#if you don’t know I’ve been on and off making a pitch for a Robin show/shorts

[cheritouu]

I don’t think y’all understand how excited I am for procreate dreams like holy shit I could actually make The inbetween Years all by myself

[littlexdeaths]

fever pitch - r.b.

softball player robin buckley x cheerleader fem reader

18+ ONLY MDNI

warnings: all characters are 18+, oral (f receiving), fingering, public sex, thigh riding, secret relationship, allusions to sex, bullying, mean!dom robin, little bit of mean reader, jealous reader

this is a collab with the absolutely brilliant @undead-supernova !! i literally had so much fucking fun writing this with you august, and it might be my favorite robin fic i’ve ever written. i feel like our brains collided and made a gay ass baby and i’m so proud of us. we hope you enjoy xx.

word count: 3.7K

“Shhh, don’t want us getting caught like this do you?”

Robin’s voice is hushed but stern, now lifting her head from between your trembling thighs. The blonde has you spread out on a bench in the dugout, skirt shoved up around your hips as her tongue laps up everything you have to offer.

That is until a broken moan leaves your lips, unable to stop it as her fingers curl up inside you. The sound breaks through the silence, the only thing heard above the soft hum of cicadas.

“What would your little friends think, hmm?” she taunts, brow raised as she looks up at you, dirt still smeared across her cheeks from the game. “Knowing a loser is the one making you feel so good?”

In that moment you can’t find it within yourself to care anymore, gripping her hair in your fist to guide her back between your legs. “Let them.”

Robin hums, her lips drifting lower to nip at the tender skin of your thighs. The action causes another loud whimper to leave you. “You sure about that, honey?”

“I don’t care,” you admit out loud for the first time, thoughts completely overwhelmed with all things Robin.

“Fuck, I don’t care anymore,” you sigh.

Never in your wildest dreams would you think tonight would turn out like this.

You’d been watching her from the sidelines as she attempted to slide into homebase, coming up a little short. You’d never gotten to see her play before, your extracurriculars usually running at the same time. But today had been just your luck, with Chrissy spraining her ankle, immediately being rushed off to get it iced. Coach ended practice shortly after—no use continuing without the star of the squad there, right?

It gave you the perfect opportunity to watch her without raising any suspicion—two of your teammates by your side, laughing as Robin struck out. You took your lower lip between your teeth, trying not to gawk as she rose to her feet. Dusting the dirt off her thighs when she caught your eye, biting back a smirk as she made her way towards the dugout.

But not before stopping by where you were leaning against the bleachers. Right there, in front of everyone for the first time.

See, this has been going on for months. The sneaking around, the feigned rivalry.

If only they knew what was really happening behind closed doors.

You first noticed her late one afternoon, walking to your car after cheer practice. Robin hadn’t even crossed your radar, barely a glance in the hallway. Too wrapped up in your own world to notice. But there was just something about the warm glow of the sunset laying against her flushed cheek. The way she found your eyes, like she knew your secret, before she spit out the shell of a sunflower seed. Chuckling as she grabbed her bat and walked off.

All you knew after that was you desperately wanted to know more. And boy, did you.

You quickly learned through word of mouth that she had been caught hooking up with some girl in the band room after school. That confirmation prompted you to start dropping her little hints. Longing glances when no one was paying attention, nods in the hallway. Sneaking out of practice early just so she’d notice you walk by. And, sure, she noticed.

But Robin wasn’t going to come easy, was she?

No, she wanted to make you work for it. To prove to her you were serious, not just another girl looking to make out with her for the thrill of it. Or some sick joke conjured up by the cheer squad to humiliate her more.

You quickly realized that your subtle hints were not going to get you what you wanted. Her.

One day you’d finally had enough, boldly slipping a note in her locker between classes. Coaxing her to meet you in the secluded alley between the gym and the cafeteria. A place you’d only used to meet a certain super senior when you wanted to buy some weed.

A spot unknown or used by the majority of the students of Hawkins High, knowing you wouldn’t be seen or heard by any curious passersby.

Part of you was worried she wouldn't show, becoming increasingly more nervous as time passed. Any lingering qualms were squashed when you saw her striding down the narrow path towards you. She looked good, her dark jeans hugging her hips just right. A button-up shirt tucked loosely into them, the top few buttons left open.

You wanted nothing more than to lean forward, closing the short distance between your bodies. Leave a trail of blues and purples along her exposed skin. And that terrified you, to know that one girl could mess you up in such a monumental way.

“So,” you mumbled, kicking a pebble with the tip of your sneaker.

“So,” she answered, crossing her arms over her chest.

Without hesitation, you introduced yourself but Robin gave you a confused look.

“Yeah, I already know who you are.”

“You do?”

“Well, we’ve gone to school together our whole lives…” she paused, running a hand through her hair, “and when a girl is practically eye-fucking you in the halls, it’s hard not to notice.”

“Oh, right,” you replied, looking down. Embarrassment washed over you. “Sorry, I guess I misinterpreted this whole thing.”

You carefully pushed off the wall, ready to walk away and pretend like this whole thing never happened. Save yourself the humiliation.

But her soft voice stopped you in your tracks.

“I wouldn't say that.”

“Then what would you say?” you asked, more confident now.

“You’re the one who asked me here,” Robin pointed out, turning the focus back to you.

And just as quickly as your confidence had risen, it fell. So you looked down again, now fiddling with the hem of your skirt.

“I don’t, um,” you struggled. “I don’t really know how to say it. I just…I…”

“Oh, just spit it out already.”

You looked up at her exasperated expression, narrowing your eyes. “Fine! Fine. Whatever. I like you, okay?”

“Like me? We’ve never spoken.”

“Don’t give me that when I’ve seen the way you look at me too.”

Robin’s hardened expression fell. “Touché.”

Silence fell between you, Robin lifting her head to look at the sky. You couldn’t help but squirm again, feeling a desperate urge to breathe in her scent.

You sighed. “So, what do we do now?”

“Hell if I know,” she replied, looking back at you. “I thought you were stuck up like the rest of your prissy friends.”

“Not when I’m around you,” you admitted, barely above a whisper. “You make me feel…different, somehow.”

“I could make it much worse for you, you know,” Robin replied, a smug grin reaching her lips as she stepped closer to you. “All you have to do is ask.”

“Please—”

“Actually, no,” Robin interrupted, fingers inching towards your hip. “You should beg.”

“Please,” you said without hesitation. “Please, Robin. I need you.”

Robin knew she shouldn’t. And so did you. But there was just something there, pressing against your chests as Robin pressed you against the brick. And when she kissed you the first time, you nearly whined in contentment, mewling softly against her mouth.

That kiss left you feeling desperate, eager for her to show you more. However, Robin wasn’t going to chase you, forcing you to take matters into your own hands. You sought her out one night after practice, pulling her into the equipment room outside the gym. Backing her body against the door, lips meeting once you heard the lock click into place.

“Just couldn’t stay away now, could you, baby?” she mumbled against your mouth, pulling a soft whine from you as she nipped at your lower lip. The noise caused her to laugh softly.

“I want you, Robs.”

She hummed in response, letting her lips trail across your jaw. “Want me how?” she prodded as the tip of her nose skimmed along your collarbone, rendering you utterly speechless.

“Show me,” she breathed, further stealing the breath from your lungs as she kissed you deeply. Taking control as she flipped your positions, enclosing you against the door.

You’re pliable under her soft touch, guiding her fingers up and underneath your pleated skirt. The blue of her irises nearly swallowed whole by her pupils as she gazed at you hungrily. That look ignited something within you, feeling emboldened as you reached forward to undo her pants. Exploring each other in a way that was unfamiliar to you, her skilled fingers helping to guide you with ease.

After that, it was just your little secret, with no one being the wiser. Why would they? You were on the opposite ends of the food chain, fractured by the Hawkins High hierarchy. Leaving little glances across the cafeteria, brushes of your fingertips in the hallway as a secret reminder of what you two had. It didn’t hurt that you could sit in class, practice, or even the shower and think about how they’d brush against your breasts later.

Of course, you couldn’t help but wind her up whenever you could be overheard. As she would gladly put you in your place in private.

But you knew as she approached you on the field with that familiar glint in her eye— you were really in for it this time.

“What’s so funny?” Robin asked, removing her gloves. You let your eyes linger on her fingers for a moment as she gripped the leather. Quickly shifting your gaze elsewhere as you pressed your thighs together.

Something the blonde didn’t miss. Holding back a smug smile as she looked between the three of you.

“You’re just such a loser,” Carol snickered, snapping her gum between her teeth.

Heather joined in with a giggle. “Yeah, maybe you should look into joining the t-ball team. Seems like a much better fit for you.”

Heather knew she struck a nerve, pleased with herself as Robin’s jaw clenched in anger.

“Oh, yeah?” Robin said, ready to egg her on. “And what do you know, Holloway? I’d like to see you do something other than shake your ass at Billy Hargrove during games. Don’t you find it pathetic how desperate you are for his attention?”

“Oh, fuck you,” Heather snapped back. “As if you are getting any. No one even knows your name.”

“You’d be surprised,” Robin replied, her eyes shifting towards you as if on instinct. “You know, I don’t recall ever seeing this one with a guy.”

“You better get back to that pitch before you strike out, Buckley,” you bit back, shooting her a warning look. “Again.”

With a shake of her head, Robin glanced behind you at your “friends” before scoffing and turning. But not before she took her cleat and scuffed up dirt onto your shiny white sneakers.

“Oops.” She laughed, giving you one last look before walking away.

Not missing a beat, Heather turned to you with a bewildered expression. “You know her name?”

You raised an eyebrow. “It’s on her uniform.”

“Oh— right,” she murmured, the conversation quickly forgotten as they discussed their plans for the night: yet another kegger at the Harrington residence. It was something you definitely weren’t interested in attending.

Though they begged you to join them, you merely shrugged and told them to go without you. They didn’t even blink before heading off, their laughter fading as quickly as it started. But you soon found yourself lost in the chatter of the crowd and the roar of the umpire.

You decided to move up, leaning against the chain-link fence, pom-poms thrown to the dirt as you watched your girl stepping up to bat again. The score had been tied, this being Hawkins High’s last chance to win the game.

As always, Robin found you again. She gave you a wink before you heard the sharp crack of the bat. You gasped along with the crowd at the sight of the ball shooting through the sky and into the parking lot.

You couldn’t help the loud cheer erupting from your lips, clapping along with the crowd as she sprinted through each base with ease. And as she slid into home and was declared safe, her eyes met yours. They followed you as she picked herself up, sweat dripping as she removed her helmet. Shaking her dampened hair out with a wide grin.

There was no longer anything inside you that beckoned you to be malicious. You could feel a swell of pride inside you, wanting nothing more than to show her just how incredible she was. How much you cared about her…and you planned on it.

Her teammates were quick to surround her, lifting her up onto their shoulders as the crowd continued to cheer. Robin was clearly embarrassed by the sudden swarm of attention, her cheeks beautifully flushed as they carried her across the field. Soaking in the glory for a few more moments before they were called to line up, shaking hands with the opposing team.

But as everyone began to clear out, you noticed Beth Wildfire hanging back, laughing near the dugout with Robin. As you moved closer, you could make out the way Beth was checking out Robin’s ass as she bent over to grab her glove.

Robin lifted her head slightly, noticing you making your way over.

“Nice win, Buckley,” Beth said, popping in a piece of gum. “We should go out and celebrate.”

“Oh, yeah?” Robin asked, a devious smile on her lips as she rose. You couldn’t stop the jealousy beginning to surface. “You think we should invite the team?”

She was making you work for it, wasn’t she?

“Actually, I thought maybe you and I could—”

“Hey, Robin,” you said, directly in Beth’s line of sight now.

Beth gave you a look, clearly annoyed by your interruption.

Good.

“Hey,” Robin greeted. “What’s up?”

“You still need that ride?” you asked, clutching your pom poms tighter in your fists.

“I’d almost forgotten,” Robin replied smugly.

“Well, uh,” Beth said, taking a step closer to Robin. “I could always take her home after heading to Benny’s.”

“No, that’s alright,” you said curtly, faking a smile as you also took a step forward. “I think I’ve got it from here.”

You and Beth exchanged glances before her eyes widened, flickering between you and Robin who was only looking at you. Beth said nothing, opting instead to give you both a quick nod. But the clear disappointment on her face brought you more joy than you cared to admit.

“I’ll see you later, then,” she said. “Again, nice win, Buckley.”

Even as she walked away, Robin never broke eye contact. “Thanks, Beth,” she called out, a grin widening on her lips.

“Ready to go, mon chéri? I’m starving.”

Hook, line, and sinker.

And that’s how you ended up here, your legs draped over Robin’s shoulders as her tongue circles over your clit. One hand buried in her hair and the other clutching onto the chain link fence behind you. Her blue hues never leave your face, taking in each and every reaction she pulls from you.

“You know, you’re pretty cute when you’re jealous.” She grins, flicking the tip of her tongue over your swollen clit. Enjoying the way your body twitches with every motion.

“I wasn’t jealous.”

You breathlessly try to deny it, but you both know you’re lying. Once again letting your pride get in the way, prompting Robin to remove her tongue from your center.

“No— Robbie, please,” you whine as she pulls away fully, resting her cheek against your inner thigh as she continues to slowly thrust her fingers inside you.

She revels in the way your walls grip tightly around the digits, almost as if you’re trying to keep them trapped inside. And as much as she loves feeling you, she loves making you beg even more.

So she slips her fingers out of your dripping cunt completely. Standing up to hover over you as she brings them to your lips.

“Please what, princess?” she taunts, her fingers now slipping into your mouth. Your tongue eagerly swirling around the digits until they’re devoid of any trace of you.

Robin removes them just as fast, trailing the saliva-coated digits down your jaw until they wrap around the base of your throat. “Answer me,” her harsh tone only further dampening the area between your thighs.

“Please don’t stop,” you plead without hesitation, rocking your hips up against her thigh. A look of desperation flitting across your features as you clutch onto her shoulders.

“Aww, you wanna cum, pretty thing?” Her tone is laced with condescension, finding yourself nodding almost frantically as you gaze up at her.

“I don’t know, baby… you were pretty mean earlier.” She paused, a small pout forming on your lips as she traced over them with her thumb. “You think you deserve it?”

You nod as if on instinct, whining as she pulls away from you completely. Rising to her feet once again, grabbing your hands and pulling you up off the bench. Your breasts press together as she whispers softly in your ear, “Prove it to me, then.”

You eagerly reach for the buttons on her uniform, tugging the zipper down. Impatiently yanking her pants down over the curve of her ass as you take back control.

“Sit,” you demand, resting your hands on her shoulders. Coaxing her to take your previous position on the worn bench.

“So bossy,” she teases, gripping your hips as you swing your leg over her thigh.

Taking a seat as you slip your fingers past the elastic of her underwear, moaning at the wetness you find there.

“This all for me?” you muse, your thumb brushing over her bundle of nerves with ease now. Having become quite familiar with every inch of her body over the last three months.

“I mean… Beth was looking good tonight—”

You cut her off with your mouth before she has a chance to finish her sentence. That surge of jealousy coursing through your veins as you kiss her deeply.

“She can’t have you,” you mumble against her mouth, before taking her lower lip between your teeth and tugging. “You're all mine.”

Robin curses softly as you begin to grind your hips against her thigh, slipping two fingers into her awaiting heat. Pumping them in tandem with each rock of your hips, as she mewls against your mouth.

“Please.” Now she's the one doing the begging, despite your hips continuing to grind down against her thigh. The mixture of her saliva and your juices making a mess on her bare skin.

You giggle softly as you increase the pressure on her clit with your thumb, burying your fingers deeper inside her. “Say it again.” She moans as you attach your lips to the base of her throat.

The blonde tilts her head back to expose more of her neck as you greedily suck on her flushed skin. A feeling of pride washes over you as you leave blotches of red and purple in your wake.

“You’re mine, Robin.” Your tone is overly possessive, enjoying how her body trembles beneath you. Your words being the thing to finally send her over the edge as she pulls your face back up to crash her lips against yours.

Her fingers dig harshly into the skin of your hips, encouraging you to keep grinding on her thigh. Lifting her leg to increase the pressure on your core. “That’s it… such a good girl.”

She pulls back slightly to watch you with hooded eyes, lips lifting in a genuine smile.

“My good girl.”

Her words elicit a bigger response than either of you expected, your thighs tightening around her own as you loudly cry out her name. Her hands continue to guide you along her thigh, working you through each wave of euphoria that crashes over you.

You’re both panting as you begin to come down from your highs, nuzzling your face in the crook of her neck. “Wow,” you breathe out, lightly tracing over the darkening love bites on her neck.

“Jeez, I think the whole town heard you,” Robin teases, running her fingers along your back.

“Well,” you start, pulling back to look at her. “I’m just trying to congratulate my girl on her big win.”

“Your girl?” she teases.

You bite your lip, trying to hide your smile. “Mhm.”

“Admit it,” Robin says, lifting her eyebrows, eyes tracing the lines of your face. “You were jealous.”

“Maybe I was,” you finally admit, earning an amused smile from her. “But I don’t think I have to worry about anyone else.”

“No?”

“Mm-mm.”

You press a quick kiss to the corner of her mouth before standing, helping her to her feet. Leaning back against the fence as she wiggles her pants back up over her hips.

Robin is still fastening the buttons as you walk out onto the field. Her eyes follow your figure as you reach the pitcher's mound. A fond look falls over her features as your eyes flutter shut, letting the last glow of the setting sun soak into your pores.

Feeling the weight of her stare, you turn back around. Flashing her a beaming smile as she finally reaches you on the field.

“So… Benny’s?” you ask, twisting your skirt back into place. “I’m actually starving now.”

