#fruity four fic

[collectivecloseness]

I’m just imagining Eddie walking in on you and stobin ‘getting up to things’ when you’re with the fruity four. Without him and poor Nancy!

*sighs dreamily* oh the fruity four my loves...

Sharing Is Caring

Fruity Four x reader

“Well well well... What do we have here?”

Eddie leaned against the wide open door frame to your bedroom. Inside it was dark, only a lamp in the corner on, but it was enough for the three inhabitants of the room.

On your bed, you were laying naked. Looking like a goddess of Greek legends, to Eddie. And with their mouths attached to one boob each, both notably still mostly dressed, were Robin and Steve. Who seemed to harmoniously be sharing your chest. Both now glowering up at Eddie from where he stood smirking.

Those two friends were very good at sharing. Of course all four of your lovers were, in this relationship, and so were you. But Steve and Robin definitely seemed to pair off occasionally to share you. As did Nancy and Robin. Or Steve and Eddie. Or Nancy and Steve! A number of mixes. All with very different styles of sharing in their own ways.

Robin gave a burst of breath as she latched off your left nipple, closest to the doorway as she bored at Eddie, with not a very impressed look in her eyes. “Go away Eddie.”

“Yeah! Get out.” Steve joined forces, before going right back to lounging on your other nipple. His eyes open and innocent up at you, as he mouthed hungrily over your breast.

“You three were keeping so quiet!” Eddie announced humorously, still not bothering to close the door, even an inch, spreading light into the room and your devoured form. “Trying to keep her away from me, and poor Nancy before we got back from work?”

Eddie finished around the same time as Nancy did on Wednesdays, and every other Tuesday, so he usually picked her up.

Eddie now lowered one hand to motion at you, his eyebrow raised as he kept up his coolness. “Did our highness, in all her loveliness, agree to be hidden away?” Eddie asks, the others not bothering to respond. Robin wasn’t even looking at him as her hands grabbed and fondled your tit hungrily, her mouth still moving with no intention of stopping, ignoring Eddie completely. Steve was still lightly scowling at Eddie a little, but he always looked back up at you with those same wonderous eyes, happily sucking on your breast without a care what was happening.

Eddie walked only a step into the room, but he made it clear he was speaking to you now. Something that was sparking a small fire in your chest, with his large brown eyes playfully right on yours, while Robin and Steve still selfishly sucked and grasped there. Your chest hammering below them. “I don’t know if someone as exquisitely bewitching as you can not be yearned for. Don’t you languish for me, your simple boyfriend, too sweetheart? Am I not allowed to play? Am I to be thrown away like so many others, and not be able to worship you in all your beautiful glory? Do I-“

“Eddie will you shut the hell up! I am trying to focus!” Robin loses her patience. When she accidentally goes back down on you, she bites your boob in her frustration. Causing a small gasp of pain from you, that she quickly apologises for. Brushing over your tiny marks with her soft hands, hushing you as she kisses it better. When she starts lapping it better with her tongue, with kitten licks, it definitely starts to make you feel a whole lot better.

Eddie, however, feigns hurt. His hand on his heart. And then he winks at you, making eye contact with you, and Steve, as he starts again. “Well if you need to focus you’re not doing a very good job.” He quips back, laughing when Robin doesn’t even bother to revolt.

But before Eddie can finish his romantic plea again, you raise your hand out for him, your other brushing Steve’s hair as your eyes beg for your other lover a little. Even though it’s hard to pay attention, when Robin and Steve are pinning you down with their mouths alone. “Hey. There is somewhere else you can put your mouth. Somewhere that’s free right now.” You offer, excited at the way his eyes light up. And especially how his tongue eagerly licks at his lips, in subconscious anticipation. God Eddie’s tongue thing was cute. And not even the tongue thing you were hoping he’d move onto in a second.

But right after you’d spoken you had looked down to your two other lovers. Robin first, then Steve, to make sure they were okay with Eddie’s participation.

Robin grumbled something, and Steve, who apparently heard her, agreed with the sentiment. “Yeah. He can kiss my ass.”

“Don’t tempt me Harrington.” Eddie raised his brow at him. But as the others, slightly begrudgingly but too enamoured to care much, went back to their task at hand, both of them humming around your tits as you carded your hands through their hair, something that made you sigh in pleasure, Eddie checked over his shoulder. And then, he yelled for Nancy.

“Yeah?” Nancy jogged up the stairs, a smile piqued on her face, hand bracing against the doorframe as she looked to Eddie, and then her eyes met with the room. Specifically, with you.

Robin and Steve both looked over now. They still kept grazing around you, you didn’t even need to be able to feel it, since the mouthing sounds rang through the quiet room, but they both met Nancy’s eyes, with a tad more curiosity than they had Eddie. And after Nancy had finished her glances at them, oh was her tight smirk devilish in the glow of the hallway, the way she swayed on her feet so innocently, but how she eyed you up like a piece of meat... it made you shudder. Something your two lovers clinging onto you, stroked your naked chest over. And you couldn’t tell if Nancy had seen your reaction, or if she was smiling more deviously between you and Eddie just because of the scenario alone.

“Oh. I see we’re having a party.” Nancy spoke slowly, teasingly. Her tone always able to get that more subby side of you out. She smiled oh so politely up at the other in the door. “Are we invited Eddie?” She asked him. Even though at this point, Steve and Robin were both having to hold down your legs, with their free hands, that you were bucking for both your other lovers.

Eddie crosses his arms, smiling back at her in a shared way. “Well I suggest we party crash.” He shrugged.

Nancy hummed. “Good idea.” She was cut off by a whimper from you, both of them looking over at the way Robin and Steve were having to use their own legs to keep you down now. Their mouths around your breasts becoming even more intense. Robin was sucking hard, one had clawed on your under boob, and staying there. Meanwhile Steve was sinking his teeth around your breast, his tongue frantically trying to swirl around your hardened peak. Both of them panting slightly with the effort, to enjoy their selfish time as much as possible, while keeping you down, and for themselves.

Nancy largely ignored this fact, making you whine for them again, as both her and Eddie were only looking to each other, just glancing at you, and your paramours.

“You think they’ll provide entertainment and a feast?” Eddie asked Nancy with a toothy smile, getting another hum in return, as well as her thought out answer of “If there’s enough to go around. I’m sure our lovely partners aren’t going to be that greedy.”

Robin mumbled at this. Pulling you closer, but not away from Steve, who she was still amicably sharing with. One hand latched protectively over your waist, as her other gripped the side of your boob she was now only heavy breathing over. Steve scrambling just that inch closer, hugging your side with such adoration and ease. Her leg was thrown over your bare one, and she nosed at the side of your chest as she had to lick her lips before she could grumble, seemingly having spent all of her spit on your boobs. “I wanna be greedy.” She said, not too loud, but somehow being stern, and slightly whiny, although you’re sure the latter wasn’t on purpose. She immediately went back to you when she was done, and you gently brushed her cheek as she did so, her look far off and stubborn, as her mouth moved about to latch again and again onto your breast, the plush of her tongue flattening against it with each new angle she tried.

You could tell by her darting eyes, and the way she clung to you more desperately, she could hear Nancy walking into the room. And while you, and Steve, looked up at her so wonderously, especially now Eddie was following behind, Nancy only gave you a greeting little smile and jovial raise of her shoulders, as she set her sights on Robin. She gently stroked her hand through the blonde girls locks, something you could tell Robin liked, leaning into it even as she stayed adoring over your boob. Your hand joining Nancy’s in her hair, by brushing Robin’s forehead at the same time.

“Now.” Nancy spoke cordially, moving by your head so Robin only had to look up to see her, which she did so. Mouth still bobbing around you. “Surely you’d like to share some of my attention too?” Nancy asked, with a hand delicately to her own chest. You didn’t miss how it was aimed just askew enough from her heart, to be just more poignant on her actual chest, just subtle enough for Robin’s lusted out mind. “If you can be soooo good and let me share y/n as well?”

Something that Robin, while definitely not letting go of you, seemed to be accepting of. Easily falling under Nancy’s soft, and sweet, and calculated dom tone that got you all.

But Steve on the other hand, was rapidly kissing at the side of your chest. Pecks smushed all over you there. Speaking more to himself, but alerting the others to the fact “Need to make y/n feel so good...” The mission of actually pleasuring you, instead of letting you just lay there. Causing a shiver up your spine as you suddenly had the singular attention of all four of your lovers, dedicated with the shared aim of making you feel good.

“I don’t know. I could ogle a bit longer.” Eddie scratched at his jaw while keeping an intensely charismatic eye contact with you, that you just couldn’t look away from. His tongue poking the inside of his cheek playfully, before setting out to stick out his mouth again, hanging onto his upper lip with exuberance.

When, even with the insane pleasure of two of your lovers desperate on your chest, and the other two riling you up so badly, you couldn’t help but gleam back at Eddie, biting onto your lower lip to stop a moan Robin and Steve were threatening with their depraved suckling, Eddie grinned even deeper back. You could see it in his eyes, how much you were making him glow right now. Followed by another very loving wink.

“Perv.” Robin and Nancy say at the same time, although with drastically different tones. It does get both girls to smile at each other though, Robin going slightly red as Nancy strokes down her neck more this time, a sweet and approving smile on her face.

“Then why do you need to share? Great! More for us.” Steve forlorns, something that Eddie very much does not agree with. Giving a pinch to your boyfriends ass, who still doesn’t rip himself away from your boob, just slapping Eddie’s hand away.

But those two still seemed to be attached to your boobs like gremlins. So Eddie let them be, with his own ideas in mind. Sitting on your bed by your thighs, narrowly avoiding Robin’s legs clung to your body, as he stroked your stomach up and down. “Hi.” He smiled, thankful to be sat with you. Grinning with a soft tickle to your stomach, as you give him a perky “Hi” back.

