#implied stommy

[wheneverfeasible]

“I didn’t know where else to go”

wc: 2k || rating: T+ || tags: referenced child abuse, blood and injuries, homophobia, bisexual steve, gay eddie, gay tommy, pre steddie, one-sided stommy, referenced cammy, angst with a hopeful ending || summary: Thrown bloodied and bruised out of his house by his father after being caught with another boy, Steve goes to the one guy in Hawkins whose queerness was an open secret. Set post S2.

Now on ao3.

💔💔💔💔

The irony was not lost on him.

In all honesty, he didn’t know what he was expecting, either. It was possible that he’d be laughed right out of the trailer park, or maybe Munson would just finish the job if the rumors weren’t true, or hell, maybe even if they were. It wasn’t like they were friends or anything.

Because Steve didn’t have any friends. Not really. Not anymore.

It had been stupid, yelling at them like that. Hell, he’d only just fully healed from Billy and the stupid tunnels, and then he had to go and throw all that recovery out the window by flaunting his sexuality in front of his father’s face.

Well. Okay. He hadn’t necessarily been flaunting it, but he hadn’t backed down when his dad demanded him refute the very clear evidence of his liking guys after his parents came home early from a trip to find him and Tommy getting hot and heavy in the sun room.

Tommy had come over, talking about how he and Carol were breaking up, how he was confused, and angry, and how he couldn’t get Steve out of his head ever since Carol implied marriage after graduation. He’d yelled at Steve, demanded to know what was so great about Nancy that Steve would throw away years of friendship for her, but there had been a suspicious shine in his eyes when he did so.

He’d grabbed Steve by the collar of his polo, had hauled him in close to spit hateful words in his face, and then they were kissing.

The thing was…Steve had always kind of known how Tommy had felt.

He always tried to make certain he never led Tommy on, knowing he didn’t return his friend’s feelings in that way, but…well. Nancy and him were broken up, his heart still fractured at him and his love being called bullshit, at Nancy maybe-maybe-not cheating on him, so he just…let Tommy.

He let Tommy kiss him, and he kissed him back, and he let that part of himself he’d kept secret for so long out at the feeling of the hard planes of Tommy’s chest, the strength in his arms as he held Steve close, the slight scrape of stubble along his jaw. He wasn’t supposed to like it, wasn’t supposed to want more of it, or want more of the thing growing between Tommy’s legs pressing into his hip.

But he loved it.

He just didn’t love Tommy.

It had just been so long since Steve felt wanted, felt appreciated, felt desirable. It was using Tommy, perhaps, but he didn’t think Tommy would mind. Not just then.

Of course, it was after they’d fallen back onto a lounger, mouths gasping into each other as hands roamed under shirts and towards belt buckles, hips moving and rocking against each other, when Steve’s parents had returned unexpectedly home.

Maybe, if Tommy had finally stood beside him for once when it mattered, maybe Steve could have found the ability to love him. But, just like before, Tommy abandoned him for his own self interests, running away back to the safety of Carol’s arms and socially acceptable heterosexuality, leaving Steve behind. And Steve? He was just so tired of never being enough, of having to hide a part of himself always, and he just stopped fighting it.

He was lucky to have had the time to put his shoes on, to grab his wallet and keys, before his father could do what he threatened to do. Then he was driving, driving from Loch Nora, driving from the place that should have been his home but never truly felt like one, driving from the only life he had ever known.

The only positive Steve could think of, mindlessly driving through town and trying to stem the flow of blood from the cut above his eye with shaking hands and unshed tears in his eyes, is that he knew his father wouldn’t go blabbing about having a queer for a son. Didn’t want that to get out around town, that’s for damn sure. Couldn’t let the town know just what a failure he was.

He didn’t know where to go.

Maybe, possibly, Nancy wouldn’t hate him if she knew. But her parents were Republicans and so far down on Reagan’s dick he was surprised they weren’t choking. It wasn’t like he could go to Jonathan’s either. Not after what he’d said about his family, and certainly not with how close his mother was with the chief of police. Hopper looked like he could hit a whole hell of a lot harder than his father did.

Couldn’t go to Henderson’s either. Steve had taken a real shine to that kid, but not only was this something he couldn’t lay at any of the kids’ feet, he also didn’t want to lose the one bright spot in his life lately with this secret.

There was no one he could turn to or trust, no one who would understand. No one who—

Oh. Wait.

Actually, there was one person who might understand. The only guy who everyone knew was a queer but no one said anything about, not if they wanted to keep getting easy access to cheap drugs. Plus, his whole look kind of intimidated people. The fact that Eddie Munson was as gay as the day was long was such an open secret around school that Steve wanted to hit himself for not thinking about it sooner.

Of course, now that he was here, idling in front of the Munson trailer, he didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t keep driving though. He was running out of gas, never having filled it up last after playing chauffeur for the little gremlins, and it was getting harder and harder to see with the blood dripping into his already wet eyes.

His hands were shaking, making him jerk the wheel more than he would like, and his breathing was growing erratic. He might be having a panic attack, he realized.

And his head fucking hurt. Among other places.

