#hurt eddie munson | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

afewproblems · 1 year

Text

Part Two of my Mean!Eddie Misunderstandings WIP

You can read Part One Here

CW: The F-slur is used in this once, and it will show up in part three once. It's use is treated with a lot of negative weight with the context of how it is used and who used it (an atagonist that does not physically appear in this story) I do apologize if this language is upsetting to read - it was certainly upsetting to write.

***

"What the fuck Eddie," Mike snarls, he stands up so abruptly his chair nearly topples over.

Dustin is also on his feet the second Harrington disappears into the kitchen, he looks at Eddie once, his expression stormy, before following through the doorway.

Silence has spread over the room, slowly oozing around to fill each nook and cranny, it makes his skin itch as Eddie shifts, he goes to cross his arms over his chest but stops with a roll of his shoulders, he’s cool, a regular fucking cucumber right?

Except Will won't look him in the eyes and Lucas won't stop, he glares at Eddie with open disappointment.

Jeff clears his throat, he meets Eddie's gaze and tilts his head towards the door, as though trying to beam the thought directly into Eddie’s mind, ‘let’s get the fuck out of here before our welcome wears out’.

Eddie nods and both men turn to Gareth, considering he’s their ride it all kind of hinges on him.

Gareth stares straight ahead, pointedly ignoring everyone at the table, he wipes his face roughly with the hand not holding onto his character mini and drops it roughly onto the table.

"Oh what?" Eddie bites out, his chest suddenly fills with hot shame that smothers his heart, "I didn't say anything that wasn't true".

Eddie wants to snatch the words out of the air as soon as they escape, banish them from existence, but they seem to hang in the dining room between him and the kids.

Gareth shakes his head and stands up from his seat, he starts to silently clean up the table, collecting the miniatures and his own papers, Will moves to help while Mike seethes in the corner or the room, his head swivels back and forth from glaring at Eddie and back to the door that Dustin disappeared behind.

"You've been weird all night man," Lucas says harshly, he stands up and makes his way towards the kitchen door which bursts open to reveal a furious Dustin who stomps back into the room and begins collecting his things, haphazardly throwing sheets of notepaper and dice into his backpack --not even bothering to put his dice in the little drawstring cloth bag his mom made him.

"Woah woah woah," Eddie says sharply, he stands, knocking back his chair which scapes loudly against the hardwood floor "what the fuck are you doing Henderson?"

Dustin ignores him and continues packing, he reaches for the miniature that Gareth moved onto the table and stops as Eddie snatches it away from his hand.

Dustin meets Eddie’s gaze, wearing a matching mutinous glare.

“Give it back,” Will interjects with a soft but firm voice, his gaze is unwavering as he stands up and moves towards Dustin’s side of the table. He also has his backpack slung over his shoulder --when the hell did that happen?

“But you--”

“EDDIE,” Gareth shouts, his eyes are wide, face pinched into a grimace.

Gareth takes a second to breathe after the outburst and swallows harshly, ignoring the eyes on him, "I think it's safe to say we aren’t playing tonight man".

The whole night is unraveling around him, everything he planned for the evening, the meticulous character beats he mapped out based on the backstories everyone crafted, the NPC’s he researched at the library -dodging Mrs. Depencier between the stacks before she could try to kick him out.

The homebrew monster, the final boss he had mashed together out of three different beasts in his well worn copy of the monster manual.

He had prepped all of it for tonight, he'd been excited, ready to show off his skills in a new environment, maybe show off a little bit for--

Oh.

Oh fucking hell.

Eddie wants to kick himself. Hard. Repeatedly.

Eddie wanted to see what Steve would think, this was going to be the performance of a lifetime and he had catapulted himself directly into the sun without hesitation.

Tonight had been ruined, mostly by himself --not Steve.

An oily thought creeps in and whispers in his ear, 'so what? It isn't as though King-Steve hadn't ruined plenty of things for you before, your first two senior years were dog shit before people started to forget about the whole--'

Eddie shakes his head harshly and scrubs both hands over his face, the rings catch lightly in his hair and tug as he bring them down.

"I'll call my mom to come get us, I'm sure she'll be happy it's so early," Lucas mumbles before he gets up from his seat and slowly makes his way towards the kitchen door to use the landline. The door swings softly shut with a quiet snick.

The silence in the room is heavy, only punctuated by Mike muttering under his breath to Will and Dustin as he snatches several things from the table and the floor. Lucas eventually reenters the dining room and Mike shoves an armful of note papers and Lucas's Human Cleric character sheet -which has become creased and wrinkled in Mike's frenzy, towards Lucas and Dustin.

"Figure out whose is whose later, let's just go if we're done, I'd rather walk," Mike snarls as he looks over his shoulder at Eddie, Gareth, and Jeff.

"Jesus Mike," Lucas mutters, "gonna have to rewrite this whole thing out now," he pauses as he looks Eddie up and down with narrow eyes, "maybe".

Lucas shakes his head, "anyway, mom is on her way, she's happy to come get us early so she'll drop you guys off, she's taking the van".

Mike nods, the perpetual sneer on his face deepens as he walks towards the hall leading to the front entryway, "I'm waiting outside, are you guys coming or not?"

The kids file out through the hallway, one by one without looking back, leaving Eddie, Jeff,and Gareth standing around the empty dining room table.

They freeze at the sight of a long, deep, scratch in the center of the wood.

Had that been there before?

A pit begins to form in Eddie's stomach, cavernous and deep, he sweats at the sight of it.

"Shit," he whispers, mostly to himself, but Jeff catches it.

"That was there before man," Jeff murmurs, though the conviction isn't quite there, he stares at the table before raising his eyes to look at Gareth, "right?"

"I don't fucking know man," Gareth hisses, he also has his messenger bag now slung across his shoulder.

"I'm not sticking around to get blamed for trashing Harringtons table," Jeff says lowly, he's already backing up towards the hallway leading to the front entrance, "I’m not afraid to take your car Gar, hurry it up," he says before turning on his heel and walking down the hall, Eddie flinches at the sound of the door slamming shut behind them.

Gareth curses under his breath and steps away from the table, “Well,” he huffs, “are you happy?”

Eddie's jaw drops as the words hit him square in the chest, "What? Gar--"

"No," Gareth says sharply, the volume steadily rising as he steps closer to Eddie and jabs a rigid finger into his chest, "are you happy with how this went? Does this finally make you feel better?"

"Cuz, we don't care if you're friends with him or if you hate the guy," Gareth shakes his head once and steps back, away from Eddie's space, "Maybe Jeff does a little bit, but he's just being protective I think".

Gareth waves his arms as though to clear the tangent away, "it doesn't matter, the point is, you're acting like it's still highschool and this," Gareth gestures towards the table, "is fucking mean man".

A car horn beeps from outside startling both of them; Gareth sighs and shrugs the strap on his bag higher up his shoulder as he turns towards the hallway, "so if you want to hate the guy, stop stringing him along, it's bullshit".

Stop stringing him along.

Stringing him along?

The words echo again and again in his head, Eddie feels his chest tighten and grow cold as the words sink in, what the hell was Gareth talking about?

"If you don't want to be his friend just tell the guy, I don't understand what you're doing Ed?" Gareth says with a sigh.

The horn beeps again outside, Gareths eyebrow twitches once and his expression slowly twists from an irritated scowl to something close to murderous.

"Whatever," he huffs angrilly, "are you coming or not? It sounds like Jeff's about two seconds away from grand theft auto, and if he beeps the horn one more time I can't be held responsible for my actions".

Eddie swallows harshly and nods, he steps back from the table, his legs sluggish in their response as he slowly trudges after Gareth.

As Eddie moves through the hall, passing large framed art pieces and not a single family picture, he catches a whiff of something from the kitchen, warm pastry? Something savory he imagines.

Eddie ignores the queasy lurch in his gut at the thought that whatever Steve had made that night didn't even make it past the kitchen.

***

If you had asked Eddie back in highschool to give you his opinion on the social hierarchy of Hawkins High he would give you a fairly general answer.

You had your standard Asshole Jocks, your Narcissist Beauty Queen Cheerleaders, your Nerds with the smaller subsections of Band Geeks and Weirdos - everyone’s seen The Breakfast Club, it’s a no brainer really.

Eddie was quite content to sneer and jeer with the best of them, focusing his ire on the very top, the Asshole Jocks that made it their mission to ruin the lives of anyone they deemed lower than themselves. Billy Hargrove and Tommy Hagan were the original worst of these with Jason Carver following close behind, but Harrington? King-Steve? He was a bit harder to pin down.

For Steve-the-Hair-Harrington, it would be a firm comparison to the grime in between Eddie’s toes after ten laps around the gym in socks he’d worn for three days.

Eddie could admit, if only to himself, that Harrington was certainly aesthetically attractive, with his tanned golden skin dotted with a constellation of moles that Eddie desperately wanted to play Connect the Dots with. The athletics uniform was criminally short, accentuating his long legs and strong thighs. More than once did Eddie ditch gym just to avoid making direct eye-contact with the outline of Harrington’s dick in that green scrap of fabric.

Sue him, man was hot, but he was also a huge asshole.

Harrington was mean, whispering cruel things under his breath to Hagan and Perkins, snickering to himself when he made a particularly cruel observation about Joey MacDonald and his resemblance to a certain fast food clown - it wasn’t even clever given that it was only the kid’s last name, but the nickname followed that boy till he graduated along with the smell of old french fries that people would stuff in his locker between classes. And well, there was one other rumor he started, not that Eddie let it remotely bother him.

Fuck, Highschool kids were the worst.

But, then all of a sudden, here comes Harrington in his junior year with his usually handsome face beaten in and a haunted slump in his shoulders. And whoever had done it pulled no punches. Word around school was that Byers was the one that cleaned Harrington’s clock, over Nancy Wheeler of all people. And not only that, but King-Steve had been dumped by his two best friends, thrown away like an old piece of trash.

Now again, Eddie never really gave much credence to rumors, especially the ones about himself, and given the way Hawkins High seemed to churn out a new rumor every other day this was more than likely an exaggeration. But with Hagan and Perkins giving Harrington a wide berth, and trading off glaring while hiding their kicked puppy expressions in their school books; the whole school watched as they were slowly replaced by Wheeler and Byers who encircled King-Steve, Ex-King now, with equally haunted expressions. It was even harder to argue with the evidence starring Eddie in the face.

They made absolutely no sense together, especially Byers; the three of them sitting at lunch in their own little world, with Harrington slowly slipping down the rungs and onto the bottom of the social ladder.

What on earth did Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byers even have in common with someone like Steve Harrington?

Eddie hardly ever saw Harrington around school after that, if he did he was mostly alone or followed around by a gaggle of children from the Junior High down the street that followed him around like puppies. To think of Harrington and kids in the same sentence, that the former King had lowered himself to the likes of babysitting a bunch of brats - it was…weird to say the least.

Especially given how Eddie knew who Steve was. Harrington wasn’t soft, he wasn’t kind, he was a bully and a thug with a glass jaw, the worst kind of pathetic that ever graced their shitty highschool halls and Fuck Him for doing the one thing that Eddie couldn’t even do.

Eddie would be repeating his senior year while the Ex-King asshole left it all behind him.

God dammit.

It wasn’t really until Chrissy Cunninham died in his uncle’s trailer that cool March evening all of four months ago that he even had an excuse to be in the same room as the ousted monarch - if you could count pressing a jagged bottle to Steve’s pretty throat and pressing his lithe frame into the corrugated aluminum wall of Rick’s boathouse.

And Steve? Rumor spreading, ex-King, Asshole Jock, Steve Harrington, was not all that bad as it turned out? Eddie couldn’t really keep the thread of his arguments about Harrinton as Eddie was carried out through the last remaining portal out of the Upside Down, nestled safely in Steve’s arms.

The son of a bitch.

Suddenly, Steve is everywhere, chauffeuring the kids to the arcade, visiting Eddie in the hospital, bringing Wayne food to the trailer --because of course he likes to cook apparently? And Wayne just loves him, won’t shut up about, ‘that Harrington boy and his thoughtful casserole’, and ‘when’s the next time you’re going to bring that Harrington kid by?’

Then it’s movie nights with the kids, and Nancy, Jonathan, Robin, and Argyle, smoke sessions in the Byers backyard, pool days when the weather finally warms enough for the kids to jump in. God help him, Harrington is showing off even more skin than Eddie would like during these pool days, his little moles spread over the planes of his back and legs. Steve has more scars than Eddie remembers from the highschool Varsity swim meets but he’s not complaining.

Stupid handsome jock.

Eddie feels like he’s gone crazy, like he’s the only one that feels this way, as if he’d been dropped into an alternate universe where everything was the same except for Steve Harrington.

And given the fact that alternate dimensions actually exist, well, this theory is not actually that outlandish.

Especially because Steve was…nice okay? He was nice. Eddie had it right the first time when they were walking around that creepy Upside Down forrest, even if he hadn't fully believed it at the time, the words were apparently true.

Well they were true now anyway.

Steve was sweet, he was funny, he cared so so much, the kids loved him, and Eddie couldn't quite get the sound of Steve's musical laugh out of his head, or the way his hazel eyes crinkled in the corners when he smiled--

Fuck.

Steve was also best friends with Robin --someone Eddie knows that Steve would never have given the time of day back in highschool and the two are practically soulmates now.

Eddie was fairly certain they weren’t dating because he’s also fairly certain he clocked Robin the same way she had clocked him after their second shared joint a few months back.

She hasn't said anything but there was no mistaking the way her eyes trailed to the bandana in his back pocket and the way his own eyes landed on the little homemade pink triangle patch on her messenger bag.

And the way she had smiled at him after, it was small but the understanding and the feeling of being seen left him warm in a way he hadn't felt around a lot of people other than Wayne, Gareth, and Jeff.

And then, of course, Steve had to go and ruin everything, offering up his own home for the next Hellfire club meeting.

If it hadn’t meant Steve actually spending more than five minutes in passing with Jeff and Gareth it probably wouldn’t have been so stressful.

And like the proverbial cherry on top, it had all blown up in his face.

The kids were actively avoiding him now, dodging his calls and making excuses about why they were busy, ranging from Will needing to help Jane with some kind of project she'd been working on, or Lucas citing babysitting duty for Erica --after having met Lady Applejack this was not as believable but Eddie let it go.

Mike would grumble, clearly going off a script of some sort to keep his friends appeased, but with the lazy excuse of just being 'busy'. And, Mike being Mike, he'd follow it up with an ever so kind, 'get your head out of your asshole man, Will was our DM before and he'd have no problem picking up where we left off'.

And didn't that sting just a bit?

Dustin just refused to engage with Eddie, repeating the phrase, 'if you have a problem with Steve then you have one with me,' or the more eloquent, 'get bent'.

Gareth wasn't much better. The last time Eddie was able to get him on the phone he’d told him to call when ‘his personal shit stopped interfering with Hellfire,’ and to, ‘get his head out of his ass sometime’.

He and Mike needed to hang out more apparently.

It sucked, especially with how icy the kids have been towards him. Even Max, who must had heard about it all from Lucas, had taken it upon herself to avenge their babysitter, smearing mud on the front window of his van and writing, DICK, in bright red lipstick letters on every single side window. Eddie would be impressed if he wasn’t the one that had to clean it up.

Jeff has been fairly tight lipped about it all, not really siding with Gareth or the kids, he and Eddie would still jam together but it wasn’t the same without their drummer.

Without Hellfire or his band to practice with, Eddie is bored, which is never a good thing in his experience, and has time and time again led him to disaster.

Which is how Eddie finds himself outside Family Video.

Eddie sits in his van for nearly twenty minutes before he ventures inside, scanning the windows relentlessly for any sign of Harrington or Buckley. It's the middle of the day on Tuesday, Keith is usually in on weekdays so he should be fine, what are the chances that the source of his recent frustrations would be working today of all days.

Apparently pretty high.

The bell dings above Eddie as he swings the door open and the smell of stale popcorn hits him in the face as he steps over the threshold, there's no one at the counter --not a great sign since Keith usually posts up with a comic or a magazine up front so he can still look busy while watching for shoplifters.

But it's fine, there's absolutely no sign of either of the Wonder Twins, it's fine.

Eddie takes another step and sees Jonathan and Argyle just behind the New Releases shelf, they've each got a tape in hand and seem to be arguing about which one they should go with.

Argyle spies Eddie first and waves jovially from their spot behind the shelf, Jonathan's gaze follows Argyle's and he lifts his hand in a half hearted wave, and jeez, tell a guy how you really feel, Eddie thinks to himself.

"What's up brochacho, how's it hangin'?" Argyle calls out as Eddie makes his way over with a smile, he ignores the stiffness in Jonathan’s posture and tries to focus on Argyle’s friendly grin.

"Eh," Eddie hums, throwing his hands in his back pockets, "can't complain too much, when you've literally been to Hell it puts things into perspective".

Argyle nods and opens his mouth to say something when another voice joins them from behind Eddie.

"If you're here to rent something, hurry up and get out," Robin growls nearly in his ear.

Eddie flinches and turns around to face her, he almost stumbles backwards at the furious expression on her freckled face. Robin's blue eyes flash and pierce his own, her mouth stretches into a blunt line across her face. Robin's arms cross over her chest, covering her name tag and the 'Ask me for Help' button, she seems to stand taller than her actual height and Eddie feels as though he's somehow managed to shrink down to two inches tall.

"Hey hey miss Birdy, got any recommendations for a Friday night smoke sesh?" Argyle says warmly, if he's aware of the tension in the room he doesn't show it.

"Monty Python, two rows over on the left," Robin mutters, her eyes never once leaving Eddie's face.

"Choice pick, we got our movie man," Argyle crows to Jonathan as he puts back the Ferris Bueller tape and makes his way down the stacks.

Jonathan's eyes flick between Eddie and Robin, he hesitates for just a moment before following after Argyle and leaving Eddie to his fate.

"Okay listen--"

"No you listen," Robin snarls, stepping into his space and shoving a rigid pointer finger into his chest, "I don't know what you're problem is but if you're going to be an asshole, you can show yourself out before I do it for you".

Eddie bristles slightly and lifts his hand to push hers away, "you talk to all of your customers like this Buckley?"

Robin scoffs and steps back, as though reminded that they are in fact in public, "rent something then or get out," she bites out, turning on her heel and walking away to meet Argyle and Jonathan at the checkout.

Eddie feels his face twist into a fierce frown, he can't even rent movies in peace now without this thing hanging over his head, he hadn't even said anything that bad, this was getting ridiculous.

The bell dings as Argyle and Jonathan leave, Argyle waves again, which Eddie returns unenthusiastically before stalking into the horror section in three strides. He snatches Children of the Corn off the shelf and stomps up to the desk. Robin's scowl matches his own as he reaches back to grab his wallet from the back pocket and --its not there.

Eddies stomach plummets into the bottom of his shoes, he can see if in his minds eye on the desk in his bedroom, it's not even in the van where he could easily run and grab it, Shit.

"What?" Robin grumbles as Eddie opens and closes his mouth silently, cursing his own stupidity and the rapid flush creeping up his own neck.

"Robin, I organized the back room, I still don't think that was really on the list but --oh!" Steve says as he walks towards them from the back of the store, a half door swings back and forth in his wake below a tiny hand written Employee's Only sign above the doorway.

Steve looks between the two of them, his face jumping through several expressions before settling on something carefully neutral, blank in a way Eddie hates.

"Hey Eddie," Steve says in that phoney cheerful customer service voice he made fun of just a few short weeks ago, Eddie remembers leaning over the counter and teasing Steve about it just to watch his ears turn pink.

But now they're here, and Steve is actually giving him the customer voice, like that's all he is now.

Fuck.

"I uh," Eddie mumbles, hating the way he can feel his own face heat up, he wants the floor to swallow him up, banish him to the Underdark, "I was going to grab this, but I forgot my wallet, forget it".

Robin smiles, almost triumphantly, and moves to lean against the front of the counter. Her left leg kicks out to cross in front of her right leg at the ankle, looking like the proverbial cat that caught the canary, Eddie hates her for just a moment.

"Its fine man," Steve hums, he takes the tape gently from Eddie's hands and walks around the counter to get to the computer, he starts typing and scans the movie before sliding it across the counter towards Eddie. Robin frowns and nearly stumbles in her attempt to move around to where Steve is standing.

"Steve," Robin hisses at him when she sees the computer screen, worry lines etch deep across her forehead and her mouth does this weird little wobble before creasing into a frown.

"Uh, seriously dude," Eddie mumbles, "I don't have my wallet and I don't have any change on me--"

"Don't worry about it," Steve says smoothly without missing a beat, "Rob and I get free rentals once a month, just take mine".