Once you’ve finished giggling (after giving Robin and Steve a quick earthquake), Eddie looks up to Nancy, who’s taken her own seat on the mattress, by your head, caressing your hair now. “You want her mouth, or pussy?” He asks genuinely, only looking at Nancy for her answer, even though his slow but affectionate stroking of your inner thigh was driving you insane. With how much Robin and Steve had been just blissfully zoned out, but with the new accompaniment of your teasing lovers, you’d been being given foreplay for what seems like forever now.

At least that problem got solved very quickly. As Nancy made out with you so egregiously. Her tongue dipping into your mouth with her constant moans that you just had to drink, there was nowhere else to go with her swallowing you like this. Her lips ruby red with how long she’d been kissing you, tongue occasionally poking out, to smooth over your lips. Eating your face, however she could. Your frequent whines swallowed by her, making you even more needy as you didn’t know if the others knew just how desperate you were. High pitched sighs leaving your lips that Nancy kisses up eagerly. Her lips brushing against your tongue, before licking hotly at your own with hers. Her teeth yanking your bottom lip, until she goes to embrace your tongue again.

Steve and Robin are still at your tits. Both lavishing over the one they have each, and very happy with their share. Their mouths hot and still somehow so wet, lapping and sucking over your chest, with as much devotion as they can possibly manage, as they nearly pass out from pleasure. But simultaneously, have really kicked it up a notch to be so sexual, so depraved, so caring about how wet you must be because of them, as they all work together on you. Something so special.

And below, Eddie’s on your cunt. All their mouthings and more added up to the love Eddie was devouring your cunt with. His long tongue laved and stroked up your pussy. Scooping up your slick, and tonguing around inside you. Lapping wetly with the plush of his tongue all over your outer cunt. Flicking against your clit in every which way, before his lips moaned and messily suckled hard against it, making sure to vibrate against you with his hungry moans of pleasure. His lips nibbling lightly at your clit, before going back to loudly kiss at it. Making out with you from down below, covering you with kisses, as the others were doing everywhere else. There was no escape from Eddie’s mouth. You could feel the breaths of him laughing against you, and he had your thighs wrapped under his still leather clad arms, Robin and Steve still keeping your body down, as Nancy kept your head where she wanted it.

And you writhe, with all four of their mouths, their lips, their tongues, on the most loving parts of you. Wondering what it must look like, if someone took a picture of you right now. How all of you was encompassed by one body, solely devoted to you, on each part. How all four of their appreciative, and real moans, are squashed against the skin of your flushed self. Your body held in the embrace of all four of your lovers.

[bigboysteveharrington]

The Things in Life That I Can't Find chapter 25 on AO3

“Steve, you don’t actually think you’re stupid. Do you?” Dustin asked.

Steve looked uncomfortable so Eddie decided to cut in before he could respond.

“So what if you are?” Eddie asked.

“What?” Steve asked. He looked completely taken off guard by the question.

“So what if you’re stupid?” Eddie repeated.

All the stuff that people said about Eddie had become a lot easier to stomach when he’d leaned into it and stuck to the people who would still spend time with him, regardless of how much of a freak he was. It had become a way to filter out the people who weren’t worth wasting his time worrying about. He didn’t have to worry that anyone would find out how stupid and freakish he was and change their mind about spending time with him when he was the town freak and had been stuck in senior year for nearly as long as most people took to get through all of high school.

“Let’s say you’re the stupidest person who has ever lived,” Eddie said. “So what?”

“Dude, I don’t think that’s helping,” Dustin said.

“No, really,” Eddie said. “What does that change?”

Steve’s brow furrowed in confusion and after a moment he said, “I don’t…”

“Exactly,” Eddie said. “Don’t you think if it mattered, you’d be able to give me a reason why? You’ve still fought I don’t know how many monsters and saved I don’t know how many people. You still have a bunch of people who enjoy your company and want to spend time with your stupid self.” He patted Steve on the cheek as he added, “If you’re stupid, then I guess that’s how I like my men.”

(A post-season 4 fic where Eddie and Max survived, Eddie’s name is cleared, and Wayne has a heart attack then Eddie moves in with Steve while they’re not together yet)

[tubesock86]

80s BABY!

[infinite-orangepeel]

this is so hopper giving his speech at the steddie wedding. making endless dad jokes and embarrassing the hell out of both of them. i’m just imaging him saying something like:

hopper: you never think your future son-in-law is going to turn out to be the same kid you arrested upwards of twenty times when he was in high school but here i am to tell the tale—

eddie: i was also wanted for murder

hopper: don’t bring that up here please. for the love of god. you have no idea how much paper work it took for me to get your name cleared.

steve: i’m pretty sure he was arrested at least thirty times

hopper: like i said folks, you don’t get to choose family and sometimes family is your adopted gay son and his metalhead husband who spent a solid three years living on your couch—

steve: well at least now when i bail him out of jail it’ll be as my husband. i can even sign the paperwork as “mr. steve munson”

eddie: aw babe that’s so sweet

hopper: don’t push it you two

[cherries-and-smoke]

I’ve never been to New Mexico

“Hey mom.” Steve is leaning against the fridge, wrapping the phone chord around his finger. He already wants this conversation to be over.

“Hi Steve,” she grimaces back, as if he’s already done something wrong. She says something about New Mexico, and a business conference and how it’s unbearably hot and Steve is doing what he always does during these phone calls, emotionally detaching so the sting of his parents words don’t cut into his skin.

“You would hate New Mexico.” That snaps him out of it.

“What?” He chokes out. He pretends it doesn’t hurt.

“We’re in the desert, and you can see all these stars from the house we’re staying at and it’s so boring.”

Steve swallows.

Steve wonders how his mother can take the stars in the sky and turn them cold.

And also how she’s so far from knowing him, the real him, that its almost laughable.

“It’s just dreadful here - oh look your fathers home! Don’t get into any trouble Stev-”and the line clicks dead.

Steve shakily sets the phone down and inhales. Part of him wants to rip it off the wall and smash it into a million tiny pieces. He never wants them to contact him again.

The funny thing is that yesterday, Nance, Rob and Eddie had all come over to help him plan their summer road trip. They took some of Erica’s left over My Little Pony stickers and mapped everything out. There was currently a pink pony placed carefully next to Santa Fe on the map. Eddie and Steve had watched as Nancy and Robin launched into an argument about which route they should take and they both ended up covered in unicorn stickers. Eddie and Steve shared a knowing look.

They all needed a break from the upside down. From what happened during spring break. So when Jonothan suggested that the kids spend the summer at Argyles family’s beach house in California, Joyce and Hopper didn’t put up much of a fight. Nancy, Robin, Eddie and Steve were going to meet them and spend the rest of the summer bugging the kids to put on sunscreen and heard them from activity to activity.

Steve loves the kids, he does. He loves the way Dustin always comes to him with his scientific discovery of the day, he loves Erica’s sense of humor, although some manners wouldn’t hurt, he loves the way Will always quietly says thank you, how El says bitchin’, how Mike can always find a way to trip over air. He loves Lucas’s high pitched laugh and the way Max rolls her eyes at Steve when he makes a lame dad joke. But the month long break had been nice. It gave him time to focus on other things.

He was actually looking forward to New Mexico.

His parents always assumed he hated the outdoors because he spent the summers of his childhood locked away inside trying not to bother anyone while his parents fought, or his mom drank too much, or when they inevitably left. Steve wasn’t exactly going to summer camps like other kids his age. Didn’t mean he didn’t want to.

Steve places his hands on the kitchen island and takes a steady breath. He isn’t going to let her get to him.

“Honey I’m homeeeeeee,” Eddie calls out from the entryway. “You would not believe what happened at practice, Gareth had the audacity to fuck up the one so- Eddie freezes and gives Steve a once over. “What’s wrong?”

“Mom called.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“What’d she say?” Eddie steps around the kitchen island and takes both of Steve’s hands in his own. Steve fidgets with Eddie’s rings.

“That I would hate New Mexico,” Steve whispers not even bothering to look up at Eddie.

“She doesn’t even know you, how would she know that?”

Steve’s silent. He wants to travel across the entire country with Eddie, do it all. And secretly he hopes that maybe one day they’d somehow have a family and do it again. Maybe every summer.

Eddie brings Steve’s hands to his face and kisses his knuckles, the sensation grounding him.

“She doesn’t deserve you Stevie.”

Steve gives Eddie a soft smile. Eddie always tells him that. Steve never fully believes him.

“They don’t deserve you,” Eddie leans his forehead against Steve’s when he says it.

“Also, the girls are coming over, we have a surprise for you.”

“What?” Steve says looking up. Eddie just raises an eyebrow and an epiphany crosses his face.

Steve watches as Eddie pats himself down till he finds what he’s looking for. He pulls out his black bandana with a smirk and motions for Steve to turn around.

“Is now really the time?” Steve muses.

“Shut up.”

Steve lets Eddie tie the black bandana around his eyes so everything is pitch black. Eddie carefully guides Steve by his shoulders till they’re standing in his front lawn.

“Eddie what the fuck.”

Eddie giggles.

“Just wait.”

Steve huffs as his boyfriend wraps an arm around the nape of his neck and pokes at his frown till it turns into a smile.

Steve suddenly hears a honk.

A very loud honk that‘s getting closer and closer. Eddie absentmindedly runs his thumb in circles on the back of Steve’s neck.

He hears a pair of footsteps on the hot pavement. “Dingus!!” Steve feels a crash of weight on his side and tries not to let that startle him. He can tell it’s Robin from a mile away.

