are you okay?" A pause. "He is nodding. Do you know what happened? He is shaking his head. Do you know why you are far away now? Shaking his head again. You can still hear. Can you still see? He is nodding. Steve, there is a crack on your arm-"

"His left arm," Mike interjectes.

"Yes, your left arm. Yes. You are missing a finger on that hand. Do you think that is what is causing the distance? He is shrugging. Do not worry, we will figure this out. I am going to go now."

El pulls off the bandana and uses it to wipe the blood from her nose before setting it on the living room floor. "I cannot get as close to him as I could before. He stays far away no matter how close I walk. But he is okay."

He's okay. Steve's okay. Fucking Christ, Eddie's going to throw up. A couple people call his name as he dashes down the hall. He crashes through the bathroom door and knows he doesn't have time to close it, so everyone gets to hear him lose his sandwich into the toilet bowl. On the third heave of his stomach, cool hands touch his head, gather his hair up and away from his face. He doesn't even have it in him to flinch or jump. "Thanks."

"I'd say anytime, dingbat, but I don't really want to hold your puke hair too many more times. You get, like, two more, tops," Robin says.

"I can't go back out there, Robin," he whispers, "I did this. I cracked him, broke his finger off and now El can't even hear him. I can't- he's gotta go with someone else. I can't-"

"I know. Dustin already asked if you'd be upset if Steve went home with him. I'll let him know you understand he needs to be around Steve right now."

"Why aren't you mad at me?"

"Dingbat. Eddie. You're mad enough at yourself for all of us," she says, reaching over and flushing the toilet. Eddie feels like there's more throwing up to do but he is glad to have the smell of vomit reduced with the flush. He sits up a bit more, so his hair won't fall into his face when Robin lets go. Robin lets go long enough to search the bathroom cabinets for a hair tie, pushing it into Eddie's hands. "Hair up."

"So demanding," Eddie mumbles even as he gathers his hair into the tie.

"Once you're done ralphing just go to bed. I'll get everyone out of your house."

Eddie nods and Robin leaves, clicking the door closed. He heaves a few more times before his body is done. On shaking legs, he makes his way to his room. He feels like he's floating above himself again. He doesn't know if everyone has left yet, or if he hears nothing because he's too out of it.

He tucks himself in and dozes. He wakes up three times; once, when his uncle comes in and puts the walkie near him on the bed, the second time in the evening when Robin wriggles into his bed and forces herself into his arms with a simple I usually hold Steve when I'm feeling bad, but I suppose you holding me will have to do and the final time, almost at midnight, when the walkie goes off.

"Anyone up?" says the disembodied voice of Dustin Henderson.

Eddie's not sure how the quiet voice woke him up, but it does. He reaches over Robin, who has starfished out of his arms in their sleep, to grab the walkie. He doesn't know if he should answer, so he holds out for someone else.

"Hello?" Dustin asks again.

No one answers. So, finally, Eddie does. "I'm here, Henderson. Bad dream?"

"I'm glad it's you, Eddie," Dustin says, something soft in his voice.

"Why?"

"'Cause I wanted to talk to you," says a new voice, a familiar voice.

"Steve?" Eddie whispers, even as his free hand is violently shaking Robin awake.

Robin mumbles something incoherent, head turning to Eddie as the voice on the walkie says, "Yeah, it's me."

[talesfromthesnogbox]

Wayne Knows Best

Summary: Wayne wants to make sure Eddie and his new boyfriend are being careful, but Eddie's confused... he doesn't have a boyfriend, does he?

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 3,881

AO3 Link

-------

Wayne Munson had always been more observant than he looked. When he first took in his nephew Eddie, the kid constantly thought he could outsmart him, and pull the wool over his eyes as he had his father. But Wayne knew better than that. 

Eddie grew up to be less sneaky and more upfront about things with Wayne, but he knew his nephew still held things back from him. He wasn’t the kid’s dad, but he’d earned Eddie’s trust enough that he would come to him when he was ready to share.

So when after March break of 1986, one Steve Harrington started coming around the trailer, Wayne kept his mouth shut and let the boys be.

The thing is, Wayne always knew Eddie marched to the beat of his own drum, with everything, including who he liked. He’d never formally come out to him, or talked to him about anything regarding romance or sex, but Wayne figured that maybe he was a late bloomer or something. Easier for him, he’d never even thought about the fated “birds and the bees” conversation with Eddie until he found a glossy worn skin mag wedged between his mattress and box spring when he was seventeen. It didn’t bother Wayne, what other people did with their partners was none of his business; but he knew if Eddie did like fellas instead of ladies, he’d have an even harder time being out in the world then he already did.

Regardless, Wayne never told Eddie what he’d found, he just kept a close eye on his boy, and knew that when he was ready, he’d talk to his dear old uncle.

Of course, that was before the Harrington boy started coming over at all hours of the night.

Steve was a nice kid, nothing like his asshole of a father. The first time he’d met Wayne all those months ago in the hospital, he looked exhausted, a little beat up, and sitting by his boy’s bedside. 

“You must be Wayne.” He said, getting up and offering the seat beside Eddie’s bed to him. “I would say Eddie has told me so much about you but…”

“It’s okay, kid.” Wayne told him, hearing the subtle bits of anxiety colour his tone. “You’re the Harrington boy, aren’t you?”

He stuck out his hand for Wayne to shake. “Steve, sir. I haven’t known Eddie long, but I know the kids worship him, and he’s like an older brother to them. I—I’m grateful they have him at school looking after them even though…” Steve went quiet, an apologetic look on his face.

“Super senior, yeah I know. He’s 20 and still in high school.” Wayne let out a gruff chuckle.

“We’re gonna help him graduate, I promise. He saved us, nearly died for Dustin.”

The older man nodded. “He’s a good kid, nothing like… nothing like what they’ve been sayin’ about him on the news—” The words got caught in his throat, and he felt Steve lay a hand on his shoulder.

“I know.” 

From that point on, Wayne knew he was gonna like Steve, and he knew he’d become a permanent fixture in Eddie’s life. He was happy to have the boy around, someone to talk sports with, someone who had fresh baked muffins ready for when Wayne got home after his overnight shifts, someone who made Eddie smile. 

He’d never seen his boy this happy around anyone. When Eddie was with Steve, he seemed freer than he’d ever been, and Wayne felt in his heart that this was Eddie’s first real crush. It broke his heart to think that his kid was falling for someone like Steve Harrington, someone who would grow up to marry a nice girl and have the standard 2 kids and a dog, but he knew that Eddie was resilient, and he’d eventually get over Steve and move on. Wayne had trusted Steve would be nice about the whole thing, let Eddie down gently, give him his space to grieve what could have been, but all those thoughts came crashing down one morning when he saw none other than Steve Harrington stumbling out of Eddie’s room to the bathroom clad only in his boxers, rubbing sleep from his eye.

Wayne glanced up at the boy curiously. He didn’t seem to see the older man in the kitchen as he closed the door, and Wayne didn’t know if he was intentionally avoiding him, or if he genuinely didn’t see him.

Huh. That was new.

Steve had slept over before, usually when his house felt too big for one person and he needed something other than the radio silence of Loch Nora to clear his mind, but he usually took the couch. 

Maybe they’d gotten a little too high and he stayed with Eddie he thought, trying to find any excuse he could as to why Steve Harrington was undressed and sleepy in his nephew’s bedroom. He brushed off the occurrence, thinking nothing of it, until it happened again.

“Morning Wayne.” Steve had called this time, passing him one morning as he was just getting in from work. This time he’d been wearing his boxers and an old Iron Maiden t-shirt of Eddie’s.

“Mornin’ Steve.” He grumbled, making his way into his bedroom. 

The man racked his brain, trying to think of every possible scenario of why the kid was in bed with Eddie. Had something happened between them? Wayne thought it was unlikely. They acted the same way they normally did everywhere else; sure, Eddie could be a bit too much like an octopus at times all gangly giving hugs freely, but that’s just how he was, that didn’t mean he and Steve were dating or anything. Could it? 

It wasn’t until the third time it happened that Wayne accepted his nephew, Eddie Munson, was dating Steve Harrington.

In a way, Wayne felt a little giddy at the thought. Steve was a great kid, everything he could ever dream of in a son-in-law. He was polite, held shared interests with Wayne, and he made Eddie happy. The boy was a real catch! But that giddiness dissipated as he thought of the disease going around among those young boys… A cold chill ran through him as he remembered Eddie barely conscious for days on end in a hospital bed. He never wanted to see his boy like that; he didn’t want to pry, but maybe at 21 it was time to give him the talk.

Wayne had had enough uncomfortable conversations in his lifetime, but he knew this one was bound to be one for the books. Eddie could be squeamish, he ran away from the things he didn’t feel prepared to face, and Wayne felt that this was something he was not at all prepared for. Needless to say, this ambush needed something to soften the blow.

On his way home from work, he’d stopped off at Melvald’s, and then by the local coffee shop to pick up two steaming cups of coffee and half a dozen freshly glazed donuts. Eddie’s favourite. When he got home, Eddie was already awake, and Steve was once again in Wayne’s kitchen.

Today, the scene was a lot different than it normally was. Eddie sat on the kitchen counter, something Wayne had asked him countless times not to do, and Steve, clad in his Family Video vest, was at the stove frying up bacon and eggs. The two were so wrapped up in their conversation they didn’t even notice Wayne was home until he greeted them with a gruff “Mornin’ boys.” 

Eddie’s head snapped forward, meeting his uncle’s eyes as he hopped off the counter. “Morning old man,” he whistled lowly seeing the box of donuts, condensation forming on the clear plastic box from the fresh heat that had risen off them, “you stopped by Lucy’s on the way? Must be a special day!” 

Eddie reached for the box, but his uncle slapped his hand away. “Ah ah, Steve’s puttin’ in the work over there, not until you’ve had a proper breakfast and said a proper thank you to yer boy.” A flash of terror crossed Eddie’s expression and he nervously wrung his rings around his fingers as he went to gather three plates. Steve plated up a fried egg, some bacon, and slices of toast on each plate and helped Eddie carry them to the table. “Sorry Steve, didn’t think you’d be here or I woulda grabbed you a coffee as well.”

Steve shook his head. “No sweat, I’m not much of a coffee drinker anyways, but thank you. I’ll be out of your hair after breakfast.” 

“Don’t rush kid, I’m not kicking you out.”

Steve chuckled, dunking his toast in the runny egg yolk. “Thanks Wayne, I’ve gotta run to work in a bit anyways, this one wanted to sleep in this morning.” He gestured towards Eddie.

Eddie snorted. “Oh so now it’s my fault!”

Wayne shook his head as the two boys bickered, then picked up the plates and set them in the sink when the three were done. He excused himself for a quick shower and let Eddie have his privacy to send Steve off while he collected his thoughts. 

After he was clean and dry and in a pair of cozy flannel pyjama pants and sweatshirt, he pulled Eddie into the living room and finally offered him a donut. Eddie groaned, his mouth full of the sweet pastry, nodding along to an inaudible beat. 

“Eddie… you know I love you, right?”

Eddie’s brow furrowed and his head tilted towards his uncle. “Of course. Wayne, you’re like a father to me.” His eyes suddenly widened, and he nearly dropped the donut. “You’re not… you’re not dying are you? Or sick?”

He chuckled and shook his head. “No son, no I’m fine. Just wanted to make sure you knew. You can tell me anythin’ Eddie, you know that, right?” 

The boy scoffed. “Yeah, I know, you told me that years ago.”

Wayne nodded along. “Okay, then I hope I’m not overstepping. You’re being careful, right? You and Steve I mean?”

Eddie blinked once. Twice. Three times. “Uhhhh, yeah?” He took a sip of his now cold coffee. “I um, I know you don’t like it when I smoke in the trailer but sometimes with the bugs, and we open the window, but we’re using your ashtray. We won’t accidentally set the trailer on fire if that’s what you mean. And we don’t drive when we’ve been drinking or smoking, we mostly just hang out and listen to music or watch a movie.” 

The older man let out a breathy laugh. “Not what I meant kid. Eddie I—uh you’re twenty-one, and I’m sure you know how this works by now. I’m not naive and I know you aren’t either. And Steve’s a boy, but there’s still risks. I’m sure you’ve seen those boys on the news with what’s been going around, and after last March I don’t want… look, just promise me you’ll be careful, okay?” 

Wayne finally looked up to meet Eddie’s eyes, filled with total utter confusion. 

He cleared his throat. “You uh, you probably already have… supplies, but just in case I um… here… I stopped in this morning to grab you some uh—protection.” Wayne tossed the paper bag at Eddie, hearing the dull thud of the foil packets inside as he caught them. “I know you can be pretty reckless, but I hope you boys have been using them already. Hawkins High isn’t a world class education but I trust they taught you how to use those things, eh? Or do I need to grab a couple’a bananas?”

Eddie’s face went white as a sheet as he looked into the bag and saw a newly purchased box of condoms.

“Um, Wayne?” His voice crack was masked by the sound of the paper bag crinkling as he folded the top and set it aside. “What exactly do you think I need these for?”

Wayne scoffed. “Come on Eds, I may be old but I’m not stupid. My eyes aren’t what they used to be, but I’m not blind.” He moved to sit beside Eddie. “I see the way you two look at each other, and I know you kids, uh, share a bed. It’s okay son. Uh, this probably isn’t how uh, how you planned on telling me, but just know that I love you, and uh, and Steve too.”

Eddie swallowed audibly. He’d gone from white to green, suddenly regretting that donut. His hands shook as he pushed his hair back from his face, exhaling heavily.

“You knew?” His voice shook, sounding watery.

Wayne nodded and took his hand. “Yeah kid, I had a feeling, but I didn’t know for sure until the boyfriend started staying over.”

Eddie nodded along, sniffing once, and wiping the stray tears from his eyes. “Okay. Okay. Cool. Okay. Wait, boyfriend?” 

Wayne narrowed his eyes. “Boyfriend, partner, lover, whatever it is you kids are calling it these days.” 

The younger boy laughed high and sharp. “Wayne… Wayne, please never say ‘lover’ like that again, for both our sake. So you think—you thought Steve was my boyfriend?”

This time it was Wayne’s turn to be confused. “Is… um… is he not?” 

“No! Harrington is totally straight. We’re not—”

“Does he know that?” 

“What the— you really are losing your mind in your old age.” He shook his head, hiding his face, his eyes totally unreadable. “Good talk, old man. Thanks for the, um…” He gestured to the bag on the couch. “I don’t have a need for them right now, nor have I ever needed them for the record, I haven’t… um… yeah, that’s enough information for you I think.” 

Wayne chuckled. “Hey kid, no shame in holding out for the right one. And just my two cents, but I think maybe Steve could be the right one.”

“GAH! Okay! Ending this conversation now, go to bed, I’ll see you later, goodbye!” Eddie turned towards his room, but Wayne could see the heavy blush that covered his cheeks and ran down his neck. He was right about one thing at least, his boy was smitten for one Steve Harrington. And Wayne was sure he was right in thinking that Steve may be smitten for Eddie as well.

-------

When Wayne left for work at the end of the day, Eddie knew in his heart he’d be expecting to see Steve there in the morning as he had that day. It had become routine at this point, Wayne would leave, Eddie would call his favourite person, and ten minutes later, Steve would be at his door.

Steve had started coming over to help Eddie with his bandages, and usually ended up crashing on the Munson’s couch. But lately the nightmares had gotten bad for both of them, and they started taking comfort in each other’s touch. In the month they’d been sharing a bed, neither of them had a single nightmare, but they had to be careful. 

Eddie hated sneaking around Wayne. Sure, they weren’t doing anything wrong, they were just sleeping, but it was exhilarating having something that was just for the two of them. Steve had been pretty good about leaving before Wayne was home, but there had been a few times where they’d been caught, this morning in particular being one of them. 

The conversation had been uncomfortable for Wayne, sure, but more so for Eddie knowing that someone else saw what he thought he’d been imagining. He’d tried to push down his crush on Steve Harrington for years, but it only got worse once he got to know him personally. He’d acknowledged his own feelings shortly after Vecna, but lately, he was getting the feeling that maybe Steve could possibly, actually feel the same way too. It was validating, almost vindicating knowing that Wayne thought they were a couple; he’d been going crazy trying to figure out what was going on between himself and Steve, and knowing that someone else saw it felt good. But he could have done without the box of condoms.

The box of condoms Wayne threw haphazardly into his room. The box of condoms currently sitting in the middle of his bed.

Steve flopped himself down onto his side of the bed after changing into pyjamas and poked the bag. “What’s that?”

Eddie sprung to action as he picked up the bag. “Nothing!” He swiped it from Steve’s hands and deposited it on his nightstand. “Nothing, just Wayne being nosy for no reason.”

Steve grinned and tackled Eddie suddenly, throwing his leg over him straddling his hips, and pinning his wrists in one hand as the older boy squirmed below him. 