Robin looks at you in utter disbelief as she places her hat back on her head, the brim facing the opposite direction. “Wait, you’re serious? What if someone sees us together?”

You can’t stop the giggle that leaves you, now closing the few feet separating you from her. Cupping her face in between your palms as you press another kiss to her lips.

Right in the middle of the open field.

“I told you,” you say, louder this time. “Let them see us. I don’t give a fuck anymore.”

You slip your hand into hers, lacing your fingers as you begin leading her towards your car. A sight to see, her bat and glove in her unoccupied hand. Your pom-poms in yours.

“You were still an asshole earlier, you know that?” Robin says.

As you share a laugh, you swing your intertwined hands back-and-forth. You’re practically skipping as you pull her along, light-hearted and winded.

“And you ruined my sneakers,” you counter. “Are you gonna clean them for me?”

“Only if you’re good, mon chéri.”

“I think I can manage that,” you reply as you venture further into the twilight. “At least for a little bit.”

tagging some moots 💕

@xxbimbobunnyxx @babygorewhore @impmunson @voyeurmunson @eddiesxangel @taintedcigs @strangerstilinski

[fangirlandtheories]

Do you remember when we used to sing?

Eddie is away on tour while Steve is taking care of their daughter a few hours away. Too bad she can't fall asleep without her special bedtime song...

--

Steve’s brows pinched together as the cries grew in pitch and volume, almost drowning out the familiar click of ‘Hey it’s Eddie, call me back or don’t, I’m not your mother.’ from the speaker of his phone. 

He had shifted from frustrated to desperate as he glanced over at their daughter, red faced and snot nosed. Bedtime was a solid hour past due and didn’t seem to be looming any closer. 

“It’s okay, sweets, we’ll call him again.” Steve soothed as he ran a hand down the toddler’s back. 

“Daddy!!!” She screamed again, choking with the effort of her sobs, as she squeezed her eyes shut. It had been love at first sight for Eddie and Steve when they had met Rayne’s mother. She was young, just turning 20 in the fall, with curly blonde hair and big brown eyes. She was looking for someone who wanted a baby that couldn’t naturally have their own and the agent connected the dots for them. After several months, little Rayne was theirs.

“I know,” Steve muttered as he pulled up Eddie’s contact again. Eddie had taken a break from touring after the adoption of their daughter but had recently started back up. It started off pretty well, the excitement of getting to have a Dad weekend with Steve pulling her through, but now the newness was gone and all little Rayne Munson-Harrington wanted was Eddie. 

Eddie usually found weekend gigs but had found a week long slot in a club in St. Louis that promised great publicity and even better payment, so Corroded Coffin hit the road and Steve held down the fort with some help from Robin and Wayne. They were obligated to babysit, she was named after both of them afterall, and he was grateful because work had been taxing enough without adding a feisty 4 year old to the mix. 

A flu bug was sweeping it’s way through Hawkin’s Elementary and it spared no casualties in Steve’s kindergarten classroom. He spent the day trying to keep the class from putting things in their mouths and making sure everyone washed their hands, sending a child or two home after seeing the greenish pale tints of nausea pass over their faces. He knew that he’d have to deal with kids puke at some point, especially as a parent, but he’d like to avoid it at all costs. 

“Pick up your phone you ass.” He hissed through clenched teeth, rocking the inconsolable girl in his arms as he dialed again.

***

Eddie first felt the familiar jolt of vibration in his back pocket  just after the first chorus. The second time was just a few verses later. He smiled into the microphone as he continued to sing, ignoring his phone. The third time was in the bridge of the song, a particularly terrible time to take a call as Eddie’s hands were preoccupied with his guitar. The fourth time happened in the final notes of the song. The fifth during the applause. Eddie frowned as he pulled the device from his pocket, ignoring a glare from Jeff.

“Hey guys, you won’t believe this but my husband is facetiming me right now. This is like the fifth time he’s called so I’m going to answer, everybody be quiet and let’s see how long it takes him to remember that we had a later show tonight.” Eddie laughed as the audience silenced quickly. Steve’s irritated yet grateful face popped up on the screen seconds later.

“Hey love…” He crooned with a cheeky smirk.

“Your daughter is very upset with you.” Steve ignored the affectionate nickname. 

“Why is she my daughter whenever she’s mad?” Eddie rolled his eyes. “Is she alright?”

“She’s been screaming since 8:30 Eds.” Steve ran a hand through his hair and blew out an exasperated sigh. “She’s refusing to sleep until you do it, that’s why I’ve been calling.”

“Steve I’m um…” Eddie glanced nervously at the audience in front of him. “Kind of in the middle of something.”

“Yeah I wanted to be relaxing right now too but our kid needs her dad and since he’s five hours away the very least he could do is sing her the damn song so that we all can get some rest.” Steve squinted at him. “You’re being weirder than usual. Are the guys there with you?”

“Yeah the guys are definitely with me.” Eddie ignored Gareth’s snicker. “Can I call you-”

“Edward, so help me God, sing the song so that she can go to sleep.” Steve interrupted. “Look at her.” Steve turned the camera to the distraught little girl and Eddie’s heart clenched.

“Hi angel, I hear you’re a little sad.” He frowned in solidarity with her as her lip stuck out. “No, don't cry, it’s okay Ray Ray.” She howled louder, tears popping from her wet lashes. He winced as he lip quivered, his resolve wearing down to nothing. He glanced over at Gareth, leaning over to whisper to him before looking back to his phone.

“Alright fine, let’s sing it, yeah?” Eddie placated. “You’re breaking my heart Bambi.” The wide eyes and long lashes practically gifted the nickname to her. He glanced back at Gareth who gave him a thumbs up before looking at the audience. “Daddy’s band is going to help him sing it, is that okay?” Rayne whimpered as she nodded, snuggled into Steve’s arms as he held the phone in front of her.

“Wait, are you on stage right now?” Steve leaned forward. “Shit, I’m sorry babe, I didn’t mean to interrupt the performance.”

“You couldn’t interrupt if you tried.” Eddie smiled. “Isn’t that right?” Steve could hear cheers from the audience. “We love our rock and roll family here and we honor our traditions, most of all the bedtime song. Ready boys? Sing along if you know it, our most honored guest is in the audience tonight and would love to hear you guys.”

With that, Jeff  played the opening notes on the guitar while Gareth tapped out the beat with the rarely used tambourine. The bass thumped along to Eddie’s singing, and though it admittedly wasn’t their usual style, the band loved Rayne like she was their niece and they would play anything to make her happy.

“-In the misty morning fog with our hearts a-thumping” Eddie held the microphone in one hand and the phone in the other, beaming at the smile on Steve’s face. “And you, my brown eyed girl.” Rayne giggled and clapped, tears still on her cheeks but sadness having finally passed. 

***

Hours and miles away, Steve smiled as he shut the door to his daughter's bedroom, the nightlight softly glowing, as he hummed the song to himself. Tomorrow there would be a series of tweets about Eddie going soft and videos flying all around the internet, but for now, and for the first time that evening, the Munson-Harrington home was quiet.

[ggfj84]

"You realize we're practically the Gilmore Girls."

"How do you figure?"

Sitting on the edge of a table in Cyborg’s once-pristine lab, Nightwing drew Batman’s cape tighter around his body. "Well, you took me in when I was eight and you were twenty-four. That means I was born when you were sixteen."

"And that makes us the Gilmore Girls?" Bruce asked as his hands ran over the edge of the destroyed concrete and steel.

NIghtwing shrugged or as best he could with his banged-up arm. "It's a TV show about a young mother from a rich family who had a kid at sixteen, runs away, and works her way up from being a maid at an inn.”

“I see the very few similarities. Hard work. Young parent.”

“The biggest difference really is that her front desk personnel is French Canadian, not British, so he doesn't make questionably edible cucumber sandwiches."

Batman let out a noise that could have been misconstrued as a laugh. “Don’t let Alfred hear you.”

“I mean, they’re not terrible, but I wouldn’t call them good.”

The conversation hit a lull then, allowing pain and exhaustion to find Nightwing again. The lab explosion – set off by Lex Luthor or Gorilla Grodd or whoever was now a part of the Secret Society of Super Villains – had trapped them in a collapsed pocket of the Watchtower. Nightwing couldn’t tell how long they’d been holed up, but it had been some time since he regained consciousness.

“Keep talking,” Batman demanded as he picked up his tablet and began to type. 

NIghtwing rolled his eyes. “You know that’ll take up more oxygen, and we don’t know if we’re cut off from the watchtower’s tanks.”  

“We are, but if you lose consciousness again, we’ll be in a worse predicament.”

Which was why Nightwing currently wore Batman’s cape, despite the fact that there could be people who didn’t know Batman’s identity right outside the wall of twisted metal and concrete.

Blood had already caked upon Nightwing’s forehead and cheek from a rogue piece of concrete that hit him. He pointedly ignored the limp arm that lay across his hip as his legs dangled over the edge of the lab table.

“You just had to invite me today, didn’t you?”

“Of course, I did,” Batman said as a matter of fact, not even looking up from his tablet. “Today’s our anniversary.”

“Our what!” NIghtwing let out a high-pitched laugh. “Bruce, last time I checked, you did not put a ring on it.”

“I put one on Selina.” Batman frowned at a particular reading on his tablet and tapped across the screen. “On this day, fifteen years ago, you ran the gauntlet and officially became my partner.”

NIghtwing ducked his head, though he knew it wouldn’t hide the sudden heat that rushed to his cheeks. “You remember that? You have literally forgotten my birthday five times, but you remember Batman and Robin’s anniversary.”

“Twice,” Bruce corrected.

“Twice what?”

“I’ve only forgotten your birthday twice.”

This, Nightwing knew well. “It’s definitely five times.” He lifted a finger for each point. “The latest one, the second one, my eleventh birthday, my fourteenth birthday cuz I wanted a quad and didn’t get it, and my twenty-first.”

Batman sighed, and even though Nightwing could read Batman’s face almost as well as Bruce’s, he found the distressed lines across Bruce’s forehead and the tightening of his jaw unnerving.

“When you were turning fourteen, there was no way I was buying you that death machine, and I didn’t want to see you disappointed. So I left Alfred to give you your consolation present, and Wally was throwing you a birthday party in Central City anyway. You didn’t need me there.

“When you turned twenty-one, you were celebrating most holidays with your friends, and I would have simply been the chaperone you no longer needed. So I gave Wally my credit card number and told him to charge everything to me.”

Why didn’t Wally tell him? “Bruce, I didn’t – ”

“And on your last birthday, I visited you, even brought you drinks at Bea’s. I would have given you a present if I thought you would have taken it.”

Dick thought back to his last birthday. As Ric, he didn’t even remember the day was special. He drove his cab for ten hours and then crashed at Bea’s bar in the evening, where a friendly guy named Matches struck up a conversation and – shit.

“You know what?” Nightwing motioned toward their quasi-cage. “I feel this whole situation is entrapment.”

Batman gave him a flat, exasperated glower. “You just had to say it, didn’t you?”

“I can’t let a good pun go.” Nightwing shrugged. “Any luck finding us a way out?”

“I have a contingency plan.”

“Awesome. Let’s do it.”

Batman looked absolutely pained. “I’d rather wait a few more minutes. Unless you are in need of immediate medical attention, I think I’d like to see if I come up with a different exit strategy.”

“Bruce.” It was not a whine but damn close to one. “We’ve been in here for hours.”

“Twenty-two minutes.”

“My arm is broken, and I probably have a concussion. I just want some painkillers and my bed. Whatever plan you have, do it already.”

“Hm.” Batman grumbled and then said in the lowest, most menacing growl possible, “Superman, help.”

The frustrated and annoyed look on Bruce’s face when Clark arrived was the best present Dick ever received.  

[redrobinhoodrat]

BABY BOO CHAPTER ONE

Jason is out patrolling and for some reason he’s got random noises coming through his coms. 

Well, not random. It’s only been the one noise that he’s been hearing over and over. He can only hear it at random intervals but the pitch is enough to make his teeth ache- the green that flashes in front of his eyes isn’t very reassuring either.

To top everything off, Red was watching him like a hawk. The paranoid little shit already picking up on how tense he was. He rolled his shoulders as he landed the next swing, trying to keep his flinch at the noise minimal. It shouldn’t even bother him. He’s never been sensitive to loud noises, he uses guns for god's sake! Usually, he’d pass this off as something fucked up with his helmet.

It was grating on him though. It made his chest feel tight, like he was about to panic. The weird staticky chirp played over and over as he stood there trying the figure it out. It had to be getting louder, right? Why was he constantly hearing it now? Where was it coming from? Why-

“-Hood!” He gasped as he felt someone grab his shoulder. He hadn’t even noticed he’d closed his eyes and gripped the sides of his helmet. He looked up into Red Robin’s mask as he tried to relax. He could see the worry across his face and tried to straighten up from his slightly crouched position.

“Red Robin, report.” Batman’s voice came through the coms and Jason was too slow to catch Tim’s attention as he shook his head and made a slashing motion at his throat. He watched as the kid straightened at the command and hurried to reply before his brother could get everyone riled up.

“Everything is fine.”

“You weren’t responding.”

“This,” he said harshly, “is me responding. Everything is fine.” Jason continued making vague threatening motions towards Tim since he seemed like he was about to chime in. He thought the last threat really hit home since the kid’s shoulders hunched up and he looked a little huffy as he responded.

“Everything’s fine Batman. Just a communication error.” Jason gave him a short nod as he tuned everything back out. The noise hadn’t happened in a second and instead of feeling relieved he felt his anxiety kick up. He glanced around as he tried to contain the urge to hunt for…something. He still wasn’t sure here.

“Hood, B’s not going to be happy when we get back if you keep ignoring him. What’s going on?” Tim had moved to be in front of Jason. Not too close though, he’d noticed him cocking his head and he could barely see the slight sheen of green shining from beneath his eye lenses. Something was up and he was going to figure it out. He watched Jason’s head snap towards him as he moved a step closer. He seemed to be twitchy but resigned as he sighed before answering.

“There’s a weird noise coming through my helmet. I’ve been trying to figure it out but I can’t. It’s making the pits act weird.” He crossed his arms as he said it, he couldn’t help the hint of defensiveness in his tone. He rolled his eyes as he noticed that Tim had a hand on his panic button.

“When you say it’s messing with the pits…?”

“I'm fine,” He huffed. “It’s more like a humming, greenish feeling.”

Tim hummed as he typed the symptoms into his computer. Taking notes just in case. As he finished he moved a little closer to his brother.

“Still, why don’t I take a look at your helmet. It could be nothing but you could’ve been hacked.” He gestured for Jason to pass him the helmet. He raised his brow however, as Jason took a step back defensively.

“No way! I won’t be able to figure out what the noise is if I can’t hear it.”

“That’s the point Jason,” Tim rolled his eyes. “You don’t know what’s causing this. What if Ra’s or someone has a way to induce an episode of madness in people affected by the pits? It could be mind control. It might be nothing. Just let me listen to your coms and I’ll see if I can hear it.” He held out his hand again.

Jason huffed as he thought it over. Letting his brother check wasn’t going to hurt anything, especially since the chirps had gone silent for some reason.

He scowled as the thought crossed his mind. Why was he so freaked out that the noise was gone?

Time watched as Jason tensed up before sagging and taking off his helmet. He took it from his brother's reluctant hands and quickly started a scan. He was so focused that he almost didn't notice as Jason's head snapped up. He quickly took more notice as the green sheen beneath his mask seemed to turn into a bright glow. The expression on his brother's face wasn't encouraging either. Panic and rage were crossing his face in equal intervals. He ducked behind an AC unit as Hood started looking around. Like hell he'd be getting near him like this, he'd already had one pit accident with Jason. He had the scars to prove it too.

He quickly pressed his panic button as a horrible thought occurred to him.

There's no way for the sound to be affecting Jason without the helmet if it'd been coming through the coms. If he was right, then the helmet had probably been filtering the noise. If he could just get him to put the helmet ba-

"Chirp!"

He cut his thought off as he heard a weird noise.

"Chirp!"

He scrunched his nose as he heard it again.

Was-? Was Jason chirping? Like a bird?

"Red, what's going on?!" Nightwing's voice came across his com as he watched Jason frantically call out with his weird noises. Honestly, how was he even making them, his mouth wasn't opening!

"We've got a green eyed situation with Hood, possible mind control, heavy emotional influence. Cause undetermined. Hood was talking about a weird noise earlier and now he's making odd noises."

"Copy that. Back up is four minutes away, is he hostile?"

"So far, no. He's just standing there. Menacingly."

"Red."

"I'm being serious B! All he's doing is making weird noises and looking around. It's like he's using echolocation or something." Tim watched closer as Hood let out an even louder chirp before tilting his head like he was listening. Could he really be hearing it echo back to him? There's an echo for sure but to a regular human the feedback wouldn't give them much information. What could he be listening to then? Tim isn't hearing anything unless...!

"Guy’s, it's possible the noises are a form of communication. He acts like he's listening for some type of feedback." He watched as Jason's expression suddenly changed to determined.

"Shit! He's on the move. I'm following at a distance."

"Alright Red, don't let him notice you. I’ve got eyes on you." Bab chimed in. Tim cringed at the thought of getting in Hood's way right now. Based on past experience with the expression on his face, someone was getting hurt tonight.

“Red Robin, update.” Batman said gruffly.

“He’s crossing over into the Upper East Side.” Tim had been reporting to the bats as he followed Jason. They’d been patrolling towards the North docks so he’s guessing it’d taken them maybe ten minutes to get to the river. Where the hell was that backup?

Jason had been going in the same general direction since he took off. His movements were almost mechanical as he would go in a direction for a while, stop and chirp like a bird, listen for a second, then take off again. 