“What are you guys doing?” Steve says, bandana wrapped tightly around his eyes as Robin squeezes his hand.

“Hey Steve!” Nancy’s voice rings out from across the lawn. He‘s faintly aware something’s jingling in her hand.

“Are you ready? Are you ready? Are you-”

“Robin,” Steve says exasperated.

“I’ll take that as yes.”

“Ok guys on the count of three,” Steve hears Eddie say.

They all inhale and in unison Robin, Nancy and Eddie start counting.

“One. Two. Three.” The bandana comes off.

Parked right in front of Steve’s house is a brand new, state of the art RV. Steve is kind of having trouble breathing.

“Guys…” he trails off.

They all look at him waiting for his reaction.

“Who’s RV is this? It’s really nice.”

Robin groans, Nancy hits her shoulder lightly.

Eddie’s hand is still resting on the back of his neck.

“It’s yours,” Eddie finally says.

That seems to snap Steve out of his daze.

“What?”

“Guys this is too much. I mean look at it!” Steve motions with his hands.

It’s the newest model. Big enough to fit the entire party and more.

“So Steve,” Robin begins, looking up at him hopefully.

“You know how Owen’s gave us all hush money? Well we talked to the kids and we were talking about how much we love you and how much you do for us, and how we want to spend as much time together as we can before the kids leave for college, and you know before we all move and everyone gets separated and how we should start doing family vacations and basically-”

“Robin,” Steve sighs.

“Let me finish! Basically we decided that we want to do family road-trips… every summer.”

Steve drinks in the words “family road-trips.” Sweat is prickling his skin from the Indiana heat.

“And we decided to all pitch in and get an RV, it’s in your name by the way, we want you to have it.”

Steve is at a loss for words. Robin is still waiving her hands around in excitement, Nancy‘s looking at him expectantly and Eddie’s palm is now cemented on his shoulder.

“Why me?”

“Because we love you dingus, duh.”

“Plus we gotta make room for those six little nuggets huh Stevie,” Eddie whispers into his ear with a smile.

Steve lets their words wash over him. He loves them so much. He doesn’t know what he did to deserve them but he’s grateful nonetheless. Steve breaks out into a wide grin and catches Eddie’s gaze.

Robin makes a gagging noise as Nancy presses the RV’s keys into his free hand. The key is dangling from a unicorn keychain.

She smiles. “Wanna see the inside?”

[lilpomelito]

“What's wrong with Pop music?”

Eddie stops mid rant and spins around. Steve is sitting upside down on the sofa, staring at the ceiling, his silky hair touching the floor.

“I mean,” Steve continues, his voice a little strained by his position, “if so many people like it, there has to be something good about it, right?”

Eddie shares a look with Jonathan, hoping to find an ally, but the man looks zonked out of his mind. Argyle really brought the good shit with him.

“That's not the point, Stevie,” Eddie explains as he sits down on the floor next to the guy's head. “It's popular because it's the only shit the big corpos are pushing on the radio. It's what everyone listens to, so everyone thinks they have to like it to be liked. To be accepted. And it's not even good music! Where's the artistic merit in cheap studio synthesizers mixed with braindead lyrics like wake me up before you go go?"”

Steve frowns. “Not all popular music is like that. Also what's wrong with wanting to be liked?”

“Do you not like Freddie Mercury?” Robin gasps, lifting her head from Steve's stomach, and she sounds heavily offended.

Eddie blinks for second, confused as to where the conversation has suddenly turned. But Steve nods, apparently following her line of reasoning.

“Yeah, man. Queen is like, the most popular band in history. Do they not have artistic merit?”

“No, of course not, that's not what I–”

“And the government is not conspiring to push pop music, Eddie, we've seen they're too busy experimenting on children and opening portals to a parallel dimension,” Robin says.

“What about Bowie?” Steve says. “You loved Labyrinth. Didn't shut up about it for like a week. He's pop!”

“The point,” Eddie insists, flustered, avoiding to watch directly Steve's upside down smirk, “is forced conformity. Queen are all nerds! Bowie is a huge nerd. Where would they be now if they had played high school football?”

Jonathan nods slowly, but doesn't comment.

“What about astronauts?” Nancy asks, from where she's sitting at Johnathan's feet. “They're nerds, yes, but they also have to be in great physical shape. I bet most of them were athletes in school.”

“Yeah, totally!” Steve nods. “Remember Casey Johnson? He was captain of the basketball team when I was a freshman. He was valedictorian, and I think he went to Standford on a sports scholarship!”

“Yeah, I remember him,” Robin says, rolling her eyes. “One of my friends had a huuuuge crush on him.”

Steve's cheeks go red. He incorporates himself, despite Robin's protests, and sits on the couch like a normal person.

“Whatever. He was a nerd and an athlete. What's conformist about that?”

Eddie stares at him, narrowing his eyes. “Nothing, I guess. Or everything. He succeeded at academia, which was designed to shape kids into exploitable workers under capitalism—”

Jonathan groans behind him.

“—and made captain in a sport that's basically throwing balls into laundry baskets and calling it strategy. Praising people for that to the point where schools are giving scholarships is a little too much.”

“You try it, then, man,” Argyle calls from where he's laying on the rug, star shape style. “I bet you ten bucks you can't win at throwing laundry into baskets against Steve. Or my boy Lucas.”

Robin laughs maniacally. “Oh, I want to see that! Steve please destroy him, his ego needs a little humbling.”

The conversation moves on after that, since everybody looks like they're already over Eddie's rant. He doesn't mind, really. It's fun to ramp up the dramatic indignation against The Man, or whatever. It always causes a reaction, and even people who agree with him somewhat eventually hit a limit. Eddie likes to stick his finger and find that limit.

But not Steve. He's looking at Eddie like he's fascinating.

“You're a hypocrite.”

Eddie falters, biting down a smirk. “How come?”

Steve scoots a little closer. “You want to be a rockstar. You don't just want to live off making music. You want to be famous. You want people to like you.”

Eddie stares at him for a second, frozen in place.

“That's not—”

But Steve smiles, gentle. “That's alright. We all do. And you want to know a secret about being popular?”

Eddie can't resist. For all he protests about popularity and conformity and being so normal everybody likes you, he does wonder what it feels like to be on the other side. So he nods.

Steve smiles sadly. “It doesn't actually change anything. You think it means more people like you, but it just means more people are aware of you. What you do, what you say. Who are your friends, who you date. Where you go, when you go there. And at some point you feel like you can't escape it. And yeah, you do start to conform to the norm. Not because you think it's what's best but because you're so aware of people's opinions of you that you always choose the path of least resistance.”

Eddie... has never considered that. He moves a little closer to Steve as his voice goes quiet.

“You think it was fun to run into a random suburban mom in the grocery store and have her be furious at me because I was dating Susan Davis? Who apparently was her daughter's cousin, and she had a crush on me, and was planning on asking me to prom? How on earth was I supposed to know that? And she was double mad that I didn't even know who her daughter was. Like there's two hundred kids in Hawkins High. I can't know everyone!”

Eddie tries not to laugh, because Steve seems upset by this, but the situation is kind of ridiculous.

“And I think they got into their heads that because they knew of me I was supposed to also know them. But they didn't actually know me. I made prom King, people were mad. I was captain of the basketball team, people were mad. I then turned down being captain of the swim team and was just co-captain, people were still mad. I took a job, and people made fun of me. I lost that job because the mall caught on fire, people also made fun of me. I took another job, and people say I'm "wasting my potential", whatever that means. I don't know man. I think you can never win with people.”

Eddie grabs Steve's hand, touching softly his palm. It seems to work, and Steve relaxes a tiny bit under his touch.

What Steve said sounded exactly like what Eddie was talking about: the pressure to be what society wants, not what you want. He can tell it's a touchy subject for Steve, who has been under the crushing spotlight of being a relatively small town's golden boy.

So Eddie doesn't push any further.

“You got me there, though,” he says.

Steve smiles again. “Yeah?”

“Yeap,” Eddie nods. “I do want to be a famous rockstar. I do want to be known and liked and admired. I've never had that. But I guess you're right. We can't have it both ways.”

Robin, who up to that point had been discussing with Argyle the difference between an oboe and a clarinet, jumps in. “It's the horrifying ordeal of being known.”

Steve laughs. Eddie can't help it, his laugh is too contagious. He can't understand how people in this hellscape of a town ever looked at this boy and thought "he's not enough." With him? He gets it. Eddie's list of failures is a mile long. But Stevie? Sunshine incarnate, puppy-eyed, bitchy beautiful and smart Steve Harrington? There's nothing to complain about.

[maya-keery]

Steve and Eddie hook up at a random bar and Steve is easily the best Eddie's ever had. (Not that Eddie has much experience but he has enough to know that Steve is good in bed)

So good in fact, that Eddie finds himself thinking about Steve a lot. He even catches himself looking for hazel eyes and brown hair when he goes places. He doesn't realize he does it so often until his son, Dustin, calls him out on it.

And then it's the next week and it's Dustin's first year of middle school. Eddie just happened to be so busy the week before that he couldn't take Dustin to meet his teachers. All he knows is that Mr. Harrington's English class is at the end of the hall, so he walks Dustin to his first hour. Mentally pats himself on the back because he hasn't looked for Steve since they walked in and maybe it's a sign that he's moved on.

He doesn't realize who's standing at the door at first. He's too caught up in hyping his son up for his first year of middle school. But when he does look up and see his gold star hook up Steve standing there in a sweater vest and glasses on his nose, he freaks out. Thinks about grabbing Dustin, running out of there, and enrolling him in homeschooling.

And, as if God is treating his life like a sitcom, Steve's not just a teacher he's Dustin's teacher.