Eddies eyebrows rise slowly into the wispy bangs covering his forehead as Robin tisks loudly from beside Steve,

"What, just like that?" he says slowly, the words stick to his tongue which all of a sudden feels as though it's three times too big for his own mouth. Why the fuck was Harrington being so nice to him, like the other night didn't matter at all.

"Yup," Steve says simply, he doesn't pop the 'p' like he used to, and his face is so neutral and smooth. It's not back to their normal after all, but what was he expecting, nothing was.

"Anything else we can do? I gotta get back to rewinding the tapes," Steve says as he jerks his thumb towards the back room again.

Steve hesitates for a second, he's still facing Eddie and looks as though he's on the verge of saying something, his large hazel eyes dart back and forth between Eddies own for a moment, before he lifts his right hand to roughly pinch at the bridge of his nose once before the hand sweeps into his hair, pushing it away from his face.

Robin, who had been watching them like a far more predatory bird than her namesake, steps closer and knocks into Steve's shoulder gently.

"Remember, they are organized and outnumber us like 200 to one," she barks, saluting him with her left hand, "don't rewind till you see the whites of their tape cases".

Steve's blank expression cracks with a small smile, he reaches up to switch out her left hand with her right and then draws himself up to his full height.

Steve squares his shoulders, "if the tapes claim me, don't be a hero Buckley, remember me fondly".

She snorts and shakes her head as he brushes past her, Steve looks over his shoulder once at Eddie before disappearing into the back once more.

Eddie watches him leave, the Children of the Corn clutched in his hands so tightly he's almost worried the plastic will warp, he misses Robin silently siddle up next to him and nearly jumps a foot in the air as she speaks.

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out," Robin growls softly before she sweeps over to the push cart filled with returns and walks it over to the closest shelf, pointedly ignoring him.

Eddie huffs out an irritated sigh but feels his shoulders slowly deflate on their own as he trudges back towards the entrance, the bell rings once again as he steps outside into the mid afternoon sun.

Gravel crunches underneath Eddie's ratty chucks as he heads towards the van, stopping in his tracks when he spots Jonathan leaning against the driver's side door.

"Uh, hey Byers?"

Jonathan waves again before crossing his arms, he's glaring at the ground as though it personally offended him. Eddie looks around, letting his eyes trail over the other cars in the lot.

"Where's your partner in crime?" Eddie asks carefully, he knows Argyle wouldn't have just left without Jonathan.

Jonathan waves his hand towards the convenience store at the end of the parking lot, "he's grabbing snacks, he should be back soon," Jonathan shugs and settles back against the van.

It's awkward, Eddie can count the number of times he and Jonathan have hung out on one hand, he's seen Argyle way more, sharing trade secrets and sampling some grade A California Kush while he's at it.

But Eddie and Jonathan, he's got nothing.

"Sooo," Eddie hums, dragging out the syllable as he steps towards Jonathan and leans against the van beside him, "you here to yell at me too?"

Jonathan scoffs and shakes his head, but his arms do tighten a fraction around his midsection, hah, gotcha.

"No, but honestly dude, if Nancy and I have to hear the kids bitch and moan one more time about whatever the hell is going on between you and Harrington," he shakes his head and snorts.

Eddie bristles slightly but nods, "Yeah Mike's got a mouth on him huh?"

"So," Jonathan starts and immediately shuts his mouth with a snap and a grimace. He seems to steady himself before meeting Eddie's gaze, it's unnerving.

"Fuck it, look," Jonathan snaps, he turns to face Eddie, "I'm not the biggest fan of Harrington myself, but we’re not going out of our way to see each other and if you're going to do this kind of thing I'd prefer if Will wasn't in the same room," Jonathan scrubs a tired hand over his face, "he was pretty upset the other night, said you were a prick to Dustin too".

And that Eddie can't even defend, he bites the inside if his cheek and nods again, letting his arms wrap around himself tightly, it's such little comfort that it leaves him feeling cold despite the midafternoon heat and glaring sunshine.

"What's going on man?" Jonathan says softly this time, he's still facing Eddie but has leaned back slightly.

"You remember how shitty Hawkins high was right?" Eddie says after a beat, the words barely escape between his teeth, but someone else needs to know.

Jonathan doesn't say anything but he nods once, a dark look crosses over his face momentarily before disappearing.

"And I'm sure you heard some of the rumours that were going around about me," Eddie rubs his hand across his nose, "that whole place was a fucking gossip factory, I know most -if not all of it was bullshit, but".

Fuck.

He doesn't even know how to say it.

"Harrington told everyone I was a," he swallows roughly, the word catches in his throat as though covered in barbs, "a…fag, and that my parents kicked me out after my dad tried to kill me, that was the reason I was living with Wayne".

Eddie stares, unseeing, at the ground, he hears a sharp intake of breath but keeps going.

"And now," he breathes out, hating the way it catches slightly in his throat, "I don't know how to feel about him, I'm so fucking angry about it, but he's so God Damn nice now, it's like whiplash".

"The worst part is," Eddie continues, breathing deeply through his nose, his eyes start to burn, fuck, he doesn't want to do this here, "I don't even know if he remembers, that's what makes me so angry".

Eddie barks out a wet laugh, "that it made me a target, and for him it was nothing".

Jonathan is quiet for a moment, staring past Eddie with a pensive expression, "when did this happen?" he says softly.

"I don't know man," Eddie sighs, he brings a hand up to press into his eyes until stars explode across his vision, they come away wet.

"It was one of my senior years, the first go around, why?"

"Because," Jonathan urges, his voice uncharacteristically harsh, "I heard Billy Hargrove say that, like word for word, at Tina's Halloween party, and that was like two years ago".

Eddie remembers Billy Hargrove. Though Billy and Tommy were both assholes, Billy was the actual scary one of the pair.

Eddie remembers that party too. He had made some decent money that night, posting up in the backyard, letting his drunk classmates come to him. Eddie had even wandered inside a few times to grab a beer or two before leaving, no one had really bothered him that night, granted it seemed hard to shake that Mullet wearing psychos flinty gaze, but if he thinks hard about it enough, everything changed after that night.

Eddie stops breathing, it takes almost a full minute for him to really catch up to what Jonathan is saying, "but, but I thought for sure…" he stammers, voice tight.

"Eddie," Jonathan says, the gentle tone back as looks him in the eye, "Steve spent that whole night babysitting Nancy. It was a whole thing, he left early too because they had a big fight".

Jonathan takes a deep breath, and blows it slowly through his nose, it releases the rigid line of tension in Byers shoulders. His dark eyes scan Eddie's face before he sighs again and stuffs his hands into his pockets.

"I'm not trying to defend the guy, he was a prick in high school, but if you've been blaming him for spreading that shit around, I think you have the wrong guy".

Eddie's is racing, he feels as though he's underwater and sinking deeper, his vision narrowing to a single point of light just above him. His lungs shudder as he tries to catch his breath.

"Hey, slow down and breathe man," Jonathan murmurs, a worried grimace pulls at his mouth as his head swivels to and fro, scanning the parking lot. Jonathan reaches to put a warm hand on Eddie's shoulder, "you're going to make yourself pass out".

"I'm good man, I'm fine," Eddie bites out. He shifts and straightens his back, stepping away from Jonathan and the van, he nearly stumbles in his efforts to move.

Jonathan leans back with both hands raised in front of him in, ready to steady the metal-head if needed, his eyes dart across Eddie's face with wary concern.

"Relax Byers," Eddie breathes out as he takes another step away. He looks back towards the Family Video, in case they've drawn an audience by now.

He can see Steve and Robin through the window, they're both at the counter, their backs are turned--thankfully.

Robin has one hand on Steve's back as she gestures emphatically away from herself with the other, he's nodding but his whole posture has drooped, wilted like an old flower.

Eddie feels his heart clench again at the sight. Fuck.

"Hey man, mind getting off my van? I have to make a call".

***

Eddie races home, the old breaks squeal and the engine shudders as he turns abruptly into the gravel drive just ahead of their new government issued trailer.

Though it didn't have the same feel as their old trailer, the notches on the bathroom doorway to track his height over the years replaced by pristine white paint, the spaghetti stain on the ceiling from Eddies first ambitious attempts to make Wayne dinner replaced by the same stark whiteness. Wayne was able to save some of their photos and Eddie's favorite Dio poster, it helped a little bit remind them of their former home, but it wasn’t quite the same.

For all it lacked, at least the ceilings were whole, with no sign of the horrific death Eddie had witnessed just a few short months ago.

Eddie turns off the engine and unbuckles himself as he opens the door and steps out of the van. The feel of gravel and grass under his feet is grounding, but he still feels as though he might fly apart at any moment.

His uncle's pickup is still out front; Eddie winces at his own park job and considers getting back in the van to try again --his uncle will have to swing wide just to get around him for work at this point, but there's an itch in Eddie's brain. He has to talk to Gareth, make sense of this.

Eddie makes his way inside, Wayne isn't in the living room or kitchen based on his quick scan, he barely manages to close the front door behind him in his haste to get to the phone.

Eddie hears the main bathroom fan and Wayne humming tunelessly to himself, he figures he probably has at least half an hour to use the phone undisturbed.

Eddie snatches the phone off the base hung on the wall beside their Kit-Cat Klock, he immediately wraps his fingers in the cord and dials Gareths number. It rings again and again, fuck.

"Hello?"

"Gareth, don't hang up!" Eddie struggles to keep the shout out of his voice, he wraps and unwraps his hands in the phone cord, tangling his fingers nervously as a long sigh crackles over the line.

"What man?" Gareth huffs, impatience saturates the words and Eddie can't keep his own bottled up for even a moment longer.

"I fucked up," Eddie whispers, "I fucked up Gar," he untagles his one hand long enough to sweep it up into his hair, pulling it away from his face.

He can hear the rustle of cloth and movement over the handset as Gareth breathes out a soft and confused, 'what,' on the other side but once the words start Eddie can't seem to contain them any longer.

"I don't know what to do," he says, his voice pitched in a low whine, "I spent so long absolutely convinced that Harrington was the one who put that target on my back in highschool, that he was the one who spread all those rumors".

Eddie begins to pace, two steps forward, and two steps back, he's too caught up in the phone cord to move much further around the kitchen but he feels the need to channel his frenetic energy somewhere.

"But he didn't, I just," Eddie swallows and removes his hand from his hair to press roughly into his eyes once more, "I just assumed".

Gareth says nothing, the only reason Eddie knows he's still there is the fact that the call hasn't cut out to a dial tone.

"I think, I think ruined it Gar, I don't know how to fix this, i think we could have been friends…"

A scoff bursts over the line and Eddie flinches at the sudden sound.

"Sorry, but Eddie, this is exactly what I was talking about".

Gareth sighs loudly and shifts again, "don't think it was just Jeff that was confused and maybe even a little angry that you started hanging out with the guy, but we thought, 'well, if Eddie forgave him, and wants to be his friend then we can deal,'" Gareth hesitates for a beat before speaking slowly, choosing his words carefully.

"If he did or didn't do it wasn't the issue Ed, you can't have it both ways. You can't try and be with the guy, lead him on like that, and hang on to this grudge, you'd just be hurting yourself and Steve more".

Eddie feels himself pale as he freezes in the middle of his pacing, he swallows hard but manages to keep his grip on the phone steady.

"I dont--you keep saying that--" he stutters, ignoring the cold feeling that settles in his gut.

"Eddie, come on, we have eyes in our heads, we didn't care that you liked guys, we don't care that you have a thing for Harrington -well I mean, Jeff might but he'd get over it if you asked him to".

Eddie feels his heart climb into his throat and nods once before remembering Gareth isn't actually there in person, he cradles the phone to his cheek and whispers, "I know".

"So fix it," Gareth says softly, "I don't know why you're talking to me, it sounds like you already know what you have to do".

"For what it's worth," Gareth says with a sigh and Eddie can hear the small smile in his voice this time, "I do think he's changed since highschool, and I am glad that he wasn't the one who said those things about you, it'll make my shovel talk a little easier anyway".

Eddie barks out a laugh that comes out a little wet, "thanks man," he mumbles into the receiver.

"Anytime, now get off the line, I gotta break the news to Jeff, he'll need time to digest".

Eddie laughs and hangs up the phone after a soft, 'goodbye you dick,' and turns to see Wayne leaning against the entrance to the kitchen watching him with a raised eyebrow and a stern expression.

"So, you finally gonna fix what's had you moping around here for the last couple o' days?" Wayne asks, his voice is casual but there's a glint in his brown eyes, so like Eddie's own, that puts him on edge.

Eddie winces and runs his hand through his curls towards the back to cradle his head, he hesitates as Wayne tilts his head slightly, waiting for his normally talkative nephew to speak.

After another beat Wayne sighs and pushes himself off the doorway, he steps into the kitchen and makes his way to the cupboard to pull out his favorite Indiana Pacers mug. Wayne busies himself with the kettle, while Eddie sweats by the phone.

"Uh, how much did you hear of that?" Eddie says eventually, he picks at the skin on his fingers and shifts his weight from foot to foot.

Wayne tilts his head to the side to look over his shoulder at Eddie as he adds two scoops of instant coffee into the empty mug while the water starts to boil.

"Well, it sounds like you and Harrington had something of a misunderstanding, that why he hasn't been 'round here with that famous lasagna of his?"

Eddie huffs out a laugh and rolls his eyes, "I guess you could say that," he chews on his lip roughly for a moment before releasing it, "I just don't know how to even start Wayne".

His uncle hums at that, flicking the stove burner off just as the kettle begins to hiss and whine, he pulls it off the metal coils and pours a helping of water into his awaiting mug before putting the kettle on the farthest burner to cool back down. He picks up the spoon he had used to scoop the instant coffee and stirs thoughtfully, allowing the metal to clink and clang against the chipped ceramic.

"Have you thought to just talk to him? Harrington seems like a good kid, I doubt he's holding a grudge--"

"I was mean Wayne, I was a dick in front of the kids," Eddies breathing picks up as he continues to speak, "they all hate me right now, they won't talk to me, and I kind of hate me a little bit right now and--"

Eddie stops talking as Wayne crosses the kitchen and pulls him into a fierce hug. He lets himself sink into it.

Wayne had always been somewhat easy going with affection, doling out hugs and pats on the back, but ever since Eddie had been discharged from the hospital Wayne seemed hyper aware of the need for comfort without being asked.

"If you're sorry then tell him, and if he doesn't want to hear it then you let him be, either he'll forgive you or he won't," Wayne's voice rumbles through his chest, he feels the hug begin to loosen as Wayne leans away to catch his eye once more, "sounds like the kids might be owed their own apology but you can do that after Harrington, what do we do when make mistakes?"

"We fix em," Eddie whispers, he feels lighter, lighter than he has since Gareth drove him and Jeff home in stony silence that fateful night.

"Damn right, now go on, if I have to miss another one of those damn casseroles you're gonna owe me an apology".

***

The drive isn't long but waiting for the approximate time that he figured Steve would be home was absolute torture, he even let Wayne fix him his own cup of instant coffee -how his uncle could drink that stuff was beyond Eddie but the warmth of the cup was grounding as time ticked by.

Eddie waited until six, figuring that would be the safest bet after a day shift, worst case scenario he'd go home and try again tomorrow if the house was empty.

A small anxious part of him hoped it would be.

The lights are on when he pulls up to the house, and Steve's beemer is in the driveway.

Okay, he could do this, all he had to do was go up to the door.

Eddie shuts the engine off, tapping out a nervous rhythm on the steering wheel as he grabs his keys and pops open his van door.

Eddie breathes in deeply through his nose and releases it slowly through mouth as he steps onto the walkway to the front door. The porch light is on despite the sun sitting high in the sky.

Eddie hesitates as he reaches the dark red double doors, all he has to do is raise his hand to ring the bell or knock, but he's frozen suddenly, his heart beats a wild staccato in his chest and that feeling of slowly sinking under water from earlier is back.

Eddie shakes his head, he faced down feral demon bats, and trudged through a poisonous forest to help hunt down Vecna, he could do this!

The door in front of him suddenly opens of its own accord revealing Steve’s frantic and confused face.

Shit.

***

Thank you everyone! There will be a part three that will finally have some comfort for all this whump and angst!! (I PROMISE!)

Taglist: @zerokrox-blog @samcoxramblings @thosemessyvibes @liketheocean @vampireinthesun @themostunoriginalpersonever @merricatty

(I hope these tags work and if I missed you I'm so sorry!!)

Continue with Part Three Here

317 notes · View notes

beth--b · 1 year

Text

Take Care

Steve and El

In the aftermath of Starcourt when everyone was reuniting with loved ones, El lost her father.

Steve watched the moment she found out.

He had been wrapped in a blanket as a paramedic tried to convince him to be seen to when El had stumbled past him, looking so lost and alone that he had wanted nothing more than to wrap her up in her own warm blanket and take care of the poor girl.

He had watched as she saw Joyce with Will clutching onto one another in the middle of the parking lot, no Hopper in sight. Steve’s own heart had clenched at the realisation of what that meant but his own horror was quickly surpassed by his concern for their resident supergirl who had now lost the man who had taken her in as his own.

He had shrugged the paramedic off and made his way on unsteady legs over to her. He had taken his first thought of wrapping her up and made it reality when he had shrugged his blanket off his shoulders and wrapped it around the trembling girl.

“I’ve got you. You won’t be alone,” he had whispered to her as she had collapsed into his arms. He continued to whisper soothing words into her hair while he held her until her sobs tapered off.

He was hurting and wanted nothing more than to go sit down but this was more important. So he stayed with her until her sobs turned into the occasional stifled cry and held her even then.

Once she was finally ready to pull away, she looked up at him with red rimmed eyes and asked softly, “Promise?”

Steve just nodded and she buried her head into his chest, holding onto him until they both sank to the ground, too hurt, too exhausted to stand there any longer.

Eventually Robin and Mike came and found them, hugging them and helping the pair to their feet. Mike led El over to one of the ambulances and Steve remembered the horror of witnessing the girl remove part of the mind flayer from her injured leg. Once he was sure she was being looked after he allowed Robin to drag him back to the paramedic who had originally been trying to get him in the back of an ambulance, letting them take over so he didn’t have to think anymore.

read it on ao3 here

Steve and Max

It’s no secret that Steve’s family isn’t around much.

It’s also pretty well known that Steve’s dad is an asshole.

Maybe that’s why Max calls him in the middle of the night when her mom is drunk and shouting at Max about how their lives have been ruined, how her husband left her because Billy died and now they can’t even afford to live in a real house anymore. That she hates her shitty job and hates this town but they can’t afford to leave either.

When Steve gets a call on his walkie at 12:30 in the morning he’s mostly asleep. Mostly because he never sleeps well and spends a good chunk of his nights in a semi-doze or half awake. At the first crackle of the walkie coming to life he’s sitting up in bed and fumbling for a light so he can see what he’s doing.

Max's voice comes through small and shaky. She asks if he can come get her and how could he possibly refuse.

On the drive over he thinks about how when he was six his father shoved him into a wall so hard he thought he’d broken his cheek bone. The bruising had been awful and it had swollen up so much he could hardly move his jaw.

Later that same night he had been pulled from his bed and dragged outside by his arm. His mother wasn’t around, she might have been asleep or perhaps she was out, he wasn’t sure, but he knew there was nobody to help him so he stayed quiet.

Once they were outside in the freezing cold night his father had sat him down beside the pool and told him that if he ever told anyone that he was the one to cause the bruising on his face that he would regret it.

Even at the tender age of six Steve knew that his father was deadly serious. He knew his father was important and had lots of money and travelled a lot. People respected him, or so he said. Steve was pretty sure that people were scared of him.

So he nodded his head and sat in the cold until his father nodded and dragged him back inside.

He stayed home from school for a few days until the bruises faded and the swelling went down, went to school with a note from his mother saying he’d been ill and had fallen down the stairs when he woke during the night feverish and upset.

His teacher had looked at him with sympathy, said she hoped he was feeling better and offered to help him catch up on his missed school work. Steve had smiled politely and thanked her, said he was feeling much better and his parents had been taking good care of him.

Steve might have been young, but he knew enough to keep his mouth shut and stay out of his fathers way.

The drive passed by quickly, lost in thought as he was. When he arrives at the trailer park he sees there are still lights on at Max’s trailer, he gets out of the car but before he can knock Max climbs out her window and runs to him.

Steve wraps his arms around her before guiding her towards the passenger door. With Max safely in the car he walks back around to his door and catches a glimpse of movement in the corner of his eye. He turns to see what it was, thoughts of demogorgons and Russian soldiers running through his tired mind, only to see Eddie Munson looking out of his window.