God, what if Munson couldn’t help him? What sort of help was he even expecting? A band-aid? Munson hated him, it didn’t matter if he was a fellow queer. Munson might be the one to let the whole town know what a hypocrite he was. Munson might take those stupid gaudy rings and finish him off. Cite gay panic and get rid of not just an annoying jock, but tarnish the name of a family that continually looked down on people like him.

This was such a stupid idea, and Steve couldn’t catch his breath, and where could he even go, what could he do, what—

A sharp knock on the driver side window startled Steve out of his spiraling panic, shooting his head up from where he’d been pressing it into his steering wheel harder than a busted face should be, his jaw aching from the bruising and his gritted teeth. It took a moment for his vision to clear, hastily wiping at his face and eyes to see better, knowing he was probably smearing red around but unable to do anything else in that moment.

Munson was outside his car, trying to peer in through the glass that Steve realized had begun fogging up from the heat of his panic in the chill air of the approaching winter.

“Harrington?” Munson's muffled voice asked in perplexity. “What the hell are you doing here? I don’t sell at home.”

Right. Drugs. As much as a joint sounded heavenly in that moment, it wasn’t like Steve could afford it now. He couldn’t afford anything. He wondered how soon it would take for his father to cut him off from the family bank account.

He should leave. He should reverse and get the hell out of here. Except he was out of gas, out of breath, and out of any other option. With shaky fingers, Steve turned off the car and plucked at the handle to push the door open, Munson taking a large step back to avoid getting hit.

“I told you, I’m not selling toda—”

Munson’s words cut off with a sharp inhale, and though Steve didn’t have the balls to look Munson in the eyes at the moment, he raised his gaze to somewhere near the older boy’s ear as he carefully climbed out of the car, holding the edge of the door for support, wincing and grimacing at the painful tug at his ribs.

Steve forced his breathing under enough control to clear his throat, flicking his tongue over his split lip. Only then did he dare to glance briefly at Munson’s face before dropping his gaze again. “I didn’t know where else to go,” he murmured, free arm held protectively over his midsection. He probably shouldn’t have been driving at all. It was a miracle he hadn’t hit something.

There was silence from Munson, causing Steve to hitch his shoulder up slightly. After a long moment, the other boy let out a harsh sigh. “Hargrove kick your ass again, Harrington?” he asked, sounding almost amused. Steve didn’t blame him.

“No,” he croaked, feeling the shame wash over him. “My dad did.”

Munson jerked at that, enough that Steve flinched slightly back, but a look at the other’s face showed he didn’t know what to do with that, didn’t know if he should believe that. In for a penny, in for a pound. Steve cleared his throat.

“He caught me,” he said quietly, never having had to say any of this out loud before. He wondered briefly if he had slipped into another dimension with Munson being the first person he was willingly coming out to, revealing this secret he’d known for years and had kept so close to his chest. It didn’t matter now. “He caught me with another guy.”

He could tell the moment the words and their meaning landed. Munson sucked in another sharp breath, all the minuscule movements that a body naturally does stilling as the older boy froze.

And remained frozen.

Steve cringed as the silence continued. Stupid, really. He was so fucking stupid. Why the hell had he thought it a good idea to come here? Sure, it was true that he didn’t have anywhere else to go, but…whatever. This was stupid. He was stupid.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, making a move to turn back towards his car and get in. He’d go. He’d get back in his car and just, he didn’t know, drive into a ditch or something. Maybe if he hit a tree he could explain away the injuries that way so he wouldn’t have to admit to anyone else what a fucking failure he was. Though, he knew his father wouldn’t pay off the hospital bills, and he’d rather his father not know where he’s at at the moment.

Why couldn’t he do anything right?

A hand clasped his upper arm before he could fully get in the car again, however, causing him to tense and freeze up before Munson encouraged him to turn back around. He looked uncomfortable, maybe even more uncomfortable than Steve did, but he took a deep breath and jerked his head back towards his trailer.

“Why don’t you come in, Harrington. Let’s get you cleaned up. Then we can figure things out from there.” His eyes trailed to Steve’s car. “Anyone gonna be looking for you?”

Steve withheld a grimace, shaking his head. “No,” he quietly admitted. “I think they’re done with me.”

Munson gave a sharp nod. “All right then. You hungry? I got a frozen burrito with your name on it.”

Steve swallowed, his eyes darting between Munson’s own. He was looking for any sort of malice, any sort of joy at Steve’s predicament, but all he could find was a gentleness he never would have expected, a sincerity that Steve…Steve didn’t think he had ever experienced before, not towards himself.

Something tight and ugly eased slightly in Steve’s chest. He gulped, sniffed even though it hurt his nose, and felt for the first time that maybe things would be okay. At least a little bit.

“Thanks, Eddie,” he quietly murmured, shutting his car door and locking it behind him.

Eddie Munson, Freak of Hawkins, smiled gently back and slid an arm around Steve to help him towards the open trailer door.

“Anytime, Stevie.”

💔💔💔💔

I forgot I started writing this ages ago and decided to see about finishing my own version of the “I didn’t know where else to go” trope lol

Hostage Hotties (open):

@derythcorvinus @katyawriteswhump @scoops-aboy86 @dotdot-weirdlife @everywherenothere

@bumblebeecuttlefishes @hiei-harringtonmunson @estrellami-1 @nebulaoz @renfrisol

@tinyplanet95 @hairspraywhore

[just-my-latest-hyperfixation]

All of my fics written for the @steddieholidaydrabbles 2024, days 11-20.