[formosusiniquis]

any cosmo girl would have known

“Oh she did it for sure.”

“Steve!”

“Ten bucks, Bobert, don't give me that look last time we agreed double or nothing.”

“No,” Nancy insists. “This isn't Murder, She Wrote or Scooby-Doo or Columbo-”

“You saw who did it in Columbo at the beginning,” Eddie reminds.

“I know it's an awful show.”

Robin and Steve remain in sync enough to each get a hand on his shoulder to keep him from getting on the coffee table to defend the only good cop show in existence.

“I'm only pointing out,” she rewinds the VHS taking it back the two or three minutes they'd talked over before stopping it completely, “that this is a movie, not a drama with a repeated format that Steve can pattern recognition into predicting.”

“You haven't seen it already, right?” Robin asks. “The one rule of Monthly Middle-Aged Movie Night is you have to pick a movie none of us have seen.”

“No, I haven't seen it already. If you'll all remember when I asked you each to go see it with me I got,” he points to each of them in turn. “‘Wouldn't you rather see Tomb Raider?’ from double VHS, prestige cinephile and ‘That's too much pink for me, baby, you know I have that intolerance, maybe Rob or Nance will go?’ from my emo-isn’t-a-phase husband. And ‘I'm a little busy with this new story, Steve,’ from Nancy, the only one of you with a real excuse.”

“Some feminist you are, Birdie.”

“I don't want to hear it from you. I watched two of the blandest men alive pursue Renee Zellweger while the screen writers tried to convince us she was homely because you ‘forgot’ you had band practice.”

“You said you liked it!”

“It grew on me, but sometimes you just want to see a woman in a tank top. And I won't be shamed by the same man who cried during Beauty and the Beast.”

“I went with my sweet baby Lucy Joan, you miserable hag,” Eddie says, “and they turned that hot werewolf into a boring looking man.”

“You weren't into that? Look at who-”

“Why am I getting made fun of? Can we finish the movie?”

“No, I'm not going to let this be another Sixth Sense situation,” Nancy says, holding the remote hostage, she knows no one will try to take it from her.

“Ugh don't even bring that up,” Eddie groans, “Dustin still mentions it in at least one letter a year.”

Nancy nods, prim and proper, “Exactly, so tell us right now why you think she did it, then we'll play it again.”

“Chutney, the daughter,” Steve corrects, “have you even been paying attention? Her hair's permed.”

“And press play,” Eddie shouts.

“No,” Robin smacks his hands as he makes his ballsy play to reach around her for the remote. “Show your work, Dingus, even I didn't follow that one.”

“I don't always like the movies everyone else picks but I at least watch them. Her hair is permed, she said she was in the shower. She would have had to have been washing her hair if she didn't hear the gunshot and she has a perm.”

“You can wash your hair with a perm,” Nancy points out.

“You would know.” Eddie snarks, fingering the ends of his own hair.

“You can't wash a fresh perm, you'll fuck up the ammonium thioglycolate. Then you're out forty bucks and you've got limp hair. She killed her dad and lied about being in the shower.”

“Press play,” Eddie decrees again, leaning in close to Steve's side to purr, “it's pretty sexy when you go all hair care detective.”

His hand starts to slip below the blanket. “This is how we ended up with Lucy in the first place,” Steve reminds him, just under the sounds of the courtroom drama picking back up. It doesn’t stop Eddie’s hand from wandering until the movie’s climax starts getting closer, and Eddie’s attention is captured just like Robin’s and Nancy’s.

“Unbelievable,” Robin says, when Elle cites the perm salt.

“Never again,” Nancy swears, when Chutney screams her confession.

“Lucy’s been asking for a brother or sister,” Eddie flirts, as Elle reveals that any good Cosmo girl could have solved it.

No more movies with mysteries or twist endings for a while, they all agree, Robin can’t afford to keep betting against Steve.

[evilkaeya]

some fruity four + the kids road trip hcs cause why not

1. steve is the one constantly asking if they’ve all packed everything and yelling that HE WILL NOT turn the car if anyone realizes they’ve forgotten something midway (he does). He even counts heads before setting off.

2. do not trust eddie or robin with a map

3. “steve does robin like fruity gummy bears?” “yeah nance I think so” “ok good cause I brought some do you think she also likes cheese balls” “yeah” “what about honeycomb-” “god nancy just tell her u want to kiss her”

4. one time eddie, dustin and lucas jokingly put up a white paper that said “we’re getting kidnapped help!!” on the back window and got in trouble

5. “oh what’s THAT building, is that a museum?” “we can’t stop at every place we see dustin we’ll never reach the camping spot like this” “it’s once in a life chance Steve what if we never come here again we have to take a look”

6. 3 hours trip turns into a 6 hours trip somehow

7. eddie tells them horror stories in the woods at night. when the tension builds up robin screams to scare everyone and eddie jumps into steve’s arms, screaming

8. max goes for a little solo exploration in the woods and comes back to everyone (specially steve and lucas) panicking because they thought she got lost

9. they fail at setting up the tents ten times before steve admits defeat and asks eleven to use her power

10. they go to swim in a lake and five minutes later mike comes back to the shore and goes “nancy I forgot to bring extra pair of shorts”

11. will getting out of his tent at night because he can’t sleep and finds eddie outside, stargazing alone. turns out they’re both insomniac and they spend an hour talking about dnd

12. don’t leave robin to roast marshmallows she’ll forget and burn them

13. “steve, eddie! where have you guys been?” “uh, just there you know, in the woods” “what were you guys doing in the woods?” “we were uh- we-” “they were making out that’s what they were doing” “dustin!” “what? it’s the truth”

that’s about all I can think of rn but feel free to add more!

[adiraargent]

I wish you were a boy - Robin Buckley

wc: 3.9k warnings: homophobic parents, fluff, friends to lovers Summary: You're Steve Harrington's younger sibling and you're in love with your best friend, but you're scared of people's judgement... but you get over it and finally admit your love. Based off the scene 'why not' 'I wish you were a girl'

The cold evening air nipped at your skin as you hurried through the dimly lit streets of Hawkins, thoughts racing a mile a minute. It had been a chaotic day at school, and your mind was still reeling from the conversation you'd had with Robin earlier.

You and Robin had been friends for as long as you could remember. But lately, the friendship had started to morph into something more. She was captivating, with her quick wit, infectious laughter, and the way her eyes lit up when she talked about the things she loved.

But there was a barrier you couldn't bring yourself to cross. You had been raised in a conservative household with parents who held strict traditional values. You'd only ever dated boys, and admitting to yourself that you had feelings for a girl felt like stepping into an unknown territory, a place wrought with uncertainty and fear.

As you finally reached home, the façade you maintained throughout the day began to crumble. The walls you'd built around your emotions threatened to collapse, and the fear of what it meant to acknowledge your feelings for Robin loomed over you like a shadow.

Entering the house, you were greeted by the familiar sight of your parents, engrossed in their own world, oblivious to the turmoil brewing within you. You offered a weak smile, excused yourself, and retreated to your room, seeking solace in the silence of solitude.

The weight of your own admission echoed in your thoughts like a relentless drumbeat. "We can't be together," you had whispered, the words tasting bitter on your tongue. "Why not?" Robin's innocent inquiry pierced through your defenses. You had struggled to find the words to say, screaming internally to just go with your heart instead of your mind.

You wanted to be with her, you know you did. "I wish you were a boy," you murmered, your voice laced with a longing you couldn't suppress.

The truth gnawed at your insides, a secret that threatened to consume you whole. You wanted to be honest with Robin, to bare your soul and tell her everything, but the fear of judgment and the consequences it might bring weighed heavily on your shoulders.

The night passed in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions, leaving you tossing and turning in your bed, grappling with the realization that your heart yearned for something society deemed unconventional.

The following day at school was a haze. Robin's smile felt like a beacon, drawing you in, but you kept your distance, burying your emotions beneath a facade of normalcy. You tried to ignore the butterflies that danced in your stomach whenever she laughed, the warmth that spread through you whenever she was near.

The hours crawled by, each passing moment a reminder of the distance you had imposed between yourself and the one person you longed to be close to. The weight of your own truth felt like a burden, a secret too heavy to bear alone.

As the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, you found yourself lingering by your locker, lost in your thoughts. You felt a presence behind you and turned to find Robin standing there, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Hey Harrington," she greeted, her voice warm and familiar. "Are you okay?" she asked, concern flickering in her eyes as she scanned your face.

You wanted to say so much, to pour your heart out and tell her everything, but the words caught in your throat. "I'm fine," you managed to say, offering a weak smile before turning away from her.

Robin's expression shifted to a mix of confusion and understanding, as if she could sense the internal battle you were fighting. "I'll see you tomorrow," she said softly, giving your hand a gentle squeeze before turning away.

As she walked away, you felt a pang of regret and longing. The internal turmoil gnawed at your conscience, the weight of your unspoken truth heavier than ever. You wanted to be true to yourself, to break free from the confines of societal norms, but the fear of judgement held you back.

That evening, as you sat in your room, the walls seemed to close in on you. The world felt suffocating, and the weight of your own doubts threatened to suffocate you. Tears welled up in your eyes, a testament to the internal struggle tearing you apart.

The silence was deafening, broken only by the sound of your own sobs. The realization that you might lose Robin because of your own fear was a bitter pill to swallow.

Robin was so brave and so strong... and you could hardly even bring yourself to look at her now because you were the opposite. A coward.

As you lay there, battling your inner demons, a sense of hopelessness washed over you, leaving you feeling isolated and lost in a sea of conflicting emotions.

The days that followed were a blur of pretense and inner turmoil. You attempted to navigate the tumultuous sea of emotions while maintaining a facade of normalcy. But every interaction with Robin felt like a missed opportunity, a chance to share the truth slipping through your fingers.