He was so never letting him live this down. He’d already gotten Babs to duplicate all the footage and audio from his mask cam. He spotted a flash of purple to his right. He shook his head as he pressed his com button.

“Where the hell you been, loca?” 

“Had to make a pit stop and grab BB, Red. Couldn’t leave her out of all the fun!” 

Tim scanned his surroundings a little better and was rewarded with a flash of black slightly to the left and ahead of him. He couldn’t help but relax a little as he did, if Cass was here the chances of everything working out easily doubled. He might also be a little biased when it came to his favorite sibling though. 

He grinned as he sped up a little. The wit and teasing of Steph along with Cass’s short hand signs was a welcome change to his anxiety over Jason’s situation. As long as they could stay with him tonight and snap him out of it everything would be okay. 

Sadly, his upbeat mood plummeted as Jason suddenly changed directions. He was heading towards Robinson Park. 

“We need to intercept him, he’s heading to the park.” Batman made a small disapproving noise over the coms. He could hear the Batmobile roaring in the background, he could tell just from the noise he was going as fast as he could to catch up with them.  

“ETA is 2 minutes, do you think you can hold him off?”

He shared some quick glances with Cass and Steph. 

“Take your time B, we can handle him.”

[steddiehands86]

~*TW: gunshots*~

Eddie didn’t feel the gunshot at first. Saw instead the horrified look on his friend’s faces: Dustin’s face going white, Steve’s chocolate eyes widening in alarm, Robin screaming in terror as Nancy scanned the tree line.

He took a halting step, then another before he stopped, looking down as a ruby flower bloomed under his shirt and hearing Steve’s footsteps hurrying toward him.

Just as he was about to fall, knees knocking together in sudden weakness, he was caught by Steve’s strong arms carefully winding around his waist as he gently laid him down on the ground.

“It’s okay, you’re going to be okay,” was all he could hear through the muffle in his ears, momentarily deafened by the sound of the bullet.

He could hear Dustin’s high pitched voice screaming over the walkie, Robin frantically encouraging him to stay awake, to keep breathing as best he could because his torso was on FIRE.

And Nancy? She was an avenging angel, a Valkyrie coming to his rescue.

Her sharp eyes scanned the path ahead to see Jason and his cronies, the blond clutching his hand in pain because of course he wasn’t holding the weapon properly. She swiftly swung her bag around, pulled out the pistol Eddie was sure wasn’t there before and aimed at them. Her voice rang clear and firm, carried through the trees by a soft, gentle breeze, “I’m going to give you guys to the count of three to get out of here before I start firing.”

The boys ran, Jason stupidly dropping the weapon in his haste to get to safety.

Eddie was shaking as his vision blurred, watched them stumbling over the forest path.

“Robin-” Her voice was calm as fuck, eyes never strayed from watching the jocks run off, “Robin I’m going to need you to listen to me right now.” Nancy still held the pistol aloft just in case, “I need you to go over there, quick as you can, and get that gun. Don’t touch it with your bare hands, we’re going to need it.”

Robin hurried over, wiping at her eyes as she did as she was asked and trying to get her own breathing under control.

“Hey Eds,” Steve brushed his fringe from his clammy forehead, Eddie’s gaze filled with the sweetest, kindest face. Pure puppy dog concern with a strange wash of determination. Daddy in control written on every feature. “This is going to hurt, I need to get this bullet out but I’m going to be as gentle as I can.”

“Steve we gotta get him to-”

“Where, Dust? He’s a fugitive, we can’t chance him getting an infection, or ripping through shit making it worse.”

“How do YOU know it’s not somewhere life threatening?!”

Steve rolled his eyes, as if this was the conversation they needed to be having with a dusting of ‘we don’t have time for this’ flavoring his tone, “Ever since the mall fire I’ve been taking EMT courses.” He shrugged, looking almost embarrassed at his confession as he whipped off his yellow sweater. “Need you to look at me, Eds. This is going to fucking hurt, but I’m going to make sure you’re okay. Do you think you can nod for me that you understand?”

Eddie, wide-eyed and frightened, awed that Steve was so cool headed about all of this, not to mention that Eddie was eyes to hairy tits and wondered what it was like to just…live there right in between those magnificent pecs- odd what his mind decided too focus on while he was bleeding out at Skull Rock, nodded mutely.

Steve’s smile was blinding as he ripped at the soft material, “Perfect, you’re doing so good Eddie.”

He wanted to be good for Steve, just as long as he could keep looking at this Adonis for his last moments, Eddie was floating. High on adrenaline and pain he could only feel a weird tugging at first, legs numb and tingling before absolute fire as something went in-

“I know Eddie,” Steve crooned low and deep, gripping his jawbone tenderly, rubbing his thumb over Eddie’s tear-stained cheek, “-almost over- got it right-”

Eddie’s scream echoed through the clearing, bouncing off the rocks making Steve wince in sympathy, “Here Dust, put this in your pack-”

“Are you serious?!”

“We’ll need the evidence for later, buddy. It’s gross, make sure you wash your hands.” Steve smiled down at him in reassurance, brushing Eddie’s hair back with a clean hand, “you did so well. Don’t worry, we’re going to get this bandaged up, and then I’m going to take you to my place. You’re going to be just fine-”

“Steve-”

“Nancy,” Steve warned, voice firm and brooking no argument this time, “They’re never home. And if he’s in my room, they’ll just assume he’s me. Trust me, they don’t care.”

It was in snapshots, how Eddie remembered the rest. He recalled Steve’s warm, tacky hands gripping his face and telling him ‘just keep breathing- in and out- that’s good’. Felt the wrapping, the sting of having his midsection jostled as they wrapped him up, feeling the blood gushing just a little before the pressure eased. He floated seemingly through the air but knowing that wasn’t quite right- he smelled a spicy, soft cologne and sweat- through the forest until they reached Steve’s car. The trees rushed by in a blur of hunter green and dark brown, the sunlight peeking through to dazzle his vision making him feel like he was flying to Heaven, cushioned on a firm thigh. He blinked, then feeling the forced air of what he could only assume was the hallways of the Harrington home, feeling the soft springiness of his mattress smelling of sage and cedar wood.

Steve’s now clean hands coaxed Eddie to swallow down painkillers, antibiotics, and washing it down with crisp cool water. Before utter blackness took hold he felt the gentle press of lips at his temple, Steve whispering, “I’ll be here when you wake. You’re safe.”

Safe with Steve, the king of his heart.

[swampstew]

Hiii I hope you know your one of the greatest unappreciated writers I’ve ever seen and your very nice 😊

I’m kind of shy so I’ll make this quick since I’m not the best at this if you want to write for yandere luffy maybe you could write this you don’t have too platonic/romantic fluffy headcanons of yandere luffy having a shy timid soft s/o who’s nerdy and smart? But they try to match his energy in a cute way? Like being cheerful and not so fearful? And hug him more because they want to make him feel loved? Feel free to take your time or ignore have fun!

Hi anon ~ that's so sweet and kind of you to say <3 Sorry I took some time on this but this is now the kick off on my Yandere Content Week! Thank you for your request, I gave it my best shot below and hope you like it👉👈

WC: 661 CW: SFW; not-gender specific reader; Yandere Luffy; kidnapping reader; maybe stockholm? sorry if it's awful or too OOC or not Yandere enough I am just a little lady trying my best!

Bless both your souls. You thought he was just really friendly, and you’re not wrong he is – just uhhh he doesn’t really take no for an answer and he reeeeeallllyy wants you to join his crew. What does he have to do to convince you to go with him? Job or education? No need when you’re a pirate! A resume is more important than a diploma (no offense Robin). Worried about your safety? Don’t! What else are you saying? He can’t hear you over the sound of the whistling air as he yeets you from your island on to his ship. Why would he do that? Well cause if you had it your way, he’d have to fight every person you cared about to keep them from holding you back from him. Man, woman, child, he does not give a shit, square up!

The ship is already in motion so you’re stuck with the Straw Hat crew. The others seem mildly surprised, something about Luffy not hyper focusing on any one person so long that he resorts to kidnapping (often) but stranger things have happened – moving on. You’re lucky, all things considering. Luffy is literally the best pirate from the Worst Generation to be snatched by. He’s goofy by nature and generally kind. But oh boy is he selfish. Well, you would know now wouldn’t you?

Luffy can be selfish but he would never want you to be unhappy so he’ll do anything to make sure you’re having a good time. Want to fish with him? Catch bugs with him? Explore a thick jungle and see what wild creatures you’ll come across? You find yourself running after him, he is pretty fun and honestly, reckless, and constantly needs your help getting unstuck from wherever he ended up wedged in. When you’re travelling on the sea for weeks on end, Luffy keeps you company as you read Robin’s books, or as you watch and ask Franky questions about himself and his robotics, he doesn’t care – he just likes spending time with you. Especially since you’ve started coming out of your shell lately.

Luffy was afraid at first that you hated and resented him for taking you. And you did but even you had to admit that being around the rubber man wasn’t as bad as you initially thought. Just, your consent would have been cool first, that’s all. Nevertheless, Luffy brought out the best in you – without him, you wouldn’t have known how exciting life could be, and you certainly hadn’t expected him to be so in sync with you. It’s like he always knew what you needed before you did. Or maybe it was the crew pitching in and giving him an edge but all you knew is that you’ve never been treated as kindly or as well before. Luffy gives you all his attention, he listens with enthusiasm as you share the things you enjoy or the new things you discover. He goes the extra mile to make sure you get whatever you want. In return you also reciprocate the enthusiasm and attention.

Luffy’s content with the relationship never getting physical or even romantic, it does not really matter to him all he wants is you, on his crew but specifically with him, and for no one else to ever have you. That works perfectly for you, your feelings on him are still mixed. Over the course of several months, your personality transforms from a shy, self-proclaimed nerdy person to a more confident version of yourself. Luffy teaches and instills you with empowerment, assertiveness, even cockiness! You went from being stiff and awkward around him to sneaking him hugs from behind, letting him intertwine his fingers with yours, and more often than not, sneaking pokes to each other’s side to elicit maniacal laughter and sharp cries of protest. Neither of you show mercy during these tickle wars, just another trait he rubbed off on you.

[softsnzstuff]

Sicktember Day 11 - Beginners Guide to Faking Sick

Fandom: Stranger Things; Streamer AU

Summary: Eddie teaches you by way of vlog how to properly fake sick to get out of an event. Yes he uses chhinkni…

Word Count: 950

Eddie’s camera pointed towards where he was sitting at his gaming desk. He knew he had to film this quick while Steve was out buying groceries.

“What’s up guy! I’m back again and today we have to be quick while Steve’s out. There’s an event tomorrow that I really don’t want to go to… so I’m filming a little How To.”

He smirked to himself, “This is the beginners’ guide to faking sick.”

He removed the camera from the tripod and held it vlogging style as he paced around his room.

“A lot of people are gonna try and go for the fake chicken pox or stomach bug. It’s too complex!!! You want this shit to be two things. Believable and basic.”

“I used to try this stuff out as a kid, so I’ve basically perfected the act of faking sick. You can’t make it too medically scary or they’ll send ya to a doctor. We don’t want that. And it’s gotta be something you can keep up for a day or so. The trick is starting early so it’s not too suspicious.”

He set the camera down on one of the desk shelves as he used a key to open this small package on the desk.

“This stuff? This is supposedly going to be our miracle worker. It’s called chinky or cheeknee or something? Anyways it’s spelled like this.”

He holds the package of Chhinkni to the camera, his hand flat behind it so it’ll focus on the little vial inside the packaging.

“Supposed to make you sneeze I guess? Anyways - OOP!”

There was a thud of the front door closing before the muffled call came out, “Eddie I’m back! Can I get a hand with the groceries please?”

“He’s back! Gotta be fast…”

Eddie quickly unscrewed the cap of the vial and tapped some of the powder out onto the back of his hand.

“Here goes nothing.” He snorted it, making a face and scrunching his nose up, “Oooooh! That is something! Let’s see if it works.”

Still vlogging, he made his way out to the kitchen as if nothing had happened.

“Steve just got back from the store. Lemme set you guys down so I can help him with these grehhhh ugh.. SnF! Groceries… h’isssSHEW!! T’szuHEW! ii’KSHT!”

The older man pitched forward sneezing openly at the floor, away from Steve.

“Bless you! Cover those sneezes, Ed’s.” Steve winced, leaning slightly away as he unbagged the apples.

“Sorry, don’t know what’s going on. Been sneezing since you left…” Eddie lied.

He brought his left elbow up to his mouth, right arm holding it in place as he pitched forward again.

“G’tCHUhh! H’xxT! ….mpTSCH! hih.. EH’isshHiew!!”

Steve pressed a hand to Eddie’s forehead. “You feeling okay, bug? Those sound more… desperate than normal and it’s not allergy season…”

The older man sniffled wetly against the back of his hand, making Steve grimace. “My throat’s a little scratchy but I’m okay.”

Steve put a hand on the small of Eddie’s back and ushered him towards the couch. “You go chill while I unload these. If you are sick I don’t want your germs on my vegetables. Take your camera.”

Eddie faked a pout as he shuffled off to the sofa. “I got kicked out of the kitchen guys…”

*~*~*~

The next morning, Eddie is up early and sneaks off to the bathroom.

“Okay guys this is where the real acting comes in play.” He whispers. “I’m about to make myself look disheveled, but we’re also going to make use of a heating pad I borrowed from Robin and that chickeny stuff again.”

His hair is already messy from sleep, and he scrubs aggressively at his nose until it’s tinged slightly pink with irritation. He holds the heating pad up for the camera before pressing it to his face and the back of his neck for a while, fake coughing into his shirt to slightly muffle the sound.

He stashes the heating pad under the sink and snorts some more powder, grabbing some tissues for an extra pitiful look.

It doesn’t take long for the powder to start working, his inner nostrils absolutely buzzing with a tickle.

“H’etSHiew! ItssSH!! H’eSSHihew!”

He coughs loudly again until he hears Steve turn in the bed.

“Eddie? You okay?” The younger man’s voice is groggy with sleep.

“I’b okay Steve, go back to bed.. TSZIEW!”

Eddie turns off the camera and hides it before opening the door to head back towards the bed where Steve is sitting upright.

“You look awful.” Steve comments, pressing a hand once again to Eddie’s forehead, “and you’re really warm, Eds. I think you’re sick.”

“Hep’TsCh!” Eddie muffled a sneeze into his fistful of tissues. “Think you’re right.”

Steve frowns, “I’ll cancel brunch with my aunt then.”

“No no you don’t have to do that. I’m okay Steve, you should go.”

Steve hesitates, “Are you sure?”

Eddie nods and gives a weak smile. “I’m snff I’m sure.”

*~*~*~

While Steve is at brunch, Eddie is at his desk editing the video. He chuckles to himself at the ending shot of him vlog style waving to Steve as he leaves for the brunch alone. As soon as the door shuts, Eddie perks up and says, “THAT is how you fake sick.”

He posts the video after two hours of editing and goes back to the couch to the couch to scroll on his phone. When Steve comes back, he sees Eddie’s posted something.

“Pre-recorded video?” He asks the boyfriend on the couch.

“Something like that.”

As soon as Steve opens it and sees the title, he slaps his phone onto the table.

“EDDIE!!!!!”

[idlyfretting]

Dialogue Tag!

Prompt: share a section of dialogue that we like from our own work! It can be funny, sad, ridiculous, mysterious, plot-centric or just characters shooting the breeze…anything! And it can be from a WIP or a posted fic! It can be short or long! Let’s celebrate our beloveds having a chat.

Tagged by @steddierthings (Thank you! <3)

This is from he was turned to steel. I'm a big fan of writing arguments (clearly) but this was significantly more antagonistic than anything I'd done before. This was also the most dialogue I'd written where most of the conversations had more than two people. I guess it should have been obvious, but keeping track of what everyone is saying, what they actually mean when they're saying it, and also what they're leaving out (or being cut off from continuing) is pretty difficult.

But anyway, here's Steve being a snarky, blood-soaked teenager who hasn't slept in three days.

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

“You are going to leave.” Steve stepped forward again, forcing Hawthorne back. “If you don’t, if you make me drag you out of here, it’ll be in pieces.”

Hawthorne shot him a disbelieving look. “Is that a threat?”

“No one would care enough to do anything about it. Your father hates you, would sell you out in a second if it meant advancing his political career. Your mother’s been doped up on oxy since you were in high school. Kelly is only going to marry you because of the family money, which isn’t even yours because like hell would the mayor leave you in his will. He restricted access to the family accounts as soon as you got back, right? And you’ve been living off your mom’s credit cards?” Steve took another step, forcing the other man back again. “You are nothing. To me, to everyone here, to everyone you know. I’ve already spent too much energy on you tonight, more than you’re worth. So you’re going to walk out of here, get in your truck, and go the fuck home. Otherwise, your fiancé will have to find a new dumbass to start cheating on.”

Robin’s mouth dropped open, and she saw Jonathan’s and his long-haired friend’s do the same. She heard Will choke back a quiet laugh behind her. Joyce’s eyes were wide and her lips were pressed together tightly, like she was trying to control her expression. Hopper looked uncomfortable, and made to step forward again. Nancy held him back.

Hawthorne was furious. He opened his mouth a few times, but nothing came out. Robin didn’t think the shakiness she saw in him was all anger. One of his buddies tugged on his arm, motioning toward the door. He glanced once at Steve before looking away quickly, nearly flinching.

“Come on, man. They’re not worth it.”

“He can’t just fucking say that shit to me, and think he can get away–”

“I know, but come on.” He gave Hawthorne another yank, leaning close to whisper in his ear. Robin couldn’t hear what he said, but Steve clearly could.