“Steve! Steve god DAMNIT let me go!” 

“No secrets remember? What weird thing did Wayne go and do now?” 

Eddie’s heart dropped as he plead with his friend. “Dude, dude let me go, seriously, it’s embarrassing.” 

Steve looked down at Eddie, his smile fading. He climbed off his lap and back into his usual spot. “Sorry man, I didn’t—”

“No, no it’s fine, it’s stupid.” He sighed. “It’s really stupid. God I don’t even know why I’m—it’s just a box of condoms.” 

Steve tensed. “O-oh. Got a hot date or something coming up Munson?” His smile didn’t reach his eyes. “The pull out method doesn’t always work, trust me, the pregnancy scare is not worth—”

“Steve I’m gay.” 

“O-okay.” 

Eddie sighed again, pinching the bridge of his nose. “He bought me the condoms because he thought you and I… well he… look I’m sorry, okay? I told him we weren’t, I set the record straight, heh, about you anyways, he knows about me now.” 

The other boy cocked his head to the side. “He thought… what he thought we were together?” 

Eddie moved a strand of hair in front of his mouth, unable to meet Steve’s eyes, and nodded. “Sorry man, I don’t know where he got that idea. You don’t have to stay if you’re—I’ll be alright on my own for a bit if it’s too weird or whatever.” 

“Eddie… Eds…” Steve shifted closer. “Do you want that?” 

He scoffed. “I’ve slept better in the last month than I have in the last year, of course I don’t want you to leave.” 

Steve shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. No, do you want what Wayne thought to be true?”

Eddie couldn’t answer Steve, and somehow that felt more damning to him than if he’d just said yes. 

“Eddie?”

“I’m sorry Steve, if you don’t want to see me anymore, just tell me okay? I’m not… just don’t tell anyone, please.” 

Steve took his hand. “Wayne really thought we were together?” 

“Dude—”

“Shit, guess Robin was right, I am really obvious.” 

“What—?”

Steve chuckled. “Eds, dude,” he chuckled, “sweetheart, I want that too.” 

Eddie’s jaw dropped as he slowly turned to meet Steve’s eyes. Steve met his glance with a sheepish shrug, his thumb now rubbing circles on the back of Eddie’s hand.

“Did… did you just call me dude? In the middle of your big romantic confession?” Eddie’s face cracked into a smile.

“I—” He scoffed, his chin meeting his chest as he hung his head. “I don’t know what I’m doing here man, you’re the first guy I’ve been into, and the Harrington charm hasn’t exactly been working on you.”

“Oh, OH it’s working for me, let me tell you that. You’ve got no problems there.”

Steve chuckled and fell forward, his forehead resting on Eddie’s shoulder. Eddie untangled their hands and draped his arm around Steve, tugging him closer until he felt his short breaths on his neck.

“So… so you really like me?”

“I thought I made that abundantly clear when I practically begged to share your bed.” 

Eddie frowned. “I thought that was just for the nightmares?”

“It was, a bit, but I also wanted you close. I figured maybe I’d sort my shit out and stop thinking of you like… like I normally think of girls if we had an old fashioned sleep over.”

“And did it help?”

Steve looked up at Eddie deadpan. “Clearly it didn’t.”

Eddie threw his head back in a chuckle, hitting the wall with a loud thump. “Fuck.”

The other boy jumped to action, bringing Eddie’s head off the wall, carding his fingers through his hair to check for a bump as he winced.

“Heh, that feels kinda nice Stevie.” 

Steve smiled, settling his hand on Eddie’s neck satisfied with his findings. “Oh yeah? You like having your hair played with?”

“S’all new to me, I don’t know what I like. Never even kissed a boy.” He looked down at Steve's lips.

“You know, funny you say that, because neither have I.” Steve smirked, looking up at Eddie through his lashes the way he knew drove Nancy crazy. He leaned in, eyes flicking between Eddie’s lips and eyes, until their noses almost brushed.

Eddie blinked, worrying his lip between his teeth, feeling Steve’s hot breath hit his face. “Stevie, are you sure?”

His thumb brushed a soft path along Eddie’s cheekbone, and he swallowed. “I’ve never been more sure about anything, Eds.”

Eddie’s nose clumsily brushed Steve’s, his eyes slid closed, and moments later, their lips brushed in a chaste kiss. He shuddered out a breath and smiled, going in for another as he felt his heart pound in his chest. 

He knew Steve had a lot more experience than he did, but Steve was happy to let Eddie take the lead until he got his bearings. His chaste brushes of lips turned into slotting their lips together, panting hard, and eventually, when Steve couldn’t take it and just needed more, he slid his tongue against Eddie’s top lip.

Eddie felt like he was soaring. No amount of drugs could top the high he felt kissing Steve, and it only got better once Steve met his enthusiasm. Their tongues met, and Eddie’s breath got caught in his throat, a shiver rolled down his spine, and he sighed happily. 

Steve pulled away first, pecking Eddie on the lips once, twice, then slotted their lips together again, guiding him backwards until his head hit the pillows.

-------

The trailer was quiet when Wayne got home that morning. He spotted Steve’s shoes by the front door and smiled knowingly. 

He padded through the trailer noting gratefully that Steve had made fresh banana bread the night before, and took a slice on a paper towel, breaking off pieces and groaning quietly in pleasure as he ate it. 

Something was different about that morning, it was in the air of the trailer, too still, to calm, but still electric, and Wayne noted that Eddie’s bedroom door was cracked open. He poked his head in, not wanting to disturb the boys’ sleep, but the sight before him had the man giggling like a school girl.

Eddie and Steve laid tangled together in the sheets, chests bare as they snored lightly. Lying on the bottom corner of the bed was a crumpled up foil packet, the corner torn open and empty. The box of condoms Wayne had given Eddie the night before lay open on his beside table.

“Fuckin’ knew it.” 

[shares-a-vest]

I know that an Edward Cullen-type version of Vampire!Eddie probably isn't an original thought but, bear with me on this nonsense...

Eddie knows he came back different after waking up in the Upside Down alone. As he made his way back to Hawkins-proper, he noticed his senses were heightened. He had a thirst he couldn't quench when he broke into Steve's house and drank some of his beer from the refrigerator in the garage.

In fact, it made him sick.

Then when Steve caught him, taking a swing with a baseball bat covered in nails, he realised he could read the boy's mind. At the time, Steve was scared... Then relieved... Then thinking all about when they had parted ways to enact Operation Death to Vecna...

So Eddie stopped listening at that point. It seemed private and probably not the most pressing matter anyway because he was most certainly very much alive again. But not... Sort of...

It couldn't be vampirism, could it? He had been chomped up by bats. But he had read enough stories, including the one and only Dracula a time or two. And, if his whole Spring Break had taught him anything, any beast of fantasy and fiction was possible, right?

Though he is still pretty miffed that dragons don't appear to be real...

He finds himself arguing with Steve in his plaid-encrusted bedroom the following morning, curtains drawn. Steve wants to call in the cavalry (aka, Dustin) to talk through his "symptoms" and confirm his suspicions.

"Harrington," he says sternly, "I'm telling you, I'm totally a vampire."

He wants to stomp his foot he's so frustrated with the flustered boy before him. Flustered (okay, annoyed) from arguing about what the hell has happened to him as they stand in the middle of the bedroom, a beam of sunlight dividing them as it streams in through a gap in the curtains.

"Fine," Eddie says as he rolls up the sleeve of his tattered Hellfire shirt, "I'll prove it."

He braces himself, balling up his fist as he sticks his hand in the beam of light.

"Wait stop!" Steve yells and lunges forward.

But nothing happens.

Well, not nothing.

His skin isn't burning to a crisp, nor has he spontaneously combusted.

He is still intact in Steve's ugly bedroom.

But his arm is fucking sparkling like it is made of goddamn diamonds.

"Whoa," Steve says, stumbling upright. He stares at Eddie's skin, mesmerised with his mouth agape as he whispers, "Pretty."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Eddie huffs.

He retracts his arm and stares at his alabaster skin before shoving it into the sunlight again.

And again with the fucking sparkling!

"No!" Okay, now he stomps his foot.

He retreats once more, this time backing all the way to Steve's desk where he slumps onto the chair.

"This is so fucking lame," he pouts, crossing his arms.

"Eddie," Steve beams, striding towards him, "This is great, dude. If you are a... vampire..." he momentarily makes a face, "You can go in the sun! Your life barely has to change. Although I don't know what we are going to do about the fresh meat situation. Does your uncle know how to hunt? Because I've only been once when I was eight with my dad and I - "

Eddie cuts him off with a loud groan as he hangs his head in his hands.

Trust him to become the most pathetic kind of vampire.

[slowandsteddie]

Claudia Henderson and Her (Two) Boys

Link to Part One

Link to AO3

I don’t really have a preamble here. Just know that I am incredibly happy to have this one off my WIP list. I’ll probably do a part three at some point where I focus more on her story, but I need to knock some other stuff out first. I never realized how much we are starved for Claudia content until I started trying to write some.

Steve talks about the night that his mother died in this one. Tread carefully if that’s sensitive content for you but you want to read anyway.

2,242 words.

“You never really explained how you got those scars.” Claudia said softly.

She walked into the kitchen and set her bags down on the counter. While that wasn’t the most correct greeting with Eddie sitting across the table from Steve, it did go to show that she saw the guy with matching scars as part of the family. She had been dating his uncle long enough, in any case, to have claimed him as one of her boys.

“Protecting Dustin.” Steve said after a moment.

She ignored the fact that his face went through a lot of emotions over that one, like he couldn’t decide what he was allowed to say to her. She knew there was a cover up of sorts and lots of NDA’s that he had to sign. But surely he could tell her something.

“And, who was protecting you?”

His eyes flicked to Eddie and she noticed the way that both of them blushed. It warmed her heart to know that they were safe with each other, but she’d let them admit what she already figured out in their own time.

—

“She, uh. She caught him cheating on her.” Steve said suddenly.

She sat down the plate that she had been washing, and turned off the faucet after rinsing the soap off her gloves. Claudia turned around to look at Steve. It had been years, and this was the first time that he had talked about it. That night. She didn’t say a word, just watched him as he watched the table.

“She was so calm about it until the other lady left, you know?” His voice caught. “She was calm when she told him that she was going to file for divorce in the morning and that she was going to take everything. Including me. And I was so happy, you know? Because I realized that she did love me…”

Claudia felt tears well in her eyes, but made no move to wipe them. She didn’t even dare to sniffle, in fear that it would get him to clam up.

“Then there was screaming. So much screaming. A bang, and then silence.” He shuddered. “I called Hop when the screaming started. Let him hear it over the phone, even as I… I couldn’t even breathe, mom.”

The word that slipped out made her heart squeeze painfully. He had never called her that so sincerely before. She wanted to wrap him up in her arms, but refused to move. Not until he was ready to look at her. Now wasn’t the time to potentially startle him.

She wanted to go to him, desperately. Wanted to wrap him up tightly in her arms and remind him that he was safe now. But, Claudia knew that if she made a move before he was ready, Steve would react like a cornered animal. And he deserved to feel safe in his own home, damn it.

“My dad tried to find me. Got more pissed when he couldn’t. I think… I think he would have killed me if he found me.” A humorless laugh passed his lips. “Hop found me, first. Knew the room I liked to hide in from finding me there on previous, uh, house calls.”

Claudia’s heart broke. How many times had Steve needed to call Hop before? How many times had her poor boy had to endure knowing that his mother was hurting and he was too young to do anything but hide and call for help and pray?

Her hand went to her throat because she needed to hold something and she wasn’t about to move right now. Steve needed to talk about that night. It was good for him to let it out instead of keeping it bottled inside. She wasn’t going to do anything to make him clam back up. Not unless he asked her too.

“Hop got me out of there so fast. So fast, mom. I was in his car and he was peeling out before the on duty cops even got there.” His voice cracked. “I heard a gunshot and I swear he just drove faster. I never really knew what it was like to feel safe with an adult before, you know?”

Steve had to stop to breathe. To gather himself. Neither one of them acknowledged the tears sliding down his face.

“I was twelve and terrified. I knew that Hop would come when I called. Kind of his job, you know? But I never would have thought that he would…you know, uh… Get me out of there himself and promise me a safe place to stay.” A shuddery breath passed his lips. “He was right, by the way. You are safe. And I’d really love for you to hug me right now, mom. Please.”

That was all Claudia needed to hear. She closed the distance between them and wrapped her boy up in her arms so tight that she could feel his heart pounding as he hugged her just as tight. He was shaking so badly as she whispered soothing words against his ear. He was taller than her, but it was easy to get those gentle words right where they needed to be with the way he curled into her.

“You are mine, Steve Henderson. As long as I have air in my lungs, you are safe and have nothing to worry about. Ever.”

“H-Henderson?” He pulled back, then. Not a lot, but enough.

“Yes. You’ve been a Henderson to me since the day you stepped foot in my house.”

“Can… Can we make that my legal last name?”

“We’ll go Monday.”

—

“Five years and you’re finally a Henderson,” Dustin said with the biggest grin that she had ever seen.

That really did say something because he had this habit of somehow smiling with his entire face when he was genuinely excited. And that happened a lot.

“Ew. The same last name as you? What was I thinking?” Steve teased while pulling him closer. He yanked off his hat and messed up his curls, his fingers not tangling for once. “Nice! You actually brushed it this time.”

“I’ll have you know I did no such thing. This is from when I tricked you into brushing my hair for me last night.”

Steve took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “You’re telling me that you didn’t brush your hair this morning? You woke up in plenty of time, I heard Lukas on your walkie-talkie.”

“Why were you eavesdropping?”

“One. Your friends are loud. Two, don’t change the subject on me.”

That was when Claudia decided to clear her throat. Both boys stopped and looked at her, eyes wide, and she couldn’t help the giggle that escaped.

“Hi, mom,” they said sheepishly.

She held up the envelope. “Steve, you want to do the honors of opening your new documents?”

Steve walked toward her and reached out, delicately taking the envelope from between her fingers before sitting down. Dustin was trying to crowd around him, wanting to be the first to see them with him. She couldn’t help but to smile. Her two boys, brothers in all the ways that mattered.

“Can… Can I wait until Wayne and Eddie get here, too? Want my whole family here for this.”

Her heart swelled with pride and adoration for the teen she had taken in all those nights ago.

“Of course we can wait, baby. Whenever you’re ready.”

Claudia listened as Steve and Dustin went back to the importance of taking care of their hair. She smiled, shook her head, and started putting away the groceries. Usually, she’d ask her boys to help her out. But, Steve seemed to be making headway and she really would love for Dustin to actually brush his hair more than once a week.

She waited for a lull in the heated discussion. “Spaghetti or meatloaf?”

Steve said meatloaf at the same time that Dustin said spaghetti and she was prepared for another argument. But then she heard a cheery “meatloaf!” coming out of Eddie’s mouth as he walked in the front door like he owned the place. Her face broke into a grin, but only because she knew that Wayne wasn’t far behind.

Wayne’s face immediately lit up the second he saw her and it had her blushing like she was still just a school girl. She was almost tempted to try and hide behind her hair, but then she remembered the effort that she had put into the updo and left it alone.

Dusty grumbled and it made her pout at him playfully. “Sorry, baby. You were outvoted, but I’ll make spaghetti when all the leftovers are gone.”

That seemed to appease him for the moment and that was enough for her to start getting all the ingredients together for dinner instead of fretting over her boy. Wayne easily found his way into her space in a helpful way. He did kiss the side of her head when the opportunity arose and Claudia almost squealed over it. Nearly five years and she still got excited over the affection he had to offer.

“Hey, uh. Everyone’s here,” Steve said suddenly.

Claudia nudged Wayne to go take a seat at the table with their boys. She washed her hands before doing the same as she had been messing with raw meat before.

“What’s up?” Eddie asked after a few seconds.

Steve was just staring at the envelope that he had sat on the table after his statement. He cleared his throat.

“I wanted all of my family to be here when I opened it, so I had to wait for Dingus and his uncle to get here.” He cracked a smile.

“You’ve been spending too much time with Robin. Dingus.” Eddie joking mocked that last word before shuddering.

“Shut up, Ed’s. This is a big moment.” Steve said without any heat. He was too busy grinning.

Claudia smiled, watching the boys bicker.

“Open it, Steve!” Dustin demanded, throwing his hands in the air. “I’m tired of waiting.”

Steve took a deep breath and let it out slowly before opening the envelope so carefully. Dustin opened his mouth to say something but thought better of it over the pointed look that Wayne gave him. This was Steve’s moment, Claudia thought, and she was glad that the other adult in the house agreed with her.

He pulled the letter out, carefully unfolding the paper and his eyes scanned the page quickly. His smile just kept getting wider and wider. He turned it around so that everyone could see it when he was finished.