You didnt want to lose your friendship.

The weight of your secret grew heavier with each passing day, gnawing at your conscience and creating an ever-widening chasm between you and Robin. You felt torn between the fear of being seen with a girl and the desire to be true to yourself, and the constant battle took a toll on your mental and emotional well-being.

Meanwhile, your relationship with Robin seemed to grow strained. The casual banter and easy conversation you once shared were replaced by awkward silences and hesitant glances. It was as if the unspoken truth lingered between you, a barrier you couldn't seem to overcome.

Your parents' traditional values and societal expectations loomed over you like a shadow, adding to the weight of your fears. The thought of disappointing them, of not fitting into their mold of expectations, cast a shadow of doubt over your decision.

Yet, amid the chaos of your conflicting emotions, there was a flicker of hope—a beacon of light in the form of Steve, your brother and confidant. He had always been there for you, a pillar of support in times of distress.

One evening, as you sat in your room, consumed by the turmoil within, there was a soft knock on your door. Steve's familiar voice filtered through the silence, "Hey, can I come in?"

You nodded, and Steve entered, his eyes reflecting concern as he settled beside you. "You've seemed distant lately. Is everything okay?" he asked, his voice tinged with worry.

You hesitated, unsure of how to articulate the storm of emotions raging within. But as Steve's comforting presence enveloped you, the words spilled out, a rush of emotions and pent-up truths.

"Steve, I... I think I'm in love with someone, they like me back, they told me they liked me but I told them I didn't feel the same... I'm scared," you confessed, tears welling up in your eyes.

Steve listened attentively, offering a reassuring smile. "You don't have to be scared. Love is love, and it's okay to feel what you're feeling," he said, his words a beacon of understanding in the tumultuous sea of uncertainty, "what's there to be scared about? Whoever he is, I'm sure he's a nice guy and if he isn't, I'll sort him out."

"Steve..." you murmered.

Tell him

Just tell him

"Thanks Stevie," you plastered on a fake smile. Steve reached over, placing his hand on your shoulder. "Whoever it is, I support you."

With Steve's support, a glimmer of courage began to blossom within you—a resolve to confront your fears and embrace your truth, whatever the consequences. You knew that the road ahead wouldn't be easy, but having Steve by your side gave you the strength to face the uncertainties that lay ahead.

The following day at school, as you navigated the halls, thoughts of Robin consumed your mind. You knew that you had to tell her the truth, to lay bare your feelings and the struggles you'd been wrestling with.

As the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, you sought out Robin, determined to finally confront your fears. You found her sitting by the bleachers, her eyes fixed on the distance.

Taking a deep breath, you approached her, your heart pounding in your chest. "Robin, can we talk?" you asked, your voice laced with a mixture of nerves and determination.

As Robin turned to face you, her expression a mix of surprise and curiosity, you felt a surge of nerves. The weight of the unspoken truth felt heavier than ever, but the resolve to come clean persisted within you.

"Sure," she replied, a hint of concern in her voice as she noticed the apprehension etched on your face. "What's on your mind?" she asked, giving you her full attention.

Taking a moment to gather your thoughts, you drew in a deep breath, steeling yourself for the confession that had been weighing on your heart for so long. "I need to tell you something," you began, your voice quivering ever so slightly.

Robin's gaze was fixed on you, her eyes urging you to continue. "I... I like you, Robin," you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper. Looking up in her eyes, you almost lost it. God how the hell were you supposed to talk when she was looking at you like that, her pretty eyes looking up at you filled with support

"More than just friends. But I've been afraid to say it because..."

Your words trailed off, the weight of your fears rendering you momentarily speechless. You wanted to pour your heart out, to confess the depth of your feelings for her, but the unspoken truths held you captive.

Robin's expression softened, a gentle understanding in her eyes. "Because of what people might think?" she finished your sentence, her voice filled with empathy.

You nodded, feeling a lump form in your throat. "Yeah. My parents, everyone... I've never told anyone this before, but I'm scared of what they'd say. I've only ever dated boys, and I don't want to disappoint anyone. I wish it was different."

There was a brief silence between you, the weight of your confession hanging in the air. You braced yourself for Robin's reaction, unsure of what she might say or how she might feel.

But to your surprise, instead of judgment or rejection, there was a gentle smile on Robin's face. She reached out, taking your hand in hers, the touch a comforting reassurance that eased the tension in your shoulders.

"Hey, I get it," she said softly, her voice a soothing balm to your frazzled nerves. "Feelings are complicated, and they don't always fit into neat little boxes. But that doesn't change anything between us."

Her words were like a ray of sunshine breaking through the storm clouds. You looked at her, a glimmer of hope igniting within you. "You don't... you don't hate me? You arent mad at me for that stupid thing I said to you the other day? You don't hate me bec-" you rambled tentatively, your heart pounding in your chest.

Robin shook her head, her eyes locked with yours. "No, I don't. And it doesn't change anything about how I feel about you either. I adore you y/n Harrington"

A surge of relief washed over you, a weight lifting off your shoulders at her understanding and acceptance. The fear that had gripped you for so long slowly began to dissipate, replaced by a newfound sense of courage.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the two of you, you felt a sense of liberation. The truth was out, and despite the uncertainties that lay ahead, there was a glimmer of hope and acceptance in Robin's eyes.

The evening passed in a blur of shared laughter and heartfelt conversations. You and Robin sat together, hands interlocked and in between you as you finally were able to have conversations comfortably like you used to.

You could feel her thumb rubbing your hand tentively, the feeling making you all giddy on the inside, butterflies erupting in your chest.

As you walked home that night, a sense of relief washed over you. The journey ahead might not be easy, but having Robin by your side, uncertainties seem less daunting. You were excited... you couldn't remember the last time you had felt this happy, the feeling of her warm hand in yours imprinted in your memory.

The days that followed your heartfelt conversation with Robin were filled with a mixture of relief and trepidation. You felt a weight lifted off your shoulders now that your feelings were out in the open, yet the fear of how others would perceive your relationship lingered in the back of your mind.

You spent more time with Robin, relishing the comfort of her company and getting more comfortable with the relationship. You hadn't done this before. She understood the complexities of your situation, and her unwavering support gave you the courage to confront the challenges ahead.

However, the prospect of revealing your feelings to your parents loomed over you like a dark cloud. Their conservative values and traditional beliefs had always dictated the choices you made, and the fear of their reaction gnawed at your resolve.

One evening, as you sat at the dinner table with your parents, the silence between you felt heavy. You struggled to find the right words, to express the feelings and the truth you had kept hidden for so long.

Finally, summoning all your courage, you cleared your throat, drawing your parents' attention. "Mum, Dad, I need to talk to you about something," you began, your voice trembling slightly.

Your parents looked at you, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern. "What is it, dear?" your mother asked, her voice gentle yet expectant.

Taking a deep breath, you forged ahead, the weight of your confession heavy on your chest. "I... I have feelings for someone," you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper.

Your parents exchanged a quick glance, their expressions growing stern. "That's good to hear. Who is he?" your father asked, his tone indicating the seriousness of the matter.

You hesitated, the words catching in your throat. Summoning every ounce of courage, you continued, "It's someone... unexpected. Someone I care about deeply."

The silence that followed felt suffocating, the tension palpable in the air. You knew the gravity of what you were about to say and the impact it would have on their perception of you.

Finally, you found the courage to say the words that had been weighing on your heart. "I like a girl. Her name is Robin," you confessed, your voice filled with a mix of apprehension and sincerity.

The room fell silent, the weight of your admission hanging in the air. Your parents exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of surprise and disbelief.

After what felt like an eternity, your father spoke, his voice laced with disappointment. "You know our values, our beliefs. This... this is not acceptable," he said firmly, his words echoing in the quiet room.

Your heart sank, the reality of their rejection hitting you like a tidal wave. Tears welled up in your eyes as you struggled to come to terms with their response.

In that moment, a whirlwind of emotions consumed you—disappointment, fear, and a profound sense of loss. You had hoped for acceptance, for understanding, but their disapproval only deepened the chasm between you and your family.

Your mother looked like she was about to burst into tears, while your father was about ready to boil over and kill you. "You're a disgrace. Look at your poor mother. You are no longer welcome in this house, pack your clothes and get out.

Your jaw dropped open, looking between your mother and father in disbelief. "Mum!" you begged your mum, eyes pleading with her to make your father change your mind, but she just stared at you, "ma please..."

Stunned and hurt by their harsh words, you felt a surge of emotions welling up within you—pain, confusion, and a deep sense of betrayal. As tears streamed down your cheeks, you struggled to process the reality of being rejected by your own family.

Your hands trembled as you tried to speak, to defend yourself, but the weight of their disapproval made it hard to find the right words. With a lump in your throat, you choked back the tears, struggling to comprehend the sudden turn of events.

"I can't believe you're doing this," you managed to say, your voice trembling with a mix of hurt and disbelief. "I'm still your daughter, I'm still the same person," you pleaded, hoping they'd reconsider their stance.

But the look in your father's eyes spoke volumes—disappointment, anger, and an unyielding resolve. "You've made your choice, now face the consequences. You're not welcome here anymore," he declared, his words cutting through you like a knife.

Feeling the weight of their rejection, you stood up, your legs trembling as you made your way to your room. Tears blurred your vision, making it hard to see as you packed a few belongings into a small bag. Each item felt like a piece of your shattered world, a stark reminder of the fracture that had torn through your family.

As you glanced around your room for what might be the last time, memories flooded your mind—the laughter, the shared moments, the love that once filled these walls. Now, it all felt like a distant dream, fading away in the wake of their disapproval.