He hadn’t had much reason to interact with Eddie at school, they ran in very different circles after all. Regardless they locked eyes for a brief moment before Eddie nodded at him and closed his curtains, drawing away from the window.

Steve shrugged it off and got in his car, turning the engine back on and blasting the heater to warm a shivering Max up.

“You want to talk about it?” Steve asked her once they were back on the road.

Max shrugged, “Not really. Mom was just drunk, yelled a lot. I just needed to get out.”

Steve nods, glancing over at her briefly before turning his eyes back to the road. He reaches out a hand and grabs hold of hers, squeezing it tightly.

“Well I’ll come and get you anytime you need alright Mad Max. Parents aren’t always perfect, sometimes they can be downright shitty, but just remember that none of this is your fault. Promise me that, ok?”

Max takes a long moment before she reacts, finally just as Steve is about to repeat himself he sees her nod and she squeezes his hand back. “Ok,” she finally whispers.

Steve and Dustin

If someone had asked Steve the moment that he had practically adopted Dustin Henderson as the little brother he’d never had he wouldn’t be able to tell them. Apart from the fact that nobody would ever believe that he had helped the kids deal with fucking interdimensional monsters, one of which he’s taken as a pet, he honestly wasn’t sure when it had happened himself. Somewhere between fighting Demogorgons, defending the kids from Bill Hargrove, and dealing with Dustin and his well meaning but honestly awful pet Dart.

He loved all the kids of course but if he was honest Dustin was probably his favourite. Kid needed a damn attitude check but nevertheless Steve wasn’t sure what he’d do without him.

Even after the kid had befriended Eddie Munson of all people, and then after Vecna…Steve knew Dustin loved him like a brother as well.

So of course when Dustin was sick and his mom needed to work Steve was happy to be the babysitter once again, which is how he found himself at Dustin’s house at 7:30 in the morning on a Saturday.

Steve went to knock on the door only to find Claudia Henderson opening it already to his raised fist. She ushered him inside, thanking him and letting him know she'd be home by mid afternoon. The thermometer was in the bathroom and there was food in the fridge that he was welcome to.

Despite the frankly overwhelming amount of information being thrown at him he nodded alone and waved goodbye as she walked out the door.

Dustin was still asleep so Steve sat on the couch and made himself comfortable, television on in the background playing whatever cartoon the kids were into these days.

It was about an hour later that Dustin came stumbling out bleary eyed and sniffling. Steve hopped to his feet and ushered the kid to the couch he had just vacated.

“Morning kiddo, how’re you feeling?”

Dustin shrugged and leaned over to grab a tissue from the coffee table.

“Been better,” he croaked, voice hoarse.

“Yeah ouch, sure sounds that way. Want some tea with honey? Should help your throat.”

Dustin nodded before closing his eyes and laying back on the lounge. Steve ruffled his curly hair and headed into the kitchen to make tea.

Ten minutes later he was back with a steaming mug of black tea with lots of honey for Dustin and a cup of tea with a splash of milk for himself.

He set both mugs on the table before sitting down beside Dustin.

They sat in silence, watching an episode of Thundercats that had come on. By the end of the show Dustin had finished his tea and was dozing on Steve’s shoulder.

The day passed by easily enough. Dustin was a bit of a grouch when his fever spiked later that morning but after some tylenol and some more sleep he was much more amiable. Steve warmed up some soup that Dustin’s mom had left for lunch and by the time they had eaten Dustin was a little more awake so they spent the afternoon playing board games.

Dustin had beaten Steve at Guess Who, Scrabble and they were half way through a game of Monopoly that Steve was sure he would also lose when Dustin’s mom arrived home.

“Oh sorry I’m late boys! Dusty you’re looking a little better honey. Steve, I hope I wasn’t keeping you from anything?” Steve gave her the smile he always used on parents and shook his head, “Oh of course not! I’m sure you’re tired from work, go and sit, rest. Dustin and I are good here, right buddy?”

“Yeah we’re fine Mom. Stop worrying!” he turned away to smother a cough in his sleeve before focusing back on Steve and the game.

Dustin’s mom watched them fondly for a long moment before she took her own seat, patting Tews when he came to sit on her lap.

“I really appreciate your help today Steve,” she said when they took a break from the game.

“It’s honestly no trouble, happy to help out,” he shrugged.

“You probably have plans alright seeing as it’s a Saturday night, but would you like to stay for dinner?”

Steve glanced at Dustin, the kid looked so much better but still too pale. Despite that he looked at Steve hopefully, and how could he say no to that?

“Yeah sure thing, as long as it’s no bother?”

“None at all dear! I’ll get dinner started shortly.”

It was almost 8 o’clock by the time Steve got back into his car and drove home. Despite the full day of Henderon’s company he still dreaded going back to that empty house. There was nothing for it though. Robin was busy tonight and Eddie was at a concert with his band mates.

He pulled in the driveway and with a sigh, got out of the car and headed inside. Turning the radio on for background noise as he walked past.

He hated the quiet.

Steve and Eddie

Before Vecna, Steve had not known Eddie Munson well. That's not to say he hadn't known him at all. It was a small town after all, Steve had thrown a lot of parties and Eddie was a drug dealer. They could have had a great partnership if they'd ever thought about it. Nevertheless, they had not been friends.

During the Spring break from Hell, as Steve had dubbed it, he had grown to like Eddie. Had grown to care for him. Somehow amongst all the crazy they had become friends. If Steve was honest, he'd like to perhaps become more, but that was not something he could worry about right now.

For now he just needed to help the guy out.

Eddie had spent the last two weeks in hospital, recovering from his near fatal injuries. During that time his name had been cleared and it had been made abundantly clear to the people of Hawkins that Eddie was also a victim, that anyone who went after him would find themselves behind bars. Hopper's return had certainly helped in that respect.

Today Eddie was finally going home.

With all the time Eddie's Uncle Wayne had taken off work the older man wasn't going to be able to pick Eddie up himself, having worked the night shift and taking on a day shift as well for the extra money. Steve had readily volunteered for the job instead. He had also offered to stay with Eddie at the government appointed housing the Munson's had been set up with now that their trailer was destroyed until Wayne returned home.

Steve made his way to the room Eddie had spent the last week in, after being moved out from the ICU, with ease. Between Eddie and Max, he had been visiting every other day at the very least so he knew his way well enough.

"Ready to bust me outta here?" Eddie said in lieu of a greeting.

Steve laughed and moved to sit in the chair beside the bed. "Sure thing, at least once the doctor clears you."

"C'mon Stevie. I am sooo tired of these four walls!"

"I know, I know. But I'm not going to risk the Party's wrath if you leave without everything you need. I know we haven't been friends long but I'd hate to see you wind up back here with… I don't know man, infected stitches or some shit. So stay put for a little longer yeah?"

With the most over dramatic sigh Steve has ever heard, Eddie throws himself, gently, back against his pillows.

"Ugh, fiiine," he whines.

Steve has gotten to know Eddie well enough by now that he knows he's just covering up his own nerves with his theatrics. With this in mind, he moves to sit beside the older boy on the bed. "Hey, I'm going to wait right here with you, alright," Steve reaches out a hand and Eddie grasps hold, squeezing Steve's hand tightly.

"Yeah, ok. Thanks Stevie," Eddie mumbles.

The nickname makes Steve’s insides feel like they are full of butterflies but he swallows it down and smiles instead.

Steve waits at Eddie's side for the next hour, until finally the doctor comes to confirm the details of his discharge. Instructions on when to come back to have sutures removed, medications to take to prevent infection and others for pain in hand, Steve wheels Eddie out of his room and eventually out of the hospital. Having parked near the door it's easy enough getting Eddie into the car.

The drive is fairly quiet, Eddie makes a few sarcastic comments about Steve's taste in music but then they drive in silence. When they arrive at Wayne's new place Steve gets out first before rounding the car and helping Eddie out and up to the house.

Steve unlocks the door and helps support Eddie until they reach the couch.

"Alright Eddie, you hungry?"

"For something that's not grody hospital food? Hell yes!"

Steve chuckled and nodded, "Yes,for some non-hospital food. What do you feel like?"

"A burger and fries if you don't mind?"

"Of course. I'll go get lunch and be back soon. Need anything before I go?"

"No, no, food is fine. Thanks man."

Despite Eddie's reassurances, Steve gets him a glass of water and turns on the small TV before he leaves to get their food.

He returns half an hour later to find Eddie passed out on the couch. He can't help but wish he had a camera to capture the moment. After spending a minute or two just watching the boy he was steadily falling for sleep, he puts the food down and wakes Eddie.

"Rise and shine Eds, lunch is here."

Eddie wakes slowly, a soft smile on his face when he sees Steve and the paper bag filled with cheeseburgers and fries.

"Ah thank you Stevie. Good ol' fashioned American burgers! How I have missed thee!"

Steve rolls his eyes and helps Eddie up, passing him his food.

They spend the afternoon together until Wayne gets back from work. While the two catch up, Steve makes his exit.

Steve and Robin

It was too early for the doorbell to be ringing on a Sunday and yet he was woken up by the persistent chiming of it.

With a groan Steve hauled himself out of bed, threw on a shirt and half ran, half stumbled down the stairs.

He opened the door only to have Robin practically throw herself at him.

“Steve!” she yelled, wrapping her arms around his neck, “What am I going to do?”

“Robs what the fuck? It’s like 6am. How did you even get here?”

“Bike dingus keep up! Help me Steve, you were like the king of dating once upon a time, I need your help!”

“Slow down, what do you need help with?”

He pulled her off him and grabbed her hand instead tugging her towards the kitchen with him while he put a pot of coffee on.

“Steve. I need your help. With a girl.”

Steve burst out laughing before taking in the serious expression on her face.

“Robin, you are a girl. Surely you know what girls like better than I ever could!”

“Nooo I know what I like, not other girls. Not this girl. I ah…may have ended up hanging out with Nancy last night.”

Steve’s eyebrows shot up, “Nancy? As in Nancy Wheeler? That Nancy?”

“I’m sorry, I’m a horrible platonic soulmate, the worst best friend-”

“Stop. I don’t care if you like Nancy, we were over a long time ago. Besides things are going pretty well for me in the dating department so don’t sweat it yeah? I’m not sure how you think I can help you with dating advice for Nancy though,” he took a long sip of his coffee and Robin sat down at the breakfast bar, dropping her head to the counter top.

“Because you already managed to get her to date you Steve!”

Steve burst out laughing only to have Robin punch him lightly in the bicep.

“Robin, Nancy and I were not great together. If you think there is something there though you should talk to her. Maybe start by coming out to her though?”

Robin just groaned and dropped her head down once more.

“Why do you have to say logical things like that huh?”

“I thought you wanted my help? I’m helping,” he moved away from her and leaned back against the kitchen cabinets, arms crossed over his chest.

“Fine. Thanks then I guess. Hey, since I’m here and we’re both awake, any chance you can make some bacon? Or pancakes? Pancakes would be really great.”

With a long suffering sigh Steve silently turns away and starts pulling ingredients out of the pantry to make pancakes. He might not be able to help much with her love life but he could feed his best friend when she needed him.

Eddie and Steve

Steve has spent a lot of the last few years trying to be a better person.

He looked after his friends as much as he could in whatever way he could because they were good people and they deserved all the love and kindness he could give them.

It was hard at first, he hadn’t exactly had the best role models in how to show kindness. His dad was an abusive asshole and his mother just didn’t seem to care either way.

But he had fumbled his way through, giving the kids rides when they needed them, talking girls with Robin, fighting fucking monsters with them all. Despite that he didn’t really expect anyone to show him the same kindness in return. Nobody took care of Steve, other than Steve. He didn’t always do the greatest job.

Luckily he had Eddie.

He had finished his shift at Family Video and he was tired, his head was pounding and he knew he needed to take his migraine meds and sleep it off, but he had plans to see Eddie and didn’t want to cancel.

Their relationship was still so new, he didn’t want to tarnish it with cancelled dates. Even if said date was just hanging out at Eddie’s place and watching movies.

So he put on a pair of sunglasses despite the fact that the sun was more down than up, and took off towards the new Munson home.

By the time he made it to Eddie’s he wanted nothing more than to go to bed. He probably shouldn’t have been driving, and there was no way he was driving home now. He grabbed his meds from the glovebox and shoved them in his pocket. He’d take them if things got worse but he knew he would hold out as long as possible.

He felt queasy and almost dizzy as he made his way to the front door, and with a cursory knock he let himself inside.

“Eds?” he called, wincing at the sound of his own voice.

“Stevie!” Eddie crowed, coming out of the kitchen, I missed you baby.” Eddie stopped and looked at Steve, taking in his too pale face and shaking hands and immediately changed his demeanour. “Shit Stevie, migraine?” he asked, voice full of concern.

Steve wanted to deny it, but as the pain in his head only intensified he knew there was no use. So instead of trying to brush it off he just nodded slowly, features tight with pain.

“Oh honey, got your meds?” Eddie moved in closer, wrapping his arms around Steve in a gentle hug.

Steve buried his face in Eddie’s neck and gave another slight nod. Pulling the pills out of his pocket.

Eddie pulled away enough to steer him towards the couch, and once Steve was seated he headed to the kitchen, reappearing a few moments later with a glass of water.

Steve took the water gratefully and took a sip before taking one of his pills, chasing it down with more water.

Eddie sat beside him, pulling Steve into his side. With a sigh Steve let himself be held and stayed there for a long moment until Eddie quietly asked if he wanted to stay on the couch or go to bed.

“Bed,” Steve eventually replied, knowing that although he may not want to, he should listen to his body for once.

Eddie silently helped Steve up and steered him to the bedroom, pulling the covers back and helping Steve remove his shoes. He grabbed him a pair of sweats and a t-shirt and let Steve change before helping him onto the bed. With Steve situated, Eddie turned the light out and then climbed onto the bed beside him.

“You don’t have to,” Steve started.

Eddie shushed him and pressed a kiss to his forehead and another to the top of his head.

“I know sweetheart, but I want to.”

Steve knew he should argue, Eddie would be bored, it was too early to sleep. But the part of him that craved affection and just wanted to be held made him still his tongue.

Eddie settled down further on the bed, pulling Steve into his arms until Steve’s head was on the older boy's chest.

“Now, time to get some rest Stevie. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Steve could do nothing but obey, letting the steady sound of Eddie’s heartbeat lull him to sleep.

#steve harrington #eddie munson #stranger things fanfiction #steddie fanfiction #my fics #steddie #steve x eddie #robin buckley #dustin henderson #max mayfield #Steve Harrington needs a hug #5+1 things #soft steve harrington #soft eddie munson #platonic soulmates robin and steve #hurt eddie munson #hurt steve harrington #tw child abuse #stranger things

51 notes · View notes

shesinchargeareyoukidding · 1 year

Text

Eddie Munson Sickfic: When you hurt - Chapter 5: I’ll figure it out in the morning

Read chapter one here

1975

He could hear shouting. Desperate, angry shouting.

“-ck you! He’s my kid! Mine! Why the fuck-“

-“Sir, please calm down-“

-“CALM DOWN?!? SHE TOOK MY FUCKING KID! SHE BROKE INTO MY HOME AND TOOK HIM! I WANT HIM BACK! NOW!”

“Your son has pneumonia, mr. Munson. He needs urgent medical care.”

“Bullshit! He was fine! You just want my fucking money. Take me for all I’ve got, huh?”

What was going on? Where was he? Why did he feel so weird? Was that his dad? Eddie managed to crack his eyes open and his blurry vision registered white walls and three people in his peripheral. There was a pressure on his face. he blinked sluggishly as he tried to reach his hand up to feel what it was. His hand hit something that felt like plastic.

“No, sir. It’s not like that at all…” A woman’s voice tried to reason.

“I want him back! Right now! He’s my kid. Ya can’t just fuckin’ take him!” That was his dad. Eddie tried to lift his head to look at the other people in the room, but the movement hurt his head and he let out a groan.

“Ed! See? He’s fine! Eddie, it’s me! Yer fine, right? Let’s go home, yeah?” As he spoke, Austin charged forward and pulled the oxygen mask off Eddie’s face and roughly pulled him into a sitting position. Eddie let out a startled whimper as he looked up at his dad.

“Ed! Tell them yer fine.” Austin demanded, pointing at the other two people in the room. Eddie panted as he tried to form proper words.

“d-dad. W-wha-” Eddie stammered. Austin nodded frantically.

“Yeah it’s me, bud. We’re gonna go home, okay?” He pressed.

“o-okay…” Eddie gasped, scrambling to get his body to move as his dad pulled on his arms. A hand shot out and stopped him from making it far. The hand felt warm as it softly settled on Eddie’s back, supporting him. The owner of the hand spoke in a low voice.

“No, Austin. That’s enough, now. Just look at him.” Eddie blearily looked at the source of the voice an vaguely recognised it as his quiet and kind uncle Wayne. He calmly lowered Eddie to lay back down and Eddie was so, so confused. Wasn’t he supposed to get up?

Austin furiously shook his head and grabbed for Eddie again, but this time Wayne stepped in and blocked his brother. “That’s enough, Austin! He needs to stay. When Jenny brought him here she said he was close to death!” Wayne argued. Eddie’s heart started racing at his uncle’s words.

“That old witch is way too dramatic, Wayne! What do ya think’ll happen if I let him stay, huh?” Austin huffed.

“He’ll live. That’s what’ll happen. Give me that damn oxygen mask!” Wayne said adamantly as he reached for the mask in his brother’s hand. Austin quickly danced out of the way.

“No! Ed, tell him you’re fine.” Austin pushed. Eddie felt overwhelmed as he fought to take in enough air. His lungs hurt, everything hurt. He didn’t understand what was going on. He swallowed hard against the nauseous feeling in his stomach as he tried to speak.

“I- I…” The nausea became too much as his stomach spasmed, making him gag. All Eddie could see was the look of betrayal on his father’s face before tears blurred his vision and he threw up into a bowl his uncle had thrust out under his chin. His uncle’s warm hand rubbed up and down his back and vaguely he could hear his father still ranting.

As he was throwing up bile, two more men entered the room. “Oh thank God.” The nurse said as she approached them. “The father of the patient is being very aggressive and keeps trying to take the kid away.” The security guards didn’t need to hear any more and advanced on Austin, who threw up his hands defensively.

“Hang on! It’s my kid, I should be able to take him anywhere I fuckin’ well want.” He insisted.

“’Fraid not, sir. There’s a protocol we need to follow before we can release the kid. You can discuss that with his doctor, but you can’t take him right now.” One of the guards said as he cautiously approached the three Munsons.

Austin’s eyes shifted around the room like a cornered animal and came to rest on the door. As he looked from the door to his son, he made a quick decision. Austin darted for Eddie and forcefully pushed Wayne aside. With one arm, he lifted his son out of his bed and pressed him close to his chest, while his other hand started tearing at the IV in the boys pale arm. It took two quick jerks and the needle was ripped free. Eddie let out a strangled yell of pain as blood began to steadily drip from his arm. Austin’s strong arms wrapped around him tightly and his cries were smothered into his father’s chest.

“Austin, no! Stop it!” Wayne exclaimed as he ran forward and grabbed onto Eddie as securely as he could. The two guards each grabbed one of Austin’s arms.

“No! Don’t fuckin’ take my son! Eddie! Help me, boy!” Austin screamed as they were pulled apart. Eddie was horrified to see tears in his dad´s eyes.

Eddie sobbed as he started struggling against Wayne’s strong grip and reached his bleeding arm out to his father. “Dad!” he wailed. Wayne’s grip didn’t let up and he gathered his nephew securely against his chest, whispering reassurances in the boy’s hair and pleading with him to calm down. Austin was dragged out of the room by the security guards, fighting and yelling the whole way. Right before the door closed behind them, Austin’s anger shifted from the adults in the room to the helpless child left behind. “Look at what ya did, Ed!” Austin raged. “I told ya not to let anyone in! and now fuckin’ look, boy! This is all your fault!” Eddie started wailing even harder. “I d- I didn- “ A coughing fit overtook him and he shook violently in his uncles arms.

His dad was gone. He left a ringing silence behind, broken only by his son��s cries.

People took his dad away and it was all his fault. A new burst of energy made him lash out at the hands wrapped around his chest. He hit them over and over, he sunk his nails into them as hard as he could, he tried to pull them away from his body with all his strength. The arms didn’t budge, no matter what he did.

He was being moved. His quiet uncle was carefully climbing into the hospital bed with Eddie fighting him every inch of the way. Calm as ever, Wayne sat down on the bed with his nephew against his chest and just held him.

“No! Let m-me go.” Eddie strained to raise his voice, tears streamed down his face and his voice came out wheezy and broken. His chest felt tight and painful.