[Days 1-10] A pirate's life for me Prompt: Cabin | Rated: M | Tags: Pirate AU; Implied child abuse; Flirting; Sexual tension; Dubcon if you squint, Steve is very into it, promise; Fade to black sex | Notes: Probably not the kind of cabin @steddieas-shegoes had in mind, but I wanted to write more Pirate AU Constellations of crimson

Prompt: Stargazing | Rated: E | Tags: Mafia AU; Mob boss Eddie; Dark Eddie; Blood and violence; Corpses; Nudity; Outdoor sex; Top Eddie; Bottom Steve; Bloodplay; Murder boyfriends | Notes: So I knew I wanted to do starlit outdoor sex for this prompt, but I couldn't decide on a universe to set it in, so I let @steddieas-shegoes pick one. She picked Kiss That Ring, which was a choice for sure. These two truly bring out the worst in each other. Meet the parents Prompt: Family Dinner | Rated: T | Tags: Modern AU; No UD AU; Meet ugly; Fake dating; Fake identity; Past Stommy Wherever you wanna go Prompt: Together | Rated: T | Tags: Omegaverse; Alpha!Steve; Omega!Eddie; Steddie dads; mpreg (referenced); Domestic fluff | Notes: Set in the same universe as Whatever you want it to be Everything you do is perfect

Prompt: Ornament Rated: T | Tags: Established relationship; Post-Vecna; Everybody lives; Christmas; Steve Harrington has bad parents; Eddie Munson is a sweetheart; Making out A purrfect Christmas

Prompt: Tree (for both) Rated: G | Tags: Established relationship; Domestic fluff; Cat dads Steddie; Christmas | Notes: Set in the same universe as this one Sound, color, touch

Prompt: Lights | Rated: E | Tags: Magic AU; Established relationship; Married Steddie; Explicit sexual content | Notes: Once more for the Phantom Thief boys! I published the first part of this exactly 363 days ago, for last year's holiday drabble challenge. I'm not crying, you're crying!! Neverland Prompt: Vacation | Rated: T | Tags: No UD AU; Cruise ship; Musician Eddie; Kids' entertainer Steve; Steve in a dress; Homophobic language; Sexual tension; Eddie being a horny disaster | Notes: Based on this brainworm. Artwork of Steve and Robin in their costumes, done by the incredible @arelliann this way. Of toppings and fillings

Prompt: Dessert | Rated: M | Tags: Established relationship; Idiots in love; Competitive idiots, to be more specific; Sexually explicit language; Sexual innuendo; Eddie is a little shit

Home for Christmas

Prompt: Alone | Rated: G | Tags: Post-Vecna; Future fic; Everybody lives; Exes Steddie; Rock star Eddie; Single dad Steve; Reunions; Second chances | Notes: Continued from this one

[Days 21-31]

[steddiebingo]

Congrats @felixir-of-moths on completing our Hop Into Spring Challenge!

--

Prompt: Rain, Bloom

In Bloom

Rated E, wc 12,716, No Warnings, Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Upside Down (Stranger Things), Strangers to Lovers, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, past stommy, Background Robin Buckley, Minor Tommy Hagan/Carol Perkins, Alcohol, Flirting, Adultery, small injury, Anxiety Attacks, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Implied/Referenced Sex, Self-Esteem Issues, POV Alternating, Steve Harrington Needs a Hug, Steve Harrington is Bad at Feelings, steve harrington is a gay disaster, Eddie Munson is a Sweetheart, Eddie Munson Has ADHD, Musician Eddie Munson, Protective Eddie Munson, Steve Harrington Is a Mess, Based On A Nirvana Song, Nirvana (Band) References, i actually used a map of indianapolis thank you very much, Demisexuality, Aromantic, Existential Crisis, Angst and Feels, Car Sex, Power Bottom Steve Harrington, Service Top Eddie Munson, they don't know where they're going but they're gay, nobody has their shit together, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Tags May Change, BDSM Scene, Anal Sex, Orgasm Edging, Grinding, Oral Sex, Steve Harrington is a menace

'Okay, let's just … let's just gather ourselves' he mumbles, brushing the pulp of his fingers against his cheekbone where he's sure a bruise is gonna appear soon. 'First, I'm not gonna use any kind of any dating app ever.' That sounds like a good plan. It's almost cheering him up. 'Second, I'm not gonna cry, this is not happening.' Repressing his feelings was always a good strategy, after all. He feels a lot better now, even if the rain is turning his hair into a wet pathetic mop falling down his eyes. 'And third, I'm never gonna thirst over a guy ever again.' --- Steve is having the worst night ever in Indianapolis. He meets a rockstar wannabe who is having an existential crisis about music.