With a heavy heart, you slung the bag over your shoulder and made your way to the door. The house that had once been your sanctuary now felt alien and unwelcoming. Your parents stood there, their expressions hardened, unmoved by the pain etched across your face.

Without looking back, you stepped out into the world, your heart heavy with the weight of rejection and the uncertainty of the future. The chilly air outside matched the emptiness in your soul, and as you walked away, tears continued to fall.

Steve was godknows where, probably out with Nancy or Dustin so you hadn't even had the chance to say goodbye, but you'd just call him tomorrow and hope it was him that answered the home phone. Or you could just go with Robin to her work and see him there.

With a heavy heart and a mind clouded by emotions, you headed towards the only place that felt like home now—Robin's house. Each step felt like an eternity, the weight of your belongings dragging you down both physically and emotionally.

The journey was a blur, your thoughts consumed by the haunting echoes of your parents' disapproval. Tears stained your cheeks, but you pressed on, driven by a desperate need for solace, for refuge.

Finally arriving at Robin's doorstep, you hesitated for a moment, the fear of rejection gnawing at you. With a trembling hand, you knocked, the sound echoing in the quiet neighborhood.

The door creaked open, revealing Robin standing there, her eyes widening in surprise at the sight of you, tears staining your cheeks and your trembling form. Without a word, she pulled you into a tight embrace, sensing the distress and pain etched across your face.

"Hey, what happened?" she asked gently, her voice filled with concern and warmth.

You couldn't hold back the flood of emotions any longer. Between sobs, you managed to choke out fragments of the painful encounter with your parents, the hurtful rejection, and the feeling of being cast away from your own home.

Robin's embrace tightened around you, offering a sense of security and comfort. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that," she whispered, her voice soothing and filled with empathy. "You're safe here, okay? You can stay with me."

You nodded, finding solace in Robin's words, in the reassurance of her arms around you. In that moment, her home felt more welcoming than anywhere else in the world.

With a shaky breath, you wiped away your tears, feeling a glimmer of hope amidst the pain. Robin guided you inside, offering a warm embrace and a shoulder to lean on. The weight of your burdens felt lighter in her presence, and for the first time since the ordeal, a faint smile graced your lips.

Robin gently took your hand, guiding you to her room. The ambiance was serene, a soft glow from string lights casting a warm hue over the space.

As you settled on her bed, the comfort of being close to her washed over you. Robin wrapped her arms around you in a gentle embrace, pulling you close. The air was filled with a mix of nervousness and excitement, a palpable tension that added to the anticipation of the moment.

You cuddled close, feeling the steady rhythm of each other's breathing, the rise and fall of chests syncing in a silent, comforting dance. The softness of her touch against your skin felt like a soothing melody, calming the inner turmoil that had once gripped your heart.

With each passing second, the closeness between you grew, the space between your bodies diminishing. The intimacy was tender, innocent yet charged with unspoken feelings, a silent acknowledgment of the emotions that blossomed between you.

The touch of her lips against your forehead sent a shiver down your spine, a gentle gesture filled with warmth and affection. You looked up, meeting her gaze, and in that moment, without words, the unspoken understanding between you bridged the distance.

As if drawn by an invisible force, your lips met in a soft, hesitant kiss. It was delicate, a fluttering of emotions exchanged through the gentle press of your lips against hers. The moment lingered, a sweet and innocent exploration of newfound emotions.

The world outside seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of you in that cocoon of warmth and affection. Your heart raced, the feeling of closeness amplifying the intensity of your emotions.

You rested your head against her shoulder, feeling the steady beat of her heart against your cheek. The simplicity of the moment was beautiful, an unspoken language of love conveyed through gestures and shared emotions.

In the quiet cocoon of their shared embrace, Robin's fingers gently traced patterns on your back, eliciting a tender shiver down your spine.

"You okay?" she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper, her breath warm against your ear.

You nodded, a contented smile playing on your lips. "More than okay. I'm happy right here," you confessed, your voice a gentle murmur.

"I'm glad," Robin murmured, her arms holding you closer, the feeling of warmth and safety in her embrace making your heart flutter.

The air between you was filled with a comfortable silence, punctuated by the occasional soft chuckle or whispered sentiment. It was the kind of quiet that didn't need words, where the language of touch and shared glances spoke volumes.

As the night wrapped around you like a cozy blanket, you reveled in the simple joy of being close to Robin, feeling a sense of ease and contentment settle over both of you.

With a soft sigh of content, Robin leaned in, pressing a tender kiss to your cheek. "You're my favorite person," she murmured, her voice filled with warmth and affection.

"You're mine too," you replied, your heart swelling with a quiet happiness. In that moment, amidst the tranquil intimacy of the room, you knew that no grand gestures or elaborate confessions were needed—just the simple joy of being together was enough to fill your hearts with warmth and happiness.

Written by adiraargent

Please do not steal, copy or post on other platforms

Requests are open for pretty much anyone :P

[byler-alarmist]

Stranger Things is one big 80's movie fix-it fic.

It's Stand By Me, if they were brave enough to admit that Chris and Gordie were.in love

It's Pretty In Pink, if Andie and Duckie ended up together like they were supposed to

It's The Breakfast Club, if the teenagers were allowed to be very, very gay

Edit: even better, per the suggestion of @punkwillbyers, it's if Duckie was gay and Andie turned out to be queer, too

[blushweddinggowns]

Eddie was sulking. He had a bad day at work and his boyfriend was miles away without access to a phone.

He took a sip of his beer, lazily watching the news while bored out of his mind. Maybe subjecting himself to the horrors of the great outdoors would have been worth it after all, even with Robin’s no-sex rule.

He groaned when the phone rang, completely not in the mood to speak to anyone. But their voicemail box was broken, and on the very off chance it was Steve calling to say they were rained out, Eddie didn’t want to miss it. 

He picked it up, uncaring for politeness,“Yeah?” 

“Eddie? What kind of greeting is that?”

He perked up a little at the sound of Max’s voice. He could make an exception for her, “Sorry Red, crap day.”

“Sucks for you. Hey, um, is Steve there?"

“Nope, he swindled Robin into going camping with him. But he’ll be back Monday.”

"Of course he did," She sighed, voice shaky, “Just, uh, have him call me when he gets home, okay?”

Eddie frowned, alarms already ringing. She sounded weird, not just her usual trademarked annoyance, “Is everything okay down there?”

“Y-yeah. Totally fine.”

“Max, if this is some Upside Down shit-”

“It’s not! It’s…just me shit. And everyone else is gone.”

“What is me shit?” Eddie was getting a bad feeling in his stomach, “I hope you realize if something happened to you and I could have stopped it, I’ll be liable, and then Steve will be forced to kill me-”

“He would never kill you.” She laughed, weak and a little forced, “Seriously, you don’t have to worry, I’m basically fine. ”

“Well I’m not willing to test it. What’s going on?”

She took a deep breath, rallying before admitting the truth, “Ok, ok, um, my mom kinda got arrested?”

Eddie wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but it definitely wasn’t that, “When the hell did that happen?”

“About a week ago? And we, uh, kinda got evicted?”

Eddie pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a deep breath before deciding that Susan Hargrove was going on his list of least favorite people. 

Max was stilling talking, rushing in a way that Eddie wasn’t used to, “A-and I know you guys are far away, and I wouldn’t ask normally, really, and if you can’t come I get it, b-but Steve said if I ever needed anything to call and Johnathan took them all to that stupid computer summer camp and Jocye and Hopper are still on their honeymoon and…I-I don’t have anywhere else to go.”

“Where the hell have you been staying?”

She hesitated again, “In my mom’s car?” 

Eddie was already on his feet, looking for his keys as he reassured her,  “You did the right thing by calling, okay? I’m on my way, but you’re going to my uncle’s house, understand? You’re not going to spend another night in a car.”

“But-”

"But nothing. You’re going to go there, eat, sleep in a real bed, and we’ll leave in the morning. I’ll see you soon." 

She agreed without much of a fight, hanging up with a quiet thank you. Behind all of his playfulness and eccentricities, Eddie could be pretty intimidating when needed to be. 

He blared music the whole way there, realizing half way through that he was pushing twenty four hours without sleeping. But there were worse things than an impromptu fifteen hour drive to Hawkins in the middle of the night, even if he could barely keep his eyes open or feel his legs by the time he got there. 

It was mid-day when he pulled into Wayne’s driveway, and he was not looking forward to doing it all over again. He used his spare key, forgoing a greeting at the sight of his uncle at the kitchen table, opting to profusely thank him instead.

“Where is she?” He asked, after about the fifth round of thanks.

“Asleep,” Wayne offered,  “Kid tried to stay up all night waiting for you, but she went down around nine this morning.”

Good, that was good, it would give him some much needed time to sleep. He crashed on their couch, conking out almost instantly. All too soon he was being woken back up, something tickling his face. He wrinkled his nose, swatting at whatever was touching him, but it was persistent. He groaned as light filled his vision, blinking up at the ceiling. He turned, just in time to catch Max going to poke at his cheek again.

The kid looked like shit, like she hadn’t showered or slept in a week. 

“Hi,” she said quietly, giving an awkward little wave, like they weren’t inches apart. 

“Hi,” Eddie tried, for once feeling completely out of his element as they stared at each other. 

The boys he could deal with, they were his own personal band of nerds. Even El was easier, with her straightforward curiosity and Eddie’s penance to talk anyone’s ear off was usually a match made in Heaven, but Max…Max was Steve’s territory. 

His self-proclaimed adopted sister, a step ahead of everyone in conversation, quiet but witty, careful but brave, she’d always been a bit of a mystery to Eddie. She was so selective when it came to who she trusted, with him never fully being in or out of her circle of favorites, always on the periphery by his proximity to Steve, her favorite adult. 