“It’s okay, I’m here.” His uncle muttered quietly, not once letting up on his grip on Eddie.

“I don’t want you! I want my d-dad.” Eddie yelled. His struggles started to weaken as he dissolved into tears. “I want m-my dad… I- I want my dad…” He whimpered. All the fight drained out of the boy. His trembling body went limp as his shoulders shook with devastated and confused sobs.

“I know, darlin’. I know. I’m sorry.” His uncle soothed. The arms let up on their iron grip and started to rub up and down his arms.

“I- I don’t u-understand w-wha’s happening…” Eddie sobbed and Wayne’s heart broke all over again. Eddie latched onto one of the sleeves with a desperate grip. His chest was heaving so harshly that it felt to Wayne as if his nephew’s little ribcage was rattling apart.

“I promise I’ll explain everything, Eddie. But for now, all you gotta know is that I’m not gonna leave and I’ll stay here as long as ya need, alright? Right here.” He said as he slowly rocked his nephew. The nurse carefully approached the duo and silently handed Wayne the oxygen mask as she started unwrapping a new IV-needle and some gauze. Wayne carefully placed the oxygen mask back over Eddie’s nose and mouth. The kid was too exhausted to even react to the foreign feeling on his face, just closed his eyes and let himself go limp against his uncle’s chest.

“Sweetie?” The nurse softly brushed Eddie’s hair back from his face, making him blink his eyes back open and meet her gaze. She smiled. “Hey, Eddie. My name is Alice. I’m going to wrap up your arm and put a new IV in, okay? I’ll be as careful as I can.” Eddie nodded tiredly as two exhausted tears escaped from his eyes.

Alice put on rubber gloves and disinfected Eddie’s arm, which made him whimper and squeeze his eyes shut, but he held his arm still. “You’re doing so well, Eddie.” Alice praised as she wrapped his arm up. “You know, you might be the bravest boy I’ve ever met.”. Eddie stared at her in amazement and Alice caught his silent question. “Really.” She assured as she skilfully slipped the new needle in the small boy’s vein and taped it over securely. “There.” She winked. “Bet you barely even felt that.” Eddie nodded with wide eyes.

Wayne gave her a grateful look as she assured him the doctor would be by later to give him an update on Eddie’s health. Then she left and uncle and nephew were alone. Eddie mumbled something into his oxygen mask and Wayne leaned forward to catch it. “One more time, kid. What was that?”

Eddie huffed and lifted a shaking hand to his oxygen mask, but Wayne stopped him with a soft touch to his wrist. “I can hear you just fine, kid. Leave it on.” Eddie huffed again, but let his hand drop. Taking a deep breath, he tried again.

“ ’m sorry I yelled. a-and… and h-hit you.” He muttered against the plastic mask. Wayne gave him a gently squeeze. “Hell, kid. I get it. Barely felt it, yaknow.” He assured his nephew. Eddie shook his head.

“ ‘s not nice g-getting’ yelled at…” Eddie softly countered. Wayne nodded. “That’s true… But you’re eight years old, Ed. You’re eight and you’re really sick and you woke up to all that chaos. You were probably real scared an’ confused, huh? Totally normal for ya to freak out.” He reasoned. Eddie, whose eyes started to tear up again as he listened to his uncle describe his feelings so well, nodded against Wayne’s chest.

Wayne kissed the top of his head. “Ya still scared, Ed?” He asked. Eddie let out a weak sob and nodded once again. Wayne rearranged Eddie so he was curled up against his chest, head tucked underneath Wayne’s chin with the blanket wrapped around him and encased by his uncle’s strong arms. “I’ll take care of ya now, kid. Ain’t nothin’ to be scared of. Everything will be okay.” Eddie snuggled up against Wayne and almost believed him. “w-what about dad?” He asked. He felt Wayne’s chest rise and fall with a weary sigh. “I don’t know yet, Eddie. But I’ll figure that out in the mornin’.”

1987

Eddie blearily opened his eyes and he instantly clocked the white walls, the too clean smell, the press of an oxygen mask on his face. He looked to his left and met the tired gaze of his uncle, sitting in a plastic chair. No. adrenaline spikes inside his body and he jolts into action. Get out! Look what you did! You’re ruining everything! He rips off his oxygen mask, throwing off his blanket. A stinging in his arm catches his attention. Looking at it, he sees that he’s attached to an IV port. Frantically and without thinking, he starts tearing at it.

“Eddie, no! Stop it!” Wayne seized Eddie’s wrist in a tight grip and ripped it away from his other arm. Eddie flinched violently and twisted his arm around in an attempt to free himself. He propped his elbow underneath his body, trying to heave himself upright. Wayne was having none of it as he pressed his forearm against his nephew’s chest and pushed him down to the bed. Eddie let out a frustrated growl.

A horrified anger overtook Wayne as he looked at the blood that started to pool around Eddie’s IV. Horror itched across his skin. “Settle down, boy! Right now!” He barked out, getting in his nephew’s face. He didn’t mean to raise his voice, but the scene in front of him was sending him back to a moment he never wanted to relive. The thought that this time it was Eddie doing it to himself made his skin crawl.

Sick as he was, the fight was quickly drained out of Eddie. He slumped back down onto the bed. His IV caught on his blanket as he lowered his arm and he flinched and whimpered in pain. Wayne took in Eddie’s pale face and the blood smearing across his arm and felt helplessly angry.

“How could you, Eddie? Look what you did!” He demanded, wrenching Eddie’s arm up to make him look at it. Large pain filled eyes shifted from Wayne’s snarling face to the blood on his arm. Eddie burst into gut wrenching sobs and Wayne reeled back. All anger now replaced by guilt.

“ ‘m sorry, ‘m sorry, ‘m sorry, ‘m sorry, ‘m sorry-“ Eddie bawled, hyperventilating.

“Eddie, no. I’m sorry. Calm down. Sssh, just breathe. It’s alright.” Wayne consoled, trying to put the oxygen mask back on. Eddie flinched away and swatted at his uncle’s arm.

“we need to leave… we have to-… I can… I can g-get up…” Eddie slurred as he started to prop himself up again. Wayne was quick to grab his nephew’s shoulders and keep him in place, thumbs tracing patterns into his skin. “We’re not goin’ anywhere, kid. We’re stayin’ right here until yer better.” Eddie wildly shook his head and then groaned at the pain it caused. “Please. We can’t… we-“ Another coughing fit cut Eddie off. Wayne pulled Eddie to lay on his side and held him steady as coughs tore through him.

“Wayne…” Eddie implored, his large eyes blinking up at Wayne.

“No, Eddie. I don’t wanna hear it.” Wayne grumbled.

“We can’t stay here…” Eddie whispered.

“Too bad, kid. ‘Cause we’re stayin’ anyway.” Wayne dismissed easily. Eddie swallowed painfully, knowing he wasn’t going to win the discussion.

“Don’t be mad…” He pleaded instead.

“I’m not-“ Wayne started, but was cut off.

“Yes you are. I t-tried to keep goin’ I promise…” Eddie swallowed hard and sucked in another painful breath. “p-please believe me. I t-tried. I did. I didn’t t-think… I wasn’t… I tried to keep going, b-but…”

“Woah, woah. Hey, it’s okay…” Wayne soothed, running a hand down Eddie’s arm. He took a deep breath as he thought of the right words. “Yes, I’m mad.” He admitted. Eddie sniffed and Wayne tucked a bit of hair behind his ear in a loving gesture. “I’m mad because you thought you had to lie to me about bein’ sick, that you thought I’d hate ya for needing help. I hoped I taught ya better than that. I’m mad that I let it get this far, even when I knew that ya still do this sometimes. I’m not mad at you, Eddie. I’m mad at myself.” Eddie reached his trembling bleeding arm out to his uncle, who immediately leaned forward and embraced his nephew, not caring about the blood staining his shirt.

“c-can you…?” Eddie sniffed as he weakly tugged on his uncles arm. He didn’t need to explain himself further. Wayne let out an amused huff as he took off his shoes. “Dontcha think we’ll break the bed this time, Ed? You’re not eight anymore.” Eddie’s smile prompted him to shrug light-heartedly. “Eh, only one way to find out, right?” Eddie’s smile only grew as his uncle climbed in behind him, joints popping as he went, and pulled Eddie against his chest, just like they had done twelve years ago. Wayne gently eased the oxygen mask back in place, ignoring his nephew’s displeased whine. Soon, the oxygen eased some of the tightness in Eddie’s chest and he sunk into his uncle’s embrace.

“I’m sorry I yelled, kid.” Wayne muttered into his nephew’s hair. Eddie tried to speak, but was reminded of the mask. His hand lifted instinctively, but was stopped by his uncle’s hand gently touching his wrist. “My hearing might not be like it used to be, Ed. But I can still hear you just fine. Leave it on.” Eddie huffed and Wayne was strongly reminded of the little boy he had held like this twelve years ago.

“’s okay that you yelled. you’re w-worried.” Eddie rasped out. Wayne shrugged.

“Still, it’s not nice getting yelled at.” Wayne nudged Eddie with a fond smile. Eddie smirked in remembrance. “god, w-we’re a mess… aren’t we?” He breathed. Wayne nodded.

“True, but we have each other, right?” He asked. Eddie blinked heavily and snuggled into Wayne’s chest. “Yeah…” He sighed. “what are we gonna do, Wayne?” His large eyes looked up and his uncle. Wayne leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of his nephew’s head. “I don’t know yet, darlin’. I’ll figure it out in the mornin’”

To be continued.

Next chapter

#eddie munson whump #sick eddie munson #hurt eddie munson #eddie munson fanfiction #wayne munson #jim hopper #stranger things #stranger things fanfiction #eddie munson lives

36 notes · View notes

eddieheart · 1 year

Text

ADOPTED

Fandom: Stranger Things

Pairings: Steve X Eddie

Words: 665

Description: Eddie was adopted by his uncle Wayne

Based on this post:

When Eddie was five months old he showed up on his birth father’s doorstep, two days later he showed up on Wayne's. His uncle Wayne took him in when he was only five months old, when no one else wanted him.

Little baby Eddie was left with not much, a blanket, a toy elephant and a note. The note had been short and sweet, to Edward, for 18th birthday only. He'd been too scared to open it, so for the past three years on his birthday he'd opened the small drawer and stared at the letter.

He'd thought this year would be the same, he was wrong. For the first time ever Steve (his boyfriend Steve) was joining him. They were sitting on the couch eating pizza.

Of course the Munsons didn't own a coffee table so Eddie just moved the old bedside table in front of the couch and of course Eddie, clumsy as ever spilt his pop all over the drawer.

He scrambled to clean up the mess only to realize halfway through that his precious letter was stashed inside. Ripping opened the drawer he pulled out the letter and stared at the offending paper worriedly. It was dry, safe and secure in his hands.

Normally he waited until he was alone to stared at it, but he couldn't help himself. Falling back into the couch he stared intently down at it.

"What is it Eds?" Steve asked gently, placing a comforting hand into the older boy's shoulder.

He looked up to Steve with a flabbergasted expression, he'd almost forgotten he didn't know.

"When I was a baby, well I got tossed around more than a cob salad. My birth mom, she left this with me. For my eighteenth." He glanced up at a confused looking Steve.

"Eddie you're twenty-two." Eddie burst into laughter at Steve's serious expression.

"Yeah, Stevie I know. I've just been staring at it, I'm nervous... to open it y'know. I mean.. Wayne raised me, he's the closest thing I got to a dad and he always will be. I-I'm just scared." Steve leaned in close and wrapped his arms around the older boy, pulling him in tight.

"I get it. If you don't want to open it that's okay, I'll be holding your hand either way." Eddie's heart softened, he leaned in closer to place a chaste kiss to Steve's lips.

With a new determined look in his face he turned back to the letter.

"I'm gonna open it. I'm gonna open it. Oh my gods, Steve I'm really gonna open it." He said excitedly, bouncing in his seat.

Taking one last deep breath he carefully pulled open the top of the letter.

Edward,

Hopefully now you've become a man, hopefully Johnny has raised you well. I never wanted you to think that you weren't wanted, I wanted you I did, I just couldn't keep you. I'm twenty years old, I'm too young to raise a child. I really hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. By now I'll be 38, hopefully married and settled down. If you can forgive me and only if you want to, please find me. Let me know who you are. I'd love to see you again, my son.

Love moma,

His eyes watered as he read the note, the old paper crinkled in his hands. He felt something behind the letter, in between it and the envelope. A picture of a young blond woman holding a small baby boy sitting in a hospital bed. Words were written on the back.

'Karen & Edward Micheals May 15th 1964'

"Oh my god Stevie, I have a mom." His eyes watered as he looked over at the younger boy.

Steve smiled kindly and glanced down at the image. His face changed to one of shock, he gaped at the photo.

"Oh my gosh, Eddie, that's Karen Wheeler." Both boys stared at each other in surprise, how could this be possible.

@buggylad

#fanfiction #fanfic #stranger things #steve harrington #eddie munson x steve harrington #Eddie Munson #hurt Eddie Munson #karen wheeler #mike wheeler #nancy wheeler #Eddie and Nancy are siblings #Eddie and Mike are siblings #Karen wheeler is Eddie’s mom #eddie munson adopted #adopted Eddie Munson

21 notes · View notes

eddiephobic · 1 year

Text

very small pieces of my eddie whump from a wip i’ve been working on since june :

Eddie panted hard from throwing up, his throat was burning and he was sweating buckets. He turned on the faucet and let the cold water run through his hands. He broke down completely, broke down.

He couldn’t stop crying, snot running down his face. His breathing staggered, like he couldn’t catch his breath. He had to calm himself down quickly.

He heard his uncle's voice behind the door as his ears finally stopped ringing. “Eddie? Are you alright?” He asked, knocking on the bathroom door.

“Uh.. Yeah.. Uh..” He said, still trying to catch his breath.

“I’m coming in, okay?” His uncle said before opening the door and seeing his nephew breathing hard leaning over the sink gripping it tightly, his knuckles white. He looked paler than usual.

His uncle rushed over by his side trying not to touch his unbandaged wounds but wanting to hold Eddie from falling over before he bashed his head on the sink.

“Come on, you need to lay down.” He said.

#eddie munson whump #eddie munson #eddie munson stranger things #eddie munson lives #eddie munson fanfiction #wayne munson #sick eddie munson #hurt eddie munson #very sick eddie munson #he’ll never be okay #eddie munson always suffering #a wip i’ll probably never finish!

9 notes · View notes

cyphixem · 8 months

Link

I wrote something >:) really excited for this fanfic!!

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Joyce Byers/Jim "Chief" Hopper Characters: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Jim "Chief" Hopper, Dustin Henderson, Robin Buckley, Al Munson, Wayne Munson, Maxine "Max" Mayfield Additional Tags: Vampire Eddie Munson, Cop Steve Harrington, Hurt Eddie Munson, Organized Crime, Whump, Blood and Injury, Near Death Experiences, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, the year is 1988, Sharing a Bed, Suicidal Thoughts, Gun Violence, Heroin, Nightmares, Cuddling, Literal Sleeping Together, Homoerotic Wound Care, maybe smut?, probably smut, but later, Will update tags, Steve Harrington is a Sweetheart, Steve Harrington is a mom, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington Are Best Friends, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington Live Together, Hop is Steve's father figure, Proofread, Steve Harrington Has Bad Parents, Eddie Munson Needs a Hug, BAMF Eddie Munson, Blind Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Slurs, I'm so sorry but I love torturing eddie, Angst with a Happy Ending, Torture, I'll add more tags as i go Summary:

The year is 1988 and Steve is living with Robin while working as a rookie cop. After killing Vecna, the Byers moved back to Hawkins, hoping to provide relief to their friends, but after Eddie's death, Dustin was never the same. It's been two years, and he's coping, and Max is learning to live with her blindness, and everyone else is learning how to live normally again. Just when he thinks everything has settled, Steve and Hopper are called to Indianapolis to assist in a drug bust due to staff shortages, but what awaits Steve is both far worse and far better than he could ever expect.

3 notes · View notes

philsleftnut · 2 years

Text

He Can’t Stand it, He Doesn’t Want to.

Chapter Summary: Steve and Eddie come out here to smoke with each other often. High as kites, breathing in nothing but weed and each other. It was routine. Yet why does Steve hate the way he feels when he thinks just a little too hard about the time their fingertips touched. Eyes meet. Laughs crossed. It was too much. And too little.

Notes: I was watching the absolutely lovely movie "As You Are" when I wrote most of this. So that would be what inspired it. Which has our Charlie Heaton in it! Amazing movie! Very sad.

The first chapter is written from the perspective of Steve, and the second Eddie. All still in third person.

Find me on Ao3!

Chapters: | ||

Word Count: 2797

Tags: Angst, hurt/little comfort, internalized homophobia, anxiety, recreational drug use.

The stars get really bright when he looks at them through clouded eyes. Eyes that have been open just a little too long, they start to dry around the edges and water collects. It feels like fire entering as warm tears cover his vision. He finally blinks and lets it go. Falls down his face, onto his chin, then down his neck. Suddenly the stars are gone. He doesn’t know if it was worth it.

His pupils are dilated, immediately drying again as they open. Smoke is all around him, sucking the moisture out of his body. It hurts, he needs something to drink, but he can’t get enough of feeling like this is it. He feels a fresh blow of it right against his cheek. “Man, are you crying?”

“Fuck,” he sniffs, wiping the tears off his face. “No, my eyes are just extremely dry because you keep doing shit like that.” Steve chuckles. He fumbles with his arms and tries to push Eddie away from him. Eddie laughs with him. He hates it. The gaudy little laugh Eddie only ever used when they were sitting right here. Because the second Eddie’s stupid mouth opens it plays on a loop. And he sleeps to the sounds of Eddie Munson laughing at his joke. Or the smell of his crappy weed blowing through his face and hair. And when he’s stoned just right, he sleeps on the small electrifying touch of their fingers when Eddie passes him the joint. Their thighs right next to each other because lord knows the shared space was not large enough for two adult men. The rocket across the Creel house, legs looped through the openings, sat on the platform. Smoking Eddie’s leftover supply. The roaches Eddie doesn’t finish throughout the week.

He can’t stand it. He doesn’t want to.

Steve carefully takes the joint out of Eddie’s hands. His life is on fire, he pulls away and puts it up to his mouth. The wet end is between his lips and he can taste the paper, it’s mushy with saliva. His and Eddie’s. He can taste his spit fresh on the end of the joint, he inhales it. Smoke fills his mouth, it burns down his lungs, seeping into his organs. It made his head ring. He turns his face slowly toward Eddie, joint still in his mouth, blowing the cloud out. His eyes hang low while he looks up at the sky taking another drag.

Eddie sputters, waving away the smoke. “Yeah, ok, I deserved that one.” swinging his legs back and forth, he leans back on his hands. Every movement his legs made, his chains clinked against the metal, fabric brushed on Steve’s. “But do that again and reap the consequences Harrington.”

“How come you can do whatever you want, but I have to have some weird limit on face blowing.” Steve flails his hands in front of him, pushing his body up against the bars. Joint in between his pointer and middle finger. Floating on the end. Eddie laughs again and Steve feels like he can’t breathe. He drops the joint on the ground below them. “Aaah, fuck.”

Eddie laughs through his words, “Well now no one is gonna be doing any face blowing.” he slips his legs back through metal bars, turning to slide through the opening. His voice groaning and straining as he works through the tight space. He hops on the ground to walk around the rocket and in front of Steve. His hanging legs and arms move with no direction, touching Eddie’s body ever so often as they swing.

Steve can’t help but stare at him. Staring with the top of his permed hair, down his broad shoulders, hips, legs, landing on his dirty Reeboks. In between his feet lies the half finished blunt, orange but slowly burning out. The tiny spec of fire is not nearly enough, though Steve feels as if it illuminates Eddie’s entire body. He can see him.

He’s a man. Just like Steve. Coiled leg hair sticking out of the rips on his knees. His shirt stretched over shoulders, and muscles instead of boobs and fat. Eddie hasn’t shaved in a few days, and he can tell. Steve’s hand wants to reach out and feel how rough the patch on his neck is, he almost does. His hand pulls back quickly when Eddie drops to the ground. He picks up the joint, shakes it and holds it out to Steve.

There is mulch and dried leaves sticking to the end. He takes it. He pinches it and brings it up to his eyes, squinting, raking them over every inch of the small thing.Inspects it like he does Eddie. An ant crawls down the top to his finger. Steve lets it roam freely, searching for food where there blatantly is none. It gets to his knuckle and he presses down on it with the opposite hand, crushing the bug. Crushing himself.

He flicks it away. “You know, if this thing wasn't a biohazard before, it definitely is now.”