Prompt: Kite

High as a Kite

Rated M, wc 9,220, No Warnings, Tags: Post-Vecna (Stranger Things), Hospitals, Recreational Drug Use, Smoking, Blood and Injury, Serious Injuries, Scars, Hospitalization, Catheters, Physical Therapy, Physical Disability, References to Drugs, Wheelchairs, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Bickering is Flirting, Gay Eddie Munson, Bisexual Steve Harrington, First Kiss, Being High, Shotgunning, POV Eddie Munson, Eddie Munson Lives, Eddie Munson is a Little Shit, Eddie Munson Has PTSD, Eddie Munson Has a Crush on Steve Harrington, Steve Harrington Has a Crush on Eddie Munson, Steve Harrington Has PTSD, Steve Harrington Has Brain Damage, Steve Harrington Has Head Trauma, Eddie Munson is Steve Harrington's Bisexual Awakening, The Lord of the Rings References, Dungeons & Dragons References, Steve Harrington Takes Care of People, Steve Harrington & Eddie Munson Acting as Dustin Henderson's Parental Figures, Steve Harrington & Dustin Henderson Friendship, Dustin Henderson & Eddie Munson Friendship, Good Friend Dustin Henderson, Implied Sexual Content, Making Out, Fade to Black, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Drug Dealer Eddie Munson, Comedy, Light Angst, Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Steve Harrington is Not Okay, Steve Harrington Has an Eating Disorder, no beta we dire like fred benson

“Who even are you, dude? Scheming, snatching, sneaking out even? Thought you were a basic barbarian, but turns out you're a fucking rogue.” “I have no idea what you mean, but it sounds awfully like a compliment, Munson.” Harrington says, the soft smile turning into a satisfied grin. ----- In the aftermath of Vecna's demised, Eddie is still in the hospital, bored out of his mind. He finds in Steve Harrington a surprisingly good mischief partner. A plan is forming, shenanigans are afoot!

Prompt:

Casting Error

Rated E, wc 6,296, No Warnings, Tags: Established Relationship, Fuckbuddies, BDSM, Power Bottom Eddie Munson, Sub Top Steve Harrington, Kink Negotiation, Developing Relationship, Dirty Talk, Impact Play, Bondage, Blindfolds, Anal Sex, Barebacking, Verbal Degradation, Praise Kink, Objectification, Orgasm Edging, Miscommunication, Idiots in Love, Subspace, Subdrop, Aftercare, Light Angst, Fluff and Smut, Gay Sex, Eddie Munson is Bad at Feelings, Eddie Munson is a Little Shit, Eddie Munson is a Menace, Steve Harrington is Good at Feelings, Steve Harrington is Not Stupid, Steve Harrington is a Sweetheart, Steve Harrington Has a Crush on Eddie Munson, Steve Harrington Has a Pain Kink, Dom Eddie Munson, Sub Steve Harrington, they're both idiots, is this a feeling that i'm feeling, Relationship Talk, they're gonna figure it out, s-slur, Face Slapping, tied to the headboard, good toy, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Casual Sex, Power Bottom Supremacy, yes this is a tag now

“Don't work yourself up.” Eddie says blankly, like he's reading Steve thoughts, and like they're telepathically annoying. "It's okay, we're good.” “What's wrong then?” “Nothing, just... Forget it. You're perfect. Don't change a thing.” ----- Have you ever had a fuck-buddy who is bad at dirty talk? Or one who is really bad at relationship talk? Well, they have.

--

Congratulations again to @felixir-of-moths for their win!

You've now earned the Hop Into Spring badge!

[steddie-fanfic-recs]

you look at me and I just melt

by unkreativstermensch

Rating: Mature Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationship: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson Character: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson Additional Tags: Gay Eddie Munson, Bisexual Steve Harrington, And He Knows It, he's very aware of it actually, Eddie's not, of his own sexuality yes, but not of Steve's, a lot of wham! references, or well quotes actually, george michael is a lyrical genius and i stand by that, and Steve does too, saying stop flirting with me is peak flirting i dont make the rules, Argue with the wall, really excessive use of italics, i'm not kidding i think i actually overdid it this time, i just can't stop, Eddie Munson's Black Handkerchief, First Kiss, Getting to Know Each Other, the homoeroticism of touching a bro's forearm, implied past stommy, If You Squint - Freeform, Implied Sexual Content, it's a fade to black sort of moment, Steve Harrington Has Bad Parents, What's new, the intimacy of laundromats, that one friends episode would agree, no beta we die like eddie's chill, Post-Stranger Things 3 Words: 6,524 Chapters: 1/1

Summary

“What in the world are you doing here?” he then asks, when he got his voice back and Steve, now kneeling on the ground sorting through the dirty laundry he brought, just shoots him a look. “Uhh…laundry?” He looks a little lost, as if he doesn’t really understand the question. “Um, yes, I can see that,” Eddie replies, shutting his book, “but why is Steve Harrington doing laundry…here? At a laundromat?” Steve frowns and turns completely around, giving Eddie his full attention now. “Well, Eddie Munson” he says, putting emphasis on it, as if to prove Eddie’s not the only one who knows full names around here. “There’s a very simple answer to that. I don’t have a washing machine…but I like to wear clean clothes. You know?” or: It’s laundry day. Eddie runs into Steve Harrington. Something’s not adding up.

[steddieholidaydrabbles]

Week 2 Masterlist

Week two is complete! Another week of incredible submissions from some great authors!