“Officially a Henderson!” He exclaimed and it was met by cheers.

Claudia’s were the loudest of all. While she couldn’t officially adopt the boy who showed up on her doorstep all those years ago, she could give him a family name that doesn’t make him flinch when he hears it. She got up and closed the distance before pulling him into a tight hug that he was quick to return.

It was kind of funny, in a sad sort of way, that Steve couldn’t be adopted because his father, who was in prison, refused to relinquish parental rights — but, they could get his last name changed and it was more or less the same to them.

“I’m so happy,” Claudia murmured against his temple, which she promptly kissed.

That was when the rest of her boys came in to join the hug, effectively squishing Steve into a pile of love and affection that she knew he’d never have to doubt again.

—

Dustin, Steve, and Eddie were all in Steve’s room with some of Dusty’s other friends. They were playing that dice game that she couldn’t seem to understand no matter how much they tried to explain it. What mattered was that there was math and science involved somehow and that they were having fun.

She leaned into Wayne who was sitting beside her on the couch. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and she smiled as she settled into him. He placed a kiss on top of her head that left her blushing pretty badly.

He was watching the game with a beer in his other hand. Claudia, meanwhile, had a glass of wine. She was more than content to just sit close and spend time together. Sports was another thing she didn’t know much about. Wayne had tried to explain this game to her and she did get the general idea, but she was never going to be able to remember all of those stats.

“I’m happy for ‘em,” Wayne said at the start of the commercial. “Steve, I mean. He seems so much lighter now that he has your name.”

“I feel like I can breathe easier, now. Like I have some sort of legal claim to him now that we share a last name.” Claudia took a sip of her wine.

Wayne hummed his agreement before taking a drink of his own beer. Apparently it was the last drink because he sat the can on the coffee table and it sounded pretty empty. When he leaned back against the couch, she leaned back into him and rested her hand over his chest.

“I think you should stay tonight,” she said.

Almost like it wasn’t the first time that she invited Wayne into her room while the kids were home. If it shocked him, he didn’t let it show.

“Then I will.”

[nburkhardt]

Somebody Loves You, You Got a Friend (part 9)

Other parts: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight

Hello and we’re back to school, it’s a day after the last part. (With a time jump at some point) And I think I copied a lot from my notes, so you get an extra long part 😘

Also I don’t think I mentioned this before but the title is lyrics from Andy Grammer’s song Spaceship! (The song is him talking to his unborn baby)

Eddie drags himself to school, even if Janet suggested just dropping out of Hawkins High and going to the school Steve finished from. But he’s determined to finish just to flip all of them off for thinking he’s nothing.

Luckily, Gareth not only had his homework from yesterday but he also filled him in on what happened in at least their shared classes. Then he stayed for dinner and officially met Janet.

He stops dead in his walk to his locker when he spots Nancy Wheeler standing right by it, groaning he makes his way over, “Whatever it is, I don’t want to hear it Wheeler”

She bristles at him, crossing her arms, “You were at Steve’s yesterday”

Of all the things, she starts with. And it’s that? Well, he smirks and turns to her, and knows others in the hall are also listening in.

“I was, Stevie and I are just great friends” he easily lets out, and his smirk turns to a full manic grin when he hears gasps, he fakes a pout, “he and I were sick, I didn’t want my poor uncle also catching it, so I stayed with Stevie”

He can’t fucking wait to tell this to Stevie.

Whispers are immediate and Nancy looks completely taken back, so he sighs, “leave me alone, Nancy. You broke up with him, not the other way around and it’s been a year.”

He leaves with that and slams his locker shut before making his way to class.

Lunch rolls around and he’s listening to Grant and Jeff whine about not seeing Eleanor after Gareth bragged about seeing her. He rolls his eyes, “you do know she’s still sick, right? He only got to see her, he couldn’t even hold her”

That causes his two friends to shut up and Gareth laughs, “they can’t help it Ed, she’s just so adorable”

“Who’s adorable?”

He looks up and finds Dustin and Lucas sitting down, “eh just my-“

“His baby….cousin” Gareth

“His…cat” Jeff

“I don’t know who we’re talking about are we even sure it’s a she?” Grant

Eddie rolls his eyes and pointedly stares at Grant, because, what the fuck kind of excuse is that? He looks between the two freshmen and thinks ‘at least it’s not Wheeler Jr.’

So he clears his throat and catches all of their attention, “Gareth’s right, she is my baby….cousin” both Gareth and himself had a ridiculous long pause between the words, “she’s sick right now and only so many people can hold her”

That seems to hold them over and he eats his lunch in silence.

Just before lunch finishes, he’s happily resting his head on the table with his eyes closed and listening to his friends arguing over nothing important, when someone taps him on the shoulder, “I don’t care who that is, I’m beat. Go away”

“Munson, come on, aren’t you selling?”

His eyes snap open and he realizes his friends are all quiet, turning around he finds fucking Jason Carver’s crew behind him with Andy leading. “I haven’t sold anything in months, fuck off”

It causes the basketball team to laugh, “what you’ve gone clean?”

He rolls his eyes, “that’s usually what that means. I don’t have anything to give you”

The jocks all glare at him and Andy shoves him into the table, “full of shit” muttered under his breath and all that does, is makes him roll his eyes and hiss when his chest aches.

“Dude, you good?” Grant holds his shoulder, “that looks like it hurt”

Nodding, he touches his chest and winces. Already trying to figure out how to explain that to Steve. “It did, fuck, why did I ever think selling was a good way to life?”

That breaks whatever spell was over his friends, causing all of them to laugh. It’s only Gareth that shakes his head and mutters “all it took was knocking Steve up to get your head outta your ass” to him.

Which, well, he’s not wrong.

Once he’s at home, he finds Steve and Eleanor taking a nap. So, he checks out his chest and he winces at the red mark from the table.

He hears a groan and it makes him drop his shirt, looking back inside the room to find Steve tossing in bed. Peeking at Eleanor, she’s still asleep before making his way into bed, “Hey sleeping beauty” he presses a kiss to Steve’s shoulder.

“Hm, if I’m sleeping beauty, does that make you prince phillip?”

Laughing softly, he grabs hold of Steve’s arm to move him to his back, “hm, I guess it does”

Eddie puts what happened at lunch to the back of his mind and instead lazily makes out with Steve. Because this? This is what he’d rather be doing.

——————

Eleanor starts walking at six months, which is also when Hawkins High unfortunately finds out what happened all those months ago.

Steve and Eddie aren’t embarrassed, they aren’t ashamed either. They just like having their privacy and enjoying life without all the expectations others had for them.

Their friends had suggested bringing her to the park and so, the six of them made their way to the only baby friendly park in town.

They’re an odd looking bunch, so almost immediately people notice them. Eddie is holding Eleanor’s hand and helping her walk and Steve is in front of them encouraging the little girl to move towards him. Their friends are all cheering her on.

It’s when Steve catches her and spins around while pressing kisses all over her face, and the praise, “my baby is so smart, gonna make all of us chase her soon!” That really makes those around whisper.

The group is sitting in a circle on the grass, trying to get her to go to each of them when Dustin and Lucas spots them on their bikes. Their friends nearly crash into them, “what the fuck dude?”

Both Dustin and Lucas have no words, they just point towards the group and they hear the giggles from Eleanor as Eddie presses kisses all over her face before letting her go and standing her up.

“Is that, Eddie?” Mike looks so dumbfounded, then his eyes go wide at who Eddie drags into his lap, “is that STEVE?”

“Eddie knows Steve?” “didn’t he leave town?” “Whose baby is that?”

Will is the only one that moves towards the group and it isn’t until he’s half way over that his friends follow over, catching the attention of Eddie and Steve. Eleanor wiggles out of Jeff’s hold and crawls over to her parents, Steve scooping her up easily as the four boys stop next to them.

“Aren’t you guys a little old for this type of park?” Gareth raises an eyebrow at them, “isn’t the age limit 5?”

Eddie giggles and looks up at the younger teens, “what’s up little sheep?”

Mike is just openly gaping at Steve, who’s swaying slightly and holding the baby as if he’s been doing it his whole life. Dustin is the one that points at the little family and cutting straight to the point, “uh, what? are you guys like a couple?”

It makes all of the older teens burst out to laugh, Steve hides his face by the little baby while Eddie is nearly falling backwards at how hard he’s laughing. It’s neither of the young parents that answer, instead it’s Grant, “Eddie and Steve are the absolute worst kind of couple. I swear it’s like they’re already mated sometimes”

It clearly blows their minds because their eyes widen and all the words die on their tongues.

Steve glared at Grant, “I already told you! We can’t, we both have to be eighteen!”

The rest of them roll their eyes, while Jeff leans over and poke at his cheek, “Ellie here would say other wise”

It brings a full blown blush to both their cheeks.

“Is- is she yours?” It’s Will that says this, he’s also blushing. He seems to be the only one to get out of the shock. The other three is still frozen with their mouths dropped at Eddie and Steve and Eleanor.

Steve sighs and looks between the boys, “Yeah, she is. I had her just before the school year started.” Eleanor lets out a whine, causing him to look down and he patted her back before look at his watch, “and it’s time to feed her, so Eds and I gotta go.”

The younger teens saw the rest grimace before standing up, Gareth helping Steve stand up while Eddie jumped up afterwards, “it’s been fun, young sheep.”

The five friends just know, come tomorrow, Eddie and Steve will be the talk of the school.

——— The next day ———

It’s nearly the second Eddie enters the school that eyes are on him. He doesn’t know how or who, but it’s definitely been said. It’s out and the only thing he’s happy about is that Steve is no longer in this school. That he’s at home chasing Eleanor around the house.

Steve has never admitted it and lies through his teeth when he says rumors don’t bother him, but Eddie’s spent enough time with him and has been told by Janet that rumors definitely do mess with Steve. That it gets to him like anyone else.

Luckily, he’s been the town freak long enough that most things roll off him. So, he’s not at all ashamed when the first set of whispers happen as he walks to his locker.

Somehow he makes it all the way to second period before someone finally is brave enough to actually ask him anything, which is frankly, amazing.

“So, I heard a rumor” it’s Chrissy Cunningham that whispers next to him, and he looks away from the teacher, her eyes wide as she speaks. She actually looks shocked, like she didn’t mean to say anything. He rolls his hand to get her to speak more.

She shakes her head and glances to the front, finding the teacher moving around the classroom. “Is it- true?”

“Is what true?” He’s a petty asshole, he knows exactly what she’s asking.

She opens her mouth, then snaps it shut when the teacher hands her papers. Then mouths, “after?”

Shrugging, he continues on doodling as he blindly grabs the paper from the teacher. Ignoring the annoyance rolling of them.

‘After’ turns out to be as soon as the bell rings, and not just Chrissy is looking at him. But several other people, and unlike Chrissy. They’re not at all ashamed or embarrassed to ask the unsaid question.

“Is it true that you and Steve Harrington have a baby?”

There’s poorly disguised annoyance or maybe disgust, he doesn’t know and honestly? That’s what makes him smirk at them, “Oh, is that the rumor? Well, it seems the secret’s out.”

All of them gasp and he pulls his bag over his shoulder and gives a bow before making his way out of the room with them speechless.

“What did you do?” He grins as Gareth falls into step with him, “I know that look all too well, Eddie”

He laughs and throws his arm around him, “Oh my dear Gareth, someone has loose lips and Stevie and I are the talk of the school” he fakes a gasp with his hand against his chest, “and you wouldn’t believe it! I didn’t deny it”

Gareth just shakes his head and doesn’t question him, which is a nice change to the whispers.

He gets asked the same question five more times between the first and lunch. The younger members of hellfire all question him the minute he sits down and he’s surprised to see them whispering between each other at first.

Then, as he’s listening to Jeff gush about Eleanor and Gareth explaining how much of a helicopter parent Steve can be, someone taps on his shoulder. He has a very good idea at who it is and he’s already grinning that manic smile that usually scares people away.

His friends’ voices die down as his eyes land on Nancy Wheeler.

“Is it true? Did you really get Steve pregnant and are now parents to a baby? Is that why he disappeared?”

She’s looking at him with the same determination like the week before when she was trying to say he wasn’t good for Steve. Like she knew his boyfriend better than him.

“Stevie and I are the proud parents of one six month old baby.” He says simply and then points to where Mike is, “Little Wheeler saw yesterday. She’s very much real, and no, Stevie never disappeared. We just don’t go to many places.”

Nancy isn’t the only one to grow silent, that’s when he notices so many eyes on them. He’s not surprised, it’s a little disappointing he wasn’t standing on the table for this.

“Six months?” Nancy whispers, “is, is that why he wouldn’t-“ she snaps her mouth shut and he notices the freshmen all widen their eyes.

Before he could ask what the hell happened just now, Gareth clears his throat and points at a very disgusted looking Jason Carver. He grins, hops up on the table with a point, “Ladies and Gentlemen, I’d like to address the rumors going around. For starters, I’d like to say that I’m so glad Stevie is no longer here, because all of you are fucking assholes, and secondly, those rumors are completely true. Not that any of you needed to know”

He jumps off the table and grins a little too crazy at Carver, “would you like something, Carver?”

The other alpha snapped his mouth shut and curled his hands into fists, spitting out, “you really are a freak, and you made King Steve one!”

His mood is instantly changed and his friends all widen their eyes as his scent is immediately giving away just how pissed off he is.

The whole cafeteria is silent.

“What was that? Did I hear you correctly?”

His words are nearly whispered, his face not giving anything away even with his scent betraying it. He narrowed his eyes at Carver, who is stuck still. Either from realizing how much he screwed up or by Eddie’s completely pissed off scent.

Eddie can handle rumors, he can handle people talking about him. It’s simple and he’s built up enough tolerance for it that everything rolls off him easier.

But speaking about Steve?

Yeah, he can’t handle that.

Someone could drop a pin and everyone would hear it as they watched Jason standing over Eddie. Still frozen while Eddie slowly stood up, using his height to his advantage.

“Speak about me all you want, Carver. I don’t give a damn, I know I’m a freak. But do not speak about Steve. I will make your life a living hell if you do” he whispers as he stops next to him, “I’ll be that little devil worshipper you truly believe I am, I will.”

It breaks the spell and Carver hightails it away with one last glare and the rest of the cafeteria comes back to life with whispers and laughter. Eddie just sits back down and controls his scent, his friends all staring at him. Only Gareth getting up, squeezing his shoulder before walking away with a promise to be back.

The rest of the day passes by without anyone else questioning him. There’s definitely whispers still and stares, but no one is brave enough to say anything to him.

Which he is so thankful for.

He’s making his way to the drama room, absolutely dreading hellfire mostly because it means another hour or three away from the two he really wants to be with. Sighing, he pushes the door only to be met with a squealing and the very noticeable scent of lemon and honey.