Steve drops his hand, giving Eddie back the joint. He takes it. Touching. They have to. Otherwise it’ll drop again. He stares at his open hand, watching Eddie's fingers barely lace with his as he pulls away. And Steve tells himself it’s the high in his body that yells for him to take full hold. Except he can’t. Because his body feels like it’s on fire every time he touches him, and there isn’t a person in the world who could tell him if that’s good or bad.

“You can’t waste good ganga Steve.” Eddie says. Smoking.

“You always lie to the people you smoke with?”

Eddie raises his brow, flicking the ash in Steve’s direction. “Man what are you talking about?”

“Now-“ he flinches. Ash hits his jeans. He wonders if it will burn into them. Leaving him with a physical reminder of the nights with the man in front of him. Tiny dark spots only he would notice, wafting with the scent of marijuana. Falling asleep to the image of them disregarded on his bedroom floor, with a deeper meaning then he’s ever willing to understand. He smiles briefly, “that you have good shit.”

“Hey! My shit, is perfectly fine, thank you!” He defends, returning Steve’s smile. He walks closer, Steve’s thighs spreading slightly. Eddie flips the blunt around to give Steve the last remaining hits. “Gotta actually smoke it to know.”

Steve doesn’t want to smoke anymore. His head feels like it’s floating off his neck and Eddie is at his knees but Steve feels like he is chest to chest holding him down. Eddie wiggles it, raising both eyebrows. “I don’t wanna put that thing in my mouth.” Is what comes out. Instead of ‘no’, or ‘another time’, an excuse. Something Eddie has a rebuttal for.

“Well there’s an easy way around that.” There is a casual smirk laying on Eddie's face.

They’d done it before. Once. Steve went home and bored a hole into his bedroom ceiling.

“Ok.”

Is all Steve can say before Eddie is taking one of the longest drags of his life. He watches his lips wrap around the dirt coated paper, sucking in through his neck. Steve’s eyes can’t catch a single thing while Eddie holds it. Eddie is staring back. His eyes dark brown, filled with his dark pupils. They’re lighter than Steve’s. It’s unusual. But Eddie’s eyes aren’t full of fear.

Steve doesn’t lean in. He just closes his eyes with his face waiting in between the bars. His mouth ajar, waiting.

Eddie’s mouth moves to his. They are centimeters away. The tips of their noses graze one another. He doesn’t dare touch their lips. He doesn’t hold onto Steve’s thighs, or grip his hair. He does take the bottom of his chin lifting so the smoke goes into his mouth better. He tilts his head, opening his lips. Smoke flows out of him, finding the only other possible place to go.

The weed is suffocating him in the open air. His lungs fill with his nerves igniting on the very touch of Eddie. His face, his legs, the mere inches of their mouths.

He opens his eyes, Eddie is so close. His eyes are closed and his body is lax. Steve wants to crawl inside of him and learn how. His eyes draw upward in an attempt to stop tears he can feel coming, but his eyes were too dry. The smoke that can’t fill his mouth comes in between their faces. He can’t see anymore. Steve can’t breathe. He can’t stand it. It hurts.

Steve coughs it all out loudly, pushing Eddie away roughly with his hands. He trips backwards, falling flat onto the ground. “Shit,” continuing to cough “sorry.”

Eddie goes down completely onto his back, to Steve unexpectedly, laughing. “Dude, you could’ve just closed your mouth or pulled away. Didn’t have to fully accost me onto the ground.”

“Are you okay?” Steve chokes into his hand.

“Am I okay? Are you?” He comes up onto his forearms looking over his knees. “You sound like you just swallowed the biggest load and are definitely not enjoying it.”

“Don’t-'' Steve interrupts himself with a cough, but sounds more like a pitiful choked out whine. “Don’t make me laugh, you’re gonna make it worse.”

His throat is calming down and the smoke is disappearing above him. His body is flush, cheeks warmer than they should be, racing down his chest. His heartbeat is soaring. He kind of thinks that it’s going to send him and the rocket off into the sky.

He drops his head forward and presses his forehead into the cold metal in front of him. A coping method. He rolls his face back and forth spreading the sensation across himself. His high is spreading it further. Mixing his blushing heat, and the grounding coolness. He wishes that it would distract him but all he felt was nauseated. Small. Tight. He has to move.

Steve copies Eddie’s movements from earlier leaving the spaceship, it being easier without the extra body. He slips down and out of his metal jail. His legs hurt. His whole body is fatigued.

He wanders over to where Eddie lies on the ground. He doesn’t know what part of his brain tells him to do so but he sinks his body right next to his way to close. Instead of a couple of under the influence dudes committing to late night shenanigans, it’s two guys who can’t breathe touching every part of their skin. They’re pressing into each other, Steve’s shoulder is lying above Eddie’s, knees knocking together, hips colliding.

Looking over at Eddie, his nose almost touches his cheek. Eddie is watching the sky. He breathes in, smelling pieces of him. His face smells of his cheap aftershave even though his stubble from days past remains. Weed soaks his skin and Steve inhales it all so that it seeps into him.

Eddie turns. Their noses bump together scaring Eddie a bit. He laughs it away, their lips almost touch. If he just moved forward by the second, “You come onto all of the people you smoke with like this?”

Steve looks away, a blush rising through him. “Uh- I- no.”

“So just your girls then?”

Eddie is joking. He is just joking. Steve knows that Munson is poking fun at his past history throughout high school. His one with girls. Notorious history with girls. Girls he used to have sex with. Girls that he used to kiss. Dream about. Fall asleep too. Spike a fever over a simple touch. Girls.

“I wish you were a girl.” Steve says, staring into the black space above them.

It just happens. He doesn’t even think about it. There were words coming out of Eddie’s mouth, and then words coming out of his. Suddenly he can’t use his mouth any more to explain away the soul crushing things he’s just said. He doesn’t even want to imagine what Eddie’s face looks like. Wide eyes, shocked, horrified, maybe he thinks he’s joking. Steve shoots into a sitting position. He’s trying to breathe. But he can’t. His lungs fill with fire every time he breathes in. They fill with Eddie's weed that pours out of his skin. Fill with his hatred for himself. They fill and they simply just don’t exhale.

He’s blowing up. His head is floating off his neck and there is nothing holding him down this time.

Eddie touches his shoulder. It doesn’t bring him back. It sends him all the way up into the stars. Steve jerks away from him. “No.”

“Steve-”

“No.”

“Ok.”

Steve stands up. He’s shaking. His legs feel like they can’t keep him up on two feet. He looks down at his shoes, they’re puddled with tears, in another universe he could swim in them. Feel the water and float away. Maybe drown. His eyes have been crying. He doesn’t know when they started. Except they did. It stains down his face, dripping onto the tips of his shoes like they have every right to be there. His back is facing Eddie and he can’t see him. He doesn’t want to.

Steve walks toward the rocket and when he gets there, he grabs onto two metal bars and screams. He screams the fire out of his lungs. The tears out of his eyes. He screams the Eddie out of his body. Every sleepless night, thinking about Eddie Munson joins the clouds. Because who is Steve Harrington? To think about someone like him. To feel more than a molecule of energy for someone looking like Eddie. He doesn’t understand it. And he thinks if he screams until the possibility of understanding that comes he’ll be okay.

He hates himself. And he hates Eddie. He doesn’t know how Eddie gets it and he doesn’t. Why did he use all of his time sleeping to the sound of Nancy Wheeler in high school, and now he can’t sleep without Eddie? Who made that decision, and why wasn’t it Steve? He can’t stand it. He can’t breathe. It all hurts and burns and ignites a fire in him that refuses to be put out.

His voice is cracking. Already dry from the smoke. It’s pathetic and falling into a pit. In a minute his throat will be raw and Steve wont be able to speak at all. For the first time in a long while Steve knows what he wants. So he stops. Breathes. Opens his throat. Ripples out the last remaining voice he’s got left. For himself.

There is a sound behind him. He can’t quite make it out over the ringing in his ears. His whole body comes to an abrupt stops, interrupted by another clashing with him. Not hard. But Eddie comes up behind him and collides with him, hands on his shoulders, getting his attention.

“Steve! Jesus Christ, do you want us to get arrested?” he asks. He quickly moves away from Steve. Unsure if he even wanted to be within the same fifty feet at him right now. “Sorry, but you couldn’t hear me and I couldn’t think of another way to get your attention.

He’s bent over, white knuckling the metal spaceship, panting. His mind is gone. His thoughts are out in the air around him. He waves them away. “Alright.” He rasps, smiling weakly.

Steve lets go of the bars, flexing his fingers. Blood rushing back to his hands. He walks over to the spot onto the ground where Eddie had fallen when he pushed him. The last of his blunt laying in the dirt and mulch. He snatches it, dusting it off with his finger. With two pinched fingers he motions the joint toward Eddie. “Got a light?”

“I- uh, yeah here.” Eddie pulls a lighter out of his pocket, tossing it toward Steve. He catches it at his chest with a free hand.

“Thanks.” He says briefly. He puts the joint between his lips, cupping his mouth, and lighting the end. He shoves the lighter in his pocket, inhaling. The weed coats his throat, it heals the rubbed raw feeling from his screams. He spins in an absent-minded circle staring at the stars, before falling on his ass, laying, staring at the sky.

He blows the smoke at them. Hoping they catch it from him. “You know I alway thought the stars looked so bright from down here.”

Eddie comes over to him, lying in the spot next to Steve. He’s not as close. Never as close. He reaches over to take the roach from him. Eddie smokes the last drag. The cloud dissipates with his words. “Really? I always thought they looked quite dull.”

13 notes · View notes

weirdspaceowl · 2 years

Text

Whumptober day 19: Repeatedly passing out

It was slow going. Steve wanted to avoid a second incident at all costs and thus walked very carefully. His attention partly on the ground and partially on Eddie. Every minute or so he would have to gently shake the trembling metalhead to make sure he was still conscious. It scared him how quiet and still he’d gotten. It was unnerving to say the least. Steve has seen Eddie fall out of a locker before that he had been in for hours, bruised and bleeding, all flailing limbs and attitude and bloody grins. Steve could not recall a moment when he had seen Eddie so outwardly exhausted and listless.

“Hey Eddie, you wanna hear about the time Jonathan Byers beat the shit out of me?”

Eddie slowly pulled his head away from Steve’s shoulder to look at him. “w-what?”

Read my new chapter here

#stranger things fanfiction #stranger things #steddie #eddie munson #eddie the brave #eddie munson whump #whumptober 2022 #hurt eddie munson

11 notes · View notes

acasualcrossfade · 28 days

Text

Flayed

Stranger Things | Steddie | Rating: T | Words: 1789 | Ao3

CW: (handcuffs as) restraints, being restrained, mentions of physical violence, sedation

Written for @whumpril day 1: Limp | Divider art: @saradika-graphics

Steve helps Hopper restrain a violent and Flayed Eddie.

Steve barely breathed as he backed himself against the wall of the living room, watching Hopper pull in a squirming Eddie from outside. Steve’s nose wrinkled at the sharp smell of chemicals from Eddie and his heart froze.

Eddie whined and grunted in Hopper’s hold as he kicked and struggled to get back outside to the garden shed.

“Get my cuffs, my cuffs,” Hopper grunted as he struggled with Eddie through the doorway of the house. Steve blinked and jumped into action, grabbing Hopper’s cuffs from where he left them on the dining room table.

“I have to go back, I have to go back,” Eddie whined, pulling against Hopper’s hold and reaching to get free. Eddie’s head swung and Hopper launched back to avoid getting hit.

Eddie’s mouth was stained with soil and flecks of green fertilizer. His eyes were wide and empty, yet desperate as he fought against Hopper.

“I have to go back!!” Eddie wailed, his arms reaching towards the door as he tried to get away.

Steve’s heart thudded in his chest. Eddie was just fine seconds ago. They were just sitting on the couch. They were just talking. He watched in vain as Eddie arched backwards as his mouth opened wide. Eddie’s eyes rolled back to white and he trembled hard before he let out a blood-curdling screech.

The shrill, dissonant sound sent chills up Steve’s spine and he dropped the cuffs to clamp his hands over his ears. It was as if the sound came from every single pore of Eddie’s body. The sound split through his head and Steve groaned as he felt the start of a migraine.

Hopper managed to get a better hold on Eddie, but couldn’t get his rigid form to move more than a few steps at a time.

The sound broke off suddenly and Eddie twisted in Hopper’s hold as he tried to pry out of Hopper’s hold.

Steve’s heart raced in his chest, but he forced himself to move, to help, to do anything. He grabbed the cuffs from the floor and pushed himself back to standing.

Hopper grunted as he struggled to keep Eddie from getting past him. But step by slow step, he was pushing Eddie back to the bedroom.

“The bed, we’ll cuff him to the bed,” Hopper grunted, managing to fight Eddie back through the doorway of the bedroom.

Eddie’s hand found the doorframe and he grabbed it, flat out refusing to go any farther. Hopper strained and Steve tried to pry Eddie’s fingers away from the wood. Eddie’s grip was inhumanly strong, but Steve managed to peel one finger away, then another, enough for Hopper to shove Eddie the rest of the way in and onto the bed. Hopper kept his forearm pressed over Eddie’s chest to keep him down.

Eddie flailed as he screamed, this time the sound a garbled cry as he reared off the bed. Hopper pressed his forearm against Eddie’s chest, reaching for Steve with a shaking hand.

“The cuffs, hurry, the cuffs.”

Steve handed them over and watched as Hopper held Eddie down and managed to click the cuffs around his right wrist. Hopper pulled the other pair from his belt, still trying to get Eddie to stop fighting.

Steve felt frozen where he stood as Eddie flailed on the bed, his legs and limbs a blurred flurry of movement. His kicks thumped against the mattress and shook the whole frame. Eddie groaned as he fought, sweaty with exertion, but still putting up enough fight for Hopper to have to work to keep him down.

Steve rushed to the bedside to help, hating that Eddie still squirmed as he yanked at the frame with his restrained wrist.

“Get his arm,” Hopper nodded, firmly pressing Eddie to the bed to keep him in place. Eddie struggled under Hopper, his arm beating against Hopper’s sides and arms, but Steve managed to catch Eddie’s wrist and force it up towards the bed frame. It took more effort than he was ready for, and Steve was forced to pull Eddie’s arm up towards the frame. The man whine and pulled away, but Steve held strong.

Hopper moved quickly and got the cuff around Eddie’s left wrist to click the cuff in place. Now cuffed to the bed, Eddie couldn’t move his arms, but his body still arched and thumped against the bed as he tried to escape.

The room filled with Eddie’s frustrated grunts and growls of annoyance between the rattling of the cuffs against the metal bed frame. Steve backed away from Eddie feeling shaky and sick as he watched the man strain against the cuffs. The bedframe rattled behind him as Eddie yanked at it; Steve was suddenly nervous that Eddie would bend the metal with his efforts.

“Wh-what happened?” Steve demanded. “He was just fine three seconds ago and now he’s rabid and screaming like a banshee?”

Steve had to give himself credit for knowing what a banshee was, and made a mental note to thank Dustin. Still, the sight of Eddie’s body jerking around on the bed made his chest constrict. There wasn’t much in the room besides the bed and the dresser-turned-medicine cabinet. It was lined with papers and pill bottles and Steve leaned against it for support as he caught his breath.

“I have no idea,” he admitted between heavy breaths. He shook his head, just as confused.

Eddie reared back again, throwing his head against the mattress hard enough to make Steve wince.

Eddie thrashed and cried out, his fingers stretched and reaching for something, his black eyes staring blankly past the two of them. His Hellfire shirt was torn in places and stained in others, and his jeans were streaked with mud. Hopper had clamped the cuffs tightly around Eddie’s wrists and the skin was already turning an angry, irritated red.

Eddie moaned and suddenly went rigid as he trembled again, black veins suddenly starting to criss-cross over his dirt-stained hands and snake up his arms.

“We have to put him out,” Hopper grunted, already moving toward the dresser where Steve stood. He jumped away to give Hopper access to it, watching as the police chief pulled open the top drawer, and then the second.

“I have to go back, I have to go back, I have to go back,” Eddie gasped. His voice was clear and sounded like his own again, but his eyes were still blank as his head thrashed from side to side.

Steve watched Hopper dig around the second drawer before pulling out a needle and a small bottle of clear liquid.

Hopper turned the small bottle upside down and drew from it to fill the syringe.

Steve’s knees weakened at the sight of the needle and his ears rang. The world went blurry, but Hopper’s voice forced him to stay conscious.

“Hey, hey, I need you on two feet,” Hopper called, eying him. “I need you to hold him down again.”

Eddie’s arms jerked as he pulled at the cuffs, but Steve grabbed his right one and did his best to hold it still. Eddie made no eye contact with either of them, eyes still darting around for a way out.

Steve didn’t think about how it’d been mere minutes since Eddie was with them on the couch, didn't think about his knee pressed against Steve’s as they created a plan...

“Hold him still,” Hopper urged and Steve had no choice but to use both hands on Eddie’s bicep and forearm to hold his arm still. The black veins webbed under Eddie’s skin and Steve felt something sick stir in him as he watched the needle stab into Eddie, the sedative pushing into his veins.

Eddie’s desperate pleas to go back broke off as he collapsed against the bed. His body shuddered and he let out a heavy exhale before going limp. Eddie’s eyes fluttered in resistance, but they gave in and slid shut.

Eddie lay still.

Steve carefully let his grip loosen and fall away from Eddie’s arm. The immediate silence of the room made Steve’s knees wobble and he gripped the dresser for support. His ears buzzed with the echoing sounds of Eddie’s screams and whines, but as the room stood in silence for the first time in minutes, Steve felt relief flood through his jarred nerves.

With the relief came the overwhelming nausea crawling up his throat. The smell of soil and chemicals, the shrill scream, and the jab of the needle into black veins made him gag. He pressed the back of his hand and forced himself to swallow as he staggered to the door of the room. He stopped, not wanting to leave Eddie, and instead collapsed against the doorframe to suck in deep breaths. He wasn’t going to lose it, he wasn’t going to lose it.

Hopper’s strong hand gripped his shoulder in support. “Hey, you’re okay. You did great. It’s okay.”

Steve’s mind was still tumbling with thoughts. “What the hell just happened? Wasn’t he just fine earlier? Minutes ago?”

Their plan to use Eddie as a spy had slipped from genius to useless in a matter of minutes. Steve glanced to where they’d all been sitting not five minutes ago. Eddie’s glass of water stood untouched, and the notes he scribbled had fallen to the floor in his sudden flee out the door. Steve’s skin crawled as his mind struggled to make sense of it all.

He looked back at Eddie’s limp body on the bed. Eddie’s eyes slid slowly back and forth under his lids, but his body was deathly still. Another chill worked itself up Steve’s spine.

Bruises were already starting to bloom over Eddie’s wrists.

“He can’t last like this,” Hopper said, running a worried hand over his mustache. “Even flayed, his body won’t survive through this.” His eyes glanced over Eddie, checking to make sure he was truly sedated. “I’m calling Owens. Stay with him.”

Hopper disappeared from the bedroom before Steve could respond.

Steve looked over at Eddie in the bed. His sweaty curls were fanned out across the pillow, and despite the soil and fertilizer that stained his mouth and hands, he almost looked normal. Like Eddie. Still, exhaustion was etched over Eddie’s eyes and his skin was pale and waxy in the light of the bedroom.

Eddie’s body looked as worn out as Steve felt.

Steve took a careful seat at the end of Eddie’s bed, swallowing around the lump in his throat. He pressed a hand over Eddie’s ankle and squeezed it.

There was nothing he could do but wait.

And hope that Eddie, his Eddie, would survive this.

#whumpril #whumpril2024 #whumpril day 1: limp #steddie #steddie whump #eddie munson whump #flayed eddie munson #hurt eddie munson #steve harrington #jim hopper #steddie fic #acasualcrossfade writes #thunderously_halo writes #whump

5 notes · View notes

afewproblems · 1 year

Text

"What's he doing here?" Eddie growls as he walks into the trailer kitchen, tossing his leather jacket onto the nearest chair and yanking open the fridge with stiff jerky movements.

He glares at his uncle Wayne who glares right back, the twin expressions spit fire across the kitchen as Eddie slams the fridge door with a beer now in hand. He tries not to feel guilty about the sudden jerk of movement in the periphery of his vision, the flinch.

Steve Harrington sits at the other end of the kitchen table, he's picking at his nails and his face is tilted down towards the table as though the checkered tablecloth is the most captivating thing he's ever seen. Steve is sitting strangely, hunched over slightly at an angle but Eddie doesn't care.

Eddie learned a lot from his uncle Wayne, how to shave, how to tell if eggs were about to expire, and how to make a good cup of coffee.