He laughed mockingly, tossing his head back in a loud guffaw. “You can kiss that baseball scholarship goodbye if I see your face in here again, James. Bit hard to pitch with an inverted elbow.”

It was quiet again for a few seconds before Murray piped up. “That’s called hyperextension.” Joyce elbowed him hard in the gut.

Steve didn’t turn. He kept his eyes fixed on James. “I didn’t mean hyperextended. I meant inverted.”

[elekinetic]

user elekinetic do you have any tips to spare for outlining fics 😭 i feel like I word vomit any of the concept that I have in my head, and dialogue ,and build off that adding paragraphs as I go and I go so slow bc of it. But ive been trying hard lately to write a list of “scenes” and bullet point the story but yeah.

do you know anything that could help me have an idea of where to go start to finish instead of starting at the random spot I’ve come up with first? I waste so much writing time because I haven’t built a backstory for characters and things like that so i don’t always know how they start the story off, only the situation they’re in. Is that something that could help? Making a list for each character or something? Would love to hear your thoughts thank you! <3

hi! first of all i’m so flattered you asked! to be clear, i am a very slow writer too lmao and i’m relatively new to prose writing, and though in very confident in my understanding of what makes a good story (W screenwriting), i am still figuring out my outlining process. but hey! let’s learn together.

sorry in advance for how long this is. i love talking.

so i basically figure everything out in the outline and write after i feel very good about it. if you have a strong foundation, everything gets a hell of a lot easier. t kind of sounds like your process might be similar to mine, so i’m just gonna explain what i'm doing for my current project.

my key document is my “bible.” i split it up into a couple different sections using page breaks (page breaks my best friend ily page breaks):

pitch/word vomit summary

scene ideas

outline

notes

ok so wtf does that mean.

1. pitch/word vomit summary — explain your concept. bc i've got a film/tv background, im starting off with my logline. (e.g. "after robin learns will is gay, they have a heart to heart in an abandoned video store about insecurity and feeling alone. they learn they're not." sometimes i'll follow that up with a note to myself like, "this fic isn't robin finding out, this is what happens after. starts with her already knowing. will pov, focus on his perception of robin changing. subtly reference toward feelings about mike, dont come out (haha) and say it") then, i write as MUCH of the concept down as i can, like i'm explaining it to a friend. (sometimes i copy and paste rants from dms directly into the document). it can be totally out of order, non-sensical, contradictory. just get as many of your ideas down as possible. you want to be able to come back to this and be like, oh i totally forgot about that. vague chapter summaries, personal notes about themes, whatever you want. i have a list of beats that you find in romantic dramas for inspiration and a paragraph abt ways i want to parallel/subvert s3 of st. just. go ham. 2. scene ideas — this is pretty self explanatory. i take some of the stuff i have in the p/s and flesh it out, or put down new ideas. this is where i'm writing out dialogue in bullet points, or what i want them to be Really Saying. (e.g. "mike: [panics bc he feels seen, tries to flip it back on (redacted) and fails] ") this is for when i can see stuff more clearly or i get out of the shower with a whole exchange in my head. gonna be out of order, a little all over the place. 3. outline — so. this is where you start piecing it together. put the bullet points in order. figure out objective of each scene and what needs to happen to accomplish that goal. figure out pacing, what needs to happen when. this step is where im looking at dialogue and thinking "why does mike say that? why does he feel that way? what needs to happen to get him to this point emotionally?" or looking at scenes and thinking "these are two scenes with people arguing back to back. lets make sure they feel different and give the characters different tactics to get what they want (byler argument where mike is avoiding will vs max argument where max is avoiding lucas. i could use this to highlight similarities and differences in the relationships, but having two scenes with the same tactics back to back might feel repetitive. maybe i move the scenes farther apart or change circumstances. maybe mike and will are having a veiled argument while theyre with a group of friends in a public space and max and lucas' argument is outside max's house.) also asking if conflicts are resolved too quickly, if the miscommunications feel too convenient, if characters disappear or are only around as plot devices. write. troubleshoot. repeat. 4. random notes — everything else that doesnt fit. for me this is literally just taylor swift lyrics (writing the fic vaguely off of a Specific Song that SHOULD BE STREAMED MORE WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE anyway) and links to posts i use as character reference to make sure im staying true to the characters. (remembering will said "i was being a total jerk to el, i deserved it," AND "you're ruining everything, and for what!"/"i wasn't moping!")

i want it to be clear im doing all of this at the same time. im jumping around and pulling new ideas and rearranging as stuff changes. i think the thing that's really hard is that i want to be able to sit down, write the outline, and then move on. but for us scatterbrained writers, you're gonna have to re-outline and readjust like. a thousand times. and that's okay. that's good! it feels tedious as hell but the story is so much better for it.

take your time. let yourself be slow. keep finding holes in your story and fill the world in as you fix them.

here are some more questions i ask myself to make the story better:

What are you trying to accomplish over the course of the story? What is it about? (for the will&robin fic, it was something about feeling seen for the first time.) When you get lost in your story or aren't sure why a scene feels stale, come back to this. is the scene furthering that goal?

What is changing internally for each of your main characters? (yes theyre dating by the end but like. what do they learn.)

Are the side characters people or props? (will pov scene of a party-wide picnic where everyone's talking but will is focused on mike's hands.... where is max's head at in the scene? you don't have to have a super long backstory and she doesn't have to be a big part of the plot, but if she's saying something, figure out why she's saying it. if will is having a heart to heart with el, understand why el is responding the way she is. the scene's goal may be to get will through a breakthrough, but el's circumstances will change in the scene too. figure out how this conversation lands with her. oh, and remember the adults are people too!)

Why is this character saying this/why are they responding this way? (this should answer your "where do i start?" question. start in that random spot and figure out A) why they are there and B) why they are reacting the way they do (see last bullet point).

side note: some of the best advice i ever got was "enter the scene late, exit early." skip the prologue. try starting from that random spot. if it feels like something's missing, figure out exactly what that something is, and go from there

Do the stakes feel high enough?

What do i need to set up to make sure this scene/beat is satisfying as possible? (are will and mike going to have a big argument? oh, so we have to show tension before.... BAM you have another scene to write and your outline is fuller)

i could go on a lot longer but. basically.

i edit while i write. i'm someone who needs a very fucking strong outline and a very fucking clear idea of the story before i can start writing it. i'm putting probably 70-80% of the leg work in at the start so i can focus on making the prose (or script, most of the time) the best it can be.

THAT BEING SAID, this is just the way i do it and i have like. a fic and a half published. im taking my sweet time bc im creatively burned out and this is for fun first and foremost. like i said. i am a Very Slow Writer.

i highly, highly recommend hitting up the ask boxes of writers like @/strangeswift, @/wiseatom, @/astrobei, or @/andiwriteordie. no guarantees on responses bc they are busy ppl with busy lives but i really do think theyre some of the best writers out here right now, and im not just saying that bc they're my friends. abby (strangeswift) and i have been each other's sounding board through a lot of projects and she's almost done with one of her first Big Fics, so its worth asking her about that.

i hope this helps! ah!!

[desiccatedwithering]

we live in troubled days (oh, my friend, we have the strangest ways) — ch 3/6?

(4k || read on ao3) (ch1 || ch2 || ch4)

“Ahoy,” Eddie says upon his return to the kitchen, compelled to keep pushing this button until it kills him. This is why he prefers to be the DM instead of a player.

Harrington just sighs and asks, “Everyone good?”

“Who?”

“Your bandmates? Are they good?”

Eddie freezes. Is this a trick question? Was Harrington eavesdropping on his phone call? No, he’s probably just trying to pretend to be a normal, friendly person who doesn’t kill people every year. Eddie forces his shoulders to relax and lets out a high pitched, awkward chuckle.

Harrington stares at him, eyebrows steadily climbing. Fuck. Right. He asked Eddie a question, didn’t he? Those usually require answers.

“Uh, kinda?”

Harrington’s eyebrows furrow, which is fair, because what the hell does that mean?

“I mean, I didn’t get through to everyone,” Eddie says, finally remembering how to string words into coherent sentences, thank god. He shrugs a little. “I’ll have to make some more calls later. If you don’t mind.”

Harrington waves a hand, turning back to the counter. “Yeah, no worries.”

Great. Time for another awkward silence.

He should’ve spent more time investigating Harrington’s room, done more than a cursory search of his desk. He’d been worried about spending a suspicious amount of time upstairs, but if he’d known that this was the alternative—

Eddie jumps a good foot in the air when someone behind him mumbles, “Cookies?”

He whirls around to find Robin Buckley standing right behind him, in a Hawkins High swim team hoodie and reindeer-patterned pajama pants, hair mussed, blinking at him with bleary confusion. “Jesus Christ,” he gasps, clutching at his racing heart. “Where the fuck did you come from?”

“I’ve always been here?” Robin says, frowning. Which is an extremely unsettling sentence.

“She took a nap after her shift this morning, so she’s been conked out upstairs for the last few hours,” Harrington explains, reaching out to grab her hand. She lets herself be reeled in, tucking herself into his side and accepting a mug of coffee with a pleased hum.

“Oh.” Eddie jams a hand into his back pocket, crossing his fingers. “I didn’t wake you up with my phone call, did I?”

Robin obnoxiously slurps her coffee, eyeing him with what Eddie feels like is an unwarranted amount of suspicion, given the fact that he was invited to this dinner.

“Don’t worry; she sleeps like the dead.”

“Except the nightmares,” Robin mutters.

Harrington rolls his eyes. “Well, yeah, obviously, but it’s pretty clear when you have those, ‘cause you wake up screaming.”

Jesus Christ. Was she a witness or (unwilling?) accomplice to Harrington’s summer rampage?

Wait, has Eddie been thinking about this all wrong? Is it possible that he managed to earn himself the freshmen’s seal of approval, and now he’s going to be inducted into the cult by participating in Robin’s murder?

No, she doesn’t fit the pattern (which does exist; fuck you, Gareth). She may be weird and nerdy in her own way, but everyone knows that she and Harrington are connected; the whole school was abuzz with gossip when the fallen king dropped her off on the first day. The most believable rumor Eddie’s heard is that Buckley is a succubus who learned how to control her powers over the summer and now has Harrington under her thrall. (Ok, yes, he was the one to suggest that, and no one else is talking about it. But the girls who’d “overheard” him had only rolled their eyes and not even bothered to call him a freak, so who knows. It might just be getting off to a slow start.)

There isn’t as much gossip circulating about them these days, but pretty much everyone who doesn’t live under a rock knows that they’re an item or whatever. Way harder to buck suspicion if everyone knows that you’re the victim’s best friend slash coworker slash boyfriend.

Eddie squashes the tiny spark of hope—not that he wants Robin to die; he’d just really rather not be murdered himself. Plus, it’d be easier to rescue someone else from being sacrificed, especially if he’s expected to participate and therefore has a knife; he doesn’t really think he’s athletic enough to save himself when he’s strapped down to an altar.

Harrington steals her mug to take a sip, then says, “Robin always wakes up on the second to last tray of cookies.”

“That’s how long it takes the smell to fill your stupidly big house. Also, I notice that you’ve failed to provide me with said cookies.” She holds her hand up expectantly.

Harrington rolls his eyes but dutifully reaches past her to grab a cookie and move it the whole five inches from the cooling rack to her hand. God, straight people are insane, Harrington especially.

Eddie heaves himself back up onto the island, and Robin perks up and asks, “Ooh, are we sitting on Steve’s counters today?”

“No,” Harrington says.

“Yes,” Eddie retorts, swinging his legs.

Robin grins at him and hops up beside him, fully ignoring Harrington’s aggrieved sigh.

“Fuck, there’s two of you now,” he grumbles. He glares at them for a second then inexplicably hands Eddie a glass.

Eddie accepts it cautiously, squinting at the contents. It looks like perfectly normal water, but honestly, who knows? There could be some sort of poison in there. Cyanide is water soluble.

“I’m the best thing that’s ever happened to you,” Robin declares, “so there’d be no reason to complain if there were two of me.”

Harrington smirks at her. “Wanna try repeating that in front of Dustin?”

Eddie sniffs his glass surreptitiously. He doesn’t smell almonds, but with his luck, he probably doesn’t have the gene that allows you to smell cyanide, so he’d have no idea it was there until it was too late. The safest option is to not drink it. After all, it’s way easier to poison a person with a glass of water handed to them than with a batch of cookies that anyone might eat.

“Uh, no. I value my hearing, thanks.” She rolls her eyes, then tilts her head, looking towards the counter. “Hey, why’s your murder knife out?”

Ha! Eddie hasn’t been overreacting; that insane cleaver is a murder weapon. …Oh no, it’s a murder weapon. Should he be running now? No, he still needs evidence. Which means finding a way to get back into Harrington’s room and actually snooping around, rather than getting caught up in giving Gareth an extremely important status update.

“Eddie asked to see my favorite knife.”

Robin furrows her brow, glancing from Harrington to Eddie and back again. “Steve.”

“What?” Harrington turns to meet her eyes, and his brows shoot up. “Oh. You think?”

Robin nods, hands fluttering.

Eddie stares at her blankly, waiting for her to say actual words, but Harrington just hums thoughtfully and says, “Huh, I totally missed that.”

“What?” Eddie asks, but he’s completely ignored as Robin huffs a laugh and makes another indecipherable series of movements. Cool. Eddie will just listen to half an incomprehensible conversation, then. Like a game of charades but infinitely worse.

“Hey! Not yet, at least,” Harrington says. “And I mean, yeah, obviously.”

Robin raises her eyebrows and bites her lip, drumming her fingers on her thighs. Harrington tilts his head, sets his hands on his hips, and says—

Nothing.

Fantastic.

Alright. Theory one: Harrington and Buckley are cyborgs, sent back to the past to ensure their successful overthrow of the human race. Admittedly unlikely, given the fact that he’s been in school with them for long enough to know that they definitely age like normal people—unless they were recently replaced with cyborgs or their design is so advanced that they can convincingly mimic human growth. Not to mention the number of times Harrington’s wandered into class with his face all bruised and bloody, not a hint of metal in sight. And Eddie seriously doubts he’s some sort of Sarah Conner; there’s no way he’ll ever be a vital part of fighting an apocalypse.

Theory two: Telepathic powers. Telepathy doesn’t really strike him as the sort of power that’d lead to a person becoming a murderer—though maybe he’s just biased from reading X-Men. ‘Cause, like, what if you heard something awful, like someone thinking about the best place to plant their bomb? Then it’d be your moral obligation to stop them, right? Kill one person to save many.

Though Eddie’s not really sure how Harrington’s probable victims fit into this scenario. Sure, Eddie’s thought some nasty things about the jocks at school, but he’d never actually hurt anyone. Just thinking about something doesn’t mean you’ll actually do it. There’s no way Barbara Holland or Bob Newby would’ve gone around setting buildings on fire just because they were bored and wondered how easy it would be to get away with. (Which is a question that Eddie’s never had, for any mind readers listening in right now.) And Hargrove’s thoughts were probably just as terrible as his actions, but the fact that he would beat people up for fun is what really matters, not whatever was going on inside his head.

Surely the first rule of telepathy is judging someone on their actions rather than their thoughts, right? Because most people have enough self restraint to not give in to their worst impulses.

Maybe instead of wanting to kill him for some sort of thoughtcrime, Harrington wants to kill him because his thoughts are inherently a crime. Like, maybe Eddie’s brain is just too loud and chaotic, and Harrington can’t tune it out, so murder is the only option if he wants to ever have peace again. He’s heard the kids mention Harrington’s headaches in hushed, secretive voices. And if they’re Eddie-induced headaches, then obviously they’d want to help Harrington kill him. He doesn’t have any illusions about where their loyalties lie first and foremost.

Can you hear me? Eddie thinks as loudly as possible, imagining the sound traveling straight from his head to Harrington’s like a phaser beam.

Harrington scratches just behind his ear, which isn’t very conclusive.

Hey, Harrington. Harrington. Harrington. Are you listening?

Harrington jolts and snaps his fingers. Is that a yes? He pulls something out of his pocket—probably a switchblade—and says, “Oh, hey, Rob, I got you an ornament for the tree.” He tosses it over to her, and she lets out a delighted gasp.

“Holy shit, Steve,” she says with actual human words, “he’s beautiful. Where did you find him?”

“At the thrift store,” he says, pleased as punch. “The woman who owns it gave him to me for free.”

“God, who would put a treasure like this at the thrift store?”

Harrington shrugs. “Some people have no taste.”

“What is it?” Eddie asks, leaning closer.

Robin hold it up so he can see better, and Eddie is confronted with the most fucked up Rudolph he’s ever seen. Honestly, it probably wouldn’t be recognizable as any sort of animal, let alone a reindeer, if not for the bright red nose on its sorry excuse for a head.

“Fuck, that’s incredible,” he breathes, reaching for it without thinking.

Harrington preens.

“Don’t even think about stealing him, Munson,” Robin growls, clutching melty Rudolph to her chest protectively and hopping off the counter to put some distance between them. “I’d fight to the death for him.”

He holds his hands up placatingly. “I wouldn’t dare, Buckley.”

“Oh, that reminds me,” Harrington starts, glancing at Eddie. “I didn’t want the kids to see this, so—” Harrington turns away, rooting through one of the cabinets for his sacrificial blade.

Does Eddie have time to make a run for it? He takes a surreptitious glance towards the doorway, only to find Robin oh-so-coincidentally in between him and his path to freedom.

So this is how it ends. Stabbed to death, throat slit in Steve Harrington’s kitchen at the tender age of nineteen.

He’s had a good run of it. Sure, he’s failed to graduate from high school twice, and he’s about to die a virgin, murdered by his crush, but— Yeah, he doesn’t have an end to that sentence. This whole thing absolutely blows.