Please check below for the full masterlist of week two. Check the tags and don't forget to support writers and artists by reblogging their work!

DAY 8 - IDIOTS TO LOVERS

The Honeymoon by @katyawriteswhump | Rated T | cw: mild violence | tags: hurt/comfort, fluff, 80s insults

first and second and third kisses by steddieas-shegoes | Rated T | no cw | tags: idiots to lovers, frustrating levels of obliviousness, first kiss gone horribly wrong followed by second first kiss gone perfect

A promise kept by @just-my-latest-hyperfixation with art by @house-of-the-moving-image | Rated G | no cw | tags: childhood friends to lovers, mistaken identity, fluff, modern au

Take Me Home, Country Roads by @thisapplepielife | Rated E | cw: explicit sexual content, 18+ | tags: canon divergence post-season 4, eddie munson lives, road trip, established relationship, motel room, mutual masturbation, hand jobs, dual pov, eddie munson is bored

all those firsts by @lingeringmirth | Rated T | no cw | tags: fluff, getting together, kissing, bisexual steve harrington

Anything but a normal friendship by @atimeofyourlife | Rated M | no cw | tags: friends with benefits, getting together

under the mistletoe by @cranberrymoons | Rated M | cw: mild outdated language about bisexuality | tags: getting together, making out

Dead Give Away, Innit? by @redlegumes | Rated G | no cw | tags: wayne pov, first kiss, oblivious

DAY 9 - NO UPSIDE DOWN AU

idle thoughts by @lingeringmirth | Rated G | no cw | tags: fluff, established relationship

you're not jonathan by steddieas-shegoes | Rated T | cw: recreational drug use, language | tags: meet-ugly turned meet-cute, flirting, somewhat ambiguous ending

Ready to roll by @just-my-latest-hyperfixation with art by @house-of-the-moving-image | Rated T | cw: mention of masturbation | tags: future fic, flirting, record label owner!eddie, waiter!steve, steve in rollerblades

Paint It, Black by @thisapplepielife | Rated M | cw: referenced drug use | tags: AU, corroded coffin, established relationship, eddie & gareth are best friends, motel room, road manager steve harrington has had enough, it's like herding cats

i'll be home for christmas by @cranberrymoons | Rated T | no cw | tags: flirting, bartender eddie, college student steve

A group thing? by @atimeofyourlife | Rated T | no cw | tags: no upside down au, pre-steddie, steve x corroded coffin

Matching Scars art by @redlegumes

DAY TEN - FIRST KISS / FIRST TIME

i'll never forget you again by @lingeringmirth | Rated G | no cw | tags: hurt/comfort, angst, first kiss

Untitled by @runninriot | Rated T | cw: underage drinking | tags: robin & steve & eddie are friends, confessions, coming out

a hole is a hole by steddieas-shegoes | Rated E | cw: awkward sex, unprotected sex | tags: laughter during sex, anal fingering, anal sex, virgin eddie, bottom steve, top eddie

Art by @house-of-the-moving-image

Morning after by @just-my-latest-hyperfixation | Rated E | cw: alcohol, dirty talk, sexually explicit language, nudity, one slight mention of bdsm | tags: established relationship, referenced tongue fucking, service mouth steve harrington, adhd disaster eddie munson, idiots in love

Once More, With Feeling by @thisapplepielife | Rated E | cw: explicit sex, 18+ | tags: established relationship, eddie pov, first time sex, anal sex, bottom steve, top eddie, bantering, love

for the first time by @cranberrymoons | Rated E | no cw

My first kiss went a little like this by @atimeofyourlife | Rated T | no cw | tags: first kiss, getting together, past Stommy

The Munson Jinx by @klausinamarink | Rated T | cw: Eddie's near death experience, blood, mention of anxiety attack | tags: hurt/comfort, happy ending, getting together

you touch my body by @ahsokatanoss | Rated E | no cw | tags: implied modern au, established relationship, female steve harrington, female eddie munson, wlw steddie, eating out, thigh worship, steve harrington has an oral fixation, hair pulling, first time sex, porn with feelings

Never Forgot My First Kiss by @redlegumes | Rated M | cw: trans invidual and partner discuss younger self with created dead name | tags: ftm eddie munson, 7 minutes in heaven, pre series first kiss, post series smut and cuddles, pillow talk

DAY ELEVEN - ROYALTY AU

the jester wears the crown by steddieas-shegoes | Rated E | cw: semi-public sex | tags: king steve, court jester eddie, established relationship, blowjobs

Eddie Munson's royal fuck-up by @just-my-latest-hyperfixation | Rated G | no cw | tags: rockstar eddie munson, royal steve harrington, meet-cute, flirting, secret identity, sort of angsty/open ending

A royal escape by @atimeofyourlife | Rated T | no cw | tags: transmasc steve harrington, royal steve harrington, royalty au

breaking away by @lingeringmirth | Rated G | no cw | tags: meet-cute, prince steve, bard eddie, first kiss, steve had bad parents