He’s met with a sheepish Gareth standing next to a grinning Steve, Eleanor already in Jeff’s lap trying to grab his dice.

~~~

I’m gonna end it there, the secrets out! Everyone knows of the cutie we all love Ellie 🩷

I have a little bit more written out, so nows the perfect time to give me some ideas for what else I can add to this! I haven’t really thought out where to go with the party or involving anything with the upside down. This was only supposed to be a slice of life fic between Steddie & their daughter. But maybe I’ll add a few more parts if people want it 😊 also let me know if you see any typos or mistakes lol

Taglist! @spectrum-spectre @itsfreakingbats @mysticcrownshipper @artiststarme @thereindeerlady @justforthedead89 @ronniescontinuum @freyaforestafay @littlewildflowerkitten @zerokrox-blog @callme-keys @maya-custodios-dionach @rajumat @yellowdevilkitten @munsonfamilyband @steddierthings @tartarusfairy @mx-jinxous @zombiethingy @lunaticmarunatic @carlyv @thelittleclare @estrellami-1 @epiclazershark @bookworm0690 @forest-fogg @flustratedcas @p0lybl4nkk @tiny-enthusiast @a-gae-af-racoon @blackpanzy @marvelmwah @malicia62 @solliesolesito @lets-try-to-be-normal-otakus

[veemunson86]

It's okay to run sometimes

Love of my life (chapter 2)

Pt. 1

This one is just straight up sad angst. I have the first few chapters on my wattpad and will have most of them transfered here today!

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

It's been 3 days since Eddie's death, and everyone was hurting. With everything that happened in Hawkins, nobody was doing okay. Morning sickness had been horrible, and it was hard without him by your side to help you.

Dustin hadn't left your side since you went home. You were currently spilling out whatever you had eaten that morning, in the toilet.  Dustin held your hair back and rubbed your back "want some water or anything??" He asked." Yeah that would be great?" Your voice sounded hoarse from the endless crying over the last 3 days.

Dustin walked in with a glass of water and sat next to you. He had been so strong, it was all too much and he finally broke. Tears spilled from his eyes, running down his cheeks in a heavy stream.

"Why did he Have to go back? We had a plan!" He cried out in frustration. "This should he him here with you right now. Why didn't he just run?! " He asked through the tears. You hugged him and rested your head on his arm ." I don't know kid.. I don't know.." you cried softly.

The day of Eddie's memorial was the hardest yet. You had been in the same clothes, curled up in bed, or on the couch for about a week now. You brought yourself to shower and get ready. You wore a knee length black dress, and wore your hair up in a ponytail. Everyone he was close with agreed to hold it at skull rock, one of his favorite places to be. Everyone was told he was hurt during the earthquake, only the group of you knew what really happened.

Everyone sat and spoke of their favorite memories with Eddie, and you knew it was time to make the speech they asked you to prepare.

His uncle looked at you with a reassuring smile.

You stood up and cleared your throat ." Hi uhm.. hi everyone, and thank you all so much for coming. Eddie munson was.. he.. Eddie munson was a very special person to anyone who got to truly know him. He could light up a room with his smile. Everyone knew that. And I hope our child gets that from him, that smile, his ability to see the good in every situation.

Most people say, If you could have one more moment with the person you love, they would say everything they didn't have a chance to. But for me.. I would tell him.. it's okay to run away sometimes..it's okay to be afraid. You don't always have to be strong. Everyone has a breaking point. You don't always have to be the person everyone sees you as. Eddie was just a few weeks shy of being 21. Eddie would be a father, the best father, and it breaks my heart-" you sobbed and covered your mouth. " it breaks My heart that our child will never have a chance to meet their amazing father. They would have been absolutely spoiled. Eddie always talked about having a family, far away from Hawkins, and I wanted that for us. But life got in the way of that dream." His uncle hugged you tightly, and you sobbed softly into his shoulder.

'So Eddie.. baby if you can hear this, I love you. We all love you so so much." You excused yourself and quickly went out to your car and just let out all of the built up emotion. You looked down at the ring he gave you that day, and closed your eyes, thinking about what your lives would have been like with this baby.

* holding her for the first time*

Eddie had tears in his eyes as he held his perfect baby girl in his arms. "Oh my god she's so tiny." He chuckled through the tears. He placed a kiss on her head and rocked her "hi babygirl.. I'm your daddy. And that beautiful woman right there is your mommy. We love you so so much."

* coming home*

"Okay sweetheart, here we are. Home." He smiled over at you as you held your newborn daughter in your arms. "This is where you will grow up. Where you'll make messes, and probably break alot of stuff, but that's okay. " he picked her up and walked around the house with her. He walked to the kitchen. "This is where we will have our breakfast and dinner together, and where your mommy will burn most of it." He whispered ." Hey!" You giggled" I'm not that bad of a cook." You giggled. He chuckled and held her" that's what she's thinks." He whispered and held her.

He then walked to her nursery. "This is your room . This is where you will get to play with your toys, and where I will play guitar for you every night to get you to sleep." He smiled and walked around the room before walking to your shared bedroom. "This is a very very special room. This is the room where me and mommy will give you another sibling one day." He said cheekily" Eddie oh My god! " you laughed "what? She's a baby, she won't remember." He chuckled and held her. "This is also where you can come and sleep with mommy and daddy when you get bad dreams. We will have a spot right here for you in the middle, where we can protect you against everything."

*first words and steps*

"Come to daddy babygirl, come on you're so close." He said encouragingly at his year 4 month old daughter. She had learned to stand, but not yet walk. It was definitely a work in progress. He kissed her head "oh well, maybe next time baby" he said as she fell flat on her butt yet again, getting frustrated with herself. You walked in the door from work with a smile as you saw your two favorite people. "Hey babe, how was work?" He asked, walking over and kissing you softly. You kiss back and smiled, gasping when you saw your daughter.

She was up and slowly making her first steps to where Eddie stood. "D-daaada!" She squealed.  Eddie teared up and picked her up in his arms, kissing her cheek. "That's right sweetheart, it's daddy" he kissed her head and held her close.

You were pulled from your thoughts by Steve and Dustin getting in your car since you were their ride. This was gonna be hard.

Tags:

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

The Right Place in Time

Summary: What if Steve was in the woods with Chrissy and Eddie getting weed for his headaches?

@disrespectedgoatman @estrellami-1 @darkrose517 @panicatthediaz @mandriice @nightmareglitter

Chapter One - Chapter Two - Chapter Three - Chapter Four - Chapter Five - Chapter Six - Chapter Seven - Chapter Eight - Chapter Nine - Chapter Ten - Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Eddie's POV

Jesus H Christ! He buried his face into Chrissy's neck as they drove back to the Byers. It was completely quiet. The only sound was Steve fingers tapping against the steering wheel. Even Dustin was quiet in the back seat. Lucas chose to ride with Wayne and Max. Chrissy had her feet in Steve's lap again so that she was touching him. Eddie was pretty sure they were all shaking. He never wanted to see Red like that again. He remembered the first time he really talked to her and how she was sitting on the steps of her trailer, trying to act like she hadn't been crying. He approached cautiously, but she still looked skittish.

"Just because we listen to the same music doesn't mean that we are the same," Eddie had said and paused. "Not to speak ill of the dead or anything."

"Wouldn't have anything nice to say about him anyway. . .except for the fact that he saved my friend's life in the fire," Max said. "How do you know?"

"He brought you once to pick up his drugs. You were asleep. I thought it was shitty of him to leave you sleeping in the car without rolling down any of the windows. Didn't say anything, though. One look from that dude scared me shitless," Eddie told her and paused again. "You can still hate him for what he did, you know? One good thing doesn't necessarily erase all the bad. It would take a lot more good things to do that. Holding onto that hate, though? Means he wins, he got under your skin. If you ever decide to forgive him, it should be on your terms. . .not on his."

"Aren't you a thousand year old senior? How the hell are you so smart?" Max said, and Eddie had laughed. "My mom is snoring. I think she's asleep. She drinks a lot, I hate it when she drinks."

Eddie let her know then that they kept the door unlocked, so if she had ever wanted a place to hide out at their place, it was available, as was Granny Ecker's. After that, Wayne would walk out of the trailer for a "smoke break" whenever she did come over and would clean up her mom so she wouldn't have to. Both Max and Eddie knew immediately what he was up to. Like his uncle, apparently, Eddie was a sucker for lost sheep, and Max Mayfield was a lost sheep. He wasn't going to lose her.

"Whatcha thinking about?" Chrissy's voice broke through his thoughts.

"Max," Eddie said, his voice thick with emotion.

"Me too," Chrissy said.

"We're going to stop this bastard," Steve said, his voice thick as well.

Eddie glanced at him, and he could tell Steve was seconds away from crying. He placed his hand on the back of Steve’s neck and watched as he leaned back into his touch. Steve sighed as Eddie caressed the back of his neck. When they pulled into the driveway, Wayne was pulling in behind them, which was crazy because he had left with Max first. The explanation came when Max climbed out with Lucas, licking an ice cream cone. Eddie raised an eyebrow at his uncle.

"What? She was upset. When you're upset, you get an ice cream cone," Wayne said. "I don't make the rules, son."

"If you wanted an ice cream cone, you should have gotten possessed by an evil wizard," Max shrugged and stuck her tongue out at Eddie.

She was still shakey and pale, but Eddie could tell the ice cream was helping. He laughed and ruffled her hair before walking back into the house. Of course, Gareth opened his mouth to complain about the ice cream, but when he saw the serious look on Eddie's face, he stopped.

"Shit. What happened?" Gareth asked.

Eddie gave them the rundown on what happened, and Gareth cursed.

"You okay, Red?" Jeff asked, and Max shrugged. "Yeah, I get that."

"So, now what?" Frank asked.

"Now, we wait until the others get back," Wayne said. "Decide what we're going to do next."

They waited for them in a tense but comfortable silence. Max was finishing her ice cream while leaning against Wayne's arms. Eddie smiled softly. It was nice that Max had an adult to lean on, and Wayne was a good parental figure to have around. The secret knock came a few moments later, and the others came into the house.

"I'm just thankful I'm back in my own clothes again," Robin said.

"You definitely look a lot better," Vickie said with a grin. "Very se - oh!"

Chrissy had gotten up and thrown herself into Vickie's arms, hugging her tightly.

"What happened?" Nancy asked.

"Vecna tried to come after Max," Steve scowled. "Luckily, she had her Walkman with her."

"Yes, you were right about the music connection, Wayne," Nancy said.

"Pretty smart for a Munson," Wayne said proudly.

"Probably the smartest in the room, I'd say," Max said, and Nancy laughed.

"Hey!" Eddie exclaimed. "You're lucky you get a pass, Red."

"Vecna is definitely the one who killed Victor Creel's family. He went after Victor's trauma from World War 2, and from the way Victor described it, his family was killed exactly the way Fred was," Nancy shivered, and Vickie squeezed her shoulder.

"Why the hell is he doing this?" Frank asked.

"Do you think maybe he's trying to get into our world from the Upside Down?" Dustin asked with a frown.

"You think he's possibly using people to form gateways?" Nancy asked.

"Maybe," Dustin shrugged.

"When Barb disappeared, it was quick. I didn't even hear her scream. She was sitting by the pool, and then she was gone. He could have used her to open a gate," Nancy said. "And then a demogorgon dragged her in the Upside Down. I never wanted to look at Steve's pool after that so I didn't."

"You think he's been trying to get out since then," Dustin said.

"Wait, what about in 84? Why didn't he try to get out then too? When the sickness was spreading and the demodogs created those tunnel things?" Steve asked.

"Maybe it wasn't big enough," Dustin said.

"Shit," Nancy cursed.

"What?" Eddie asked.

"No, it's a stupid theory," Nancy said.

"There's nothing stupid here, darling," Wayne encouraged. "Go on."

"I think it's possible that he might be trying to bring the Upside Down into Hawkins," Nancy said. "Make this place his own or maybe build it for El. That's what the Mind Flayer said before. That he wanted to build it for her."

"Shit," everyone cursed, and they went silent as it sunk in.

"When exactly did he get trapped in the Upside Down?" Frank asked.

"Does it matter?" Lucas asked.

"It does!" Nancy and Dustin said together.

"El never told us how she escaped Hawkins Lab," Dustin said.

"Because she doesn't remember," Max replied.

"Exactly. She was weak and disoriented, which meant that she had already used her powers. It had to be something big," Dustin said.

"Like trapping someone in the Upside Down?" Nancy asked.

"I think. . .I think he might have been trying to use Barb and Will to open the gates, or maybe they were his first expiriments," Dustin said.

"No, because Will was being kept alive, remember?" Nancy said. "And then Barb was killed. He didn't need her."

"Okay, so he needed Will alive. Why?" Dustin asked.

"I don't know," Nancy said.

"Maybe he's trying to build an army," Eddie said.

"Could be. For El, maybe?" Dustin asked. "Like a weird twisted way of courting her?"

"No, I think it's her power he admires," Nancy said.

"She doesn't have any powers," Max said. "Not anymore."

"Maybe not now. Has anyone tried calling the Byers?" Nancy asked.

"Tried calling them when we were at Steve's, but I didn't get a hold of them. Joyce has that telemarketing job, so she keeps the line pretty busy," Dustin said.

"Well, we'll wait until night fall, and then we'll check out Lover's Lake," Nancy said. "Check and see if there's a gate. There are trees so it would be more secluded than the parking lot."

"How would we check for a gate in Lover's Lake?" Jeff asked.

Dustin grinned and pulled out a compass. Eddie drowned out Dustin's explanation as he went over everything in his head. If this fucker was as powerful as they said he was, how the fuck were they supposed to defeat them without superpowers? Holy shit. Has it really been only like two days since he met Steve and Chrissy in the woods. It felt like a lifetime ago. Fuck. They both took his hands in his, as if reading his mind. All of this was just happening way to his fast.

Chapter Thirteen

[steddieasitgoes]

@steddiemas Day 9 Prompt: Hanukkah Sentence Starters

2. How can you hate Dreidel?  

Tags: Established Relationship, Jewish Eddie Munson, Playing Dreidel, Hanukkah Fluff, Eddie Munson Is A Sore Loser

wc: 765 | Rating: G

Read on ao3 | ao3 collection

It’s rare for so many people to be gathered at the Munson house for something fun rather than the end of the world, but here they are. Steve, Robin, Dustin, even Wayne and Mr. Clarke. Tucked into the small living room and sprawled out on the floor. Limbs over limbs as they gather around the coffee table — well the former, the latter are curled up on the couch, observing.. A beautiful, hand-crafted wooden dreidel sits in the center surrounded by at least a pound and a half of gelt (another pound of gelt wrappers littering the floor). 

“Shouldn’t you be really good at this game?” Robin teases, watching the dreidel spin out of Eddie’s hands and off the table for the fourth time of the night. 

“You are the only one who's played it before,” Dustin adds, never one to turn down teasing Eddie. 

Eddie shoots them a glare that would rival Medusa if he were lucky enough to have her powers. Unfortunately, the only superpowers he has is his taste in music and his ability to land Steve as his boyfriend. 

“I fucking hate this game,” he groans. 

After scooping up the dreidel from where it landed with a soft thud on the carpet, he hands it to Steve. Despite never playing Dreidel a day in life, let alone any game for that matter (“I don’t know what to tell you, Eds. The Harrington’s were not family board game type of people,” Steve had told him one night which promptly broke Eddie’s heart and led to a marathon two-person game of Monopoly of all things), Steve is weirdly good at this. So good, he currently has a ridiculous mountain of gelt stacked in front of him like damn poker chips. 

“How can you hate dreidel?” Steve asks, tongue pocking out from his lips as he gets ready to spin. “It's so much fun!” 

“Oh yeah, it’s so fun.” Eddie rolls his eyes before watching as the dreidel carefully spins on the table, landing on the Gimel. Again. 

“It is!” Steve smiles, gathering the remaining gelt from the collective pot in the middle of the table. 

“Are you hustling us?” Dustin asks, arms crossed as Steve stacks his latest gelt pieces. He turns to Eddie, “He’s hustling us, right?” 

“Oh, now you want me on your side?” Eddie scoffs, shooing Dustin away. The kid has a point though. There’s no way this is just beginner’s luck. “Are you hustling us?” 

“Don’t be a sore loser,” Steve scoffs, rolling his eyes. “I’m winning fair and square.” 

“I think the dreidel is rigged.” 

“We’re all using the same one! If that were true, we’d all be winning,” Robin chimes in. 

“I don’t know, maybe Steve has like a magnet or something,”

“It’s a wooden dreidel!”

“See, this is why I hate this game,” Eddie huffs, throwing his hands in the air. 

“Don’t remember you sayin’ that last night when you kicked my ass,” Wayne chimes in, voice gruff but eyes full of mirth. “Listen to your boy and stop being a sore loser.” 

“Whose side are you on?” Eddie scoffs. If he didn’t know better, he’d be willing to bet his measly gelt winnings that Uncle Wayne liked Steve more than him. He knows the truth though, Wayne just loves giving him a hard time. He can’t say he blames him. 

“The only sides I do are mashed potatoes, you know that.” 

A collective groan rips through the room. Eddie the loudest as always, even when he nuzzles his face into the crook of Steve’s neck. “Scott is rubbing off on you in all the wrong ways.” 

“Hey,” Dustin shouts. “Don’t talk about my Lord like that.” 

“You people are all weird,” Robin laughs, reaching for the dreidel to resume playing. With a swift flick of her wrist, the dreidel spins and spins and spins before landing on 

Hey. “See, I told you it wasn’t rigged.” 

“Yeah, well, we’ll see when he goes again.” 

“Keep talking to me like that and he’s not going to kiss you for a week.” 

Eddie balks, immediately groveling for Steve’s forgiveness while Dustin and Robin look on with utter disgust. Wayne and Scott look on with all the fondness of an older couple who never got moments like this. 