“Here you go!” Harrington says brightly, spinning around with all the enthusiasm of a hyper puppy.

It’s genuinely unfair that he still looks this unfathomably hot when he’s literally stretching his arms forward to stab Eddie in the gut with—

Eddie frowns. Unusual weapon choice.

“What is that?”

Harrington rolls his eyes, propping one hand on his hip. The other gives the thing he’s holding a little jiggle. “Maybe you’ve never gotten a gift before, but the whole point is that you don’t know what it is until you unwrap it.” Then a second later, he winces. “Shit, that was— Sorry.”

“I thought we weren’t exchanging presents,” Eddie says warily.

Harrington shrugs. “I wasn’t going to invite you over and then force you to get me something, dude. That’d be a dick move.”

Dumbfounded, Eddie takes the present. He shakes it automatically; Harrington snorts but doesn’t protest the investigation. Nothing rattles, and it feels solid. Eddie’s fairly certain that it’s a book rather than something deadly. He still holds his breath as he breaks the seal of the tape, slowly peeling the paper away.

“Oh,” he breathes, blinking rapidly like that might change what he’s looking at.

“Do you like it?” Harrington asks, anxiety clear in his voice. Eddie’s fairly certain that he’s wringing his hands right now, though he can’t manage to actually look at him to check. “Will said it was published this year, but if you already bought it for yourself, I have the receipt, so you could get something else. Sorry, I don’t really know what you like other than Dungeons and—”

“Uh, no,” he croaks. “I mean, this is— I don’t have it yet. Didn’t. I—” Jesus, he feels like he’s going to vomit. He makes the mistake of glancing up, catching sight of Harrington, yes, wringing his hands, brow furrowed, putting on an Oscar worthy show of concern, and—

“I have to go call Gareth bye,” Eddie blurts, words probably unintelligible with how fast he spits them out. He darts for the stairs before Harrington has a chance to react.

“Gareth, he bought me Unearthed Arcana,” Eddie hisses the second the line connects.

“Um. Gareth, it’s for you,” a woman who is very much not Gareth says hesitantly. She hasn’t even bothered to cover the receiver, which is rude, frankly. “Some weirdo talking about digging? Dirt? I don’t know.”

There’s a muffled, “Oh, Jesus Christ,” and then Gareth says, “Yes?”

“Gareth, it’s me, your friend Eddie who is not a ghost yet but will be soon.”

He sighs, like dealing with Eddie in mortal peril is the greatest hardship of his life. “Yeah, I figured. It’s been, like, fifteen minutes; what could you possibly be having an issue about already? You freaked out my cousin.”

“Unearthed Arcana,” Eddie repeats. “Harrington bought a D&D book. Dungeons and Dragons.”

“Yes, I am aware of what ‘D&D’ stands for,” Gareth says drily.

“He bought a D&D book for me.”

Gareth lets out a low whistle. “Shit, now I kinda wish I was invited. Seems like a better party than my family’s having right now. Do you think I could’ve gotten a new drum out of him?”

“You are not helpful,” Eddie says, gritting his teeth.

“Oh, sorry. It’s so tragic that a cute boy bought you the book you’ve been whining about for months. Do you think you’ll manage to survive this ordeal?”

“Do you have memory issues? Obviously not because he’s planning to murder me.”

“Why would he buy you a present before killing you?”

“It’s actually for the kids, and he just gave it to me to lull me into a false sense of security? Or maybe his deity requires happy sacrifices. I don’t know! I’m not in his head!”

Gareth sighs again and asks, “Why am I the one who keeps having to deal with you?”

“Because you’re my nearest and dearest friend,” Eddie replies, voice saccharine.

Gareth scoffs.

“And because I didn’t want to piss off Jeff's mom, and Frank would just get me even more riled up. I need to keep a level head if I want to make it out of here alive.”

“This is you keeping a level head?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!” Eddie shrieks.

“God, I hate being one of the only sensible people you know,” Gareth groans.

Eddie rolls his eyes. Like he’s not sensible. What does Gareth even know? He— Holy shit what is that?

“Hold that thought,” Eddie says, though he honestly doesn’t know what Gareth was just saying, so it might not have been a thought that merits holding. Much more important at the moment: “I’m being stared at by some sort of demon.”

“What.”

“It’s like some sort of fucked up cat?”

“Fucked up how?”

“I don’t know, it’s just creepy? And it’s staring directly into my soul. Like, you know that awful lemur that you had to do a project on? The one you complained about for weeks because you said it was giving you nightmares?”

“You said you would never bring it up again!”

“Well, anyway, picture that in cat form and then increase its evilness by approximately a thousand percent, and you might have a decent idea of what I’m looking at right now.”

“Christ, and this lives in his house?”

“Apparently. Unless it crawled in through whatever portal to hell he’s planning to shove me through.”

The sudden knock on the door would’ve given him a heart attack if it hadn’t been the familiar tap-tap-tap-tap, tap-tap pattern that the freshmen are always using. God, they’ve conditioned him, like one of Pavlov’s dogs salivating when it hears a bell. Have they trained him in other ways that he just hasn’t noticed yet?

“Uh, hey,” Robin says, hovering awkwardly just outside the room.

“Gare, I gotta go. I’ll call you later.” He just barely catches himself before saying hopefully.

“You really don’t have to. I—”

Eddie sets the phone down, then turns just enough so that he can face Robin while keeping the demon in his peripheral vision.

“Are you ok?” Robin asks and then gives him exactly zero seconds to answer. “Listen, I told the dingus down there that he shouldn’t buy you a present because it would make things awkward, but he’s, like, infuriatingly stubborn when he gets an idea in his head. So I get it. Or, I think I do. I don’t actually know what upset you, exactly. Is he coming on too strong? Or is buying books for a DM after they hit high school some sort of, like, nerd faux pas?”

“What? No, it’s not. Why would—?”

“Look, I don’t know what Steve did to you in high school, but I can promise that he’s not trying to buy your forgiveness or, like, flaunt his wealth or anything like that. He really does just genuinely enjoy getting people gifts. And I think it makes him feel better to use his Pawn Fund to make other people happy. Otherwise it just sits around, collecting dust and making him miserable.”

“Pawn Fund?”

“My name for it, not his. His asshole dad cut him off as soon as he graduated high school. But his mom and dad have… issues, so whenever his mom wants to piss his dad off, she sends Steve money. It’s fucked up and manipulative, but at least it means that Steve can spoil the kids at holidays.”

“Right,” Eddie says faintly.

“If it helps, you can just think of it like a gift he’s giving the kids, with you as his middle man or puppet or something.” She winces. “Ok, phrasing it like that makes it sound bad, but you get what I mean!”

Eddie honestly isn’t sure that he does. “I— Sorry, I can’t focus. Are you aware there’s some sort of hellcat in here?

Robin follows his line of sight, then lets out a horrified gasp. “Oh, Steve’s gonna kill you for insulting his baby.”

Fuck, what Eddie wouldn’t give for the ability to summon his DM poker face in times of crisis.

Whatever expression he makes sends Robin backpedaling furiously: “Kidding! Steve doesn’t have a violent bone in his body. Unless you threaten to hurt the kids, and then he’ll hit you with a car. But there were extenuating circumstances there, and he didn’t, like, enjoy it. Honestly, I think it sucked for him because getting into a car crash when you already have a concussion can’t be fun. But if he hadn’t, the kids and Nancy would be, like, definitely dead, so—” She finally stops for a breath and seems to take note of the fact that whatever that was didn’t help the situation even remotely.

“Okaaay,” she says, eyes darting around the room. She claps once. “Forget literally everything I just said! The point is that whatever you think you know about Steve, you’re wrong. I know what he and his friends used to be like in school, and I know what all the nerds and outcasts thought of him. But he’s nothing like that, ok? He’s honestly the best person I’ve ever met, so if all this—” She gestures at all of him “—is because of your preconceived notions about Steve? Knock it the fuck off. I’ll kill you before I let you hurt my soulmate.”

“Um. Noted,” Eddie says, because that honestly feels like the only safe response he could give.

“Ok, great!” Robin claps again and grins at him. “Now that that’s sorted, you should come back to the party. Steve just heard through the walkie chain that Mike is finally off his phone date, so the kids are actually on their way now. Come on. You, too, Keys.”

Eddie watches as the hellcat jumps down from the bed and trots over to Robin. “Harrington’s cat is named Keys.”

“Her legal name is Carmilla—”

“Like the vampire?”

“Yep.” Robin scoops the cat up, and she immediately perches on her shoulder like some sort of bizarre gargoyle. “But Steve has a friend in Indianapolis named Camilla—without the r—and he thought it’d be weird for her. Which she thought was weird, since she’s never been to his house and never plans to, so why would it matter, right? But Steve thought it’d be an issue or whatever, so we usually call her nicknames. I like Keys—or Car Keys—because I think it’s hilarious that she always tries to steal Steve’s keys to stop him from going to work.”

“Right,” Eddie says again. “Why not just name her something else?”

“Because she was pretty feral when he first got her and kept biting him hard enough to draw blood.”

“Ah.”

Robin frowns at him. “You still seem weird.”

“I’m not being weird!”

She gives him an unimpressed look. “I watched you pour an entire glass of water into a plant.”

“It looked dry!” It did not. It was probably the most vibrant and colorful thing in this awful house.

“A fake plant.”

Ah. Well, that would explain why the water just conspicuously pooled on top of the soil. He curls his shoulders in, tugging some hair across his face in a futile attempt to hide his blush. “Oh.”

“So, again, why are you being weird?”

“I’m always weird?” Eddie gestures to himself. “Eddie ‘The Freak’ Munson, remember?”

She rolls her eyes. “Yes, yes, you’re bizarre and off-putting; we get it. What’s actually up, though?”

“Nothing.”

She tries to set him on fire with her mind.

“Fine! I just— Has Harrington been replaced by a pod person or something?”

“Ugh, is he doing that thing where he doesn’t want to seem like a bully, but he overcorrects and is way too agreeable and it’s creepy?” Once again, she doesn’t wait for an answer. “I’ll deal with it. Now come back downstairs.”

Eddie casts one last forlorn look around the room, then trudges after Robin. Next time he’s in here, he will actually investigate. No more panicked phone calls to Gareth. But for now, he has to try to act normal around Harrington to assuage Robin’s suspicions. So once more unto the breach. He can do this.

*

(ch4 on ao3 or tumblr)

If you haven't read Do You Mind? (will you mind?) by GreenQueenofClubs (the fic where Steve is a telepath and Eddie's brain is too loud for him to tune it out), I'd highly recommend it!!

[roseworth]

“I think… everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves.” for the prompt list with Tim and Jason? (Of course including anyone else you want!)

send me a prompt \o/

(side note this takes place in my fantasy world where Teen Titans #29 never happened xoxo)

--

In all honesty, Tim should’ve seen this coming.

He had known that Jason was alive again, but he didn’t think that he would ever run into him. Jason didn’t even know Tim before he died, so he (hopefully) wouldn’t have an issue with him. 

Tim’s current philosophy was “stay out of his hair and maybe he won’t think too hard about how you replaced him,” and it was working pretty well so far. 

Of course, nothing ever goes right for long.

He should’ve known that the Red Hood would be working on the kidnapping case in Crime Alley, should’ve realized that they would both quickly come to the same conclusions. They were trained by the same detective, after all.

Tim had traced the kidnappings back to one location and ended up at a headquarters full of goons, just the way things usually go in his profession. He had already started to jump down to attack when he heard a thump on the other side of the room.

And looked over to see Red Hood drop down.

In the second before he landed, he weighed the pros and cons of grappling back up and running away, letting Hood handle it. But he was already there, and leaving now wouldn’t help anyone.

As soon as he landed, Jason’s head snapped over to look at him. “Robin.”

“Hey.”

Not the most eloquent first words to his predecessor, but the goons were starting to yell and attack them, so they didn’t exactly have time for pleasantries. “Stay nonlethal, Hood,” Tim told him.

“Stay nonlethal, Hood,” Jason mimicked in a high-pitched voice, shooting a goon in the face. Tim winced. 

As much as he hated it, he couldn’t fight Jason and the goons, not to mention the fact that Jason was twice his size and probably knew most of his moves. So, he left the fight for another day, and tried to knock down as many goons as he could on his own so Hood would have less to kill.

They worked strangely well together. They had both gone through Robin training, so they could each predict each other’s moves as they made them. And Tim would never tell him, but he couldn’t help but notice that Jason fought a lot like Batman. Just much more lethal. 

Tim breathed heavily as he took his last goon down, and watched as Jason hit his last one in the back of the head with his gun to knock him out. 

Jason holstered his gun without looking back at Tim. Tim took it as a victory that Jason didn’t start attacking him, then chose to push on.

He cleared his throat. “Hi. I’m Tim,” he greeted, dragging his hand down his shirt to wipe some of the blood off, then sticking it forward for a handshake. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Jason stared at his hand for a moment, not making any effort to reciprocate. “Okay.”

“It’s, uh, it’s crazy that you’re… alive. That’s pretty sweet.”

Jason didn’t respond. Tim shifted uncomfortably. 

“So, how’s… um... crime?”

Jason stared at him for another second. “We don’t need to small talk, Tim.”

“I know, I just… you know.”

“No, I don’t think I do.”

Tim ran a hand through his hair and shrugged. “I mean, I used to see Batman and Robin in the papers all the time,” he said. “And, y’know, I’ve met Nightwing, and I guess I’m Robin myself now, but I just… it’s cool to meet you.”

Honestly, Tim had gotten used to his place in Jason’s shadow. When he first started training, it was always about what Jason would do, and whether or not he should’ve done it. He had lost count of the number of times Bruce had called him Jason’s name when he first put on the costume.

Tim used to feel like Bruce loved Jason so much that after he died, Bruce didn’t know how to love anyone anymore. He had clearly been trying to keep Tim at a distance for a while. It wasn’t until over a year into training that he really felt like Bruce cared about him as anything more than a sidekick. 

So he lived up to the expectations that were never there before, and tried to continue Jason’s legacy while not failing the way he had.

In a way, he wanted to get Jason’s stamp of approval. He would never say it out loud, but if Jason would tell him he did it, that he carried on the name well, it was all he needed. But with the way Jason is now… well, he didn’t think he was going to get that gold star anytime soon.

“Alright, Robin,” Jason said, folding his arms. “Let me ask you something: What do you know about me?”

It was a trap. Tim could see that from a mile away. He just wasn’t exactly sure what the trap was.

“Um… you were Robin. And you died.”

“What else?”

“You, uh, you rushed in early, and Joker… you know.” Tim made a half-hearted swinging motion with his hand, then immediately regretted it and pulled his hand down as fast as he could with an apologetic cringe. 

“Uh-huh,” Jason responded. “You know what’s funny? I don’t regret anything I did that day. I was helping someone in danger, and I did everything right, and still got killed. That’s the part that Bruce doesn’t want to talk about.”

“That’s part of the job, I guess. It’s not doing something wrong that kills you, it’s doing what’s right,” Tim said with a slight shrug. “I mean, look at Green Arrow and Superman. They were saving the world, and still died because of it.”

“So, I didn’t save the world, I just tried and failed to save one person,” he challenged. “Does that mean I did it wrong?”

“No–”

“I died, I came back, but I wasn’t still a hero. So I’m not a lot like Green Arrow or Superman, right?”

Tim frowned. “You can still be a hero if you wanted to.”

“But I don’t want to. Does that make you better than me?”

This time Jason wasn’t even trying to hide the trap. It was the verbal equivalent of a giant red X painted on the ground with an anvil hanging overhead. Tim wasn’t going to walk into it. 

“I think... everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves,” he said.

“And?”

“And no one is ever just good or bad, it’s about the opportunities they’re given.”

“I had plenty of ‘opportunities’ to be good,” Jason replied. “I was in your pixie boots a few years ago, and now I’m not. What do you think it says about me?”

“It means there’s good in you,” he answered earnestly.

Jason just snorted. “Cute,” he said, unfolding his arms. “Now, a little moral conundrum, if you will. Do you think that Joker isn’t good or bad? Was it just about his opportunities?”

“That’s not our choice to make.”

Jason gave a full-bodied laugh to that. “You’re like a mini Batman, aren’t you?”

Tim frowned. “I’m not as much like him as you think.”

“And yet, you keep reciting his mantras,” Jason said, walking toward the door. “You’re a good Robin, Timmy. Keep that ‘sir, yes sir’ thing going and you might even live ‘til college.”

Jason left, and Tim watched as he went. “I’m not Batman,” Tim grumbled to himself, looking at the unconscious bodies lying amongst the dead ones. “I’m not.”

[hellfireclubpres]

Howdy! I keep getting this idea about a story where Eddie comes back after the events of season 4 and nobody remembers him. Is it a good idea? Absolutely. Am I sad about it? 100%. Enjoy.

June 1986

“I’m sorry w-who are you?” Steve asked the stranger across the counter. He’d never seen the man before in his life. And given the way the stranger was dressed, Steve was sure he’d remember him.

“Very funny Harrington, Ha Ha, now wheres my copy of Rocky Horror I asked you to set aside for me?” Eddie watched as Steve’s face contorted into anxiety and a deeper confusion. If this were a sick joke, Steve would definitely get props for his acting skills.

“Uh, what’s the name you have under the reserve?” Steve slid over to the computer on the adjacent counter, pulling up their system data base, waiting to type.

“Munson? Eddie Muns- Come on stop fucking with me, I got places to be and a killer movie to watch..” Eddie leaned across the counter, placing both hands palms down and banged softly against the surface, his patience growing thin.