Art by @yellowsweater-bluevest

When In Vegas by @thisapplepielife | Rated T | cw: drinking, gambling | tags: au, meet-cute, platonic stobin, what happens in vegas

his royal highness by @cranberrymoons | Rated T | no cw

Dirty Little Secret by @katyawriteswhump | Rated T | cw: corporal punishment, bullying, cultural prejudices, swearing | tags: hurt/comfort, whump, fluff

Dealing with Demodogs by @steviesummer | Rated G | no cw | tags: pre-steddie

DAY 12 - ONLY ONE BED

Untitled by @runninriot | Rated T | no cw | tags: sleepover, finding comfort, coming to conclusions, soft boys cuddling, open ending

see where the night goes by steddieas-shegoes | Rated M | cw: borderline somnophilia-esque behavior | tags: forced proximity, unintentional cuddling, idiots to lovers, love confessions, implied sexual content

Late night surprise by @just-my-latest-hyperfixation with art by @house-of-the-moving-image | Rated G | cw: aftermath of trauma | tags: fluff, humor, post vecna, established relationship, platonic stobin supremacy, there may be several beds, but only one of them has steve in it

out of fear of holding him back by @lingeringmirth | Rated T | no cw | tags: getting together, angst and fluff, kissing, steve doesn't think he deserves nice things, bi steve harrington

Sleeping with Spiders by @thisapplepielife | Rated T | cw: language | tags: college au, meet cute, only one bed, first kiss

let it snow by @cranberrymoons | Rated T | no cw | tags: snowed in, pining, first kiss

Sharing a night in a shitty apartment by @atimeofyourlife | Rated T | no cw | tags: pre-steddie

Sleep After You're Fixed Up by @klausinamarink | Rated T | cw: steve's post-russian torture, blood, injury cleaning | tags: pre-s4 steddie, hurt/comfort, home-done medical treatment, the boys getting some rest and being vulnerable together

DAY 13 - ROAD TRIP / VACATION

where the skies are blue blue by @lingeringmirth | Rated T | no cw | tags: fluff, kissing, angst, getting together, trauma bonding, post-vecna, eddie munson lives

i love you enough by steddieas-shegoes | Rated M | cw: nightmare, implied sexual content | tags: friends to lovers, getting together, love confessions, first kiss

Something to see by @just-my-latest-hyperfixation | Rated G | no cw | tags: modern au, established relationship, honeymoon, Steve is Dustin's dad

A Hazy Shade of Winter by @thisapplepielife | Rated M | cw: internalized homophobia, sexual content | internalized homophobia, sexual content | tags: canon divergence post-season 4, eddie munson lives, road trip, established relationship, hurt/comfort, boys in love, dual pov

lost luggage by @cranberrymoons | Rated T | no cw | tags: married life, bickering, fluff

A trip to remember by @atimeofyourlife | Rated T | no cw | tags: pre-steddie

DAY 14 - ANGST WITH A HAPPY ENDING

hate to remember you like this by steddieas-shegoes | Rated M | cw: mention of car accident, medical emergency, temporary amnesia | tags: post-break up, assumed unrequited feelings, getting back together

Eddie Munson's second chance by just-my-latest-hyperfixation | Rated G | cw: referenced child neglect/abuse | tags: modern au, royal au, royal steve harrington, rockstar eddie munson

let's be fools, then, and pretend the world didn't end by @lingeringmirth | Rated T | cw: suicidal ideation, self-sacrificing tendencies, major character death (he's coming back) | tags: vampire!eddie, hurt steve harrington, grief, emotional hurt/comfort, angst with ambuguously hopeful ending

3AM by @thisapplepielife | Rated T | no cw | tags: post-s4, self sabotage, post break-up, hurt/comfort, making up, eddie pov

Learn to forget your biases by @atimeofyourlife | Rated T | no cw | tags: hurt/comfort, eddie munson being an asshole, hurt steve harrington, angst, hopeful ending

may your days be merry by @cranberrymoons | Rated T | no cw | tags: post-s2, steve has head trauma, eddie sells drugs

Easy Promises by @klausinamarink | Rated T | cw: cancer, mentioned childhood abuse | tags: pre-relationship, steve has good parents, childhood friends, reunion, theodore is eddie's full name agenda

[metalheadcowboy]

Steve wouldn't have wanted this, Dustin and everybody else filed into the chapel knew it shouldn't have been this way.

"Sick," Mike whispered with a look of disgust on his face as he looked onto the corpse in front of them.

This earned him a jab in the ribs, "Shut, up, Michael," Dustin hissed, trying to hide the solemn sniffle as he sucked air sharply through his nose. It still didn't look real, looking onto the lifeless body of his fallen friend, there was something about it that felt so wrong on too many levels to explain.

None of them had ever seen Steve like this, dressed so nice. He was wearing his Sunday best, though they were all pretty sure he never attended church, stark white collar barely hiding the bruising and irritation around his neck that stuck out like a sore thumb.

When Dustin finally let his eyes wander further down it was like he could still see it, the wide, gaping hole harshly penetrated through Steve's stomach. The image was engrained into the back of his eyes, pretty sure he could still see the blood pouring from his back and down his legs now covered by a prim and proper blazer.

Just the thought alone sent a shiver down his spine, had tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. If he thought hard enough he could still hear the short, jagged scream that escaped Steve's now pale, lifeless lips.