“Alright, enough,” Dustin huffs, a minute later. “Are we going to keep playing or are you two going to make out now?”

“Well, now that you mention it…” Eddie trails off, looking at Steve with playful hunger. 

“Sorry, baby,” Steve says, pushing Eddie off his lap. “I have a game to win.” 

[xoxo-sarah]

I Wanna Be Yours || Part 4

Part 3 | part 5

↝a/n: repost cause tags weren't working. I don't like this chapter but it has important events for reader's story line.

↝pairing: Robin Buckley x fem!Wheeler!reader

↝ Warning: slightly roofread. Canons events, bloody noses, headaches, nightmares, homophobia (?)

↝⎙ 7.31.23

The first time you had met Robin was right after Nancy and Steve had broken up. Ironic really. Your sister got her heart broken, and you met someone who seemed to take your breath away with a single glance. She had gotten the locker right beside yours, leading you two to start a conversation one morning. Talking to her was easy.

1983 was a crazy year. Not only with family drama but with Will going missing, Joyce losing her mind, according to everyone in town, and the Demogorgon. You somehow got pulled into the loop and never could get out.

Next, it was the Mind Flayer. Will pretty much getting possessed. Some gate to the upside down. You really didn't have a lot of time to get closer to her then.

The next year, you tried to forget about what happened, distracting yourself with trips to the mall. You didn't see Robin a lot until she got a job with Steve at Scoops Ahoy.

It was a little awkward going in there. You didn't really know Steve, having not had a lot of time to meet him when he and Nancy were together. But you did get to know each other when he helped Mike and Dustin. He seemed alright.

Robin was great. She was nice, smart, and sarcastic. When you'd buy ice cream, you always got a kick out of her picking at Steve. He needed to be kicked down a notch. She was the perfect one to do it.

Then, the mall fell. However, Robin was swooped into the loop. Even with her brains, you didn't want her to get involved. It was dangerous just being a normal citizen living in Hawkins, being clueless. Actually knowing what is happening and being a part of it…you rather her not.

Although you two talked and nearly died a few times, you kept your distance. Maybe it was the feelings, or just not being at the same place in time.

Until senior year.

It is stressful, with all the work and all the basketball games. Everyone was actually trying this year. They had to.

Lucky for you, one of your teachers had partnered you and Robin up for a project.

After not really talking for a while, it was talking everyday-for the project, of course.

But it was different. She seemed…different. Maybe you were acting differently too. You really couldn't tell.

The feelings were still in the bottom of your stomach, flaring up each time she was around. Each time she'd look at you, smile, god forbid her laugh at a dumb joke you made. You were a goner, you knew it, Chrissy knew it…eventually. Robin couldn't know it.

No, you forbid it.

There's no telling what would happen if it got out that you liked Robin-another girl. Hawkins could be cruel.

Robin quietly hummed to the radio as Nancy drove. It was awkward, for some reason. Nancy was just acting…off. Sure, her friend died, but it seemed to be more than that, deep down.

It wasn't until Robin hummed the wrong note that you made a sound from the back seat.

Nancy broke from her stare at the road, glancing back at you.

The younger girl turned to look at you, a blush creeping on her face in embarrassment. But it was washed away quickly.

She couldn't help but notice the way your smile seemed to cut the tension like a knife. It was magnetic, drawing her in closer with every passing moment. Yet, the fear of ruining whatever it was you had held her back from confessing her true feelings. Ever.

Oh, how she wanted to jump over the back seat and show you what she's kept to herself for so many years.

The feelings had only grown stronger when you nearly died together.

“Okay, help me get his straight,”

You pulled your jacket closer to your body, having felt a chill run up your spine as soon as you stepped out of the car.

Robin and Nancy walked a little in front of you. “Eddie's uncle, Wayne, thinks that Victor Creel escaped from Pennhurst Asylum and that he's the one running around Hawkins, committing these murders?” Robin asked, her hands out at her sides.

“Pretty much.” Nancy concluded with a close-lipped smile.

Robin turned back to you now, slowing a tad. “But Victor committed the eyeball murders, like, way back in the 50's.”

“Well, '59.”

Holding the door open for you, Robin let you go in first, questions still directed towards your sister.

Pushing the warm blush down, you tried to ignore how the simple gesture made you feel. Just manners.

“So, that means these murders predate Eleven in the Upside Down by about 30 years?”

“Yeah.”

“Which makes spooky Victor Creel, like, 70 years old.”

“Yep.” Nancy dinged the bell, sighing with all the questions.

“So, he's a grandpa murderer who can turn invisible and lift people into the air.”

“It doesn't make sense. I know-”

“Wouldn't be the weirdest thing that's happened.” You interrupted.

“That's why I said it was a shot in the dark.” Nancy seemed to ignore you altogether, not sparing you a glance when you had spoken up before.

With furrowed brows, you listened to them continue to talk, ringing the bell again. “I know. I just thought that by 'shot in the dark', you were being modest or hiding something super solid up your sleeve that you were going to wow us with later. But this is really, truly a shot in the dark.” Nancy dinged the bell yet again. “Like, we are snipers with blindfolds on who've been spun around 50 times.” Robin went on rambling.

Nancy rapidly dinged the bell.

“Coming!” A lady singsonged.

“Hi. Sorry, we're in a bit of a rush.” Nance tried to be nice, “Could we get the keys to the basement archives?”

“Of course, give me one sec.”

When the lady walked off, Robin turned, “Did I come off mean or condescending?”

“No.” Nance quickly answered, before looking away.

“Right. Sorry. It's just you seem annoyed.”

“She's always like that.” Is what you inched to say, but you kept your mouth shut, just listening.

“You don't know me very well. I don't really have a filter to a strong grasp of social cues. Y/n can vouch for me.”

“Okay.”

“If I said something that upsets you, just know that I know it's a flaw. Believe me, my mother reminds me daily.” Wouldn't call it a flaw. In fact, you found it entertaining how she'd ramble on about whatever when you'd work together in school. Sure, the project took longer than needed, but you had gotten to know her and how her brain works. You found it quite adorable.

“Got it.”

Pursing your lips, you couldn't help but want to tell your sister to loosen up and stop acting like that. But it's not really your place to tell her that, with her friend dying and everything. Wasn't really the time.

“Alright, ladies.” The woman dangled the keys in front of her. “Here you go. Have fun.”

“Yep, we'll try.”

“Thank you.” You smiled at the lady before following behind Robin.

After not finding anything on Victor, you switched with Robin. The light from the screen was giving you a headache. You sat on the floor In front of them, leaning your head back and closing your eyes for some kind of relief.

“Anything…juicy over there?”

“Nothing new.” Nancy sighed.

“Yep, same here. Victor seemed like a normal guy. Dead family, missing eyes, took a plea deal, sent to Pennhurst. Blah, blah, blah, blah.”

Nancy dropped her head in annoyance.

Robin moved to the side of the machine, looking at the other girl. “What are we looking for exactly?” When she didn't get a response, she knocked on the side of the machine.

You couldn't help the groan of pain that caught their attention. Your headache was only getting worse. It felt more like a migraine at this point.

Robin muttered an apology, turning back to Nancy with a softer voice.

“Any mention of dark wizards or alternate dimensions? Things in that vein?”

“I don't know. Okay?” At her irritation, you opened your eyes to watch Nancy stand up in frustration. “It's started to seem like this was just a big waste of time. And you're obviously bored, y/n feels like her head's about to explode. Why don't you just call Steve? I'm sure he'll come pick you up.” Was that…jealousy you were sensing? “And I mean, I'm not really in danger here so…" Nancy walked away.

You turned to Robin, who had her mouth open to reply but couldn't seem to find the words.

Standing up, you followed Nancy, Robin sat in silence for a few seconds before following.

“You do know that Steve and I are, like, totally not a thing, right?”

Robin leaned on the staircase rail that led to the file cabinets. Nance stopped looking through the drawer, instead listening to her words.

“What?” She turned, looking as if the other girl had lost her mind for thinking such a thing.

Robin walked around the shelves, moving to stand where you two were. “So, I figure you and Jonathan are still going strong 'cause you guys are going to college together, and you're like one of those unstoppable power couples but i…i just. I wanted to make sure that you knew that Steve and I are just friends. Like platonic with a capital P.”

Nancy looked up, her face falling onto you standing behind her. “Y/n, your nose is bleeding.”

Moving to wipe your nose, you looked at the blood that appeared when you pulled your hand away. “Jesus.”

Robin panicked, looking everywhere for some kind of tissue or napkin. After not finding anything, you had no other choice but to use your jacket. Gross? Of course. But it was the only thing you had at the moment. There's no way you were going all the way up to ask for a tissue for your bloody nose.

You waved the other two off, letting them continue their conversation.

After a few seconds, Robin continued, “Just in case that's adding any tension between us.”

“It wasn't.”

It was.

Rushing out of the building, you held the blood covered jacket balled up in your hand, “Dustin, do you copy?”

“Yeah, I copy.”

“So, Nancy is a genius. Vacna's first victims date all the way back to 1959.” Robin spoke into the walky-talky. “Her shot in the dark was a bull's-eye.”

“Okay, that's totally bonkers, but I can't talk right now.”

“Why?” You leaned over to speak clearly and to hear Dustin.

“Wait, what are you doing?” Robin followed up, opening the car door.

“Breaking and entering school to retrieve confidential and extremely personal files.”

“Jesus Christ.” You flopped into the back seat.

“Can you repeat that?” Robin looked at you with worry for the boy and his actions. She was hoping the static messed up what he was actually saying, which totally wasn't that he had broken into school to steal personal files that he could get into big trouble for.

“Just get your ass over here, stat. We'll explain everything.”

“I Thought they were talking to Ms. Kelly.”

“We leave them alone for 2 hours.”

After games, it wasn't unusual to have fun, drink and have a good ol' time. You were surrounded by people who just wanted to have a good time and celebrate a win. Nothing happens, just drunken words thrown around carelessly, not a thought in most peoples under the influence minds.

You were always near Chrissy, who was often than not near Jason, who in turn, was with his friends.

The smell of alcohol and weeds wafted through your nostrils and clung to your clothes. But you weren't worried about that when Chrissy was making you snort your water out of your nose.

You two were probably the only sober ones in Jason's home. His parents had been out for date night, which he took full advantage of.

“I'm not even exaggerating.” Chrissy giggled, hitting your arm as you tried to wipe at the liquid you cough up.

Suddenly, the music stopped, along with Chrissy's giggles.

Looking up, everyone had stopped what they were doing, eyes on you. Turning to your side confused, Chrissy was staring at you in disgust.

“Chris, wha-”

“You just had to be different, didn't you?” You were now more confused than ever. What was she talking about?

Before you could question her further, she continued. “You're just confused.”

“What are you talking about?!”

“You're a freak.” Jason spoke up in a nonchalant tone, but the disgust on his face said otherwise. The room was closing in on itself, everyone moving in closer without seeming to move at all. All eyes were burning into your skin.

Standing up, you needed fresh air. This is all too much. As you went to move your feet, they didn't move. It was as if they were glued to the floor, no matter how hard you tugged to move, you stayed where you were.

“Freak.” Jason started up again, but everyone in the room echoed it.

Chrissy stood, pushing you back, echoing the words as well. You had noticed how she didn't look the same. Her jaw was to the side, clearly broken. Where her eyes used to be were hallowed.

Like what Eddie had described.

You screamed as she pushed you.

As you fell back, you never met the couch where you had been sitting. You continued falling, the words never stopping. They echoed and echoed and echoed, getting louder and louder and louder.

Gasping, you jumped up, falling back against the back seat of Nancy's car due to the seatbelt, hitting your head. Cursing, you didn't notice Robin and Nancy both looking back at you in concern. Nancy had stopped the car when you loudly gasped.

“Y/n? Y/n? Y/n!”

Your head shot up, meeting Nancy's terrified eyes.

“Are you okay?”

It took you a second to register what she was talking about. “Wha- yeah. Yeah, I'm good.” Ignoring how your voice sounded hoarse, you just wanted her to drive to where Dustin and everybody was. You wanted them to stop staring at you like you were crazy, like you were a freak. You don't know how Eddie doesn't act affected by being called that publicly.

“You sure?”

Robin's voice sounded different. Like she actually cared about you and how you were feeling. Not how people sound when they automatically ask if you're okay.

“Yeah, just drive.”

Reluctantly, Nancy began driving, glancing back at you often. Robin stayed turned around, watching you for a little bit before she turned back around, not wanting to just stare at you, even if she wanted to see for herself that you were, in fact, alright.

•2021-2024 by xoxo-sarah on Tumblr•

• My work is not to be translated, copied, modified, and/or reposted on any other site without my permission. [!I don't give permission!]

🫧 Taglistׂׂ ૢ ~ @overtrred28 @ihatepeanutss

[hbyrde36]

Life is a Game (and True Love is a Trophy)

Chapter 8

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*Steve*

As soon as Steve set foot back into the trailer, Eleven launched herself at him. He wrapped his arms around her instinctively, feeling the way her body shook subtly under his grip.

Shit. 

He hadn’t thought about how it would feel for her to watch him walk right out of the house after Eddie, leaving her behind with total strangers after everything they’d been through. He suspected her reaction wasn’t only about him either. Eddie meant something to her, even if he didn’t remember, and she had been so little when they’d last been together. It didn’t change the fact that she had found this person again who she’d thought was dead for so long, and then he ran away. 

“I’m so sorry, El. I didn’t even think. I just wanted to make sure he was okay.”

She shook her head as best she could, while remaining tightly pressed to his chest. “It’s okay. I’m glad you went after him. He needed you. I just got scared.”

Steve’s eyes flitted to the kitchen where Chief Hopper now sat sipping coffee with Claudia, the man having arrived while he and Eddie were outside. He was sure that the sudden appearance of a cop had spooked El too. 

Steve pulled back a little from their hug so he could look her in the eye. “Still, I'm sorry. I’ll always come back to you, no matter what happens, I promise. We’re going to be okay. We’ll keep each other safe, and we’ll keep Eddie safe too.”

“How?”

“I haven't quite figured that part out yet, kiddo, but I believe in us.”

El cracked a weak smile. “Me too.”

He walked with her back over to join Dustin on the couch. The poor kid couldn’t stop staring at her, as if he couldn’t believe she was real. 

Which was fair. 

Dustin was also practically vibrating with the need to ask questions, but when he did finally speak, it was only out of concern for his cousin. 

“Is Eddie going to be ok?” He asked.

“Yea, buddy, He’ll be okay. It’s just a lot.” Steve said, trying his best to sound reassuring. He wasn’t sure he knew Eddie well enough to make that kind of assumption, but he did know for his own part, that he would do everything he could to make it true.

Dustin nodded like he understood. “Thank you for helping him. I know how Eddie looks, and how he can come off sometimes, but he’s a lot more sensitive than people give him credit for.”

They all looked up as Eddie and his uncle reentered the trailer. Steve met Eddie's gaze for a moment over the short distance of the room. His eyes were a little bloodshot, as if he’d been crying again, and Steve wished that they could let it all be, at least for the day. 

He wanted to give Eddie a break to try to process everything that had happened so far before piling on, but Hopper was there now for whatever reason, and there was still so much that they needed to talk about. Not to mention the ever looming threat of another attack on El from One.

Eddie glared at Hopper for a moment before addressing his Uncle. “You wanna tell me what he’s doing here?”

Wayne let out a long suffering sigh. “Jim’s known about you since the beginning, son. He helped to hide you and supplied us with the paperwork and whatever else we needed to sell our story and get you enrolled in school.”

It was apparent that knowing all that didn’t change Eddie's feelings towards the man at all. He scowled as Hopper approached. Steve got the sense that there was history between the two of them, and clearly not all of it good. 

“I know you’ve never trusted me, kid.” Hopper began. “And I'm sure that’s worse now because I tried to stop you from looking for Harrington here, but you have to know now that it was all for your own good. We couldn’t risk the wrong people noticing what you were up to and accidentally putting the pieces together.”

What? 

Steve’s heart started to pound as he stared at the side of Eddie’s face. “You looked for me?” 

“Oh yeah, he broke into your old house to investigate and everything” Wayne supplied with a wink, nudging his nephew’s shoulder.

Eddie’s cheeks turned red. 

“Wayne!” He hissed, finally turning his head to look at Steve with a sheepish smile. All he could do was stare back in amazement, because Eddie had been looking for him. This sweet guy, who barely knew him, had cared enough to not only wonder what had happened, but actively tried to find out. It did occur to Steve that it might not mean anything, and could have had more to do with El and the latent powers Eddie likely had that they were yet to really speak on, but for now he chose to believe that maybe it could mean something.

Eddie’s smile fell abruptly as he gave his attention back to Hopper. ”Wait, why would looking for him have put me in danger?”

The answer came to Steve in an instant, and he couldn’t stop from blurting it out at the chief. “You knew I was at the lab.”

Hopper squeezed his eyes shut and slowly nodded, guilt coming off of him in waves. “I didn’t know right away, it was a few weeks before I put the pieces together. Ultimately it was the security footage from that diner you went to that confirmed it for me. As you can imagine, after Eddie came along I did a little digging into Hawkins Lab to try and figure out what was going on there. I didn’t get very far before I was asked by an old military contact to drop it. Actually, I was told to mind my own fucking business, or else, but I did learn a thing or two along the way about the man in charge, Dr. Brenner. I recognized him on that tape, and when I saw you two leave with him, I figured I had my answer.”