From the back room, Robin appeared, a sickening sweet smiling creeping across her face. “Hello Sir, are you being helped?” She questioned Eddie, looking between Steve and himself.

“Rob, please tell Steve he reserved Rocky Horror for me. I literally watched him type it in the system.” Eddie pointed to the computer, watching as Steve turned to look at Eddie then at Robin.

“I don’t..” Steve began, pitching his thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the computer to his side.

“Um.. Sir what name is it reserved und-“ Eddie rolled his eyes, pushing himself off the counter, attempting to make his way behind it where Steve and Robin had been.

“This is bullshit mo-“ Steve rose from the stool in front of the computer, meeting Eddie at the swinging door, leading behind the counter. Placing a hand on Eddie chest, Steve’s expression shifting from confused to worried.

“Sir, you can’t come back here, this is employees only!” Eddie stopped in his tracks, raising his brows as he gripped Steve’s shoulders.

“I’ve been behind this counter hundreds of times Harrington, what the fuck has gotten into you?!” Eddie shook Steve softly, his own expression turning to concern.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about man,” Steve shook away from Eddie’s grip, fixing his shirt before tossing a glance back to Robin.

“I’m gonna have to ask you to leave sir.” Steve spat, pushing through the tiny door of the counter into the main floor of the video store. Placing a hand on Eddie’s back, Steve guided him to the store’s entrance.

“Wait Steve, are you being serious right now? Rob what’s going on?” Eddie looked between the two, planting his feet down, stopping himself for being pushed further.

Steve and Robin looked between one another, then back at the man in the middle of the store, both shaking their heads.

“Honest man, never seen you before,” Steve confessed, wrapping his arms around his middle, “Are you sure it was one of us who helped you the last time you were in here?” Steve asked.

Eddie stood dumbfounded, looking at the blank stare’s between his friends. Neither one of them were lying.

Nobody remembered Eddie Munson after March 27th, 1986.

[thewritersaddictions]

2023: Eddie Munson- Episode 8 Pause

Pairing: Eddie Munson x OC!Lilly Miller

Pov: Eddie Munson

Warnings: 2023, Past being brought up, lots of tension, lying, Jason Carver is still a dick, running away from the relationship, crying, leaving someone behind, crumbling relationship, ruining relationship.

Summary- Doubt and Trust issues are budding and growing in Eddie and Lilly's relationship due to Jason Carver. Eddie has no choice, so he goes to the only person who ever believed him.

A/n- firefly-graphics for dividers

WC- 5.0k

Stranger Things Master List // The Adults Master List // 2023 Series Master List

I see the head lights at the start of the road to the trailer park. Nobody is out and driving around in the pitch dark at eleven. The lights are off by the time Steves old car rattle up to park beside Lillys car. Walking to Steve makes me heart burst in my chest. I’m not sure how I got here. I’m not even sure how I managed to fuck this up. I just know that if Lilly doesn’t want me around then I’ll leave. Run away all over again. I throw my bag through the window, and get in. 

“Eddie will you please tell me what’s going on?” Steve rattle off the first second I get in. My heart is bumping, and the tears that I’ve been pushing down are starting to break through. The night has drained me of all of my excitement. The money that I got earlier is stuck in my back pocket. My jaw hurts from not trying to cry, but Steve still has yet to pull away from the trailer. “She… I think… Jason came over… and I don’t know what fucking happened Steve.” I ramble out, and my head falls into my hands. 

The glimpse of the fake lit candles that are burning inside the pumpkins we had carved out caught my eye. “Eddie, breathe.” Steve mutters as he touches my shoulder. I can’t manage to catch my breath or my tears that feel like they just keep falling down my cheeks. The only thing that keeps me covered from Steve sight is my hair and just how dark it is outside. “You said something about Jason? Are you saying Carver, Jason Carver talked to her?” Steve asked, I shrugged my shoulder, “She said something about Chrissy then about him, so I assume.” 

I’m so tired, “Can we just leave please.” My words feel so heavy, the weight makes me wanna throw up, and th tears have only just stopped. Steve’s hand leaves my shoulder, and as I watch the trailer leave the rearview mirror. I feel like that ten year old kid that saw his mother just one more time, and watched from the back window. The memories fading, my mother, my home all fading away. I watch the mirror until I can’t see the trailer, until all I see is the hard concrete. The white and yellow strip passing me by. 

“Everything was fine this morning. I kissed her on the forehead and called her sweetheart, it was even better this afternoon when we had lunch together Steve.” I mumble as I fuck around with the stray pieces of jeans. “You know that reminds me of the end of my relationship with Nancy, you remember her?” Steve says as he comes to a stop light. “Wheeler?” Steve shakes his head. “One night we went to a Halloween party and she got drunk and we had a fight in the bathroom. She called our relationship bullshit, and I thought everything was fine.” 

The light changed to green and the BMW took off. This drive felt different. More weight had somehow been added to my shoulder, a complete contrary to how I had felt driving back home from Hawkins. “It was bullshit?” I asked if thinking of anything else would probably be better than thinking about her. Alone, tired, and crying. “I’m still not sure to this day what she was talking about, but she said it was bullshit. That year was a true turning point for my life.” “So what happened afterwards?” I was fully immersed in Steve's story. “I met Robin.” 

Another stoplight. “Wait what?” I turned in my passenger seat. “I ah…  got a job working at the mall. Do you remember the scoops ahoy place?” I nod my head, Steve continues. “I worked with Robin and then the Russians came so Erica, Dustin, Robin and I got dragged into their lair beneath the star court mall.” I stared at Steve. “What the actual fuck Steve?!” He just shrugged his shoulders. “Got truth serum via the Russian and told Robin I loved her. She said I’m gay but she’s still the best friend I’ve ever had. Hell she married me.” 

Sometimes it was hard to believe the things that happened in this shitty town. The light turned and then we were on the street that Steve and Robin lived on. The light conversation with Steve had lifted my sour attitude, but then the memory of being here with Lilly rolls through my head. Like film on a camera. I return to my sour state of mind. The lights are on, the only house with lights on at this time of night. The car parks and Robin runs out in haste, and a robe. “It’ll all be fine Eddie.” Steve says. 

“Steve where did… Eddie?” Robin scrambles herself together once she sees me inside the car next to her ‘fake’ husband. “”Eddie needs to stay for a few days.” Steve murmurs as he locks the BMW and walks into the house. “Oh Eddie.” Robin walks me through the door, and into the kitchen. Where Steve pops his head in “I’m going to go make up the spare bedroom so Eddie has a place to sleep.” Robin nods, “if you need anything, my home is your home.” I nod. “What happened?” Robin asks. I tell the full story. “That fuckers still alive?” “Apparently.” 

Robi. Must notice the change in my face, or maybe my body because she changes the subject after that. “The kids will be here for Halloween tomorrow, so if you want you can join us.” I nod, “I need some sleep.” “Of course.” I leave the kitchen in search of Steve. I find him grabbing a towel and washcloth from a closet, “you have a bathroom connected so don’t worry about bothering us, you have work right?” Steve asks, I nod my head, my eyes probably bloodshot. “Get some sleep Eddie. The kids will be excited that you’re here.”

The next morning I wake up earlier then normal. I feel tired, and my body aches. It’s not until I’m fully awake do I realize that I’m not where I normally am. I can smell coffee being brewed from downstairs, and the knock on my door brings to the front of my life. “Yeah?” “I just wanted to make sure you were up, Steve’s making breakfast before the kids get here.” Robin says through the door. “Okay.” I sat in the bed for a few seconds before I get up, getting ready for the day. One day at a time. 

I shower, and get dressed all before Steve is done making breakfast. I was able to make all the clothes I had before leaving Lilly’s last night. If she wanted me out of her life then there was no need to leave reminders behind of me ever existing there. The smell of coffee, bacon, and waffles flooded my sense the moment I managed to get down the stairs. “I’m not sure what really happened before the two of them. Hell everything seemed fine when they were here right Steve?” I can hear Robin and Steve talking about Lilly and I. 

“I’m not sure Rob, but it’s probably best that we don’t push it with Eddie anymore.” She hummed, and I walked in. “Coffee smells great.” I commented before sitting beside Robin at the bar. Everything feels awkward right around the three of us, the air is somehow more dense, and even though I should wanted to talk about what happened between Lilly and I, it’s harder to say what happened to other people. Steve hands me a plate of food, and then the sounds of eating takes over the silence. That is until Steve decides to ask some more questions. 

Dumb questions. 

Dumb Fucking Questions. 

“So um…” Steve stars off as I shove a fork full of egg, and waffle into my mouth. I sense that something is happening between the two in front of me. Like they’re talking with their eyes. “Do you need anything like do you need to go back over to…” Steve asks awkwardly, I just shake my head. “I got all my things yesterday while I was waiting for you.” I mutter, hunger no longer on the front of my mind. I hear a sniffle, “Kiddos will be here at three.” Steve mumbles to himself. 

After an awkward breakfast with an unusually quiet Robin, and an obviously uncomfortable Steve I gather myself up and return to their spare guest room. I figure that I probably shouldn’t be living out of my book bag and the one other bag that I shoved all of my shit into last night. ‘Just a few days’ that’s what Lilly said, but the look on her face meant so much different. The sadness and anger that mixed together behind her eyes. I’m not sure… truly not sure what happened, and the longer I think about it the darker it gets. 

I unpack shirts, and jeans from my bag before getting to some of the bathroom things. I can only imagine how quiet that damn trailer as to be at this point. Half way into the afternoon, but I guess the world doesn’t revolve around me, so maybe she’s just gone back to her normal life. I rub the tired out of my eyes and walk down the stairs. Noticing just how pretty the fall leaves that are falling are. I somehow manage to get comfortable outside on the white rocking chair outside. Dustins van alerts me to the kids arrival. 

Dustin drops off the kids, and Steve is the first one out of the house, and rushing over to the drivers side of the car. “Come on kiddos, Uncle Eddie is here today.” I hear Steve say loud enough for me to get ready if need be. Beth is the first one out of the car, running faster then her six year old feet can run. “Heyaa Unc Eddie.” Jumping up in my arms Beth is hugging me tightly. I see the look that Dustin gives Steve, even though he thinks I don’t see it. Clarie and Eds pass me. 

“Hey uncle Eds.” I hear them say in unison like creepy twins from The Shining. They’re more concerned about what Aunt Robin has made when she yells from inside, “Cooke for you guys are ready.” The yard is decorated with halloween items. Orange, and purple lights stream across the porch, while on the yard Steve, and Robin have placed signs and even a blow up character. Finally a thick layer of fake spider web that liters the hedges and shrubs in front of the porch. “Come on Unc we need to get dressed up for Hawoween.” Beth pulls me inside. 

Robin hands me a handful of cookies as we pass by. “So you don’t get gypped.” Robin chuckles as she sees that I’m getting dragged. I only get told to sit, “Sit down Unc. Imma make you into a booitful princess, okay.” She says staring at me, I shake my head and letting her do whatever she wants to do. Her fingers are tiny and when she gets them into my hair they tangle but I don’t get frustrated with her. I just wait a moment, and then theres a triumphant “Ta da!” Her hands out and wiggling at me. 

I look at the closest mirror. Wherever she had found makeup it was probably never usable again. “Do you like it Unc?” She asks as I look at the purple eyeshadow, and the pink smeared lipstick. I can’t manage to be anger or even a little of put by the mess on my face at Beth. “It’s prefect Beth, what are you going to be this year?” I ask her, her brows knit together, “I don’t know.” She says shrugging her shoulder. “Why don’t we get you into a princess dress and get you ready for trick or treating tonight.” 

“Are you ready for Halloween?” I ask as I walked down the stairs with Beth hand in mine. She shakes her head and when we make it down the stairs the sound of door opening “Stop opening the door so many times!” Steve hollers “We’re waiting for Beth!” I can hear Eds scream back. “There you are Beth,” Eyes wide as the two of them look up at me, “What happened to your face Uncle Eddie?” Eds asks, “I’m a princess Eds, don’y be rude.” He rolled his eyes, “We’re leaving!” “Okay.” The door shuts. Then rings, Halloween has started. 

A few kids are there, and the process repeats for hours after the kids had left, “What in the hell happened to your face Eddie?” I hear Steve ask as he goes to sit down on the sofa. “I got turned into a princess, by Beth.” I answer confidently, “That’s why I don’t let her touch my face!” Robin hollers. The bell rings, Steve answers. ‘Trick-or-treat!’ They all say in unison. “Here you guys go.” steve hands out a large hand full. “HELL yeah king size!” The kids highfive each other. “Always wanted to come here for halloween.” “Why” “Cause the candy was king sized, and only the rick people give that out. That’s just facts.” I tell Steve, his brows furrow, Robin is in my corner with this one, “yeah Eddie is right, because a middle class kid is kinda shit, the rich neightborhood are the ones with the best candy on halloween.” Steve just shakes his head, and click the tv on. “The kids need to be back by nine, just so you know because Rob and I fall asleep.” Steve mutters as he watches a college basketball game. I hum. I wait for Beth, Claire, and Eds. 

I make sure the kids get to bed, and their candy is gone through so they don’t get sick, or get hurt. Let’s be honest people are still just a little so weird for me in this town. Sunday morning is an early one when you’ve got two teenager and a kid in your house. There’s a knock on my door, and I answer. “Where’s the candy?” A disgruntled Steve murmurs as he stands a little to the left. “Top shelf in the kitchen.” I answered, getting up from the bed, “Kids wanna sort it.” Steve says through a yawn. I nod and get a t-shirt on before running down the stairs. An excited group of kids sit on the couch, “Unc Eddie!” Beth hollers out, “Yup Candy I know coming up I promise soon.” I pour myself a cup of coffee, and look at the time. Nearly ten in the morning, I grab the three bags from the top shelf. “Rules for this kids.” I say dropping the bag in front of each kid. “No eat it right now. Wait til after breakfast at least, and trade. Always trade with siblings. Got it.” They all nod, “We got it.” 

Monday morning comes quicker then realized, and then somehow it’s Wednesday afternoon. Days are molding together. The longer I’m away from Lilly the weirder my days get around me, people are just in the background of my life, as my daily thoughts are about Lilly. Wondering what’s she up, if she slept okay, if work is going on, what cool projects she has strewn across the coffe table. ‘I’ll get to it later’ she’d say to herself. If she was making herself breakfast in the morning. Cars go by the daily, and then in a false it’s the following Friday. 

The kids are back over, but this time it’s time do things with Aunt Robin, and Uncle Steve. Steve and robin plan a quick lake trip no doubt to go spend the weekend in a lake side cabin, to which Steve invites me on, but the thought of leaving Hawkins makes my bones ache. “You guys go I’ll be fine here for a few days.” I reassure Steve. He nods, and Saturday morning they leave in Steve car. I sit in Steve house for a few hours, watching mindless shows, before needing, yearning to see Lilly just one more time. 

‘You can’t just go past her house like it’s nothing’ ‘She asked you to go, not to come back to wait a few days, but it’s already been a week’ ‘Seven days, does she even want to see me anymore’ I pace up and down Steve’s house. Probably creating patterns in his beige carpet. Fingers curling my hair over and over again. ‘You can go for a run’ ‘You don’t go for a run lair’ ‘Yeah you just run away from shit’ ‘Just go on the damn run Eddie’ Internally fighting with myself over the girl that I’ve fallen for. 

I grab a pair of shoes, a pair of sweats and my phone. My screensaver the only thing that I have left from Lilly. A picture from her at the pumpkin patch smiling bright and eyes full of contentment and wonder. I sigh and pull my music up. Anything to keep me going as I run… out of the corner of my thoughts ‘Bike there’ The kids bikes must still be here, I go in search in Steve garage. I land a jackpot, and get settled before driving myself back to the trailer park. Nearly evening when I arrive there. 

My legs burn, and pulse not used to biking for that long. The lights are on, and the blinds are open just enough to see someone lights coming into the trailer park. I pull my phone out, and look at the screensaver, that beautiful smile that Lilly is showing off, like it’s just the two of us at that moment. Then I see another person… another person is there. I try not to peer into her home, but’s it harder then you would think. ‘Just don’t be a creep about’ ‘You’ll always just be the creep to her, the freak.’ 

I shake my head trying to desperately get away from my own thoughts. The sound of the door opening alerts me. I move quickly, and try to hide before Lilly or her guest can see me. I make it behind her trailer. “Oh thanks for coming over, I’m really having a hard time recently.” I hear Lilly say to her guest, “Oh don’t worry about it at all dearie, I’m just glad I was able to help you with the truth.” That voice is searing, ‘You want something freak?’ Jason Fucking Carver. I should have know the rich guy car. 

I bit my lip, pushing down the anger, pushing down the urge to swing around this damn trailer and punch the now fifty year old man square in his face. Hell maybe I should just let his run over me and collect the large reward. ‘Too late now’ One voice rings through my head, another softer voice almost like it’s Lilly talkin’ ‘It’ll be fine, just go talk to him. He’s probably so lonley and god I just… god fuci…” Her words are cut off by the slam of the storm door. I stay behind her trailer for a while. 

They aren’t back early Sunday morning, so I start to get reckless. I stare at my phone willing there to be a message from her. A call that has a voicemail connected, a soft voice coming through my speakers. All I want to see her hear her and it not be because she’s telling me to get out, or whatever worse could be. I sit in bed longer then the day before, waiting for something in the day to be worth it getting out of bed. I stare into the grey painted walls around me. I start to text her. 