He learned how to argue from his dad.

Vicous words and loud voices, slamming doors and heavy stomping feet.

It's certainly not his best quality, but it's effective.

"What is he doing here Wayne, he made it very clear that we," Eddie gestures at himself and his uncle with wild hands, "could fuck off for all he cared!"

Steve flinches again, it takes everything in Eddie not to turn and yell at him.

"Eddie, if you're going to be a damn nuisance then you can get out of my kitchen," Wayne says calmly but there is an undercurrent of anger in his words as he moves the coffee mug he was drinking from away from himself.

Steve turns slightly and makes to get up but Wayne holds out an arm without looking at him, his glare is still fixed on Eddie.

"Edward, I mean it, you're not helping so leave".

The last vestiges of Eddie's self control bubbles away as he finally boils over.

"How could you take his side! You're supposed to be my family, not his!" Eddie snarls, righteous fury radiates out from his chest and into his limbs, he wants to break something.

"He didn't want us, he left us remember," Eddie shouts as he points at Steve who curls further into himself and tries to get up again.

"Steven you stay right where you are," Wayne grinds out, he takes a deep breath, holds it for a second, and releases it through his nose.

"Eddie, you can either stay and help, or you can be angry and leave, your choice, you get 10 seconds to decide," Wayne says after a beat, he still has the same glare etched into his face but a hint of weariness seeps through.

Wayne turns away from Eddie and faces Steve once more, he grabs one of their clean tea towels from the table in front of him and gestures for Steve to raise his face.

That's when Eddie finally sees the open first aid kit on the table.

All at once the rage dissipates as Eddie stares at Steve in horror.

His normally beautiful face is covered in blood. Mottled yellow and purple bruising blooms over his cheekbone just underneath a swollen-shut eye. The white of Steve's other eye has turned scarlet and a deep gash has opened up across his nose.

Wayne tips their rubbing alcohol bottle into the cloth and gently begins to dab and clean away the blood from Steve's face.

Steve breathes in as the cloth makes contact with the gash on his nose, Wayne murmurs an apology but continues.

"This'll need stitches," Wayne sighs as he gets up to wash his hands at the sink, "I'll need to grab a few more things from the bathroom, think you two can behave yourselves in the meantime?"

Steve nods mutely while Eddie continues to stare, he looks away towards Wayne and manages a tight nod.

Wayne turns and walks out of the kitchen leaving them alone, something they haven't done for two long weeks.

"I'm sorry," Steve mumbles after a beat, he blinks sharply and sniffs wetly, running a shaking hand over his nose, "for what I said, I didn't mean it," the words stutter and stop as Steve clears his throat.

Eddie stands frozen to the spot, for the second time in his life, he's been rendered absolutely speechless.

The first time was when Steve had told him he loved him.

"I, uh, I did what you said Eds," Steve continues, his voice wobbles slightly and pitches up in that tell-tale way that Eddie knows means he's trying not to cry, "wanted to be brave for you and," he waves the same hand in front of his face with a sad laugh, "I'm uh, not..." he sniffles again.

The last sniffle seems to jumpstart Eddie again, he crosses the distance between them and takes over Wayne's vacant seat, Steve's one eye tracks his movement as he stops speaking and stills.

Eddie swallows, it feels like rocks going down, he hates that Steve is afraid of him, of his reaction.

He slowly reaches for Steve's hand that rests on the table, watching his face for the slightest change, he pauses just before their fingers touch, uncertain if it will be welcome.

Steve meets his gaze, his one good eye traces over Eddie's face for what feels like an eternity before he slowly turns his palm up and crooks his fingers.

Eddie breathes out a sigh of relief and closes the gap, smoothing his fingers lightly over Steve's palm and up his wrist, the movement pushes up the sleeve of Steve's shirt revealing purple bruises that dot his pale skin.

Fuck.

"Can't go home anymore," Steve whispers, he grazes his own fingers across Eddie's arm in small circles, "I know you’re mad, but I didn't know where else to go--"

"You're always welcome here kid," Wayne says as he strides back into the kitchen, his hands holding their suture kit, "that hasn't changed," Wayne grumbles pointedly at Eddie, who grimaces as another small flicker of anger rekindles in his chest.

Eddie looks away from Wayne to find Steve watching him, his eye boring into Eddie's with an unreadable expression on his bruised face.

The thing is, Eddie wants to let it all go.

He wants to take Steve into his arms, tell him everything is going to be okay and that he can of course stay with them.

But he can't.

The hurt is still too fresh, too raw.

He's so angry still, angry with Steve.

Angry at Wayne, angry with himself for letting it go too far.

Eddie slowly, gently, takes his hand back and stands up from Wayne's chair, gesturing for his uncle to take the seat back.

Steve's empty hand stays palm up as his gaze follows Eddie to the door of the kitchen.

Eddie turns into the hallway without a backwards glance.

And if his heart breaks all over again as he hears Steve begin to softly cry in the kitchen while Wayne tells him everything will be alright?

Well, no one needs to know.

#fanfiction #steddie #stranger things #steve harrington #eddie munson #steve x eddie #fanfic #stranger things season 4 #wayne munson #hurt steve harrington #hurt eddie munson #steve harrington has shit parents #we love wayne munson in this household #im so sorry yall

224 notes · View notes

narilwrites · 2 years

Text

Eddie Munson fic recs please!!!

hello Eddie fans, is anyone able to recommend me a eddie hurt/comfort fic that is all about the gutwrenching agony of the gang saving his life after the bats and then him slowly recovering (with lots of angst and hurt/comfort) up until there is a happy ending?

(Could be Steddie or Hellcheer, maybe an OC but ideally not Y/N if there's a ship)

7 notes · View notes

tartarusknight · 10 months

Text

you're losing your memory - 2/3

Part 1

Steve Harrington’s first-time experiencing memory loss was after Billy. Just small things he wouldn’t really notice until they were pointed out to him. Just, for the most part, no one was there to point them out to him. But sometimes a question was asked that he should know but he just didn’t anymore. He did his best to make do, but school became much harder when little things failed him over and over.

Then in 85, with the Russians, he only got worse. Not to the point he’d go get help, but enough where it was hard to live day in and day out. But to be fair, he wasn’t sure what level of pain he had to deal with daily to get him to go and get help.

He learned what that level was in 86. After smashing his head against the ground from being pulled into the Upside Down and then slamming into the wall at the Creel House, his head was scrambled. He struggled to get out of bed in the morning. Every morning. Not even fun plans made it easier. So, he got an appointment and he told them how he had been feeling and the lost moments of time he’d been experiencing. They kept him over night and they explained it all to him the next day. Only half of it sunk in but it was enough for Steve to know that he had been stupid for putting it off for so long. They told him to be careful and to tell his friends and family so they would be able to help him. And well… Eddie had just gotten out of the hospital and Max was still in there. They had enough to worry about.

So, he called his parents and his mom flew home for a little over a week. She helped him make the house safer for him and get him started on a new routine that would hopefully keep him safe. She got him a bunch of easy meals that he wouldn’t strain himself doing and a calendar/note board on the wall in the kitchen. Plenty of helpful things to help him remember shit. She even got him glasses and hearing aids that he didn’t want to use. The most important thing that happened though, was her call with Sam Owens. Steve had listened to her pull out every trick she had until Steve’s medical bills were covered and it was the first time Steve realized that his mom knew something had happened that he wasn’t allowed to talk about. Only, then he could and he did. He told her everything from when Will went missing to closing the Upside Down off for the last time. She had held him close and he broke down against her. Embraced in her arms for the first time since he was a kid and she had been a stay-at-home mom.

But in the end, it was just a waiting game. So, at his assurances that he’d be fine, she went back to work. It was harder to pretend everything is fine, but when the world is still trying to knit itself back together after Vecna ripped it apart… well everyone was pretending they were fine. He blended in. And just because he wasn’t okay, didn’t mean that he stopped going out of his way to make sure others were fine. He took joy in making sure everyone was alright. Steve loved the party and he wanted them to be able to go to him for help. But he didn’t give as many rides anymore. Instead, he did his best to talk Eddie into driving. Eddie enjoyed it and Steve got to play the passenger for the first time in years. He shifted his focus and got better at staying out of any circumstances that would only cause it to get worse.

But he couldn’t hide it all.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t Robin who reached out first but Eddie. And well… Steve had kind of always found Eddie entertaining. In fact, there was an entire week when he was a freshman where he had been science partners with him. Eddie didn’t seem to care too much about him but he wasn’t rude. Steve didn’t quite remember the details of that week but Eddie had been moved from his table and Steve didn’t have a reason to reach out. So, he had been a coward and let Eddie go. He stayed with Tommy and Carol, the people he grew up with. He let Eddie go, ignored his existence because he never wanted to look into the reason that he was so hung up on him. Then he came back into Steve’s life. And well… he came in just to remind Steve of those feelings that he could finally name with Robin’s help.

And yes, Eddie flirted with him but Steve never felt like they were friends. Not until he cornered Steve at his house. Nancy and Robin were in the living room as Steve threw some stuff together for dinner. A new normal, the four of them staying at his place. Eddie and him growing closer and making Steve’s chest lighter. Eddie had been sitting on the counter and running his hand over the newly rounded corner of the island. “You’ve been acting differently,” Eddie said softly and Steve turned to look at him. “It’s like… I don’t know but like you’ve- god this is stupid.” Eddie huffs, crossing his arms. Puffing a breath of air out like he was annoyed at himself.

Steve left the food on simmer and moved between Eddie’s legs. “Hey, don’t do that. What’s stupid? I thought we were getting better at talking,” Steve joked, poking Eddie’s stomach. But he was nervous. He wasn’t sure if Eddie figured out his crush or not.

Eddie’s mouth twisted up as he grabbed a piece of his hair to tug at. “It feels like your getting ready to leave.” He whispers and Steve blinks, completely surprised.

“What?”

Eddie throws his hands up, “that’s what I meant! This is stupid!” He stated and Steve looked at him. Eddie looked a mix of nervous and embarrassed. “It’s just, it’s like you’re trying to make each night feel perfect. Like you want to make sure whatever moment was last, would be perfect.” He breathes out and Steve feels dread hit him in the chest. “My mom- she- it’s whatever,” Eddie decides and he looks like he wants to run.

Steve blocks him even more, placing his hands on Eddie’s thighs. “Hey, I don’t think it’s stupid. I guess… you’re right.” He says and Eddie looks terrified at Steve’s words. It makes Steve freeze. He could say the truth, tell Eddie his fears of losing all of this. But then Steve’s own cowardice flared up and he looked away. “You never know when you’re going to lose someone. We almost lost you and Max. Isn’t it better to make each moment great?”

The words felt terrible as they fell from his mouth. He hated it but he couldn’t say the words. He couldn’t tell them he wasn’t okay even though he should’ve. The longer he kept it secret, the likeliness of them finding out by accident and panicking. But as Eddie grinned down at him and his brown eyes were soft, “Yeah?”