It made him sick that after everything they still allowed the family to have an open casket. Sick that they would put him on display like some sort of animal at the zoo, for every one to gaze and gawk at.

King Steve, now a fallen soldier, a hero a story of triumph, of unfailing bravery, just for him to be portrayed one last time in his weakest state didn't sit right with Dustin.

He didn't even need to look to know that Max was crying, or rather sobbing, her face shoved deep into Lucas' shoulder. Lucas who looked more horrified than Dustin had ever seen him, even more horrified than when facing whatever monster the Upside Down had to dish and that was saying a lot.

Will was quiet, more quiet than usual which was truly saying something. Dustin took it as shell shock from the whole thing, but there was something nervous about the way he looked at Steve's pale face as he chewed on the inside of his cheek. There was something about the way he looked that screamed guilt, like it was all his fault, like he started this mess and Steve would be alive and well right now if it weren't for him. Dustin made a mental note to check up on him later.

And then there was El, sweet El who truly knew nothing but death and destruction all her life. She had killed before, seen more dead bodies than she could count on her fingers and Dustin knew that from the stories alone.

Slowly she reached her hand up, or rather out towards the body. Quickly Mike reached over and gently grabbed her wrist, El's neck snapping over to where he was standing, "El-"

"It's okay, Michael." Suddenly, as if out of nowhere Mrs. Harrington appeared, hand resting on Mike's shoulder. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, but Dustin couldn't understand why. Steve never talked about his parents much, only that his dad was an asshole and his mother called as much as she could, but never often. From what he gathered they didn't give that much of a shit about him in life, but in death seemed to be a different story. Dustin couldn't help but wonder if maybe it was for sympathy, to gain whatever stigma Steve had put out about them back, to put the control back in their hands. Whatever it was he wasn't buying it.

Mike hesitantly let go of El's wrist, giving her and Mrs. Harrington a weary look before watching her hand reach towards Steve's. dustin just knew he was cold. Now, Steve was naturally cold as it was, always complaining about it, needing a blanket or needing an extra jacket. Wherever he was Dustin just hoped he was warm.

El wrapped her fingers around Steve's palm, closing her eyes for a minute, pursing her lips when nothing happened, when he didn't grab back. Suddenly her breathing picked up, the weight of it all finally dropping on her before she could process it and it became too much. She started to panic, breathing in and out, in and out, Dustin recognize the pattern.

It happened to Steve sometimes when he was worried about a test that day, when people quickly changed plans on him, or even before going into a fight.

It was a panic attack. Steve never told anyone but him about them, didn't want to put his problems onto anyone else. Dustin didn't even get answers about it until a few months ago when he finally demanded to know. Well, maybe he lied, Eddie knew too, only because he'd lived long enough with excessive anxiety to recognize the signs and calm him down when he needed it.

Speaking of Eddie, he wasn't invited, maybe because Steve's parents didn't know or maybe because they'd heard the rumors about him. Rumors that weren't so much rumor as they were fact. Eddie Munson was queer, not explicitly, but he wouldn't deny it if you asked. He called it "Living life on the edge", everyone else in the Party called it stupid, but Dustin thought it was kind of brave, kind of cool, and he knew Steve did too.

But Dustin thought Steve's parents hat to be blatantly stupid if they didn't see the bigger picture, or rather the hidden subtext in their own sons life. Even though Dustin never saw Steve and Tommy together in life, he knew Steve had his secrets. he knew there was no community basketball league in the next town over, knew that every Sunday night he didn't take little Holly Wheeler out for ice cream. He also saw the way Tommy walked up to the casket, the was he gently stroked Steve's dead cheek before crumbling into Carol Perkins arms.

Dustin wished he could ask Steve why he never said anything, why he felt the need to keep it secret when he knew he would be supportive. But now it was too late, and he was left with more questions than answers.

After Mike took El outside they were quickly whisked away from the casket and back to their seats at the, cold, stiff pews.

Everything felt so artificial, so fake. The church facade the Harringtons had going, the tens of people Dustin had never seen walking around, well, everywhere, everything down to the red wine they were serving at the reception. If anything Steve would have wanted a party in his honor, for everyone to dance and mingle and have a good time, not to mope over his dead body.

But it was too late, everything was too late. If he could go back in time, stop Robin from boycotting the funeral, stop Nancy from causing a scene getting both her and Jonathan kicked out, bring Steve back, he would, in a heartbeat.

But it was too late, whats done was done and all he could do was sit in his seat, listening to Mr. Harrington give a speech about his "respectable young, man" of a son, and count the minutes until this shit show was over.

[unfinishedslurs]

jock on jock violence (past steve/tommy)

“Just leave people alone, Tommy,” Harrington says lowly. Dangerously. Harrington’s always been dangerous, in the way that straight, entitled jocks have always been dangerous to Eddie, but sometimes Eddie thinks he dropped the crown to pick up a sword. There’s something sharper about him now, something that wasn’t there before Halloween. Different from the fake smiles and shifty eyes after the Byers kid went missing. Not that Eddie’s been looking. 

“Leave them alone?” Hagan demands. “Like how you left me alone?” And wow, is he delusional? Did he just completely forget about his girlfriend, Hargrove, and the entire fucking basketball team?