There are some thing I need to say to you. I will always love you no matter how you see me or whatever you think is the truth. It’s only been a week since I last saw you, and I miss everything about you. A smile and a laugh that could light up the room, without it my life is dull, and my heart is empty. It’s sucks because all I have are beautiful moments that we shared together, and now we divided by lies. I’m sorry I never got the chance to explain, that I never thought you needed to know about it. Being apart from you is rather harder then you might imagine it to be. A week is all it takes for my heart to cry and yearn for you to just call or text me. Anything to know that you still care, you must still care right? I still care about you, and I want to tell you the truth. The real truth if you don’t mind. I’m sorry I ran away, I’m sorry I just walked away form you, from us and everything that had been solid for so long. I do really love you. 

The word sit there the cursor blinking every second. I sit there staring at my own words for longer then I probably should, and then delete it all. Not sending anything. I can’t bare the thought of loosing her because I couldn’t deal with a few extra days. My heart burns, and my chest tightens and for the first time since I was a little kid. I cry, hard big tears until I feel my stomach chrun and the urge to go back to sleep takes over with urgency. I fall into black and wonder about the upside down feeling. 

Once again Mondays manic afternoon turns into Tuesday terrific day for new costumers and I happen to be the only person working. Wednesday is just a warning of the hellish things I’ll have to endure on Thursday. But Friday is a sparkling pile of dog shit that an owner forget to pick up. Yet again I’m the only one working late, and then the door rings, an older gentlemen is waiting at he front desk. He’s got blonde, greying hair, and a half good and half bad smile on his face. “Hello, what can I do for you?” I ask. 

The second week of this hell, of being awak from Lilly all comes to a head when I notice who the man is standing in front of me now. “Carver?” I ask trying not to change the tone of my voice. “Good you do remember who I am.” His words are coated with hate and even more disgust then before hand. “Yeah I do, do you need any help?” I ask totally going over his comment. Best not to react, and better to just get the conversation over and done with. Jason Carver is still at his heart a bully. 

I’m brought right back to the lunch room, standing on the tables and trying to make people relize that we’re all put into a category. Made to fit a mold that’s shifting and breaking at every single weak point. The churning burning feeling that would settle in the bottom of my stomach as I would look at the mister perfect Jason Carver. The infinite interaction in the hallways of Hawkins high, the teasing me for my buzzed hair, the knocking my books from my hands the chewing gum that ended up in my hair when it was long, grown out. 

I stand still as the flashes of the boy in the boat floating above it flashes across my eyes. A memory I’m not I really remember seeing. The feeling is strong the horror of it as Jason and I watched it happen at the same damn time, and still he choose o run off and ruin my name. “If you don’t have any business here, then i need you to leave sir.” I try, standing on crumbling ground already as my psyche takes hit after hit of bad soaked memories. “You know how easy it was to ruin your life?” 

“What?” I don’t even process the words tha come out of his mouth. Waving my arms up, “Just leave.” I try to shoo him away, but he doesn’t budge. I’m in no mood to fight with this guy anymore, “Please just gooo!” I beg, He rolls his eyes, “You know what you are Munson, you’re a god damn coward, a runner from the truth.” He spit venom, at me but it’s like getting bit by a zombie with no teeth. Harmless just annoying. Fine his words do get to me, they burn holes right through my already crumlbing, broken exterior. 

“What do you want?” I finally just ask his straightforward. My eyes wide with anticipation for whatever bullshit is gonna drip from his mouth. “What could you possibly want from me? The freak of the town. It’s forty years later Jason get a grip on life.” I say confidently, the anger rages through him. Upper lip twitching as he tries to think of something to say back. ‘Because… I want you to go to jail for the death of my fucking girlfriend.” Jason yells into my face. My fist clench I swallow hard before saying the words clear and loud. 

“I DID NOT kill anyone, and you fucking know it. You say that kid floated in to the sky and got twisted, crunched and broken like a fucking pretzel. That must have been Eddie ‘the freak’ Munson. What is wrong with you?” I’m letting my emotions get the best of me. I have to take a breathe before I can say anything else. “You and everyone else saw it. Then forty fucking years later you come to my home, and tell my girl. My girlfriend. Lies about how I killed someone.” I whisper the last part. Carver rolls his eyes. 

“Jason just leave okay… don’t come back, and do not bother Lilly. She doesn’t need your bullshit, or mine in her life anymore okay. You get what you wanted, I’m unhappy now so congratulations.” I say pointing towards the Auto body shops doors. Carver doesn’t say a single word before walking out. I rest my elbows on the edge of the front desk, my head resting in my palms. “What utter bullshit.” I mutter, and I feel the weight of caring too much hit my shoulder. Never really a protector, but for Lilly I’ll be the favor she always needs. 

The beer that lands in my hand, cold to the touch, and makes the headache thats been brewing all worth the pain as I hook the top off. Dustins car sit in the driveway when I hook the bike up and away into the garage. I’m met with a smile, and a beer from Harrington. “What’s up?” Dustin mutters before taking a swig of his beer. I shrug, “Nothing much work is a bitch.” I answer him blandly. A cocked brow, the neck of the bottle getting thrown into my face. Pointing the opened source towards me. I sit down. 

Silence consumes the rather quite room, and for the first time I notice there’s no Robin or Dustins wife. “So…” Dustin starts, “Are you going to explain what happened between you and Lilly, or do I need to drag it out of you?” Dustin asks me. Chugging down his already half empty beer bottle. Theres a look on his face. A look of utter and complete seriousness and dad energy. Like the one that my uncle Wayne used to give when that meant that things were getting serious. I roll my eyes, and take a few rather long deep breathes. 

“Jason Carver is somehow still a major thorn in my side. Even at the rip age of fifty.” I exclaim before taking a long swig of my beer. The bottle starting to sweat against my hand. “Huh?” Dustin is the only one to react, looking over at Steve for some sort of help but getting nothing. “Major big dick energy, and not the good kind.” I add, Dustin face contorts into more confusion. “He went to the trailer told Lilly that I was a murderer, and pretty much ruined my relationship with her in just a blink of an eye.” 

My words come out shorter then were meant. “Look I’m sorry Dustin.” I say looking up to see nodded his head, “Don’t you even worry about it Eddie, I just can’t believe that guy isn’t over it yet. Like why even try to ruin something like that.” Dustin mutters out. I nod along with Dustin rather loose and random but coherent thoughts. I understand his thoughts to an extent. Silence once again take the already quiet home over. I chew absent mildly on my inner lips causing a bruised lip. I’m not sure why but the thought of Steve talking about his break up with Wheeler peaks in my mind. Nearly two weeks of wonder, yearning to know what, and how Steve had dealt with his break up with Nancy. “How’d you deal with your break-up?” I ask, Steve ears perk up, but before he can answer Dustin gets in and takes over. “He tired to fix it by giving Nancy flowers, and I instead dragged him towards the railroad tracks and we hunted my pet democreature.” Dustin answers through his arms about. “Sounds about right” Steve laughs. 

The laughter dies down, and once again we sit in silence together 

“Seriously Eddie, you just need to tell her the truth. Regardless if she wants to believe you or not. The truth has to come from you, and the truth is all there is from that point in your relationship with Lilly.” Dustin says tipping the bottle back and forth on his knee. I nod, and wonder what she might be doing now, if she’s at a cross roads just like me. “Can we watch something, I don’t know like some sports?” I ask, Steve is still spry for his age, getting up to grab the remote, “ESPN it is Eddie!”

Completed on: 06/04/23

Posted on: 06/10/2023

The Adults- @yourfavdummy @mothermirkwood

[forever-rogue]

Heartstopper

AN | What can I say? I’m a sucker for him. So here we are…we have some best friends to lovers goodness here! Enjoy🥰

Warnings | Language

Pairing | Steve x Fem!Reader

Word Count | 4k

Masterlist | Main

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

“What are we doing Friday night?”

“I have a date on Friday.”

The two of you spoke at the same time, and you stared wide eyed at him while he chuckled nervously, drumming his fingers against the countertop. You rocked back and forth on your heels before taking a step back and creating a pointed distance between each other. 

“But we…we always hang out on Friday nights,” the mixture of annoyance and sadness made you sound so whiny. Fucking pathetic. You scratched the back of your neck awkwardly as he seemed to look anywhere but your face, “I just…assumed. We’d said we’d go see that new movie.”

“Well, I mean, we - all of us were going to go,” he shrugged, his nonchalant tone making this even worse, “you’ll still have Robin, Nancy, Munson, the kids.”

“Yeah,” your breath caught in your throat as you just tried to play it off. There was no reason that he needed to know about the odd mixture of feelings settling low in your stomach, “of course.”

“You understand, right?” his eyes finally met yours, as the two of you looked at each other for a few long moments. His gaze was piercing and you felt like he could see right through you, “it’s just that Allie asked me and I figured…why not, ya know? No reason not to.”

“Allie,” you repeated the name as your stomach churned and you felt like you could throw up. It wasn’t that you didn’t like Allie; she’d always been nice, kind, funny, pretty, all of it. She was a perfect little package. That was the worst part - you couldn’t even dislike her. Or blame him for saying yes. But the feeling it brought up was…strange, “wow. Yeah, no, totally. I-I’m sure that’ll be great.”

“You don’t like her?” he raised an eyebrow as you fervently shook your head, feeling your face flush with warmth, “what’s up with you-”

“I like Allie! She’s…great,” you insisted, your voice pitching up several octaves and making you sound like you were seconds away from crying. You were, “she’s, ugh, great.”

“Are you…okay?” he asked and you just nodded, giving him a tight lipped smile that felt as fake as it probably looked. He was going to see right through you. He was going to know…fuck. You were jealous. Plain and simple. You were jealous of Allie getting to go on a date with Steve, potentially kissing him, potentially fu- no. You were definitely not going to picture that, “babe-”

“You know, I’m late,” you lied as you pointed to your watch before stumbling your way to the door, “I’ve got umm…that thing. I’ll see you around Stevie.”

You ran out the door and over to your car without casting another look back towards Family Video. You were breathless, your chest in pain from a combination of the wild beating of your heart and that stupid, dumb feeling of heartache. 

What had you expected? You’d never made a move, neither asked once asked him on a date date, never let him know you truly left. You couldn’t blame him for being in the dark about your feelings. Steve was allowed to go on dates, he was a free man. Hell, you’d already had feelings for him when he was dating Nancy and you hadn’t felt like this. Nancy was your friend, and while you had been jealous, you were happy, even if it meant your own heart breaking. If Steve was happy and Nancy was happy, that was all that mattered. But you’d been secretly overjoyed when they’d broken up. And yet still hadn’t made your move. It really shouldn’t have been a surprise that he was going on dates again. 

“Fuck,” you groaned at yourself as you hit the steering wheel. The stinging pain spread throughout your hand immediately and only made everything worse. Warm tears had pearled up and run down your cheeks before you knew it, causing you to cry loudly, “fuck, fuck, fuck!”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

“That was…something,” Robin stepped out of the back, a twizzler in her hanging from her mouth as she raised her eyebrows, “and by something I mean painful. That hurt me and I wasn’t even involved.”

“What are you talking about?” sure, it had been…something but Steve hadn’t quite put all the pieces together yet, “she must be feeling…off or something. She gets weird sometimes, I dunno.”

“Steve, you just broke her fucking heart,” she groaned as she shoved his shoulder, causing him to make a small sound of protest. He opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water, unable to find the right words, “did you not…get that?”

“It’s just one Friday night,” he shrugged it off and turned to organize some of the rental returns. She grabbed his arm and shook her head. She really liked Steve, but damn, he was stupid sometimes, “there’ll be plenty of others…”

“You don’t get it, do you?” She was incredulous at how he didn’t realize that you were in love with him and the fact that he didn’t understand that he was in love with you too. She muttered something under breath that sounded a lot like complete idiots before throwing the last of her twizzler away, “Steve. She was jealous. Of your date. With Allie.”

“Oh,” he said as he nodded but then what she had said hit him all at once, “oh? Why would she be jealous? She’s my best friend.”

“You really don’t get it, do you? How can you be so blind?” she was laughing, both at how annoyed she was by both of you and how utterly sorry she felt that you both were foolish, “Steve. She’s jealous because she’s your best friend. Because she doesn’t want to be just your best friend.”

“Robin, just say what you’re getting at,” he ran a hand through his hair, mussing it even further than it already had been. How was she even friends with a fool like this?

“She’s in love with you,” she reached over and patted his cheek just as the door opened again and a new customer strolled in, “you’re such an idiot sometimes, Harrington.”

Robin left his side to greet the customer as he stood there, dumbfounded at her words. No. No. She had to be wrong. There was no way that you loved him. You loving Steve Harrington? The idea was almost laughable. You were the pretty, funny, smart girl and he was…your dumb but handsome other half. Oh. Oh. His other half. He’d always considered his other, and better half. You were the first thought on his mind in the morning, often at night, and so many other times of the day. You were the first person he turned to whether it was for something good or bad. Holy shit. You’d always been. 

The revelation hit him like a ton of bricks as he paced around behind the counter. All those thoughts and feelings and everything…it had always been love. For you. Because he was in love with you. He thought back and realized he’d never once had the same intensity of feelings for Nancy. Even when he thought he was crushing on Robin, she hadn’t come close. Granted, he did love both of them, but he’d never loved someone like he loved you. Fuck. Steve Harrington was in love with you. 

And Robin had said you were in love with him.

“No way,” he smacked himself on the forehead when he’d realized just how blind he was. To his own fucking feelings. And to yours. Maybe. If Robin turned out to be right. Which she sometimes was. But you…how could you love him? You were you and he was just…Steve, “fuck me.”

“Finally put it all together?” she called from across the store as he just waved her off, “took you long enough!”

If Robin was right, then he’d was sure he’d just royally screwed things up. He had to figure out how to fix it, if he could fix it…if you even wanted him to fix it.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

“Hey Eds,” you grinned as soon as you saw his mop of messy curls. You were waiting outside for the boys to finish their Hellfire session, sitting on the hood of your car as they ran out in excitement. You walked over and gave him a hug which he effortlessly reciprocated. You’d always liked him, falling into an easy friendship with him over the years. He was, surprisingly, one of the most reliable and present people in your life. Just like Steve. Fuck. Steve. You’d almost forgotten about him. 

“Hey,” you liked his smile, it was all dimples and teeth and softness. It was a nice smile. You’d be lying if you said you didn’t find him attractive. If anything, he was much more your type than Steve was, “what’s up? You’re looking at me all funny.”

“Do you wanna go out with me?” you asked softly as his eyebrows raised up in surprise.

“We hang out all the time…”

“Like a date,” you blurted out before shrugging your shoulders and looking away in embarrassment, “like a date with me and you. A, umm…date date?”

“Oh…kay,” he was grinning now, watching you in amusement. Eddie, despite what people often seemed to think, was a smart man. Plus, he also wasn’t blind. He knew you were Steve’s in all but name and that you had him wrapped around your finger as well. He did find you attractive and everything and sure, he knew if you hadn’t been so gone for Harrington, he might have asked you out too, “why are you asking me on a date?”

“I dunno,” you flailed your hands lightly, “just a thought. God, I made this awkward didn’t I? I seem to be doing that a lot lately. Sorry, Eds.” 

“You’re fine,” he had a smug little grin on his face. He reached up and put a finger gently under your chin before turning your face up to his, “listen. I totally want to say yes, but I, being a man of superior morals, can’t say yes.”

“Eddie-”

“You’re attractive, you’re smart, you’re nice. Probably too good for any of us,” he insisted softly, “but I know you don’t like me like that.”

“You’re hot-”

“I know,” he grinned cheekily, “you’ve told me that many times after a few drinks when you weren’t trying to make out with me. But you know…there’s the whole…Harrington thing.”

“There’s no…there’s nothing with him,” you sighed as you grabbed his wrist, trying not to cry, “I’m just his friend.”

“For now.”

“For always,” you took his hand and held it tightly in yours, “he’s going out with Allie on Friday. And knowing how perfect and wonderful she is - I want to hate her but I can’t - Steve will fall for her in seconds. Or someone else. Just not…me.”

“You’re so blind,” he laughed, his shoulders shaking as he tried to calm himself down. When you looked at him in confusion, clearly not following what he was getting at, he stopped, “wait. You really don’t…you don’t know Harrington’s in love with you?”

“I - what?” you looked at him with such wide, worried eyes that he immediately grew serious, “Steve’s not in love with me, Eds. Don’t joke about it when you know how I feel about him.”

“You think - you think I’m joking,” he scrubbed a tired, ringed hand over his face as he shook his, “everyone knows, but you apparently.”

“Eddie.”

“Listen,” he held up his hands to signal his innocence, “I’m just telling the truth. I would never lie to you. I-”

“Can we hurry this up?” Dustin shouted from the car as you both flipped him the bird, “there’s pizza at home!”

“You wanna grab dinner on Friday? We can ditch the kids after the movie and then talk,” he suggested as you nodded slightly. One of the kids honked the horn as you sighed heavily, “you better go before they lose it. See you Friday.”

“See you Friday,” you pressed a kiss to his cheek before turning around to the car, yelling at the trio in the backseat as you climbed into the driver’s seat. 

Eddie waited there until you drove off, waving at the younger boys. He shook his head in amusement, laughing to himself, “oblivious idiots.”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Even though your hot date consisted of a bunch of young teenagers, along with a too cozy couple in Jonathan and Nancy, and the chaotic duo of Robin and Eddie, you’d decided to dress up. You’d been feeling off all week, well aware of the reason why, but couldn’t shake yourself out of it. Sure, you could theoretically just have called Steve, gone to his house, or work to talk. But you found yourself doing the exact opposite. You’d ignored his calls, and whenever he stopped by your house, you pretended you weren’t home. At one point he’d climbed up to your window and tapped on it, but it was late enough to pretend you were asleep. So you did just that, thankful that you’d had the forethought to lock it for once. 