Steve had only nodded, “Yeah. Gotta make each moment special when you’re with people you love.” Eddie had flushed and Steve felt like shit. He knew that he should open his mouth and tell Eddie that he was right. That Steve was spouting bullshit. But he didn’t. And two days later…

~~~~~~~~~~

Steve sat in his hospital bed. It was his second day in the stupid place and he was already sick of it. Just sitting there while people he barely knew came in the room to tip toe around him. He was told that his mom was on the way and he was relieved. Because as the people who call themselves his family, his friends, told him stories he couldn’t help but put another brick onto his defenses. He watched them all carefully.

Hopper who didn’t act too different. But there was a silence in him. The way he looked hallowed out and relieved to be here but also just so tired. No one told him what happened to the older man, but Steve knew something did. He wasn’t stupid. He saw the scars both physical and mental.

Joyce was the closest to the person he remembered… only he barely knew her before. He couldn’t even really tell if there had been a big change for her.

Nancy… she was freer, but also tougher. She had a scar on her cheek that didn’t look too old and she held herself confidently. Steve had always known she was someone who’d take charge of a situation and it finally seems like she understands that as well. And she was able to see her mistakes and apologize. Well… from their retellings of stories, this might have been the first time she had done so. She didn’t tell him that they talked it out. No, she tells him how she and Jonathan didn’t let him isolate completely in his senior year. How she helped him pass the year.

Robin, his supposed soulmate. And she does seem to care. But Steve notices the way she can’t look him in the eye. It was definitely because of the memory loss but it still hurt to see the person who everyone says loves him more than anyone, look out of their depth and like everything he says is a knife to the gut. But there was one thing that stopped him from completely believing that she is his best friend is the fact she’s holding Nancy’s hand. It didn’t take a genius to understand that she and Nancy were serious. But it hurts to see. That Nancy who tore out his heart and then made him feel stupid for asking her to love him, gets with the person who loves him. Sure, it’s not like Steve would’ve told them no, even now. But a part of Steve hates that their together. Hates that even he and Tommy had a silent agreement to never date anyone that the other person had dated seriously. That anyone the other had serious feelings for was off limits. Yet he and Robin didn’t. And maybe he’s being too quick to judge. Maybe the older Steve- or well he’s the older Steve… Steve-1 had really moved on and was happy for them. After all, finding a queer partner couldn’t have been easy. So… but it still kind of hurt.

Dustin was silent. But he was also always touching Steve in some way. It was weird and new to him, but not to Steve-1. He could tell that Steve-1 had opened himself up to these people and he just- Steve just couldn’t force himself to do the same. Barely letting Dustin even touch him. But he let the kid get that support. He felt bad, the kid was taking it hard. Because while Steve didn’t really know the kid, the few times they had been together, the kid never shut up. Now he’s just vacantly staring at Steve’s legs like they had the answers.

Mike followed his movements with narrowed eyes like he was going to do something stupid. Which… as they tell these stories of his future/past, he sounds like an idiot. They tell him over and over all the things he’s done for these people and no one noticed he wasn’t, okay? And he still cared about them. He still considered them his family. Yeah, Steve-1 was an idiot.

Lucas had grown up. Standing tall next to Max’s wheelchair. Grinning at Steve and making sure that Steve knows how much he cares for them. He was trying so hard to be upbeat and keep the room from falling silent, but it wasn’t easy.

Will was one of the only ones helping Lucas. He was squashed between Mike and El, trying his best to give Lucas the support to keep supporting everyone else. But even he wasn’t really looking at Steve. Like they were all scared of what they might see.

Max was a shock, honestly. The redheaded spitfire being wheeled in on a wheelchair and thick glasses on top of her nose. But that angry passion was still in her, maybe just deeper down. She was the first one to actually yell at him. Talking over the others who tried to get her to calm down. “You told me that it’s okay to ask for help. That after everything we’ve gone through, it’s okay to rely on others! But it was just- you said that to my face as you hid your own injuries!” She ranted and as Lucas placed his hand on her shoulder, she shrugged it off. “I’m not done. I’m going to yell. I have the right to yell. Steve-” She glared at him. “I need you to let us help you because- we can’t lose you. I can’t lose you.” She states and then she looks down at her lap. “So please let it sink in that you can ask for help too.” Steve had only nodded. There wasn’t much else he could do. He let them set her up next to his bed and accepted that she wasn’t leaving any time soon.

Erica was new to him. A kid he had only made heard of maybe once. Yet she looked so hurt at the sight of him in the bed. Like Steve he was dying. As if she cared so much that something in her broke at the sight of him. But she hadn’t stayed. She had sat next to Max and Lucas for maybe 20 minutes before she stood and said, “Get better, nerd.” Before she escaped. Only Dustin had gone after her. Steve’s not even sure where Erica fits in and no one explains it to him. So, he just watches her leave before he moves on. What else was there for him to do?

El, she’s just watching him. Not scared to meet his eye or smile at him. He’s never known how to understand her but he’s met her like twice… or it feels like he’s only met her twice.

Eddie… Eddie’s interesting to watch. Because he’s not telling stories or watching him or even touching him. He’s just over by Robin, knees up against his chest like he can’t stand being here but he doesn’t want to leave. Every once in a while, Steve sees him take out a notebook that’s been folded in half and shoved in his back pocket. He’s scribble into it before returning it to his pocket and leaning against his legs, listening to the stories.

Steve bringing the kids to the arcade even though they were grounded (not that he had known at the time).

How Steve always made sure they understood to come to him if they ever needed anything.

The multiple times Steve jumped into danger just because they asked him to.

An upcoming camping trip Steve had been planning because the kids deserved a week to just be kids.

One after the other. Stories that make Steve understand his place in the group. And he doesn’t know if he’s always known his place or if the way he doesn’t have that emotional attachment to these people, let him see it. Steve’s there to take care of everyone else. He’s the go to for help. But he doesn’t reach out to others. Like the kids put him on a pedestal and haven’t allowed him to come down and be himself with them. It makes his skin itch and he feels claustrophobic in a room filled with people.

The moment a doctor comes in with a few tests that they have to do alone, Steve is relieved. He does as they asked, but before they leave Steve speaks up, “Could- is there a way to limit the amount of people that are in my room?” He asks and the doctor looks surprised before she nods.

“Of course, I’m so sorry, it’s just last time it was you fighting us to let all of them stay if they wanted to.” She explains and Steve’s shoulders rise. “I know it’s overwhelming but I promise that those people out there love you and care.” She assures and Steve nods even if he’s not quite so sure.

As she leaves it’s just Robin that comes back in. She’s fiddling with her fingers and looks nervous. She always looks nervous to be around him. Maybe it’s the injury, maybe she’s always been a little nervous. “Do you want to pick who can stay? I know that you’re overwhelmed and I should’ve said something but- I just- I’m trying okay? To figure this all out. To help you. I know that you’re mom is on her way and I don’t know how this you thinks of her but the other- my Steve has started to mend his relationship with her. So, if you want, you can be alone until she gets here. Or just one of us could stay with you!” She’s starting to speed up in her rambling and Steve has the impulse to cut her off.

“Robin,” he says and watches her shoulders relax yet she looks so uncomfortable around him. It breaks his heart and he doesn’t even remember her.

He takes a deep breath, “You guys can go home. Don’t feel like you have to stay because in all honesty, I don’t know you. I don’t know if I want to either.” He says and sees the hurt on her face. “I’m sorry, but- but I don’t like the sound of my future- no, my life.” He admits and it’s starting to bubble up and over. “I don’t need to just be here to jump in front of danger for others. Or be the punchline of a joke. I can’t let my life be like that. I’ve already- my dad already thinks that I’m a failure, I don’t want to actually become one. Because maybe I am stupid but if all my friends seemingly just tease me about it all the time, then I don’t think that they’re very good friends. And if the only person I’ve loved or made a connection with- the person who destroyed me and never apologized until now-” He shuddered feeling tears well up. “I know that you all probably think I’ve reverted into my asshole era, but I don’t like being told it to my face. I know I’m not good enough, but the fact that you all still just- it’s like all I’m around for is to make things easier for others! But I have dreams! I had a future I wanted!” He was definitely shaking and Robin was just frozen in front of him. “I wanted to find love. I wanted to take care of someone and be taken care of in return. But all I’ve apparently done is take care of others!”

“I take care of you,” Robin says in a soft tone. “I care and love you. You’re everything to me.”

Steve suddenly feels tears on his cheeks. “Then why would you throw in my face the fact that Nancy could love someone but never me?” His voice cracks and tears are flowing now. “I loved her so much and I tried to be happy for her and Jonathan but- every time I saw them, I was reminded on how I was just bullshit! If you and I are supposed to be best friends- that we are soulmates, why would you show me how happy Nancy can be without me? Why would- I wanted to be enough for her! But I’m never enough! Apparently, I strike out over and over because I never regain the confidence she destroyed!”

Robin isn’t looking at him, “I asked you, you know. I told you that I wouldn’t if it made you uncomfortable.”

Steve threw his arms into the air, “did you ever think about the fact that I apparently love you more than anyone else! That I could never tell you no!”

Robin freezes and she’s shrinking in on herself. “Steve I- I love you more than anyone else, too. And you knew that. I made sure you know that. I- I was going to move in with just you. You were the one to invite Eddie and Nancy. You were the one to push me to go for it.”

Steve squeezed his eyes shut, “Well all I’ve learned since I woke up with nothing in my goddamn head is that I love everyone more than they love me.” And he finally notices the way she’s crying. It hurts to see, like their love transferred in some way that he can’t care to watch her cry.

“Robin-”

She shakes her head, “No- no you’re right. I- you help everyone else so much and we didn’t even know you were hurting. You- you were having seizures and I didn’t- I didn’t know.” Her words are wobbly. “I’m a terrible friend- and I- I’ll just-” She’s taking a step away from him. Then she pauses, “you- you were tortured for Russians for me. You risked your own life to safe me when we were facing the last big bad.” She suddenly in his face. Pulling up his shirt to show claw marks on his hip. “When the last fight happened, a Demogorgon was coming at me and you put yourself between us. You saved my life. But I carried you out of there. I made sure you survived because I love you. I sat on the side of the bed. I forced you to stay in here even though you didn’t want to. The others were hurt and you wanted to make sure they were okay. I stayed by your side. And I’m not going to leave now. So- so yell at me. Tell me anything you want to, but it won’t make me leave.” She stated and she was sobbing. Steve reached forwards and took her hand.

She looked at him, “you’re my shmuck, whether you remember it or not.” Robin took a deep breath and moved to sit next to him and pull him to rest against her. “And I know that you haven’t found someone yet but you will. Because you’ve got so much love that it spills everywhere.” She tells him and she presses their hands together, her fingers slightly longer than his. She curled them over as much as she could. “I don’t know what your dreams are right now but I’ve always wanted to help you reach them.” She assures him and he doesn’t fight her. Just leans against her. “And I’m not going to leave your side. It’s not your choice anymore.” She decides and he squeezes his eyes shut to try and stop the tears. “You might scare me. The fact that I don’t know this you yet, terrifies me. But I’m not going to let you go.” She chokes on a sob, “You’ve taken hits for all of us but I will never let you fall.”

Steve looked at her, the way she was sobbing but still holding him. Making sure that he was in her arms. “Is she okay? Did- her guilt for Barb…”

Robin nodded, “You know, we’re all damaged. But we’re all doing our best to move forwards.”

That makes Steve sink into her more, “I never could’ve made her happy?”

“I’m sorry Steve,” Robin murmurs, her fingers carding through his hair.

He nods, “I’m sorry for making you cry. I don’t like seeing you cry.” He says and she laughs a little.

“I know, you’ve said that before.” She admits and he hates that he’s made her cry before. “But- but we get through it.” She says and he nods.

There’s a knock on the door and Eddie peaks his head in. “Mamma Harrington’s in the waiting room. Hopper stopped her uh, we thought we’d give you both a heads up.” He says quickly as he looks over their tear-streaked faces.

Robin jerks her head in, “come and tell Steve that he’s going to find love. That he’s not failing and that he still has time to grow into the person he wants to be.” She orders and Eddie just freezes. “Eddie?” Robin asks and then her eyes widen, “I’m sorry.” She blurts and Steve blinks, looking between the two of them. “Just- shit I’m sorry.” She says and rubs at her face.

Eddie clears his throat and he looks like he’s going to cry. “Trust me, Harrington. You’re not unlovable. You-” and he just doesn’t finish his sentence, just jerks his head in a nod and heads out the door.

Steve’s brow furrows and he blinks, looking over at Robin. “What was that?” He asked and Robin looked in pain for a moment before shaking her head.

“It’s nothing,” she says and at his look of disbelief she sighs. “Steve, you don’t have a single memory of your friendship with him. I know from experience that it really sucks.” She states and Steve bites his lip.

His mouth twists in concentration, “I remember him though.” He says softly and looks over at her. “He called me Big Boy,” he says and she looks at him.

“When did he call you-” she starts to ask but then the door is opening. His mom pushes through and Steve swears he can see Eddie leaning against the wall just outside of the door.

But then his mom has her attention. She’s a whirlwind, always has been, always will be. She doesn’t seem to have changed as she comes in and looks over him. Her stare always clinical. It’s always been work first, love second. And when it came to loving Steve, it was more like fourth. But once she gives him a look over, she moves over. “Steven-” but then her voice breaks and she cups his face. Presses a kiss to his forehead and his cheeks. Like she was- she had never done that before. Maybe… maybe she loves more freely now but from Robin’s reaction, it doesn’t seem to be the case. “Dear, I told you that you should quit that silly job. Your health comes first. I- we’ve got plenty of money, we can get you your own place if that’s what you’re saving up for. I don’t want to get a call like this again. I love you too much to see you in here.” She says and her eyes are watery.

“Mom?” he starts to question and she sniffles.

She pulls her hands back and wipes under her eyes, smearing her mascara slightly. “Sorry, I know you wouldn’t remember the conversation we had but- I just-” she sighs and it looks like she’s going to actually start crying.

Steve opened up his arms slowly, unsure of what to do, but his mom moved and hugged him back. She was shaking slightly and Steve looked over at Robin who looked just as confused, but she also looked thankful… she looked happy for him. “I’m sorry for worrying you,” he says and means it.

His mom sniffs and pulls back, she smiles all wobbly. “No, no, it’s not- you have nothing to be sorry for.” She says and he gives a small nod and she composes herself. “Hello Robin,” she says with a small smile. “It’s good to see you. I’m glad you’re here.” She says and opens up the tote bag she had brought with her. “Here, you look like you need it,” she hands Robin over a sandwich wrapped up in foil. It looks like it’s still warm. “And you,” she turns to Steve. She pulls out a glasses case, a small box, and a Tupperware container. “I’m not sure what’s your favorite anymore but it’s my old pasta salad recipe.” She hands it over and he looks down at the noodles, tomatoes, cheese, and peppers mixed with sauce.

He smiles, “I missed this,” he says.

She smiles back at him, “Well, I’ll make it for you whenever you’d like.” She promises and he’s not sure if she means it or not. “Now, he’s your glasses and hearing aids. They’re going to help relieve some of your symptoms. I know you don’t want to wear them but it’s not a choice anymore.” She demands, holding out the two containers to him. He opens the glasses first. Seeing a surprisingly thick pair of wireframed glasses. His hands shake as he places them on his face. It’s a weird weight, one he isn’t used to.

The next one is harder to look at. Their ugly things, bulky and bright white. He stares at them for a moment too long before Robin’s hand lands on his. “Stevie?” She asks and he looks over at her. His emotions must be written across his face for how fast Robin moves. She takes them from him and places a kiss to his cheek. “Why don’t we try them for now while we eat, then you can take them off and try to get a nap in.” She says and he gives a tiny nod. Robin picks them up and he leans over to let her place them onto his ears.

Their as awkward as they look and he feels tears falling. “Oh, Steve,” his mom says and he can’t look at either of them.

Robin places her hand on his shoulder. “You’re so strong Steve,” she whispers and Steve doesn’t feel like it. “Do you want to turn them on, or do you want me to?”

Steve shakes his head, reaching up and carefully turning them on. It’s loud and he’s quick to adjust them. He feels like a livewire and the soft looks from the others wasn’t helping. “Can we-” he can’t even get the question out but Robin nods. She unwraps her sandwich and moans as she takes the first bite. His mom hands him a fork and leans in close to share with him. The three of them eating in silence, letting Steve calm down.

When their done, Robin takes them off his ears for him and presses a kiss to his forehead before disappearing. He misses her more than he thought he would. But his mom takes her spot next to him and pulls him so he’s curled up against her. He doesn’t even know the last time he was held like this. Only a memory of someone curled around him, being the big spoon floats in his mind. It shocks him and it’s like he can feel the phantom press of lips to his neck. A moment of calm for Steve hidden behind a sheet in his mind. “Mom?” He asks and she hums. “Was- do you think I’ll ever remember?” He asks and she runs her fingers through his hair.

“I don’t know,” she admits and then she looks at him. “But I know you and know who you are… what you’ve been through.” She murmurs and he watches her closely. “If anyone is strong enough to get through this, it’s my baby.” She says and Steve blinks looking up at her.

“What- what I went through?” He asks and her expression darkens.

She holds his face in her two hands. “I demanded answers after my son came home from Starcourt Mall with broken ribs and bruises that looked-” she cut herself off. “I used my Lawyer charm on Sam Owens.” She tells him and he smiles a little. His mom was always good at getting her way. “You told me everything when I came home to help you with your doctor appointments a couple of months ago. I knew a lot of it, but you finally told me it all.” And she sounds close to tears again. “So, you never have to go through that alone again.” She tells him and presses a kiss to his temple. “I’m always going to be here for you.” He’s less surprised than he thought he would be. He just leans a little more into her, falling asleep in his mom’s embrace for the first time in a long time.

When he woke up, his mom was still there but now there were more people in the room as well. Not everyone, Nancy, Mike, Will, and Joyce missing from the group. Hopper had taken a chair next to his mom where they were talking in quiet voices. Max, Lucas, and El were curled up together awkwardly. Robin, Eddie, and Dustin were on his other side, Dustin’s hand resting on his leg. “It’s experimental at best,” his mom whispered, her hand still combing through his hair.

Hopper sighed, “El just wants to try. She wants to see if she can find any of the lost memories. She won’t hurt him.” He assures and Steve looks over to where El’s watching him. She sends him a small smile after she catches his eye.

“I don’t like it, it’s his mind she’ll be digging through.” His mom frowns and Steve forces himself to move. He blinks the rest of the sleep from his eyes and sits up, away from his mom. They stop talking and Steve can feel eyes on him.

Warm brown eyes, fingers with rings running through his hair. He blinks and glances over at the others. Watching their eyes before he drops to their hands. Eddie’s covered in his many rings like always. “How’d ya sleep?” Robin asked and he looked over at her. He doesn’t know why but he still feels asleep.

“Eddie,” he says softly and Eddie looks over at him. His head is foggy and he’s lost in the haze.

“Yeah?” Eddie questions and it causes tears to begin to well up in Steve’s eyes. “Stevie- Steve hey,” Eddie’s up and over to him in a moment. His hands reach out but they stop before he touches Steve, like an invisible wall between them. “Steve, are you alright?” And Steve can only choke on a sob, it’s like a weight was placed on his head and the memories that were missing were being slowly crushed, never to be seen again. Steve reaches forwards and pulls Eddie into a hug. Eddie tenses before he holds Steve even closer.

Steve can hear everyone freaking out but Steve just squeezes his eyes shut and presses his ear to Eddie’s chest. Listening to the steady beat of Eddie’s heart. It’s important in ways he doesn’t even understand. Just like making sure Robin didn’t ramble too much and panic or making her cry. Like letting Dustin hold onto him. Eddie’s alive and he just needed to know. “Stevie, baby, you need to let us into that head of yours,” Eddie says into his ear.

Steve pulls back just enough to say, “Y-your heart’s still beating.” He says and he shakes his head. “I needed to kn-know it was still be-beating.” He chokes out and Eddie’s eyes are wide. Steve’s hands drop down to the little green ring on Eddie’s hand. How had he known that was Eddie’s ring? Sure, he had known Eddie but he couldn’t even remember why Eddie had been forced to move seats. Yet he remembered that ring. He rubbed his face and he groaned. “M'head hurts,” he whimpered as he felt overwhelmed.

Steve closes his eyes for a second but when he opens them, he feels exhausted and everyone is now way louder. Eddie’s arms are around him but Steve hadn’t felt him move them. “Wah-? Bah-bee,” he slurs out and clutches onto Eddie. Eddie who’s hyperventilating, begging him to wake up.

“God, Steve, oh thank god,” Eddie murmurs and presses a kiss to Steve’s forehead. He’s comforting and Steve reaches out, hand fumbling before Robin’s taking it, just like he knew she would. Everything’s foggy and he slumps against him.

“Space, give him space,” Robin’s saying but she’s not moving herself or Eddie away from him. “Steve, we’ve got you.” She promises and he nods because she always has him. “You should- try to sleep, okay?” She asks and he nods again. But he doesn’t let go of Eddie.

A voice huffs, “Eddie. Get into the damn bed with my son. He obviously doesn’t want to let you go,” a woman snaps and it makes Eddie jerk in his hold. Then things are shifting and Eddie wraps himself around Steve, laying side by side. And when Steve falls asleep he feels comfortable.

Part 3

#if you remember that it was a two part fic #no you don't #i'm not trying to be medically accurate #hurt steve harrington #he loves the party he just doesn't remember that #hurt robin buckley #hurt eddie munson #hurt/comfort #platonic stobin #platonic with a capital p #memory loss #Steve Harrington has head trauma #the party is a family #everyone loves steve #ronance #mostly angst in this part honestly #sorry #but i think it'll be a happy ending <3 #I have trouble ending it sad to be honest

34 notes · View notes

imfinereallyy · 8 months

Text

you can pry happy endings from my cold-dead hands. It can be the most heart stopping, gut wrenching fic that has every existed and I will read every drop of it if I get my happy ending. I have had enough painful endings in real life, give me happy in my fantasy world. It can be at the last second, it can be a single sentence, even a single word. Give me all the angst and hurt in the world for 500,000 words, but please give me the comfort I need in the ending. please and thank you.

#do I love angst? yes. but also need to be happy in my delulu world for five seconds #sometimes you need domestic fluff to soothe the burn #fan fiction #ao3 #hurt/comfort #steddie #stranger things #lumax #byler #ronance #steve harrington #Eddie Munson #archive of our own #wattpad #robin buckley #steve x eddie #happy endings

15K notes · View notes

shesinchargeareyoukidding · 1 year

Text

Eddie Munson Sickfic: When you hurt - Chapter 4: No matter what

Read chapter one here

1975

Eddie huddled in the corner of the lumpy couch. He was afraid to move, afraid to breathe weird, afraid of having to cough again, terrified of having to throw up again. As his lungs burned and his shaking turned into full body shudders, he started to realize his efforts were completely futile.

Don’t be a pussy. Everybody gets the flu sometimes

“Everybody gets the flu sometimes.” He whispered to himself. “It’s just the flu. It’s just the flu…”

Then the coughing started again, and with it the pain. Eddie braced himself against the couch as he lost himself in it. Tears streamed down his face from the effort. Lack of oxygen was making him feel like he wasn’t really inside his body anymore. At some points he lost all awareness, some other moments saw him waking up, only to choke on his own breath again.

He didn’t know how much time had passed. All he knew was that he couldn’t do it anymore. All he felt was a dull throb of pain, traveling throughout his body. He felt so far away. He couldn’t cough anymore, but his chest felt almost too heavy to move. It meant he could barely breathe. That thought should probably terrify him, but he no longer had the energy for that. He let his eyes fall closed once more.

He was being moved. It felt like he was floating. He could hear a woman’s voice above him. Then his world tilted and he landed on a soft surface with a thud. It jostled his lungs and they made a weak attempt at a cough. Someone was patting his cheek, talking to him. What was happening? Weakly, Eddie was able to open his eyes about halfway. Mrs Vanderbilt, their neighbour, was staring down at him with an expression he had never seen on her face before. “Heya, kid. You with me?” Eddie managed a nod. “Good. Good. Listen, kid. You’re kinda scarin’ the crap outta me, here. So uhm, just hold on, will you? Don’t die on my backseat, alright?”

Eddie´s breath hitched and he tried to curl in on himself. “d-die?” He whimpered.

“Awh, no, no, darlin’. I didn’t mean that. I’m sorry. Don’t be scared.” Mrs. Vanderbilt ran her hand through his short curls in such a tender gesture that it made Eddie want to scream, latch onto her, and never let go. He could only manage a strangled sob that made him cough and almost pass out again.

“Wha’s happening?” He managed to ask, even as his eyes were trying to roll back into his skull. Mrs. Vanderbilt went in and out of focus at a dizzying pace. He could barely see her anymore. The soft fingers in his hair remained though, so Eddie knew that she was still there.

“You’re sick, baby. I’m taking you to get some help.” Help? What did that mean? They couldn’t…

“n-no hospital…” Eddie wheezed. “d-dad s-said-“

“Hush, darlin’. It’s okay. sssh.” Mrs. Vanderbilt soothed. “I’m sorry, but I don’t see any other way you’re gonna get better.”