Eddie’s eyes grew dark as he got up in Hopper’s face. “You son of a bitch! You knew he was there all this time and you didn’t do anything about it?!” What kind of cop are you?!”

Without hesitation, Steve stepped between them, lightly placing his hands on the other boy’s shoulders. 

“Eddie, stop. It’s okay. He couldn’t have gotten me out of there anyway. Not without getting himself killed. You don’t know what it’s like in that place. I’m glad you don’t remember. Part of me hopes you never remember because you deserve so much better than having grown up in that hell hole. I wouldn’t have wanted him to risk exposing you, they have to know you’re out there somewhere. I know it’s been years but these people don’t give up that easily.” 

Eddie’s eyes had gone soft again as Steve spoke, but he didn’t say anything. Steve wondered briefly if he had overstepped. He didn't think so, but it was hard to tell what Eddie was thinking.

“I’m sorry, Steve.” Hopper said, drawing their attention again. “More sorry than I can say. How’d you manage to get out?”

Steve gave them all a quick but detailed description of their escape, ending with running into Eddie at Skull Rock. He hesitated to mention the attack on El, not ready to get into that quite yet. He wanted to hear more about Eddie’s dreams, and this game he and the kids had been playing first. He had a feeling that Vecna, as Eddie had called him, was Henry/One, but he couldn’t be sure so he brushed past it, saying that something had gone wrong in the lab that day. El looked at him questioningly but said nothing, and neither Eddie or Wayne brought up that none of it explained why she’d been covered in blood.

“That’s amazing!” Dustin exclaimed when it was all done. He turned to Eddie. “And you just happened to be there at Skull Rock, what are the odds! What were you doing there anyway?”

Eddie shrugged. “I don’t know really, your dumb list probably put the idea in my head.”

“No, it’s gotta have something to do with your powers.”

Eddie stiffened, but tried to play it off. “Who said anything about powers?”

Dustin continued, oblivious to Eddie’s discomfort. “Well, it’s like our game, right? El can move stuff with her mind.” He said, waving a hand in the girl’s direction.

“What game?” Hopper asked, though his question went ignored.

“Yes.” El answered, raising her palm towards the coffee table and the several very breakable mugs that sat on its surface. Steve quickly reached out to push her arm down. “You don’t have to demonstrate sweetie.” He said. 

Dustin glared at Steve, betrayed at being denied the opportunity to see Eleven in action, before returning to his argument with Eddie. “How else would you have known about El and the lab? Boom! Powers.”

The kid wasn’t wrong, but his tone left something to be desired. 

“Don’t get cocky.” Eddie muttered. “It’s probably just subconscious memories or some shit.”

Steve caught Eddie’s eye and they shared a look. They both knew it wasn’t memories, but he wouldn’t push if Eddie wasn’t ready to deal with it yet. 

This kid, however, was stubborn and had no such misgivings.

“No, that doesn’t make sense. You knew about El’s escape in ‘83! That didn’t happen until way after mom…” Dustin trailed off.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas.

“Oh. My. God. Are the demogorgons real too? And demodogs? Is the whole Upside-Down real?!” His face went through a complicated series of emotions, caught for a split second between glee at the idea that the world was suddenly far more magical than he realized, and horror, because, monsters.

“Demo-whats?” Hopper asked.

Dustin flapped a hand dismissively in his direction. “The monsters from our game.”

“WHAT GAME?!” Hopper bellowed.

The room fell quiet, finally giving the Chief the attention he wanted following his outburst. 

It was Eddie who broke the silence, taking the lead to explain. “There’s a game that the boys and I play, we, uh, well, it’s hard to explain. To make a very long story short, some of the things I thought I made up for the game are apparently... real.”

Hopper looked skeptical. “Like what?” 

“Eleven, for starters.” Eddie began. “The whole thing about the lab and her escaping? That was in there. It’s like..” He paused to think, and made a waffling motion with his hand. “We blended fantasy and reality, right? So we each play a version of ourselves, and all the other non-player characters are modeled after other people.”

Eddie’s eyes flicked to Steve right before he covered his face with his hands.

“God, this is so embarrassing. If I ever thought I’d have to explain any of this to other people…”

Steve couldn't bear to see Eddie spiraling again, so he tried to be supportive. “How bad could it be?”

Eddie raised his eyebrows and Steve almost laughed at himself. It had been a morning full of bad things and big revelations, so maybe that hadn’t been the smartest thing to say. Still, he needed to know.

“It could be important, who knows what else you picked up on that might turn out to be true or real?”

“I have notes for every part of the campaign so far but...” Eddie chewed nervously on his bottom lip.

“But?” Steve prompted.

Eddie blew out a long breath. “Fuck, I guess theres no way around this. You’re all in it.”

“Including you, Steve. You're one of the main characters besides the boys and El. You have been pretty much since the beginning. I’m sorry, I know that’s weird.”

It probably shouldn't have been such a surprise, what with everything else that had gone on so far, but Steve was shocked. A warmth blossomed in his chest at the idea.

“Don’t be sorry. That’s really cool.” Steve assured him.

Eddie’s mouth dropped open.

“Wait, really?”

Steve shuffled his feet, hoping that it didn’t show on his face just how pleased he was to know that Eddie had spent a significant part of the past two years thinking about and creating something that involved him.

“Yeah, it’s sort of flattering actually.”

Eddie grinned shyly and Steve couldn’t look away. 

Wayne loudly cleared his throat. “As sweet as this is to watch, boys, maybe you should go get those notes you were talking about, Ed.”

Eddie’s face went beet red, and he stomped off down the hall without a word. He returned quickly, with a noticeable blush still coloring his cheeks. He walked straight past Hopper, who was looking at him expectantly, and handed the short stack of notebooks to Steve before plopping down on the couch, trying not to look at anyone. 

Claudia got up abruptly, gathering her purse as she spoke. “Come on Dusty, we have to get going if you're going to make it to school on time.” The woman had been quiet for so long, Steve almost forgot she was there.

“Mom, are you crazy?” Dustin shouted. “We just found out that monsters are real. There's no way I'm going to school today!”

She opened her mouth to argue, but Hopper beat her to the punch.

“Oh yes you are. I don’t know anything about this monster stuff, but I do know a thing or two about the very real threat to all of us that is Hawkins lab. The best thing everyone can do for now to protect this whole... situation, is to go on about your lives as normal as possible, and do not draw attention to yourselves.” The last part was aimed at Eddie who pretended to ignore them all, suddenly fascinated with the hem of his own t-shirt. 

Dustin floundered. “Does Eddie have to go to school?” 

“Absolutely not.” Eddie said, finally looking up to glare at his cousin.

Hopper looked like he was going to protest that too, but then thought better of it and shrugged. “Eddie skips class enough that not attending school is just as normal as if he were to go.”

“Is that true, boy?” Wayne huffed.

“Unbelievable.” Eddie mumbled before getting up to open the door and usher everyone who wasn’t staying outside. “Okay Hop, well thanks for stopping by, don’t you have a job to get to - CHIEF?!”

Dustin begrudgingly agreed to leave with promises that he’d be back right after school to continue talking about this, and followed Hopper outside to the cars. Claudia hesitated in the doorway, smiling up at Eddie with shining eyes.

“I have never for one second regretted getting you out of that place and bringing you home. It’s the best thing I've ever done, right up there with having my little Dusty. You bring light into all of our lives and I'm so proud to call you family. I love you, honey.” She pinched his cheek and left.

Steve hung back, feeling like an intruder on the private moment happening so close by, but he couldn’t help listening. He was just so in awe of these people, of this unconventional family brought together by sheer chance, who’d protected a little boy no questions asked and loved each other so fiercely. 

Wayne yawned loudly. “Okay, kids, I'm gonna head to bed now before I keel over.”

“You’re not going to give me shit about skipping school?” Eddie asked.

“If you really think that’s the first I've heard of it then you’re thicker than I thought. I wasn’t born yesterday, I know what you get up to. I’m just happy that you stopped selling drugs before I was forced to knock some sense into you.”

Eddie balked. “You knew?!”

Wayne cackled as he turned the corner towards his bedroom.

“I would like to go back to bed too.” El said.

“You can take my bed again.” Eddie offered.

She looked at the two of them in turn. “Will you come with me? I don’t want to be alone.”

It was unthinkable to say no to her, so the three of them piled into Eddie's room. Eleven settled down on the bed and was out like a light almost immediately. At Eddie's insistence, Steve took the desk chair and readied himself for the task ahead, while the other boy paced and puttered around the room.

He wasn’t sure how long it took, but Steve read straight through all four notebooks without taking so much as a single break. It was riveting, the story that Eddie and his friends had weaved. He had already known a few of the parallels he was likely to find between his lived experience and the saga laid out before him, but it was so much more than he ever could have imagined. 

His heart broke all over again as he read about the three young boys finding Eleven in the woods, the same way he himself had done. He could remember with perfect clarity the fear that had shone in her eyes that first night, and how quickly he had come to the decision to take care of her as best he could, no matter the consequences. 

He noted the similarities between Eleven destroying the demogorgon at the school and thus saving the day in the big climax to the first part, and what he knew of her defeating the creature at the lab when they’d first been captured. It probably didn’t matter now, but he wondered if she really had gotten stuck in that other world for a while, and if that was part of why he hadn’t seen her for so long. She had never said, only told him she had needed a lot of rest afterwards. 

The second book came with more than one surprise. His own character, or ‘Game Steve’ as he was calling his doppelganger on the page, had gotten roped into helping Dustin search for an escaped creature that turned out to be a demodog. After a nail-biting confrontation in the junkyard with a small pack of the four-legged monsters, Game Steve cemented himself as the party’s babysitter and fierce protector. 

Steve was floored. He knew it was mostly make-believe, but still couldn’t believe anyone saw him like that, and he found his vision blurring more than once as he continued. 

He was intrigued by the reveal of Eleven, and how she had been off finding one of her escaped siblings and fellow numbers. He thought Eddie might have been trying to tell himself something with that little side-quest. 

They had already touched on the big battle with the demodogs in the basement of Hawkins lab while El closed the gate, and spoke a little about how it went down in both the real and fictional worlds. The scars on Steve’s back burned with the memory, and he allowed himself to skim that part, not wishing to fully relive the horror of that night when it wasn’t necessary. 

He started to take some notes of his own when it came to notebooks three and four. He had too many thoughts and questions to keep it all straight and things only got worse with the growing dread in his stomach as he neared the final pages.

There was no stopping the tears that fell in fat droplets to land on the back cover of the final black and white composition notebook when Steve was finished. His breath hitched as he finally lifted his gaze to look at Eddie, who was now sitting on the edge of the bed, for the first time in what felt like hours. 

“Steve?” Eddie stood, hovering over him with concern. 

Steve didn't know where to start. He needed to tell Eddie about Henry, about Vecna. That he was real, that it was all too real, how he was now terrified at the possibility that Eddie had predicted his own death. But Steve couldn’t form the words. Not yet. His throat was tight with pain and panic. 

When he didn’t respond, Eddie knelt down on the floor in front of him, bringing them eye to eye as he reached out a cautious hand. He gently wiped the wetness from Steve’s face with a brush of his thumb. Steve couldn’t help sinking into the touch, too far gone to care what it might imply.

During all of those long and lonely nights at the lab, Steve had started to suspect some things about himself. He realized, beginning with that first time when he told stories of old school days to keep El company in her coma-like state, that any time he spoke about the past, he never failed to find a way to bring up Eddie. 

They hadn’t been friends, though Steve would have liked to be. They were from two completely different circles of people, only speaking on occasion, when chance or fate served to put them in a room together, or set them on the same path down the halls, however briefly. Though he hadn’t realized their meaning at the time, Steve came to cherish those memories, their short but friendly interactions, and the flutter he would feel in his stomach whenever he was fortunate enough to lay eyes on the other boy. 

Steve knew what it was now, and that crush had only grown exponentially in the past 24 hours as he learned about what sort of person Eddie was.

Everything he had just read served as a stark reminder that you never know how much time you have left with someone, or when the next disaster is going to strike. So, while this was most definitely not the right moment by any rational person’s estimation, Steve gave in to the urge to lean forward, crossing the short distance between them, and joined his mouth to Eddie’s in a soft kiss.

After the all-to-brief touch of lips, Eddie pulled back with a sharp intake of breath, his hand still resting on the side of Steve's face. They stared into each other's eyes from inches away and Steve’s heart hammered inside his chest as he fought hard not to panic. Eddie searched his face, and he longed to know what the other boy was looking for so he could show it to him. 

Steve swallowed hard, watching as Eddie’s eyes flicked down to track the bobbing of his throat. A soft whine came spilling out of Eddie’s mouth a split second before he crashed back into Steve. He smiled into the kiss and pulled Eddie up into his lap. He licked along the seam of Eddie's lips, asking permission, and was immediately granted entrance. Eddie opened wide for him and Steve let out a low moan, reveling in the feel of their tongues sliding against each other. 

Eleven rolled over and let out a loud snore from where she still rested on the bed, and they sprang apart, both remembering suddenly that they weren’t entirely alone. 

Steve covered his mouth to stifle the giggle that he couldn’t stop from coming, and was relieved to see Eddie's eyes sparkling with the same amusement. He quickly took Steve’s hand and pulled him to his feet. The pair tiptoed out of the room, quietly closing the door behind them. 

They only made it two steps away from the room before Eddie had him pinned to the wall, overwhelming his senses with lips and tongue. He bit and sucked at Steve's lower lip until his knees went weak and they finally pulled apart, panting. 

As they both caught their breaths, Eddie ran his fingers through Steve's hair and said, “Not that I'm complaining, but what brought this on?”

Steve frowned, paling as he recalled the reason he was so willing to throw caution to the wind. He slid down the wall to sit on the floor, pulling his knees to his chest to fit in the narrow hall. Eddie sat down next to him, close but not touching.

“I’m sorry, I didn't mean to kill the mood. We don’t have to talk about it, it’s...”

Steve reached over and took Eddie's hand, raising it to his lips to brush a light kiss over the back of it. He couldn’t let Eddie get the wrong idea, not for a second.

“I really like you.” Steve said.

Eddie’s eyes went wide. “Oh.” He breathed. “Well, In case it was unclear, the feeling is mutual.”

“I’m glad.” Steve said, giving Eddie’s hand a squeeze. “But, as much as I would love to spend the afternoon doing more of that, I need to tell you about...”

“Vecna?” Eddie guessed.

Steve dipped his head in a solemn nod. He wasn’t surprised that Eddie had figured it out, he was smart, despite what his history at school would reflect, and he paid attention.

“Among other things.” Steve said. “You had it right, about the hive mind. Everything from that place, the upside down, is connected. The possession? The way it controlled that guy in the third story? That happened to me. Owens got it out by blasting me with heat. You got that part right too, all of their strengths and weaknesses are as you said. I don’t know if the bats exist. I haven't even seen the other world for myself, but I'd be willing to bet they’re real.”

“And Vecna, is he..?”

“Alive? Yes. His name really is Henry and he was the first number, One. I don’t know his backstory to tell you if you got that right or not, but he is responsible for the deaths of the other kids. I was thinking about that. The day El fought with him and sent him into that other dimension, it has to be the same day that you escaped. The alarm would have been going off, just like Claudia said, and everyone would have been too distracted to see you slip away.”

Eddie jerked his hand back, leaning as far away from Steve as he could and wrapped his arms around himself. “I’m so sorry.” He whispered. 

“What could you possibly have to apologize for?”

“Don't you get it, Steve? That means I left her there. I ran, and I let her fight that monster all alone. I mean, I always suspected I was a coward but here's the cold hard proof.”

“No. Don’t do that to yourself.” Steve pleaded. “You were just a kid, and we don’t know what the circumstances were. All that matters now, is that you both made it, you survived. If you had stayed behind, who knows what would have happened.”

Eddie clenched his jaw, clearly still upset with himself, but trying. “What else?”

“Brenner let Eleven think she killed Henry, she felt horribly guilty about it for so long. I figured it out a few months ago, that they suspected he was still alive and that they were using El to find him. I told her what I thought, we figured it would be easy for her to avoid him now that she knew what she was looking for but..”

“He found her. That’s what really happened yesterday.” Eddie finished for him.

“Yes. How’d you know?”

“The blood, the way it looked like it had been dripping out of her eyes. It’s exactly how I pictured it.”  Eddie’s eyes glazed over a little as he spoke.

“You said the most recent campaign, the notes in that fourth book, that was all you, right?” Steve asked.

“Yeah.”