She was picking at the couch, avoiding Eddie’s eyes when she piped up, “Your uncle’s cool.”

“I know, right?”  Eddie sat up, rubbing a hand over his face to wake up faster, “What time is it?”

“Five.”

Shit. They had to leave soon if they were going to get there before Steve, “You ready?”

She nodded, “As I ever will be.”

It was short work packing, she had her skateboard, her walkman, and a single duffle bag, stuffed full. Wayne and Eddie shared a look as they stuffed it all into the back, the scene way too familiar to Eddie’s own meager belongings when he came along. 

They thanked Wayne again on the way out, Max even going as far as accepting a hug, bashful but too grateful to refuse. He pulled out of the driveway, sad to say goodbye to his uncle but more than happy to see Hawkins start to disappear in his rearview. No matter how many good memories he had there, how many wonderful people he’d met, something inside of him would always hate that shit hole. 

Maybe it was because all the good parts could be taken out. 

He glanced over at Max, not quite sure what to say. It was never just them before. Eddie was the one to break the silence first, per usual, “How the fuck did Mike convince El to go to a three month computer camp?"

It was probably the wrong question to ask considering the circumstances, but at least it made her laugh, a real one this time, "That's what I said! God, they’re worse now than when they were dating. They take the best friend thing way too seriously. Almost as bad as Robin and Steve.”

“Hey, rude!” Eddie whined, mock offended on Steve’s behalf, “True but still rude!”

Max laughed. She was picking at a loose thread on her jacket, still smiling a little,“I’m sorry you had to come all the way out here but…thank you for doing it.”

He shrugged, “There are worse things than a nice night drive.”

“I still appreciate it.”

“So…” he trailed off, hesitating before asking what needed to be asked, “Are you going to tell me what happened?"

Max sighed as she stared out the window, like she’d just been waiting for him to say it, “She…got caught for check fraud and identity theft, apparently for a lot of money. She doesn’t even know when her trial date is yet. I thought…” she hesitated, shaking her head, “I don’t know what I thought. I wasn’t thinking. I should have known something was up when things got better out of nowhere.”

“You’re not supposed to be thinking about shit like that. You’re seventeen.”

“Almost eighteen.”

Eddie rolled his eyes,“Oh, you got me. You’re right, everyone knows you get a copy of your parent’s tax records and W-2s and take over the family finances when you come of age ”

She snorted, eyes still staring out the window, but with the smallest hint of a smile on her face. 

Eddie cleared his throat, still peeking at her through the corner of his eye, “I’m sorry that uh, Steve isn’t here.”

She shook her head, “No, I’m glad it was you. Since…y’know.” 

Eddie nodded, oh too aware of what she meant. Things in Hawkins had gotten pretty fucked up for Steve near the end of their time there. After Steve's parent's found out about them, things had spread pretty fast, rumors finally being confirmed as fact, courtesy of Steve’s piece of shit sperm donor. He’d let the whole world know that he didn’t have a son, paired with a big old speech about parenteral-approved gay bashing. The backlash was even worse than Eddie had expected. Apparently the only thing that town hated then queer freaks was ex-straights.

It had been pretty fucking awful, worse yet that Will had to see it all. The only queer kid in a thirty mile radius had to bear witness to his gay role model being socially crucififed. The experience didn’t scream hopeful future in Indiana. Eddie was glad that he was going back to California for college, especially since he’d  have El and Mike with him. Even if it was depressing the rugrats were splitting in two, Eddie was just happy none of them were staying in that hell hole.

Max was biting at her nails, a nervous habit he knew Steve used to bug her about.

“Do you think he’ll let me stay?” 

Eddie laughed, “You should be more worried about if he’ll ever let you leave.” 

“You think?”

“I’d bet money on it.”

The little smile was getting bigger, “How much?”

“Twenty says he’ll tear up and say something like, ‘Of course you can stay, for as long as you want,’” Eddie did his best emotional Steve voice, the adorable wobbly kind that melted everyone’s heart, loving how it made Max laugh, “Something sappy like that.”

“You’re on!” They shook on it, with Eddie only feeling slightly bad for setting her up on a nearly fixed bet.

It was a long fifteen hours, though Eddie was grateful that Max stayed awake with him the whole time, the drive was so much better with someone to talk to. 

“I’m not going to let you be alone for this twice,” she insisted when Eddie asked if she was tired after her fifth yawn. They argued over radio stations and traded blackmailable stories about their friends the whole way home. Eddie’s eyes were bloodshot from exhaustion by the time they got there, Max looking just as bad, but it was worth it. 

She was worth it. 

She went straight to the couch when Eddie pushed the door open, already familiar with the layout of the place. She plopped down, face face first, almost immediately passing out, obviously still exhausted from her week of homeless hell.

Eddie was just covering her with a blanket when he heard the click of the lock being undone, Steve’s voice not far behind, “Baby, I’m home-”

He rounded the corner, all teasing smiles until his eyes landed on Max, his big eyes widening in shock.

He dragged his gaping boyfriend back into their room and told Steve the whole story, genuinely impressed with himself for not passing out during his speech. Steve forced him into bed at the end of it, kissing him soundly for taking such good care of her, sleep taking him easily. 

Eddie woke up slowly, alone in their dark room. He didn’t know how long he slept for, but lord knows he had needed it. He wandered into the living, finding Steve and Max hugging on the couch, catching the tail end of their conversation. 

“Of course you can stay, for as long as you want,” Steve was saying, all teary eyed. 

Eddie didn’t miss the relieved smile on her face, like there was ever a chance he would have said no. She spotted him over Steve’s shoulder, flipping him off when he mouthed at her, ‘I win.’

“You realize I have no money right?” She whispered to him later that night, freshly showered and finally relaxed, “And I’m starting to think you cheated.”

Eddie laughed, “Manual labor until your debt is paid then. And…define cheating?”

“Whatever weird psychic thing you guys have going on, definitely cheating.”

“It’s called love, thank you very much,” Eddie smiled over at Steve, who was busying himself in the kitchen. He was making dinner, insisting that they both eat something before passing out again. He shooed away all attempts at helping, and for good reason, both of them still looked like sleep deprived nightmares. 

It was a good night, all things considered, even if Max and Eddie were still only half awake for most of it. He didn’t really feel back to himself until the next morning, but that’s what driving for more than thirty hours in less than two days did to someone. 

He kissed Steve’s hair before leaving him in bed, wandering to the balcony to light up a joint.

It wasn’t long before he could hear Max shuffling around behind him, dialing a number into the kitchen's phone, eavesdropping by way of proximity. Probably Lucas if he had to guess.  He tried to zone out a bit, but couldn’t help listening in to the latter half of her conversation.

“Of course everything’s fine,” she lied easily into the receiver, “Nancy offered me an exclusive tour of the campus since I was abandoned by my boyfriend, and Steve and Eddie said I could stay at their place to quell the boredom. My mom’s fine with it.”

Pretty good lie, all things considered. 

“Just send the letters here, tell El the same thing. They’ll just get lost at my house. You can call here too, I’ll probably stay through summer, but definitely home before you get back.”

Eddie looked over his shoulder, just able to make out the side of her face at the odd angle. She was smiling, a soft thing that Eddie recognized, the kind of smile that was meant for a singular person, “Then I guess you’ll just have to rewrite it won’t you?”

Eddie forced himself to zone out again, unwilling to listen in on the more intimate bits. It wasn’t long before he heard the click of the receiver and light footsteps strolling his way.

She came up behind him, plopping down next to him with a sigh, “Can I try that?”

Eddie glanced behind him, a little paranoid that Steve was about to catch him in the act of giving drugs to his favorite child, but relented when he couldn’t hear any sounds from their bedroom. 

He passed it over, “Just don’t tell your mother.”

Max laughed as she took a hit, a bit too experienced with it in Eddie’s opinion, “What does that make you, the cool dad?”

“Obviously.” 

They stared out into the horizon, the sun not quite up yet, but on the way. 

“You’re not going to tell him?” Eddie finally asked when she passed it back. 

She shook her head, “And rain on the nerd parade? I don’t think so. He's having the time of his life over there.”

“He’s gonna be pissed. They’re all going to be pissed.”

She shrugged, “It won’t be that bad. As long as I omit the car thing, it will be mild.”

They sat in silence, the comfortable kind for once, before she spoke up again, “Are you okay with me staying here?” 

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

She shrugged, “Like…I know you don’t have much space. And I don’t even know for how long I’ll be here. Steve’s fine with it, because he’s Steve, but are you?” 

Eddie ruffled her hair, a bit touched that she would even ask, “Of course I don’t mind you being here. We’ll make it work.”

And they did. They ran a curtain through half of their living room, making a makeshift space around Max’s favorite couch, so she could have some semblance of privacy. 

It didn’t take long for Robin and Nancy to get involved either, especially since they had the actual two-bedroom apartment. Robin glommed onto Max particularly fast, and two made a chaotic duo of epic proportions.

They converted Nancy’s office, completely ignoring Max’s protests, and got her a real bed. She bounced between their apartments, always sure to be clear on where she was going to end up staying that night. It was stupid, but it still made Eddie preen that she choose their place more often than not. The summer went by fast, faster than Eddie would have ever thought while living with a teenager, but by the time August was coming to a close, there was no good news for Susan Hasgrove. 

They still talked over the phone, usually just for Susan to guiltily admit terrible news while apologizing profusely. Susan ended up settling on a plea deal to avoid trial. Two years in prison, maybe less for good behavior, but there was no way she was getting out in time for Max to go back to Hawkins.

Eddie had to give her this, Susan was an absolute fuck up, but she loved her kid, loved her enough to basically beg Steve and Eddie to take her in until college. Like they would ever say no. 