“p-please, n-no…” Eddie pleaded, straining against the pressure inside his chest. “I’ll… I’ll get-“ He whined in pain as he tried to take in enough air to finish his sentence.

-“Sssh… No, sweetheart. You won’t.” The woman’s kind hands wiped away at the defeated tears that had started to run down Eddie’s cheeks. “I’m not gonna leave you like this. I’m sorry, kid. But we’re goin’ no matter what you or your daddy say.”

1987

“Help! Help!” Hopper burst through the hospital doors with Eddie in his arms. “He can’t breathe! Help him, dammit! Don’t just stand there!”

Eddie was frantically trying to suck in wheezing breaths. His blue lips were opening and closing like he was a fish on dry land. His fingers were desperately grasping at Hopper's shirt and his eyes were squeezed shut.

The nurses quickly snapped into action at the sight of Hopper. One of them approached them with a stretcher. “Here, you can put him down.”

Hopper carefully lowered Eddie onto the stretcher. Eddie blindly tightened his hold on Hoppers shirt as he felt himself being let go. “Hey, hey. I’m still here, kiddo. It’s okay. I’m right here.” Hopper promised as he gently took Eddie’s hands in his. “You’re gonna be just fine.” He assured the sick metalhead as he gave his hands a firm squeeze. A nurse rushed over and put an oxygen mask over Eddies nose and mouth. Eddie flinched away at the foreign feel, but as the oxygen mask started to work he slumped back onto the stretcher. Tired brown eyes opened blearily to make eye contact with Hopper. The oxygen mask fogged up as Eddie mumbled something into it. Hopper leaned closer to him with a frown. “Huh? What was that?” Eddie’s eyes pinched in frustration and he brought an unsteady hand up to lift the mask. Hopper almost stopped him, but the urgency he saw on Eddie’s face made him wait. Eddie tried to take a deep breath and lifted the mask. “d-don’t tell w-wayne, p-please…” Nurses were approaching them again and Hopper knew they’d take Eddie away any minute.

“Why the hell not kid?” He asked urgently.

“I p-promised h-him…”

“Eddie, he should know where you are. Didn’t you say he’ll be back in Hawkins tomorrow anyway? It’s not fair to leave him in the dark.” Hopper tried to reason.

Eddie just weakly shook his head with a whispered “Please.” Three nurses surrounded the stretcher and they started to roll Eddie towards a pair of white doors. Hopper followed behind, his hands still linked with Eddie’s. once they reached the doors, one of the nurses turned to Hopper. “I’m afraid you’ll have to wait here for a while, Chief.” She said not unkindly. “He’s in good hands.” She promised. Hopper nodded, looking down at the sick kid in his charge. “You’re gonna be okay now, kid. Don’t focus on anything except getting better. I’ll take care of the rest.” Eddie’s large eyes were locked onto his. Taking in everything he said. Hopper thought for a second.

“Eddie, you know your uncle loves you no matter what, right?” With Eddie’s face covered by the oxygen mask, it was difficult to see his expression, but Hopper could see the kid’s body start to tremble even more. “Wayne is not going to love you any less for getting sick, Eddie. None of this was your fault and he knows that.” Eddie’s eyes were welling up with tears and Hopper reassuringly squeezed his hand to emphasize his point. “He deserves to know where you are, kid. He loves you.” Eddie breath hitched painfully and his tears spilled over.

“o-okay.” Came the muffled reply. Hopper gratefully patted his shoulder. “Thank you, kiddo. The nurses are gonna run some tests with you now, but I’ll be with you as soon as they’ll let me.”

Eddie nodded and reluctantly let go of Hopper’s hands.

As the white doors closed behind Eddie and the nurses, Hopper was left in an empty waiting room with a million questions. He was handed a form with even more questions and he sat down to fill it in. His mind was reeling from the events of that day. How could things have gone so wrong, so fast?

Thankfully, Hopper knew that Wayne was originally from around De Soto, Missouri. And after scouring the yellow pages for families by the name ‘Munson’ he quickly found a phone number. While the phone rang, Hopper prayed he’d found the right number. An elderly male voice picked up.

“Munson residence.”

“Uh, hi. Is uh… Wayne there?”

“Who is this?” The voice on the other end asked suspiciously.

“Chief Hopper, Hawkins police. Is Wayne there?” Hopper insisted.

“What did that boy do this time?” The voice on the other end sighed.

“I’m sorry, who am I speaking to?” Now it was Hopper’s turn to be suspicious.

“Eric Munson, I’m Wayne’s father. And I’ll tell ya what, if that boy can’t even have the decency to not get himself arrested while Wayne’s enjoyin’ a rare break from his antics, then he deserves to spend a night or two in jail.”

Hopper was trying really hard not to snap while he hadn’t had the chance to talk to Wayne yet. He forced himself to take a deep breath. “I’m not calling because Eddie is under arrest.”

“Uhhuh, so what happened then?” Came the sceptic reply.

“I would like to discuss that with Wayne, if I may.” Hopper ground out as calmly as he could.

“I’m Edward’s family too, yaknow. Anythin’ ya wanna tell Wayne, you can tell me as well.”

“No, actually, I can’t. Wayne is Eddies legal guardian, so he’s the only one entitled to his information. Now could you please get Wayne for me?” Hopper growled.

There were a few beats of silence on the other end. Then a deep sigh. ‘Wayne! Some chief of police on the phone for you!’ Hopper could hear on the other end. ‘Didn’t I tell ya that boy couldn’t stay out of trouble long enough for us to have one damn moment of peace?’ Hopper couldn’t hear any reply that may have been given before the phone rattled and Hopper could hear a familiar voice.

“Hello?”

“Wayne?” Relief flooded through Hopper’s system.

“Jim? Is it Eddie? What happened?” Wayne’s voice took on an edge of panic. Hopper hated these types of conversations. He swallowed heavily.

“… Yeah. Sorry Wayne. I’m at the hospital. Kid’s really sick.” Hopper could hear rustling on the other end. He imagined Wayne was already putting on his jacket as they were having this conversation.

“Shit… Okay. Alright. I’ll be there as soon as I can…” Hopper could hear more rustling sounds and a muffled curse. “How bad is it?” The question was asked softly, like Wayne was afraid to ask. Hopper debated on how much he should tell Wayne over the phone.

“It’s… Bad. He collapsed earlier today and when I was with him he could barely breathe. Very high fever too.” He purposely left out the part where Eddie had actually stopped breathing. That was a conversation they should have face to face.

“Dammit. He said he was okay.” Wayne cursed quietly, almost to himself. Hopper nodded, despite Wayne not being able to see him.

“It really looks like he didn’t even notice how bad it was himself.” He reasoned.

“Yeah, boy does that.” Wayne sighed heavily. “Listen. I’ll leave as soon as I can. The drive is about five hours… could you…?”

“Of course, Wayne. I’ll stay with him.”

“Thank you, Jim. So much.”

“Anytime Wayne. Drive safe. Kid needs you here in one piece, alright?”

“Yeah… yeah, I will.” And with that, Wayne hung up.

To be continued.

Next chapter

#eddie munson #eddie munson whump #Eddie munson sickfic #sick eddie munson #hurt eddie munson #wayne munson #eddie munson's father #jim hopper #stranger things #stranger things fanfiction

23 notes · View notes

caxde · 1 month

Text

bright eyes | eddie munson x reader

summary you're a new neighbour in the trailer park, on a sunny day Eddie's daughter bumps into you. (4.1k)

warnings fem!reader, girl!dad Eddie!!!!, fluff, mutual pining, yearning etc, slowburn strangers to lovers, idiots in love!!!, , english is not my first language so I apologise if there’s some mistakes, not proof read!

a/n: i think i might make this a little series if you guys would like that <3 part 2 part 3

It was warm outside.

Early spring had its advantages, flowers started to bloom, the sun shone brighter and longer, and the rain fell only at night when you had trouble sleeping.

You had just moved here, and you still weren’t sure or knew that much, so you tended to keep to yourself. You’d go to work, to the little shop on main street, back to your little trailer.

You were sitting down on your little kitchen floor, looking at the way your washing machine turned around, waiting for your hair to dry after the shower, so you could sleep with fresh sheets tonight. You enjoyed this sort of calmness, a new found happiness that you weren’t aware you could achieve.

You placed the white sheets on the little laundry basket that you had lying around, cloth pins scattered on its bottom. You held it, against your waist, your left hand grabbing it while you struggled to open the door.

You whispered along the words of a song that was playing from a beat up radio from across the street, taking your time, as you placed every sheet perfectly, enjoying the sun shining on your face. It was all going as well as it could.

“Hi.”

It startled you, not as much as it could, the little voice coming from down below you, it forced you to look down, a little girl looked up at you, half hiding behind your sheets, she was wearing a black faded black sabbath shirt that didn’t belong to her, the seam of it well past her knees, white socks on her feet, her hair was black and curly, half hiding her eyes.

“Oh. Hi.” You smiled at her, the sweetest tone you could fathom came out of your lips. She became shy for a second, as she grabbed one of your clothes pins and handed it to you. “Thank you, buddy.” You smiled as you grabbed it, placing it on top of one of your cushion covers, even if it didn’t need an extra one. “You’ll get your socks dirty.” You point out.

She smiled in a shy manner, covering her face with her hands as she nodded.

“Bug?” She turned around as soon as she heard his voice. Her arms went up, demanding to be held by him. “There you are!” He had a soft and playful tone, as he grabbed her.

You felt stuck there for a second. He was tall, with curly dark hair, strong decorated by tattoos arms that flex when he held her, close to his chest. The same smile she seemed to have was imprinted on his face. It’s not that he is attractive -which he undeniably is- but he seems to shine, in a beautiful light, warmer than the sun.

“I’m sorry if she annoyed you, we were playing hide and seek.” His words come out way too quicker than he had wanted them to, with an apologetic look on his face as he swayed his body, her giggles invading the space between you.

“She didn’t, not at all.” You smiled at him, before looking back at her, she was giggling at you now, and a soft spot was found deep inside your heart. “She was helping me do laundry, actually.” You point out to the extra wood clothespin that she had given you.

“Oh, so you can help the pretty lady and not me?” He jokes as he tickles her belly, the infectious laughter growing louder and stronger as he holds his face closer to hers.

But you don’t really listen, the only thing in your mind right now is his voice calling you pretty.

pretty, pretty, pretty.

Your cheeks become warmer, pinker.

As soon as he notices, he realises what he had said.

He had called you pretty before even introducing himself. He feels like a fool, he meets a pretty girl and is only focused on the one in his arms.

He tries to fix it, a soft grin dedicated to you as a nervous scoff leaves his lips.

You don’t really mind the silence, or the opportunity to look at him, and his dark chocolate eyes, but you have the impulse to tell him your name, and you do, with an upside down smile that passes down to him.

“I’m Eddie.” He says in return, grabbing your hand not thinking much of it, though he didn’t think he’d feel a sort of sparks as soon as your hand met his. To be fair, neither did you. “This little bug is Lua.” He adds, as he lets go of your hand, slowly, so his fingers can tickle her again, making her giggle once more, her tiny hands grabbing his hair in a playful manner.

“Hi Lua.” It’s not that your voice comes out shy, but the high pitched baby voice makes your tone come out with a bit of a treble, as if nervousness that she wouldn’t like you took over. “Thanks for helping me with laundry.” You add, as she hides, pushing her face against Eddie’s chest, the pureness of that gesture makes your smile wider.

If you weren’t so focused on Lua’s reactions, you would have caught Eddie lost into you, as he had never experienced such kindness or softness from someone that wasn’t already close.

He was used to the stares, and the silent judgment from everyone, way before Lua came into his life, and mostly it came from people around his age, or way older. His constant thought behind a string of ‘shut up grandpa’ and ‘go back to your retirement home’ that he never said out loud. The world could be mean, but he would never let her little girl know that. At least not yet.

He wasn’t used to this though.

A kind stranger, around his age, that doesn’t really judge, and interacts in a playful manner with her. It was more than he could fathom.

��‘r welcome.” Lua mumbled as she looked up from her hiding spot for a second, before burying herself back into his arms.

Eddie’s heart felt full for a moment. Lua wasn’t used to strangers, and she didn't really like to talk out loud to people she wasn’t used to. Though these days she was only used to uncle Way and Stevie, or aunt Rob. So seeing her, not only talking back after you told her something, but having seen her approach you out of her own will, it made his mind stop worrying for just a second. Lua’s social ability was just as good as his in that moment.

The thought made him smile to himself.

“We should check if our’s is done.” He mumbled to Lua’s ear as he started swinging his chest again, hugging her tightly as he felt how she was starting to get heavier. “That way you can stop wearing dada’s shirt.” He looked attentive at your face, waiting for your reaction.

He felt better when he didn’t see nothing but a compassionate smile.

Eddie was also used to people thinking he wasn’t the dad, maybe an uncle, maybe an older brother. Eddie was also used to people opening their eyes wide as soon as they hear dad when referred to him.

But you didn’t.

Truth be told, it did shock you a bit. But the little girl was a carbon copy of him. The same wide smile and wild hair. And the world was mean and complicated enough, you didn’t need to make it harder for someone you had just met.

“We’ll see you around?” He asks, with a hopefulness on his voice that you’re not too sure what it means, or what you actually want it to mean.

“Yeah, I moved in a while ago so…” He nodded as he pointed at the little trailer right in front of yours.

“That’s us.”

“Way!” Lua blurted out as she looked back at where she called home, and Eddie couldn’t help but chuckle and give her a kiss on her temple.

“Yes! And uncle Wayne too.” You noticed that his tone is sweeter, calmer and a bit higher when he talks to the little girl on his arms than when he talks to you. “If you ever need anything…”

He doesn’t finish his sentence, the end of it implied, and you’re left nodding, telling him that if they ever need anything you’re here too, waving bye to Lua as she looks over Eddie’s shoulder, her little hand waving back.

You finish hanging your laundry dry, as you think about what just happened.

You had finally made friends that weren’t work related, and one of them was a baby. You sort of chuckle to yourself. It felt stupid, but it also felt good, knowing someone here, and that someone being nice, and kind.

It felt as if you were finally on the right path.

“Bug, please?” Eddie whined for the fourth time, while Lua was still on the higher part of the couch, looking out the window.

She shook her head again, Wednesdays were always the longest days in the Mudson household. Eddie took another big breath, while he looked at his wrist watch once again, afraid he’ll be late if he doesn’t leave soon.

“Okay… You can either stay here with uncle Way, or you can come with dada to the garage. Please?” He bargained, for the last time, begging to some higher power she’ll climb down the sofa.

He could scream out of excitement once she finally did.

“friend?” She asked, in a mumble as she pointed out of the door.

She had been doing that for a while now, ever since Eddie had found Lua in your yard, she kept asking to go see you, for some reason that escaped Eddie’s mind, her little girl seemed to have an infatuation with you.

Eddie sat down on the floor now, and Lua started walking closer to him, he laughed in defeat as she giggled, her little steps approaching him.

“Once I get back from work, deal?”

Eddie held his hand out, waiting for her to shake it as she usually did when she knew she had won whatever she wanted -which happened frequently- but accepted with glee once she tried to hug him, with her usual clumsiness. Her arms not quite reaching the back of his neck until he helped her up.

He enjoyed this little moment.

Holding her close while nothing else was going on. A long day ahead of him that he wasn’t totally ready for, but then again he wasn’t really ready for a lot of things that he ended up being capable of.

Wayne’s steps broke the small intimate moment.

“You made a friend, Lua?” He asked as she giggled at the sight of him, even if he still was half asleep, Wayne always seemed to have more than enough energy for her.

“She did.”

“Who?”

“New girl.” Eddie nodded at the trailer that could be seen through their window.

“Huh.” Wayne had never been a man of many words, but the way his facial expression changed usually left nothing to the imagination. In this case, it was a warning. An overprotective warning.

“She seems nice. Lua approached her.” She smiled, as she always did when she heard her own name. Eddie knew that she liked to be included, no matter what. Maybe that’s why he tried so hard.

“You did?” Wayne’s eyes opened wider, as he squatted down to meet her eye level, she wobbled her way into him, as she giggled once again. She had a secret power, or at least that’s what Eddie thought, to make everyone happy.

“Friend!” She said again, pointing at where she had last seen you.

“Okay bug, see you in a bit?”

“Lo you.” She muttered as she waved bye, Eddie’s heart warmer as he opened the door and blew her a kiss.

“Love you too, bug.” Eddie opened the door, stopping on the frame as he always did, checking his pockets, making sure he had everything he needed with him.

“Kid, if you plan on going over, make sure she’s okay with it. Not a lot of people are.” It was another warning, his left eyebrow raised, his tone sharper. Eddie just nodded.

And before he knew it, he was already on your door, knocking and hoping you’re actually home.

You were, and the nocks on your door wake you up. You had always been a light sleeper. You found your way out of your bed, and you didn’t care if your hair was a bit knotted than usual, messier or that your eyes were still adjusting to the light creeping through your windows. You opened the door and there he was. Tall, handsome Eddie, in his washed up jeans and his white shirt that had some small car grease marks on it. His opened blue short sleeve shirt with the little name tag made you smile internally.

“Sorry.” He muttered, as soon as you made eye contact with him.

He took a second, you stood there, sleep still present on your face and overall demeanor, but what caught his attention -even if he tried not to- were your naked legs, barely covered by an oversized shirt that you evidently used as a sleep shirt. Still, you looked pretty, he thought. He also felt bad that he had woken you up.

“S’kay. Morning.” You half joked as you smiled up at him, your head resting against the door frame, your arms crossed over your chest, the air making you feel a bit colder than you were deep in your sheets.

“Yeah, morning.” He was left speechless. He wasn’t sure why, but all of a sudden he wished he hadn’t knocked. So you could be resting, being face to face with you, he could see the little bags under your eyes, and he imagined how much you were enjoying getting to sleep in.

“You knocked to tell me good morning?” If you hadn’t had a smile on your lips, or your voice wasn’t as sweet and soft as it was, Eddie would have felt even worse. When in reality it made you inexplicably happy that he was the reason you had woken up.

“No, yeah, sorry.” He chuckled in a nervous manner once again. “Uh, Lua has been asking for you, and uh… I’m done at work early today, and if it’s not too weird and if it’s okay we could come for a bit after, don’t worry if you don’t feel like it i-”

“I’d love that.” You cut his nervous and anxious rambling off. “I’m free today, so I can go pick up some things for her?”

Eddie relaxed, his shoulders dropping and his smile finally appearing.

While you had to try hard to hide your excitement.

“You don’t have to…”

“Shut up. She deserves it.”

Even if you weren’t aware of it, that was the best thing you could have said to him. But truth be told, you were actually excited, you had been thinking about him, and the promise of a new friendship since you had met him, so this? It felt like the perfect excuse.

“What time were you thinking?”

“Uh, I dunno, my shift ends at around six, so maybe…”

“I’ll have snacks ready by six then, don’t worry.”

He was way more thankful than he could express, but he tried his best anyway.

“Thank you princess, it means a lot. Truly.” That nickname rang in your ears for a while, the same way it did when he had called you pretty. It was made obvious that you had liked it by the way you were starting to blush.

“Don’t worry Edds.” You stayed just like you were for a second longer. Looking at him, and the way his dimples were showing when he smiled as wide as he did, and a spark in his eyes he seemed to reserve for you. “Hope you have a good day at work.”

He was the one blushing now, and the one he was left with the way you had called him Edds, the sound of your voice present on his ears for a while after he had started driving. It wasn’t until he arrived at the garage, when he realised he was smiling at nothing, like an idiot.

You might have gone a bit overboard.

You had gone into town, and before you knew it your fridge was now filled with various juices and milk. The good ones that you usually didn’t buy for yourself. You had thought about baking a cake, but you ended up deciding that that felt too much as a birthday type of treat, so you went for your comfort recipe.

The cookie dough was already done, and you were chopping up the chocolate bar into smaller bits. You hated dark chocolate, so milky sweet one was the only acceptable one.

Morrisey’s voice kept you company as you mutter along the lyrics.

You looked over your little home, you had cleaned, deeply. Afraid that Eddie would judge you, or that Lua would somehow hurt herself or something could happen to her. You tend to do that, over worrying about things you can’t really control.

Then again, Eddie was doing the same thing.

A quick shower, fresh clothes, and hair almost dry. Lua looked up at him with excitement, as he tried to find something else for her to wear. She had a tendency to steal his shirts when he wasn’t there, in an attempt to be close to him, or at least that’s what he thought. So the negotiation began.

“Bug, which one?” On his left hand he had a light blue dress that Joyce gave him a few years ago, on his right he had a newer pair of overalls. She stood there, shaking her head as she hugged the shirt she was already wearing. “You need to get dressed if you want to go see your new friend, bug.” He couldn’t help but chuckle, as soon as she realised they were going to see you, she pointed at the overalls and had no issue getting ready.

Thank god for you, he thought. It had never been that easy, normally Lua hated changing clothes, especially when she was already comfortable. But this time, she didn’t only do it, she helped, and was excited to.

Lua wasted no time, her hands hitting your door as hard as she could, which resulted in soft knocks you still heard.

“Hi.” She beamed up at you, holding her arms open for you, her voice higher than you remembered. It might be her childish excitement, or at least that’s what you think.

“Hi Lua.” You met her level of excitement as you squatted down so you could meet her, her arms trying to hug you, waiting for you to help her get up so she could do it. Used to this type of hug with her dad.

Speaking of, Eddie was speechless. Mainly because Lua doesn’t really hug people that are not him, or Wayne. Steve maybe had gotten two or three hugs, she usually blew kisses. Also he wasn’t sure if you actually wanted them there, or were just being nice, but that doubt went away as soon as he heard your voice, and saw the way you smiled at her.

He also was pretty sure that he could smell cookie dough.

Lua found her way in, passing you by as you greeted Eddie. She didn’t have time to waste, her curiosity always winning. In her defense, your house was full of colour, and she wasn’t used to it. Every pillow was a different colour, and they were everywhere. Your couch was green, which she didn’t even know that was a possibility. Your walls had photos, and posters, and drawings. She had so much to look at she was grinning from ear to ear, laughing as she moved around.

Eddie did the same, in a more discrete manner. He found his way in the middle of your living room, he looked at the stacked shelves, they were full to the brim, various fantasy books that he recognised -mainly because he had already read them- cassette tapes and vinyls also shared a big portion of space. He smiled to himself everytime he knew a group that you seemed to like. Your vhs collection also caught his eye. You, on the other hand, were left there, holding your hands in an anxious manner, not too sure what to do now. Seeing how father and daughter act the same in different ways.

“You’re listening to the Smiths?” He asked, once he caught on to what was playing.

“Oh, yeah, I’ll uh… turn it off.” You became embarrassed, knowing that probably he didn’t like that type of music, or maybe it was too loud. Eddie smiled, shaking his head no.

“No, it’s fine. Lua likes them, that’s all.” You looked down at her, and relaxed once you saw her dancing along. She was moving up and down, kind of in tune with the music.

The little timer started, letting you know that the cookies were now done.

“Lua, you like cookies?” She didn’t even need to say anything, her eyes opened as she heard the word, she walked next to you, Eddie following closely.

He grabbed her up, letting her sit down on the counter. He was grateful all the trailers were the same, that way he knew -kinda- where everything was.

“Carefull, bug. It’s hot.”

“Hot.” She repeated, pointing at the baking sheet that you took out, fresh golden chocolate chips came out. “For me?”

“Well, not all of them.” Eddie answered, with an amused tone in her voice that made you chuckle in response.

“We have to wait for them to cool down a bit.” You told her as you placed them on a plate, the tips of your fingers slightly burning.

“Why?” Her eyes opened in wonder, not really following you.

“‘Cause when they’re too warm, they can give you a belly ache.” You explained to her, earnest in your tone, as you touched your own stomach.

“Only five minutes, bug.” Lua turned around, looking at Eddie with a confused look. “You can wait five minutes right?” She looked at him, slowly. You couldn’t help but chuckle, seeing the way they share the same look between them.

You were on the couch.

Eddie didn’t count it as cuddling, not really.

You were just sitting down next to him, his arm brushing yours, as you both looked between the T.V that was playing ‘Arthur and the Stone ’- you had a tendency to collect VHS, and the style and drawings had pulled you to buy it. You didn’t have an excuse until now to watch it, so you were just enjoying it as much as Lua did- and the little one, who was enamored by the story, while she colored in one paper lazily.

Eddie had become a bit too comfortable. His body feeling heavier, warmer, he was on the verge of falling asleep. That same feeling shot sirens on his head. This felt too nice, too normal, too usual. He could get used to this, and that wasn’t good.

He didn’t really know you.

Eddie knew where you lived, how your living room looked, that you worked almost everyday -though he still didn’t know where-, and that you were incredibly nice. And sweet.

Eddie also knew that Lua trusted you, and for now, that was enough.

It was enough that you had taken time out of your day so you could bake them cookies, or buying the expensive juice that you had taken them in as if they had always belonged there.

Lua giggled and Eddie’s eyes opened, seeing how she was pointing at the T.V when the boy turned into a squirrel, and the way she looked up at you, wanting to see your reaction. He was happy, more than he had been in a while.

You were sinking deeper into the cushions. Deeper into him and this familiarity. You could get used to this, but you weren’t unsure if you should. You enjoyed spending time with them, and this was fun, but then again, it was scary. It scared you, the thought of it going wrong, or you doing something you weren’t supposed to, it was a bit too much.

While you were sitting down there, with him that close, his smell lingering in the air, his warmness by your side, the risk of this crush evolving into something else was too much.

You didn’t care. Not at all.

Neither did Eddie. Not even a little bit.

part 2 is up!

if you enjoyed it please leave a comment or reblog. i promise it makes a huge difference <3

requests! are open

2K notes · View notes