“I’m worried about how much hasn’t happened yet, and what parts might be real.”

Eddie hesitated.“...Shit, I hadn’t really thought about it like that.”

“Henry just made his first attack, there's no reason to assume it’s his last.”

“What do we do?”

Steve sighed, tilting his head back to thunk softly against the wall. “I think we need to bring them all in, everyone from your campaign who was affected by the Upside-Down. Especially Vecna’s victim’s. I think we should tell them. If it starts happening for real, it’s the only way we’ll have a chance to protect them. It’s up to you though, Eddie. You’d be exposed.”

“So would you and El.” Eddie pointed out.

Steve already knew what his sister would say. “I know.”

Eddie picked at a loose thread on the carpet, thinking. Finally he nodded to himself and looked at Steve. “I can’t let anyone die knowing I could have stopped it. I’m in.”

Together they formed a loose plan. Eddie would pick the boys up from school, they would be the easiest to convince and he might be able to gather Nancy and Jonathan on the way. Chrissy too if he could catch her on her way to cheerleading practice. They’d start there, and get the rest of the group, assuming they believed them, to help to bring the others into the fold. 

They sat there in the hallway for a long time, with Steve resting his head on Eddie's shoulder as they talked. Steve didn’t want to think about the lab, and instead told Eddie about the few months he and El had shared at his old house. He could feel himself smiling like an idiot at the fond memories. Eddie shared more about Dustin, and the boys, about school and his fears that he was going to fail and have to repeat senior year again. 

Eddie snaked an arm around Steve’s back, holding him close, and he found himself nodding off as they settled into a comfortable silence. Eventually, Eddie was forced to wake him, when it was almost time for him to drive to the school. 

Steve yawned and stretched, rolling his neck from side to side. He might be stiff from sleeping that way, but waking up in Eddie’s arms was something he thought he’d pay any price for. 

“Hopper’s not going to like this.” Steve pointed out as he walked with Eddie through to the living room.

“I know!” Eddie grinned. “All the more reason to do it.” 

Steve rolled his eyes, but returned the smile anyway. “What should I tell your uncle if he wakes up?”

Eddie shrugged. “Just tell him and I ran to the store for smokes or something. I won’t be long.”

Steve blinked at him. He didn’t like the idea of lying to the man who was currently putting a roof over his head. 

“Don’t look at me like that, Harrington. If you tell him the truth, he’ll call Hopper, and like you said he’ll hate our plan. In this case I think we’re better off asking forgiveness than permission.”

He couldn’t really argue that, so Steve just nodded. 

There was a moment of awkwardness at the door, neither boy ready to part yet, even temporarily, and not knowing how to say goodbye. Steve wasn’t sure who moved first, but suddenly they were hugging. Eddie placed a chaste kiss on the corner of his mouth, and then he was gone.

Chapter 9

Special thanks to @penny00dreadful for all your help once again! 😘

@steddie-there @yeahhhh-suga @goinsteddie @brbsoulnomming @the-s-is-silent @paintsplatteredandimperfect @estrellami-1 @herebedragons404 @epiclazershark @mentallyundone @hardboiledleggs @manda-panda-monium @ellietheasexylibrarian @sofadofax @5ammi90 @meccaminayah @bestwifehaver @eddie-munsons-lunchbox @soaringornithopter @buckleybarnes @adaed5

as always, let me know if you want to be added or removed from the tags! 💜

[natalicss]

bad love ; eddie munson

eddie munson x fem!reader

summary: eddie and you broke up for a simple reason. eddie’s life-goals didn’t work out, but yours did. five years later, robin tells eddie that them & the others have been added to a guest list for a surprise show in indiana. now eddie has to decide if it was a mistake to go.

warnings: celebrity!reader , mentions of drugs, slightly toxic!eddie , angsty , this is my first fic so please work with me here i’m not good with warnings

word count: 2.4K

nat’s notes: the song that the reader sings about eddie is bad love by lita ford. listen to the full song & you’ll kinda see how she felt about eddie after their breakup HAHA. like i said this is my first fic on here so not only am i nervous but i am having a hard time laying this out LMAO. i know reader doesn’t do much BUT if we want a part two after the show where everyone goes to hang out with her after the show (& maybe we get to see why eddie & her broke up??) LET ME KNOW. nonetheless, enjoy!!

Eddie Munson had this big plan.

Get the hell out of Hawkins, move to California, and become a rock sensation. Groupies at every show. Drugs piling tour buses. Paparazzi, interviews, photoshoots, you name it, Eddie wanted it. He wanted to make music. To scream his lungs out into a microphone while thousands of people cheered him on below. He wanted to bask in stadium lights while girls cheered his name. He wanted to give a big fat middle finger to Hawkins and all the people in that shithole that ever doubted him.

But that was five years ago. That was when he still had a dream. An unrealistic one.

25 years old and Eddie Munson was no longer one to make big plans. He stayed in Hawkins, moving to another trailer only down the street from his uncle, and became a mechanic. Because apparently, fixing cars was all he was good at after Corroded Coffin fell to shit. Nobody else seemed to share his dream when college came around. Or girls, weddings, and kids. Everyone seemed to sink into their cozy and easy mediocre lives. Everyone seemed to be happy, or content at the least.

Eddie hated it.

He hated Hawkins. He hated the people in Hawkins. He hated how every time he went to the grocery store he’d bitterly see couples like Steve Harrington and his fiance going on their similar grocery trips. Or Nancy and Jonathan Byers, a small boy on the Byers’s hip while Nancy’s hand was on her growing stomach. Or even young Max Mayfield and Lucas Sinclair, who usually only stopped by to get snacks for the weekly movie night they had. He hated how when he met up with high school buddies they all talked about their successful lives. Dustin Henderson had a successful job and managed to bring Suzie to Hawkins. Mike Wheeler was in college, breezing through it. Gareth Emerson had a wife and now a baby on the way, despite only being in his early 20s. Eddie hated hearing how happy everyone was because he was miserable.

And that magazine on the table was a reminder.

A VOGUE rested on Steve Harrington’s coffee table. From his fiance, likely. On the cover, a girl with familiar features with colorful lipstick that complimented her skin tone. White lace collar peaks from the bottom of the photo. She was beautiful. Just as beautiful as she was five years ago. Her sparkling eyes that made his heart swoon, and her sultry look that made his pants tighten as if he imagined it in real-time.

Y/N L/N.

He remembered her perfectly. How could he not? The two of them were soulmates. At least he thought they were. They had a big plan. Get the hell out of Hawkins, move to California, and become the hottest couple in Hollywood. But Eddie didn’t get that far. No. But she did. She didn’t have a band holding her back. She didn’t have a trailer-park salary. She came from a good neighborhood and a half-decent family. Most importantly, she was sweet and charming. She swooned a big manager when she stayed in Nashville the summer after graduation. Shortly after, she was moving there to become a star. And a star she was. Her name decked in lights. Her face was on every magazine. Award shows, celebrity best friends. She made it. She had gotten the life she craved. The life Eddie craved.

And she left him in the dust.

Okay, so maybe it wasn’t like that. At all. But Eddie didn’t care. He hated how she seemingly left him behind when all he wanted was for her to stay. It was selfish. But once again, Eddie didn’t care.

“Is that Y/N?” Dustin audibly gasped as he reached for the magazine, pulling it to his face to inspect. “Holy shit! VOGUE!”

Max Mayfield snatched it from his hands. “She looks hot.” She stated bluntly.

Mike scoffed. “Y/N was always hot. Lucas had a huge crush on her when we were, like, twelve.” He bluntly replied.

“She smashed a demo-dog’s head in with a guitar! Hell yeah, I had a crush on her.”

Robin Buckley, who was on the couch with Eddie, ate from a bowl of popcorn. “I got a call from Y/N recently.” She hummed casually. Everyone, especially Eddie, snapped their heads in her direction.

Steve gawked at his best friend. “What? Why?” He sat in his armchair, leaning into the side as he tried to get closer to Robin.

“She’s having a surprise show, I guess. The five-year anniversary of her first album.” Robin explained as she waved her popcorn-filled hand. “She was making a guest list, and we all just happen to be on it.” Everyone in the room bursted into excited cheers. Dustin and Lucas high-fiving loudly while Mike and Will shared big smiles. Max looked back at the magazine with wide eyes, as if wondering if the girl she looked up to growing up was going to climb out of the glossy paper.

Eddie didn’t move. He looked at Robin with wide eyes and disheveled hair. His mind wasn’t there anymore. It was back to the last night he saw her. The glossy tears in her eyes. The hoarse tone of her voice. His rough shouts. The redness of his face from anger. The door slammed as she left to pursue the life she now has.

“When’s the show?” Nancy asked, unsure if she’d be able to make it when her baby would be due in a few weeks.

“Next weekend!” Robin gushed. “Y/N’s manager said they’d have everything sorted out. Nancy, you’ll be backstage with Jonathan while the rest of us are front-row barricades for the show. And then we’ll be able to see her right after the concert ends.” She rambled and talked fast, but seemingly everyone understood what she was saying. Eleven was bouncing in her spot excitedly. She hadn’t been to a concert before.

Steve looked over Robin’s shoulder, seeing Eddie’s worried gaze. He craned his neck, maneuvering himself in an uncomfortable manner to catch the Munson’s eyes. When he did, Eddie was brought back to planet earth. Blinking repeatedly, Eddie looked at his close friend with raised brows. A silent what’s up?

“You don’t have to go if you don’t want to.” He informed Eddie. This time, everyone’s eyes went to their metalhead friend. He shifted uncomfortably under their eyes. His skin felt hot and his stomach was churning. What was he feeling? Nerves? Anger? Jealousy? Heartbreak? All of the above?

Eddie gave an unconvincing smile. After all, everyone assumed they had ended things on good terms. He shook his head quickly. “Are you kidding me? I’ll never say no to a concert.” He chimed cockily, earning snickers from his friends as they began to excitedly chatter about their upcoming show. Eddie sunk into the couch slightly. What could go wrong?

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

It was a mistake coming here, Eddie thought. But it was too late now.

Here he was, crowded by hundreds of people that had heard of this supposedly last minute show in Indiana to celebrate the fifth anniversary of her first album, titled Most Wanted. The irony, Eddie thought. He recalled when Hawkins had believed that not only he had killed Chrissy Cunningham, but that Y/N L/N had helped him after Jason Carver had gotten his ass kicked by her. She had been on the run from the police for two days before the others found her again.

Eddie hadn’t listened to much of the album. He heard the single that had come out, which was basically a female rock anthem that Max and Eleven loved. It was a good one, but Eddie knew that. He had been there when she wrote it.

Somehow, Eddie hadn’t really thought about what would happen when he saw Y/N in person for the first time in five years. He had seen magazine photos of her. Just two days ago, there was a paparazzi shot of her in New York City. She was wearing light-washed jeans, a faded T-shirt, a large leather trench coat, black boots, and dark cat-eye sunglasses. She looked like a star, even in photos as simple as that.

So when the lights shined and she was suddenly ten feet away, Eddie forgot how to breathe.

She was wearing leather pants and boots. A white tank top she had cut the end off to make it her preferred length. Her makeup was dark and glamorous, and her hair was styled perfectly. She looked ethereal. She basked in the warm stage lights and it was light whatever higher power there was knew exactly how special she was. Eddie wasn’t much of a religious man, but he thanked god that there was a girl as beautiful as her.

The first note of the opening had sent the crowd into overdrive. It was the song Eddie knew. Max and Eleven screamed excitedly, bouncing up and down as they began to scream the words. Her voice. God, her voice was everything to him. Something that used to send him to sleep while he rested his head on her chest. Of course, in those times it was softer. This was strong. Powerful. The world finally got to hear the powerhouse she was the way Eddie used to when they sang in his van. And every time she spoke he felt his heart break a little more. It was slightly different now. She maybe had a slight southern accent from living in Nashville for five years, but her tone was different now, too. She was bolder, louder, and more sure of herself. The insecure girl was completely gone.

He wasn’t even jealous anymore. He was just sad. Sad that his only memories of this girl he had been in love with for so long were nothing more than that. Memories. That he no longer got to hear her song ideas. Her sweet hums in the shower. He no longer got to see her tiredly roll out of bed and trip over her feet. He never got to see her dance the same way she was now but in his t-shirt. Eddie no longer got to wrap his arms around her. He no longer saw her beam up at him when he came to her doorstep with flowers.

What had gone wrong?

“I have one more song for the night.” She panted into the microphone as the crowd screamed. Seemingly over two hours had past before Eddie could even realize it. “Are you having fun?” Eddie flinched as Robin, Eleven, and Max screeched loudly while Steve, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and Will all let out cheers and whoops. Her smile widened. Eddie could’ve sworn he didn’t remember her smile being that beautiful. “Okay, so I wrote this song a little bit after I moved to Nashville. I wrote it in a time where I was moving on from a chapter of my life.” I had broken up with my boyfriend and I was finally getting to a stage where I stopped blaming myself, is what she didn’t say. “And, well, this song is about that.” Everyone cheered. Eddie thought about the few songs he knew, but this one wasn’t coming to mind. “This is called Bad Love.”

As the guitar began, everyone cheered again. Eleven and Max began talking into Mike’s eyes, and Eddie couldn’t help but notice their eyes on him. Eddie looked back at the stage. For a moment he could’ve sworn her eyes were on him.

wake up now darling, i got a reason to believe this love ain't gonna last the night.

you've opened my eyes, now i'm a little bit wiser, a little bit colder.

Eddie felt his heart sink. He watched her singing. Her eyes screwed shut or looked out into the crowd. But never at him. She wouldn’t look at him. He knew what this song was about. He knew it as soon as the first words were said.

so stop what you're saying, it's more than i can take.

we've reached the end, there's no defense.

i had enough of this bad, bad, love.

Funny enough, Dustin was screaming the words to the song as if he personally related to it. It caused Lucas and Mike to stare at him questioningly, meanwhile, Will joined in with just as much enthusiasm. Steve was smiling like a proud brother, which was pretty accurate considering his and Y/N’s friendship.

don't fool yourself, i could never forgive you and i damn sure won't forget.

in heaven or hell, every tear that i’ve cried will come back to haunt you yet.

don't be surprised if one of these mornings bad luck comes knockin' at your door.

oh, no, you'll find out–

“hell hath no fury like this woman that you've scorned!” Dustin and Will screamed as they leaned into each other. Max, Eleven, and Robin doing something very similar.

Y/N was walking across the stage to the far corner, interacting with the people up front as she sang. She looked beautiful. Completely in her element. She walked back towards the center, lights basking in her beauty. This was what she was made to do, and Eddie could tell. She was meant to perform and put her life into music. Turn chapters of her life into songs. Even her and him.

stop, don't say it.

don't try to make me see.

we've reached the end, there's no defense.

Then she looked at him. The first time she had the entire concert. It was as if time froze and the two of them were the only people in the world. They were teenagers again. They were the same people that had screamed and fought and kissed and made up. They were in love again, and then they were slamming the door on their relationship. Eddie knew it then, but he knew it more now, that he was the one that slammed that door. He was jealous. He was bitter. And he had taken it out on the one person that cared. Because of that, she was standing on stage singing a song she wrote about him after she realized the same thing.

“i had enough of this bad, bad, love.”

[atmilliways]

Wrong On The Money (29)

part 29 of ?? | 1108 words | Teen+

Blackmail fic on Ao3 | on tumblr

Summary:

It takes five seconds of the door closing behind Eddie as he’s wheeled off for his last round of tests before being released from the hospital. Steve counts.  “Soooo,” Robin prods. “You’re moving in with the Munsons. How . . . did that happen?”

29.

It takes five seconds of the door closing behind Eddie as he’s wheeled off for his last round of tests before being released from the hospital. Steve counts. 

“Soooo,” Robin prods. “You’re moving in with the Munsons. How . . . did that happen?”

He runs a hand through his hair—which feels horrible because hospital shampoo leaves a lot to be desired. (And he’s not even allowed to shower because of the bandages, he has to wash out of a glorified bucket.) “Oh, you know. I saved Eddie’s life, and my parents suck, so. . . . And Wayne’s cool with it.”

“That’s good.” She cocks her head thoughtfully to one side. “So you and Eddie are getting along? I was a little worried you two would be at each other’s throats in here, but I stand pleasantly surprised.”

“Yeah, well. . . .” Steve sighs. Might as well broach the subject of his recent self-discoveries now. “I like him,” he admits. 

Robin snorts. “I wouldn’t go that far. You know I would never assume—”

“No, I mean I like him Robs.” He runs his hand through his hair again, fuck the texture. “He’s got this ‘fuck what people think I’m going to be whoever I want to be’ attitude, and he’s good with the kids—He protects the kids. I’m pretty sure all his walking on tables shit at school is stuff he plays up to draw attention away from kids like Dustin and Mike. His uncle got sick at the end of last year and he . . . did everything he could think of to take care of him, just like he stood his ground to protect Dustin from those bat things. He’s loyal, and he’s funny, and intense, and . . . okay, he’s a huge nerd, but he’s. . . . I don’t know. I like him.”

It’s rare that he surprises Robin into complete silence, but he’s done it now. She sits back in her chair, opening and closing her mouth a few times as though chewing on whatever it is she’s considering saying. . . . Wow, Steve thinks, he’s inspired her to think before she speaks. New record.