School was another matter, but thank Christ for Nancy Wheeler, the walking academic genius. She knew exactly what to do and what to say to the Emerson officials regarding Max’s senior year. She even garnered a deal to get her into an alternative program through the college rather than having to re-enroll in a new highschool. She had explained it all to Eddie once, early admission this, preferred treatment and financial aid that, but it kinda went in one ear and out the other, he was more than happy to just let he handle it.

With the official news, Max couldn’t hide it from the others for much longer, and eventually, they found out on their own. Apparently, they had all planned the opposite of a Welcome Home Party for Max, a Sorry We Left You All Summer For Dork Camp Party. They had a banner and everything, and even came back early to set up, right in the window of Max’s lie of being home, only to find her trailer occupied by a completely different family.

One angry phone call with El and a fifteen hour drive later, Eddie found his living room invaded by a wild pack of seventeen-year olds, all pissed as hell. Max was sandwiched between Lucas and El on the couch, the two more upset that she went through something so terrible without them than mad, while the rest stared up at her from the floor. Steve was settled in Eddie’s lap on their recliner, the two watching the whole exchange warily. 

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Dustin managed to ask over the incomprehensible noise of them all trying to talk at once, his insanely loud voice finally coming in handy.

Max rubbed a hand over her face, “Would you have left if I told you?”

“Of course!” El and Lucas said in unison, sharing a look like they couldn't believe she would even need to ask. 

“Exactly! That was the problem!” 

“But you could have stayed with my family!” Mike tried, “Nancy’s room is empty and-”

“And your dad literally hates all of us.”

“But what about us?” Will asked, “We don’t have that much space sure, but we could figure something out.”

“I know you would but I didn’t want- I don’t want…” Max trailed off, struggling to find the words. 

"Pity," Eddie finished for her, "She doesn't want to be treated like a stray. And Joyce is a sweetheart, sure, but that’s definitely up her alley."

"And I won’t be here forever,” Max insisted, earnestly looking at Lucas, “Just until college starts, and then I’ll be in the dorms, like we planned."

“But…this is our last year together,” El was tearing up, which was enough to get the whole room to follow suit. 

Max hugged her, apologetic but still firm, “I know, and I’m sorry El, really. I just…I don’t want to be in that town anymore. Not after everything. But I’ll call everyday! And write letters too, whatever you want.”

She sniffled, “Everyday?” 

“Everyday.”

“And you can all come here to visit her, whenever you want,” Steve added, “Spring break, weekends, whenever.”

The offer was enough to calm them all down, even if there was a sad little air around them their whole visit. They all held Steve on his word though, and Eddie spent the next nine months eventually getting used to finding a gaggle of kids hanging around his apartment every other weekend, but they made it work.

Max missed them all the time, anyone could see that, but she still found a way to enjoy her new life. The adjustment from one absentee parent, to four obsessive ones was oddly smooth. Max was an intensely good kid underneath all that snark, smart as hell too. Eddie had been worried about her getting bored, separated from all the other rugrats, but she was adjustable. It helped when they bought her a guitar for her birthday, a new hobby with a built-in teacher to fill the time between studying, skateboarding, and hogging the phone.

Both he and Steve cried like the emotional idiots they were when they helped her move into her dorm later that year, but they couldn’t help it, the joke of them being parents had just solidified into a reality. 

They probably embarrassed her to hell and back during the move, but she never let it show, shedding a few tears herself when the last box was brought up. 

She hugged them both on the way out, asking “The good couch is still mine when I spend the night right?”

Steve wiped at his eyes while Eddie ruffled her hair, saying in unison, “Always.”

[bigboysteveharrington]

The Things in Life That I Can't Find chapter 24 on AO3

“How would you know?” Steve asked. “You didn’t even know me back then.”

Eddie laughed.

“You’re kidding right?” he asked. “Whether you recognized them or not, everybody knew King Steve. If I hadn’t been too busy worrying that you might murder my ass, I probably would have laughed in Henderson’s face when he started explaining who you were like I’d been living under a rock and didn’t recognize the Steve Harrington.”

“You’re doing it again,” Steve pointed out. “I’m really not some mythical legend. I peaked in high school and all I was even good at when I was there was sports. And Sinclair’s been in high school for five minutes and already beaten my team’s track record. I was too stupid to get into college so now I work a shit job that isn’t going anywhere that I’m still going to be stuck in when Robin goes off to start a real life. And that's only if I’m lucky enough to not be fired before then or not to have the whole building get blown up by some new monster. My best friends are someone that was literally paid to spend time with me and still couldn’t stand me for months and a fourteen-year-old that only spent time with me in the first place because I was the only person he could find after he tried literally every other option first. My only friends outside of you and the lesbian coworker I got rejected by are my ex that I can’t stop embarrassing myself around, a pack of six fourteen-year-olds that constantly make fun of me, and the eleven-year-old that routinely blackmails me and doesn’t hesitate to actively make me feel worse about myself. I’m not impressive, Eddie. I’m not King Steve. Or the Steve Harrington.”

Steve shifted to look at Eddie’s face and was confused when he found him looking at him with a dopey smile on his face.

“Oh. Lucas’s team is better than yours at throwing balls into laundry baskets?” Eddie asked. “I can’t possibly date you now then. My whole image of you is shattered. There’s no coming back from this.”

“Shut up,” Steve grumbled. “I know it’s stupid that I even care about it.”

(A post-season 4 fic where Eddie and Max survived, Eddie’s name is cleared, and Wayne has a heart attack then Eddie moves in with Steve while they’re not together yet)

[stevesbipanic]

Some sick!Steddie headcanons.

Steve never lets anyone knows he's sick until he's dead on his feet and way sicker than he would've been if he just rested a day.

Steve actually never used to get sick before becoming a pseudo mom to the party but now when one of them gets sick he's on call for soup and tea and always catches what they get.

Eddie actually has a great immune system. Years of running around in the woods behind the trailer park and touching everything within reach means he's exposed himself to plenty of germs. However in the winter he hates wearing heavy coats, claiming they jack his style but really they give him sensory issues, Steve thinks he is allergic to wool.

So Eddie inevitably gets sick and when Eddie gets sick he goes down hard. He's also a big baby about it, playing it up to get extra attention from Steve as if Steve doesn't enjoy being a little nurse doting on Eddie.

Eddie jokes that Steve should go to school for nursing, Steve laughs but later he thinks about it, maybe it would be good for him. He gets into a program at the community college and throws all of his energy into study and work to pay for it.

He's so run down that he eventually gets sick from exhaustion. Eddie doesn't mind though. He thinks Steve is cute even with a sweaty forehead and a red nose. So he calls for help.

Dustin brings soup from his mom.

Max brings her walkman.

Mike and Will bring their comics.

Lucas tells Steve all about the game he missed while he slept.

El brushes his hair softly.

Nancy makes him tea.

Robin brings him his favourite movies.

Joyce cooks him dinner.

Hopper gets him medicine.

Argyle brings some pizza when he's feeling a bit better.

Jonathan takes over driving duties from him.

And Eddie.

Eddie sings him softly to sleep every night until he's better.

[adelicioustragedy]

Eddie: Fuck the rich

Steve, breathless: please do

Robin: What?

Eddie: What?

Steve: What?

Nancy, not looking away from her book: I think he said "please do"

Eddie: Wait-

[queeniebee6]

Everyone not privy to the situation is certain Steve and Robin are dating - obviously. 

But because the foursome of Steve, Eddie, Robin and Nancy are practically inseparable, it starts to creep into the rumour mill that Eddie and Nancy are dating, much to everyone’s shock horror. 

After much insistence from Eddie - and to Nancy’s chagrin - they decide to go along with it… mostly because it makes them feel a little safer in a place as backwards as Hawkins. 

Whenever Eddie puts an arm around Nancy’s shoulder, she looks at him with a wide-eyed smile. 

“Looking good, Wheeler - I mean, babe.”

Sometimes Nancy moves a piece of hair from in front of Eddie’s face - only because he always moves so frantically that he makes a right mess of himself, but the people on the other side of the video store didn’t need to know that.

Their gentle touches and soft words are always in jest, and never loud enough for anyone to hear. It’s simply their silly way of going along with the heteronormative jokes. 

It works well for everyone, really

When at the diner, in the crusty hours of the morning, they sit opposite their ‘lover’ under the guise of longing gazes and loving smiles. But really, Nancy’s fingers are knotted in Robin’s beneath the edge of her skirt, and Eddie’s grip on Steve’s inner thigh is only just hidden by the tablecloth. 

When Steve and Eddie are both in the car to pick the kids up someone roughly asks them where they’ve left the missus’. Eddie gives an equally rugged response about leaving the ‘ol’ ball and chain at home’ - he apologises profusely to Nancy that night, even though she is most definitely not his missus. 

And when it’s just Nancy and Robin walking through the square on the first perfect night of Spring and one of the young mums asks where the boys are, Nancy gives her a coy laugh and tells her they left the husbands at home for some peace and quiet. Robin and Nancy can barely make it into the alleyway past the hardware store before they erupt in giggles… giggles that turn into unseen kisses. 

Behind closed doors, when it’s just the four of them, Robin sits between Nancy’s legs - back against the armchair; and Eddie curls up against Steve’s side - feet tucked into the cushion for warmth. They joke about people’s oblivious words. 

“You really bagged someone like Nancy Wheeler?”

“Time to settle down, Harrington - put a ring on it.”

Eddie jokes about just having a quadruple wedding and all getting matching bands, so then they could carry on their fantasy without anyone being any the wiser. They all laugh, but Steve hopes like hell he’s joking because he knows the rings that he and Robin bought together last week don’t match.