Was it pretty and childish? Absolutely. But you weren’t ready to face him and have your heart broken. Because you were positive that as soon as you told him  ‘hey, dumbass, I’m absolutely and irrevocably in love with you,’ he would laugh in your face and think you were joking. Your heart couldn’t handle that. Instead you broke your own heart by simply ignoring him. 

So by dressing up, you figured that might lift your mood slightly. It did, and combined with spending time with your friends, you did feel a little better. Plus, the movie wasn’t as terrible as you’d thought it would be. All in all…okay. 

Once you were all out of the theater, you nudged Eddie’s arm as you said your goodbyes to the rest of the group. He wrapped an arm around your shoulders without a second thought and started leading in the direction of the diner that you both loved. It was shitty, run down, and completely sketchy, but they had the best pancakes and milkshakes in Hawkins so it was worth the risk. 

You were halfway there when you heard the shout of your name from across the street. You thought you’d imagined it until you heard Eddie’s name too. You stiffened as you both stopped and turned to look for the source of the voice. You already knew who it was long before you even saw him. 

There stood Steve Harrington, hand in hand with Allie Miller, watching you with a scowl on his face. You heard Eddie giggle likely as you pinched his side and cast a small wave at Steve to placate him. 

“Move,” you hissed at Eddie, nudging his hip with yours in a desperate attempt to get away from Steve. He took his sweet time, and of course, Steve and Allie had made it over to you within moments. Fuck. You were going to kill Munson for that later. 

“Hey,” Steve’s eyes flicked between the two of you as you politely said hi to Allie, “what’s ugh…what’s going on here? Thought it was movie night?”

“The movie finished,” you shrugged and willed the ground to open and swallow you whole. You did not want to do this right now. Or ever. But life had a strange way of forcing its will upon you, “just grabbing dinner.”

“Just…the two of you?”

“Umm…yeah?” your whole was warm and you felt bad for Steve’s poor date. She had no clue what was going on, unlike the rest of you, “is there a problem, Steve? You’re the one that didn’t come out with all of us.”

“Are you on a date? Is that what this is? The two of you are going on a date together?”

“No-”

“Yes,” you insisted over Eddie’s soft no and you heard him sigh lightly. You knew he was trying to get you to tell Steve how you really felt. But you weren’t ready. You just…couldn’t, “yeah, we’re on a date so we’re just, umm…gonna go. Enjoy your evening.”

“Wait - you can’t just…”

“Is there a problem, Harrington?” Fuck, Eddie was mentally begging for the two of you just to get it over with. You were so close but both so damn stubborn. It was a quality that he loved in both of you normally, except right now. 

“I…no,” he tried to keep his expression nonchalant, “not at all. The two of you want to date, that’s fine. Who am I to stop you?”

“Right, so we’re going now,” you tugged on Eddie’s hand and hurriedly pulled him away before anyone could say anything else. You sighed heavily as Eddie tutted at you, “don’t say a word, Munson.”

“It was the perfect opportunity,” he insisted, “he was practically staring me to death. He reeked of jealousy!” 

“No,” you felt tears of both confusion and frustration well up in your eyes, “Eddie, can you please just drop it? Let’s just get dinner and forget this ever happened.”

“Y-yeah, sure,” he swallowed thickly and he suddenly felt horrible. All he wanted was his friends to get over whatever little game they had going and to finally confess their feelings. Fuck, he wasn’t into overly sentimental stuff, but even he was rooting for it to happen, “whatever you want, princess.”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

“Robin? Are you ready to go?” you walked into Family Video without a second thought as you’d promised to pick her up after work so the two of you could get snacks and have a movie marathon. It was a cold, rainy day and nothing sounded better than getting under a pile of blankets and eating to your heart’s delight. When you didn’t hear anything, you rapped your fingers across the counter, “Robin?”

You heard someone coming from the back but to your shock it wasn’t Robin. 

It was Steve.

You panicked immediately, your heart racing as you contemplated just running out. He wasn’t supposed to be here, Robin had said he wouldn’t be. He was supposed to have the day off. But there he was…right in front of you with an unreadable expression etched onto his handsome features.

“Hi,” he said softly as he held up his hand in a small wave. You hated this, this awkward and foreign feeling hanging between the two of you, “Robin’s not here. She was off earlier.”

What the actual fuck. No way. There was no way…she’d planned this. She’d totally schemed to get this happen. You had no doubt Eddie had been right there with her. 

“O-oh,” you looked at the floor, “she, umm, she told me she was off now. We were supposed to have a movie marathon, but ugh…I’ll go.”

“How’s Munson?” you looked up and met his eyes and found out that he’d almost closed the distance between you, leaving just enough space to be appropriate. Was he…could Eddie have been right? Was he jealous?

“Eddie’s good,” you nodded, “umm, we’re all hanging out again on Friday. Game night at Nancy and Mike’s. I dunno if you were planning on coming by or whatever now that you’ve got…what’s her name.”

“Allie,” he replied, although you were both well aware that you knew her name. 

“Right,” you cleared your throat before moving towards the door, “I, umm…see you around. Maybe.”

You were out of the door and in the middle of the rain before he could say another word. The universe was definitely conspiring against you as the downpour increased on your trek across the parking lot. You’d go home and change and then kill Robin and Eddie. You hoped the two of them had enough sense to at least pretend to be sorry for this mess.

“Wait!” you heard Steve’s voice before you turned around and found him running towards you, “it’s raining too hard! You shouldn’t be driving right now.”

“I’ll be fine!” the two of you almost had to shout at each other over the sound of the pouring rain. Both of you were already drenched at this point, “go back inside, Stevie! You’re already soaking wet.”

“I’m not going out again with Allie!” When did he get so close? He was standing in front of you, only a small gap between your bodies as you found your heart beating rapidly, “are you going out again with Munson?”

“Steve,” he reached up and brushed a few wet, stray locks of hair gently out of your face. His fingertips ghosted against your jaw, “I wasn’t on a date with Eddie. I’m not dating him. We’re just friends.”

“Then why did you say you were on a date?” his face fell slightly as you just shook your head, already feeling the tears stinging at the back of your eyes. 

“Why aren’t you seeing Allie again?”

“You know why!” a crack of thunder roared in the distance as you almost jumped into his arms, “you’ve always known why!”

“Stevie-”

“You’re the only person that’s ever been allowed to call me that,” he insisted, the corners of his mouth ticking up ever so slightly, “I hate when anyone else calls me that. I’ve always hated that nickname.”

“Why do you let me do it?”

“You know why,” he repeated as he leaned in closer and you found yourself doing the same. Even in the pouring rain you could smell his delicious cologne clinging to him, mixing in with the sweet scent of skin. It was intoxicating and all consuming, just like everything about Steve Harrington. 

“Tell me,” you insisted softly, “please, I need to hear you say it. Why aren’t you seeing her again?”

“Because she’s not you,” his hands found the sides of your face as he gently cradled it in his large, warm hands, “why aren’t you dating Munson?”

“Because he’s not you,” you wrapped your fingers around his wrists and let out a shaky breath. When you allowed yourself to meet his eyes, you found him watching you with the same soft, dopey expression he always had for you. Oh. It was because…oh. He never looked at anyone else like that because - 

“I’m in love with you,” his words rang out loud and clear against the pounding of the rain and crackles of thunder in the distance. Your mouth opened lightly in surprise and shock at actually hearing him say those words. You’d pictured this moment at least a thousand times in your head, but none of these scenarios were ever like this, “I-I feel like an idiot because I just realized that. I’ve always known, you but it never fully clicked until-”

“Robin and Eddie,” you finished for him as he nodded in agreement, “I don’t know whether I’m happy or mad at them right now!”

“Can I kiss you?” you knew the moment was coming but his softly spoken question still managed to make your heart beat wildly as you just looked at him with big doe eyes. You leaned in and closed the little bit of remaining distance, crashing your lips onto his. Steve was taken aback for just a moment, but quickly realized what was going on and kissed you back, pouring every single unspoken word into the kiss, trying to get you to understand just how he felt. 

You both pulled back when you were breathless, grinning at each other like fools. He pressed his forehead against yours as a wistful little sigh escaped from your lips. Holy shit. You’d just kissed Steve Harrington. Your best friend, your biggest supporter, your…everything. He’d kissed you back. He wanted to kiss you. He was in love with you. 

“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to top this moment,” he laughed, that easy sound reaching your ears. It had been too long since you’d heard that sound.

“What? You mean running after me and kissing me in the rain?” you teased as he touched your face and gently brushed his thumb over your cheek, “that’s pretty romantic, Harrington. You could always try though!”

“For you?” he leaned and pecked your lips a few more times, trying to memorize the touch and taste of your lips, “I’ll always try.”

A few flashes of lightning illuminated the sky, quickly followed by rumbling thunder, causing you to cling tightly onto him.

“Let’s get inside!” he insisted as laced his fingers through yours. You marveled at how perfectly your hands fit together, “you’re gonna get wet.”

“I think it’s a little late for that Stevie,” you grinned, “hey.”

“What?”

“I love you, Steve Harrington,” his face practically lit up at your words and that alone made everything worth it, “even if you are an idiot sometimes. You’re my idiot!”

“I love you,” he promised, “you’re my girl.”

[kyber-kisses]

Oblivious

Steve Harrington x Bestfriend!Reader

Summary: Steve finally realizes he’s fallen for his best friend. . . With a little of Dustins help

Warnings: none

A/N: this was just a little blurb I came up with when listening to Springsteen by Eric Church, I hope y’all enjoy!

“I swear dude, I’ve never seen someone pitch a ball so fast. I’m surprised it didn’t catch fire or some shit.” Steve explained, talking around the mouthful of food he still had.

“Yeah Steve, I know. You’ve told me the story several times already.” Dustin sighed, sliding down further in his seat in the food court of the mall.

“So what? It’s a good story!”

Playing with the straw from his Orange Julius, Henderson gave Steve somewhat of a tired glare. “Do you have any stories that don’t revolve around Y/N? I’ve been gone a month dude, there has to be something.”

Steve opened his mouth to respond, the gears in his head turning as he tried to remember everything that had happened over the past month. . . But each interesting story always had you involved in some aspect.

Watching as his friend opened and closed his mouth clearly trying to think, Dustin let out a groan, his head falling back as he did.

“What am I supposed to say?!” Throwing his arms intro he air, Steve leaned back in his own seat, “I’m sorry that I have a lot of fun hanging out with my best friend?”

At that, Dustin let out an amused laugh, earning a confused look from Steve.

“What’s so funny?”

“You are such an idiot.”

“Ok first of all, rude. No I am not.” Bracing his elbows on the small table, he jabbed his finger at Dustin, “and two, what the hell are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about the fact that you are so clearly in love with Y/N!”

“Woah, hey! No I am not!” Jabbing his finger yet again in Dustins direction, Steve stood from his seat. He had to get back to work or Robin was going to beat his ass.

“Just hear me out!” Rushing to follow Steve back across the food court, Dustin slings his backpack back over his shoulders.

“No!”

“Yes!”

Steve had to stop himself from stopping into the shop as he made his way back behind the ice cream counter. “Henderson, I said shut it!”

“Not until you admit the truth!”

To this day, Steve still had no clue how he hadn’t strangled this kid by now. With a sigh, he ran a hand through his hair, “I’m not in love with Y/N, Dustin.”

“Guess again. So you want me to list off the reasons for you?”

“No, please don’t—“

“One,” Dustin starts, holding up his pointer finger, clearly showing he’s about to start listing reasons. “You are always talking about her.”

“So, that doesn’t me-“

“Not finished. You are constantly gushing over how amazing and cool she is. It’s like never ending. Two! People constantly think that to two of you are dating!”

“Wait, Wh-“

“Three! You are always the happiest when she’s around and you are constantly trying to make her laugh and smile and when she does you literally light up!”

“No I don-“

“I’ve literally seen your cheeks turn pink!” Dustin jabbed a finger in his direction, nearly knocking a jar off the counter. “Don’t lie!”

“Jesus dude, keep it down-“ Steve rushed, seeing that several people had turned to look at them.

“Four,” Lowering his voice, Dustin leans over the counter top. “Whenever she compliments you, you forget how to act for like a solid minute. I’ve witnessed it. And five—“ he leans in even closer, a new glint in his eyes. “You’ve thought about kissing her.”

“How the hell could you have possibly—“ Steves eyes widening in shock as he looked at the kid across from him.

“Ah-ha! I was right!” Dustin jumped, pointing yet again at Steve, “I was honestly just guessing but you just proved my point!”

Stepping back from the counter, Steve let’s his body fall back against the back wall of the ice cream shop. As he took a deep breath he let his mind walk backwards and go through all the times he had hung out with you in the past few months and how they felt different from all the years before. He hadn’t missed a single one of your softball games this summer, and he always brought you food afterwords as a small gift. He had found himself watching you more and more even if it was you doing the most mundane of things like tying your shoes. . . And now that Dustin had said it- he does remember several times where he randomly caught himself thinking about what your lips would feel like against his own.

“Holy shit.”

“Told you.”

“Holy shit!” He repeated, standing up straight once again, eyes now wide. “I gotta go!”

His body was moving before his brain was and all of a sudden he was vaulting over the cash register and running across the parlor. It wasn’t until he had reached the entrance that he suddenly stopped, shoulders dropping before awkwardly backtracking to Dustin and ignoring all the stares of the people around him.

“Ok, ok but just one little problem-“ he whispered, “I can’t do anything about it because there’s literally no ways he likes me like that. Like, if I told her she would look at me like I needed to be taken to the hospital and then our whole friendship would be thrown in a dumpster and set on fire.” He rushed, watching as Dustin gave him somewhat of a concerned look.

“Ok first of all, I’m gonna pretend you didn’t say any of that and two, you’re an idiot.”

“Yeah, so you’ve told me several times now.” Steve nodded in annoyance, “but why am I still an idiot.”

“Because clearly you’re too wrapped up in looking at her that you don’t notice how’s she’s looking at you.”

“I. . . Am not following.”

“Oh my god.” Pinching the bridge of his nose, Dustin sighed yet again. “Steve practically everyone sees the way she looks at you. It’s like you hung the damn star themselves. You’re always making her smile and when you crack a joke she always laughs the loudest. She clearly likes you back dude.”

“She does?”

“Yes! Now for the love of god please stop asking me questions!”

“Ok, ok-“ Steve breathed, nodding as he began back stepping the way he had ran earlier. “Uh, tell Robin I had to go run and errand.” He lied, fishing his car keys out of the pocket of his uniform before turning and rushing full speed out of the ice cream parlor, dodging people as he did.

“Go get her Tiger!”

“I’m gonna try!”

*. *. *. *. *. *. *.

When Steve finally reached his car, the sun was beginning its decent, bathing everything around him in a golden light. It’s late June and he can already hear the crickets starting up beyond the mall parking lot.

The drive to your house feels like an eternity even though it couldn’t have been more than five miles away. He can’t help but glance at the dashboard clock every few seconds.

7:30

You should be home by practice right now, and he hopes beyond anything he didn’t show up while you were having your usual family dinner. As he past street after street he kept trying to rehearse what he was going to say, but the second he pulled up to your families house, all words left his mouth.

You were standing out on your front lawn- well not standing, more like dancing as you moved your body to the music spilling at of the radio sitting on your front porch. A pair of discount shades were perched on your somewhat sunburned nose as you threw your head back and forth to the beat of the music. You were wearing a simple plain white t-shirt and a pair of cut off jeans, a pair of discarded flip flops lay a few feet away in the grass.

You seemed so carefree and happy.

Between the setting sun giving you a golden outline and the smile on your face- you were the prettiest thing he’d ever seen.

After a few seconds, his body decides to finally move, his eyes never leaving you as he slid out of his car. At the sound of him slamming the car door shut, you finally look up, pausing your yard party as you lift your sunglasses above your eyes, squinting at him as he walks across your lawn.

“Stevie? I thought you worked until 8 all week?”

“Uh yeah,” letting out a shaky breath, he runs a shaky hand through his hair, “Robin said she could finish up and let me dip out early.”

“Oh did she now?” You weren’t buying it. You knew Robin, like hell she’d be fine with closing up alone.

“Yep, crazy I know.”

“Well what are you doing here? We don’t usual hang out on Tuesday nights since I have practice and you have work.” You explained, closing more of the distance between the two do you as you let your bare feet lead you across the freshly cut grass.

“I have something to tell you.”

“Oooh?” You quirked an eyebrow, a playful tone in your voice, “are you professed your undying love for me?”

“Yeah, I am.”

“. . . What?” Your voice getting suddenly very quiet.

“I’m in love with you.” He spoke quietly, almost as if he was trying to match your own soft voice.

“Steve-“

“I am.” His eyes never left yours as he stepped closer, “and I’m not gonna deny it because one, it’s true. And two. . . Dustin might actually murder me.”

“Wait what has Dustin got to do with this?”

“He Uh,he kinda helped me realize my feelings for you.” Letting out a breath he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.

“Ah gotcha.” You smiled again, amused by the information. Of course it was Dustin that had knocked the sense into him. Letting out an awkward hum Steve rocked back on his heels, hands shoved deep inside the pockets of his vest in hopes of hiding his shaking hands. He had never been nervous around you.

Ever.

“Can I tell you a secret Steve Harrington?” You suddenly whispered, stepping even closer to the point where your chests practically bumped against eachother.

“Yeah, I’m pretty good at keeping secrets I guess.” He shrugged, slightly forgetting how to breath with how close you were.

“I’m in love with you too.” And with that you closed the remaining distance between the two of you and softly kissed your best friend Steve Harrington square on the lips. Time seemed to stop as Steve felt your lips distinctly on his, and then he was pulling you closer, eyes fluttering shut.

This is Y/N He thought, this is Y/N- oh my god.