Finally she says, “Just to be clear, is this a—” she looks around the room, but it’s still empty aside from them and the door is still closed “—bathroom floor conversation?”

“Uh, only if you mean that not literally. I don’t feel like getting up. Unless you count the cath—”

“Stop.” She shoves a hand against his face, doubly interrupting him. 

“They took it out after the fever broke—”

“No part of that sentence made me want to learn more, dingus!”

They bicker back and forth for a while, and it’s comforting. Normal. Enough to get his mind off the itch of his healing wounds and the room’s other occupant for a little while, until inevitably . . . well, circling back to talk about the room’s other occupant. 

It’s a relief to be able to talk about it. Steve isn’t used to being so in his head about a crush. With a girl, he would be flirting up a storm by now (“Maybe it’s better that you’re not,” Robin comments with a snort, and Steve knows she’s thinking of the You Suck tally at Scoops), laying the groundwork for asking her out. With Eddie, though. . . .

“He’s obviously not a girl,” Robin agrees, “but that doesn’t mean you can’t flirt. Well—try to flirt. It’s not like your penis stopped him from calling you Big Boy in front of god and the entire party.”

Steve groans. “Please don’t say penis.”

“If you get to say boobies, Steve, I. . . .” She stops, wrinkling her nose. “You know what, I don’t need to say it more than necessary. The point is, I’ve made my point.”

Outside the room there’s a clang of metal, as though someone nearby has dropped a bedpan. Steve’s eyes dart to the small window on the door; shapes move on the other side of the glass, a child that’s either laughing or crying carried past by a parent.

“No,” he sighs, turning his attention back to his best friend. “The point is, there is no point. Sure, I like him, but . . . nothing’s going to happen.”

And Robin doesn’t get it. He knows she doesn’t, wouldn’t, couldn’t—not without the full context, and he doesn’t feel up to that yet. Coming out to his platonic soulmate was easy, but that? Steve doesn’t think he can take her screeching at him right now. And it is definitely screech worthy, he knows that, but. . . . 

There are some things even Robin doesn’t get. 

Like being a reformed asshole, and needing to make up for it. She’s always trying to tell him that he has made up for it—by wanting to change and actually doing it, by protecting the kids, by being her best friend even though she’d been sure she was unlikable in a lot of ways for a long time before Starcourt, take your goddamn pick, Steve. But he’s pretty sure there’s a difference between correcting the behavior going forward and paying penance for his actions in the past. 

Eddie had been desperate to save his uncle. It wasn’t like he hadn’t been working himself to the bone trying to scrape together the funds every other available way; teenage parties had been cranked up to eleven all over Hawkins for months with how hard he was pushing, and Steve had noticed the grime under his fingernails from some part-time manual labor job somewhere. So the blackmail, in Steve’s book (even if this is all the concussion-related brain damage talking), is excusable. 

Steve’s excuse for being a douchebag had been . . . what? His parents didn’t care about him very much? He never had a good role model, never had to work too hard for anything he had? He’d picked shitty friends and a shitty crowd to hang out with, and let popularity get to his head and make him a selfish jerk? That’s all bullshit. 

Robin argues with him of course, because that’s kind of their shtick. She lays out a case for Eddie clearly being into him too. Points out that with Eddie he wouldn’t have to make up explanations for the scars and the nightmares and the nail bat in his trunk. And the kids, of course—the kids all loved Eddie, that whole D&D nerd thing had charmed them long before Steve (as far as she knew) had even met the guy, and who knew that was Steve’s taste in guys but hey, she's surprised, not judging.

“Nothing’s going to happen,” he repeats, unmoved. 

He doesn’t voice the thought that even if he could have Eddie (which he doubts), he wouldn’t deserve him. Not like that. 

Being friends is fine.

[sirensleepingsoundly]

Hellfire and Spitfire (pt.4)

CW: spoilers(duh), regular fluff, story addition, sexual content, angst, unrequited, enemies to lovers, only one bed (sort of), angry kissing, aggressive seggs, slapping, choking, hair pulling, blood, filth, hand/ring fetish, size kink.

Word Count: 2.1k

“Care for a little company Munson?”

You pushed your way past Eddie in the door. The tarp had been pushed aside off the boat, and it still swung a little, likely from Eddie getting out of it to investigate your current intrusion.

“To what do I owe the pleasure? Did you forget something or are you dropping off more shit that Dustin forgot?” Eddie leaned against the doorframe, now using the long oar in his hand to stabilize himself. You let out a small laugh at the sight, imagining him in gray robes with a long white beard and a pointed hat.

“What’s so funny?”

You just looked at him innocently. “Nothing. You sleep out here? This place kinda reeks.”

“Yeah well it’s the boathouse or the main house and, to be honest, I think you’ll find it smells worse in there.” He spoke from experience, apparently. He smiled a little at your reaction. “But seriously, what do you want, y/n.”

You looked away from him and shrugged. “I just thought you might be lonely in here. And there’s like six of us who aren’t on the run right now. They can spare me. I’m not helpful anyways. You still keep smokes in your jacket pocket?”

Eddie quirked a brow at you, not totally convinced. He pulled a pack of cigarettes and a lighter out of his leather jacket, handed you one, and lit it for you before lighting one for himself. You took a long drag. It had actually been him that gave you your first cigarette. You had coughed and coughed and Eddie laughed so hard that he almost puked. Now he looked almost nervous that you were just sitting there, with him, in silence.

“Lovely weather we’re having isn’t it?” You tried to relieve some of the tension. You begin to wonder whether this was a good decision. Really all you wanted was to be away from Steve for a while.

“You haven’t spoken to me in years, and now you’re commenting on the weather.” He propped up the oar and crossed his arms, still leaning on the door, the cig burning between his ringed fingers.

“We’ve… talked.” You shrugged.

“Sure, if you count dropping Mike off at hellfire and then speeding off ‘talking’.”

“What do you want me to say Eddie? We grew up and apart.” You flicked some of the ash off of the end of your cigarette, hugging yourself for warmth.

“Uh-huh. Sure. If that’s what you want to call it.” He rolled his eyes and squatted down, using the wall to stay upright.

“What else would you call it? You started dealing and the Wheelers took me in. Those are pretty different life paths if you ask me.”

“No, I started selling to help Uncle Wayne pay bills, and you got adopted by some rich folks. Then suddenly, you forgot I existed. I tried to talk to you, but you snubbed me.” He finally took a drag of his own cigarette.

He wasn’t entirely wrong. The Wheelers weren’t a poor family. And Nancy helped you to better curate your taste in fashion, music, and other things. Being related to her now meant you had to fit their standard. So you changed a little. You dressed differently, and you talked differently. But you kept a few mannerisms and habits that being brought up broke just kind of imprinted into your brain.

“I did not snub you, Munson. If anything it was the other way around.” You watched as the smoke from your cigarettes mingled in the air above you. The way you remember it, once you got adopted, Eddie stopped talking to you first. You had been hurt, but you figured it was because you had started to fit in. And as much as you missed him, if he wasn’t going to accept you for what you are now, you didn’t need him.

“Whatever, princess.” He flicked the butt of his cig into the water under the boat. The nickname stung a little. You knew he was making fun of you.

“I’m gonna go see if the main house is livable. If I have to sleep out here in the cold again I’ll die of hypothermia.” He plucked up his walkie and stepped out of the door, letting it click shut softly. You only sat and listened as the crunch of gravel faded.

After half an hour of just sitting in the quiet, looking at the water, you decided to head inside to look for Eddie. Your cigarette had long burnt down to the butt, and you were growing increasingly bored. Maybe Rick had left some of his personal stash in the house somewhere.

You stepped out of the boathouse, noticing the sky turning to a pale pink and orange. After stepping inside the main house, you scrunched up your face in disgust. Eddie hadn’t been lying about the smell in here. The musty smell of stale weed and b.o. filled your nose.

“Eddie? You in here?” You heard loud footsteps coming down the stairs.

“So, apparently in the two stories of this lovely home, Rick has one singular bed. You can sleep up there tonight. It’s getting late and I don’t think pretty boy wants you walking anywhere around here at night.” You ignored his jab at Steve.

“No I’ll take the couch. You’ve been stuck out in that shed for days.”

“I’m trying to be a gentleman for once. I’m doing my best to be nice here.”

You let out a loud laugh, followed by a bunch of snorting. Eddie only frowned at you.

“Please. You, Edward Munson, a gentleman? The day that becomes the truth is the day I sprout wings. Just take the bed, Eds.” He refused to let you see how affected he was by you using your childhood nickname for him, looking at the wall instead.

“Whatever,” he threw his hands in the air. “Don’t come crawling to me when you’re freezing your ass off down here.” He stomped his way back up the stairs and you heard a door slam.

With the room suddenly very quiet, you decided to snoop around some. In the coffee table drawer you found two remotes, a bunch of old batteries, and a busted lighter. You sighed at the lack of entertaining objects to be found.

Eddie, the fucking prick, was right. You tried to sleep on the couch, you really did. But the absolute silence, huge dark rooms, and the biting cold you felt all kept you awake. You should’ve just listened to Eddie and taken the bed.

You stood up from the springy couch, hearing the old thing squeak as you pulled yourself up off. The floorboards creaked and moaned no matter where you stepped. You padded toward the kitchen hoping to find something interesting. The clock on the wall read 1:38. Just looking at the old clock gave you the heebie jeebies for some reason.

The kitchen cabinets were cluttered with things. Most of it expired. A few cans that were still good. You made the decision to not open the fridge, just for the sake of your nose.

You heard footsteps coming from upstairs, the ceiling groaning with the stress on the old wood. You heard Eddie’s voice from around the corner of the doorway.

“The fuck are you doin’? Can hear the floorboards through the whole goddamned house.” Eddie groaned. He was only wearing his jeans, no shirt. His socks were dirty, a tiny hole by his left pinky toe.

You struggled looking at him. In the dim light you could see his lightly toned chest and abs, a few tattoos smattered across his chest and arms. His skin was smooth and pale, except for a dark trail of hair that disappeared into his blue checkered boxers. He wasn’t exactly buff or anything, but Eddie Munson was hot. You looked away before he could notice you staring.

“Just a little bored. Don’t suppose you know where Reefer Rick keeps his personal supply, do you?” You peeked up at him again. He was rubbing at his eye with the heel of his palm. His hair was a mess, unruly curls sticking up in random spots.

“Nah, Rick didn’t let me in on the secret. That shit’s like his treasure horde. Heard he got his stuff from California. Strain called ‘Purple Palm Tree Delight’.” He leaned on the counter with his elbows, reminding you much of how you and Steve were talking just yesterday. Only Eddie was obviously not Steve.

“How’s the bed?” You picked at the skin around your nails, just asking questions to fill the silence.

“It’s fine. How’s the couch?” He looked at you from under long eyelashes, and something fluttered in your tummy.

“It’s fine.” You answered a little too quickly. Eddie noticed.

“Look, just- just take the bed please.”

“No. No, you’ve been through a lot lately and I can’t let you sleep on this couch. I’m a big girl, I’ll be fine.” You crossed your arms and sat against the counter. Eddie stared at you for a minute. You found yourself unable to look him in the eyes.

“Okay then just share with me.” He shrugged, like he didn’t just nonchalantly suggest that the two of you sleep in the same bed.

It wasn’t like you’d never shared a bed with Eddie before. When you were kids, Eddie and Wayne let you stay in their trailer often. Usually you slept over on nights when your birth mother stayed out all night. It had become normal for you to wake up cuddling with Eddie, or to him attempting to cook breakfast. Everything always came out burnt, but you always ate it anyways.

“Share?”

“Yeah. That way you can sleep in the bed and I won’t feel so bad about you being down here by yourself.” He smiled at you, because clearly he’s just found the perfect solution to the issue.

You pretended to consider it for a moment, even putting your hand up to your face like you were thinking real hard.

“The offer is going once… twice…” He pulled his fingers up one at a time, making sure to count slowly.

“Okay, okay! Fine.“ You laughed. Eddie laughed. And you tried and failed to remember the last time the two of you had shared such a nice moment.

Each of you stood on one side of the old bed. The sheets looked like they had been changed. Probably by Eddie, despite his own lack of hygiene at home. There was a mess of pillows strewn about, so you grabbed two and put them in the center of the bed, creating a wall.

“Really, Wheeler? I’m not gonna like, try anything.” Eddie looked actually offended at the action.

“This is so you don’t hog the bed, Eds. Act like I don’t know how you like to sleep. I’ve personally been a victim of your space stealing.” You didn’t notice the way his breath hitched at the old nickname. The one you called him as a kid. Hearing it from your lips again for some reason made his heart beat fast and he couldn’t tell if he hated it or not.

“Whatever, just don’t steal all the covers then.” He smirked at you, bringing up sleepover crimes of your own. Eddie plopped himself down on the bed, laying on his stomach, one leg hanging off the side of the bed.

You took a moment to study his back, the way his muscles flexed and moved as he breathed. One of his arms was pulled up under the pillow, and a small smattering of bats were on display on his arm. You’d always thought it was a strange placement for the tattoo, but damn if it didn’t suit him.

What was wrong with you? Ogling Eddie like he was a biology class specimen. For a brief moment you wondered if Steve’s skin was as pretty and porcelain as Eddie’s.

It took a minute before he realized you hadn’t laid down yet.

“C’mon in, princess. The water’s fine.” His voice was muffled by the pillow.

Slowly you sat onto the bed and covered yourself. You laid on your side, facing away from him. You tried to drift to sleep but couldn’t. Eventually you turned to lay on your back, facing the ceiling, which had a very lewd poster of a nice looking young lady on it. You cringed and decided to look at the body in bed next to you instead. Eddie had fallen asleep. His breathing was even, but shallow. His hair was a wild mess over his face and shoulders. And you took notice of the lack of creases in his face now that he was asleep.

Listening to his light snores and your own heartbeat, you finally knocked out.

Slowly you sat onto the bed and covered yourself. You laid on your side, facing away from him. You tried to drift to sleep but couldn’t. Eventually you turned to lay on your back, facing the ceiling, which had a very lewd poster of a nice looking young lady on it. You cringed and decided to look at the body in bed next to you instead. Eddie had fallen asleep. His breathing was even, but shallow. His hair was a wild mess over his face and shoulders. And you took notice of the lack of creases in his face now that he was asleep.

Listening to his light snores and your own heartbeat, you finally knocked out.

| Pt.1 | Pt.2 | Pt.3 | Pt.4 | Pt.5 | Pt.6 | Pt.7 |

[harringtonstilinski]

hiii ur requests are open??? i read few of your st fics and they’re so incredible and so beautifully written 😍🤭 would u write a steve harrington! x munson!reader fic where eddie dies in the uspide down and if you feel comfortable to write his death scene but also include yn there as she rushes there but it’s too late? and she’d be like no no no no, eddie, don’t leave me here alone…and you have to graduate, remember? eddie please don’t…and it would be just kinda angsty in the beginning but more fluffy in the end? alao if she’d started dating steve during the time like in s4…but she’d drifted away from him and became distant and built big walls all around her so no one could ever get in? not even steve? or dustin who eddie told to look after his sister? she also told wayne to not to let anyone in and she’d keep crying in bed in be in his room for even more weeks until she’d had to go to school. also yn would be in same year as eddie was? but she’d be 2 years younger. also same year as nancy and robin. so she does graduate, eddie didn’t…bc he died. when she’s being called out on the stage she’s shocked and kinda surprised and confused but her friends and steve will push her? this was supposed to be a happy day but actually it isn’t bc eddie is not here and she doesn’t know how to this without him. she’s still grieving. she doesn’t know how to move on. she doesn’t even want to move on? and she’d like break down in tears on the stage as she’d go for her diploma imagining eddie sitting beside dustin and their uncle mouthing well done (or something like that) but then he’d disappear and that’s when she’d broke down in tears. steve would rushes to her and try to comfort her. she tries to tell l steve she saw eddie here, everyone is concerned and wayne is worried so is steve. they’re try to explain her it was just her mind playing tricks on her but she doesn’t want to believe it and she runs away? steve goes after her. he finds her finally sitting in front of eddie’s grief talking to him. she’d jump when she feels someone’s hand on her shoulder, realising it’s steve kneeling down. she’d snuggle closer to him seeking for his love and comfort she’d finally get? steve would also reassure her eddie will always be here with her like not in same way but in her heart? steve knows she needs him more than ever and he’s willing to be here for her? day or night? whenever she needs?

awwww! 🥹 thank you so much!!

babe, i think you wrote this request yourself, lol! BUT, i hope i got everything you asked for! as i was writing this for you, i kept coming back here to add some thoughts, hahaa.

i didn't run away this time, right?

writing thoughts below the cut;

i had it be reader's arm that he dies in, not dustin's because i felt like it would make it angsty.

i gave her dustin's little speech with wayne to make it more angsty and show their relationship.

i changed a couple things in your request, and kinda switch them around.

this might be more angsty than fluffy, hahaa

i kind of forgot about her walls for like half a second, so my apologies.

i didn't mean for this to be as long as it turned out, hahaa!

i had her move in with steve after coming from upside down hawkins, so the end of your request falls into that.