“Not everything is about you! Seriously, man? You’re just gonna twist what I’m saying like that?” Harrington snaps, and oh, Eddie doesn’t want to be here for this. If the former king and his old lackey duke it out, he does not want to get caught in the crossfire. “Jesus, grow up. Sorry I got sick of being a total dick.”

“Oh, yeah, now you’re just sucking Byers’s—“

“You want to go there? Do you really wanna go there, Tommy?”

Shit, Eddie should not be here for this. 

“Shut your fucking mouth,” Hagan says, suddenly panicked. 

“I thought you liked my mouth.”

Eddie has to practically stuff his fist in his mouth to keep from sputtering. 

“What the fuck, man,” Hagan hisses. Eddie knows he’s looking around, even though no one’s in the bathroom except them and Eddie. And Eddie’s never going to breathe a fucking word of this to anyone, on account of not wanting his face rearranged ten times over. “What, are you some kind of fag now? Is that what you’re telling me?”

Harrington almost sounds bored when he replies. “You would know, wouldn’t you?”

“I told you to watch your mouth.”

“You gonna shut me up?”

“What has gotten into you?” Hagan finally asks the million dollar question. Harrington’s acting like he’s got a fucking death wish. “One minute we’re calling out Byers for being a creep, and the next you’re dumping me like it’s nothing. And now you’re suddenly best buds? Even after he stole your girlfriend twice? You know how pathetic that is, right? What, do you share her or something? The slut putting out—“

There’s a rustle of clothes, and then a thud, like something—someone getting slammed into a wall. 

“Don’t talk about Nancy like that,” Harrington growls. “This isn’t about her.”

“Isn’t it?”

“No, man, it’s about you being a total asshole, and I’m telling you to leave people the fuck alone.”

“Or what?” Hagan almost sounds amused, over obvious nerves. He’s not even trying to escape the hold he’s in. “I’m stronger than you, and we both know it. You’ve still got a concussion, don’t you? Hargrove told me he beat your face in.”

“Hargrove this, Hargrove that. You sound like you’ve got a crush or something. You suck him like you sucked me?”

Jesus fucking Christ. 

“You can’t win this fight, Steve.”

“I don’t need to. Mutually assured destruction, asshole. You stop hurting people, and I won’t tell the entire town about us.”

Oh shit. Oh shit. Harrington sounds serious. It almost makes him sick to his stomach, even as a hysterical laugh tries to bubble out. Who woulda guessed that the former king of Hawkins High had enough guts to paint himself as a queer to their conservative, stick in the mud town?

That is, if Hagan doesn’t fucking kill him first. 

“You wouldn’t.” Hagan sounds panicked now, and for good fucking reason. He’s been on the “right” end of what happens to their kind of freaks for years. How quickly would the vultures turn on him? They descended on Harrington pretty damn quick. 

“Wanna bet?”

“You do that, you lose everything. Peace, daddy’s money, your precious sports scholarships…”

“I’m not going to college,” Harrington says. “Look in my eyes, Hagan. Do I look like I’m bluffing? I’ve got nothing to lose.”

Eddie has to keep in a scoff at that. If there’s one thing he’s learned, it’s that there’s always something to lose with shit like this. Namely your life. 

This is fucked. This is so fucked. Eddie wants out of this stall, Jesus H. Christ. He’d take Mrs. Smith’s class anyday over knowing one wrong move will end with two jocks beating his fucking face in for hearing something he wasn’t supposed to hear. Or potentially having to jump in to try and save Harrington’s stupid fucking mug. 

There’s a long pause that does absolutely nothing for Eddie’s nerves, before Hagan finally spits out, “Fine.”

“What was that?”

“Fine.”

“Good man,” Harrington says, as if they’re discussing some kind of business deal and not outing themselves in front of God and Mrs. Jenkins and everyone. “Now get the fuck outta here, Tommy.”

Rustling, quick footsteps, and then the door opens and shuts without a word. 

Silence.

Eddie sighs in relief. 

“Hello?” Harrington asks, voice on edge. 

Shit. 

His stall door swings open, and there he is, in all his fallen kingly glory. Bruise over one eye, scowl on his face, and dangerous set to his shoulders that Eddie knows all too well. 

“Uhh, hi?” Eddie squeaks. He’s still sitting like fucking Gollum, feet on the toilet, unlit cigarette in hand. He drops it, and neither of them look away from each other as it rolls behind the toilet bowl. 

Excellent first impression, really. 

“What the fuck, man?” Harrington asks. “Were you just listening to that?”

“Look,” Eddie says quickly. “In my defense, I was here first. Also, if he saw me, Hagan was definitely going to beat me up. Except, uh, you’re definitely going to kick my ass anyway for hearing that, so I probably should just cut my losses and accept death at this point.”

Harrington doesn’t seem to know what to say to this, mouth opening and closing slowly. 

“Also, for the record?” Eddie says. “I won’t say anything. I know you have, like, zero reason to trust me, but I’m really good at secrets, dude, like you wouldn’t believe. I haven’t even told Jeff that Gareth—anyways, secrets? What secrets? I didn’t hear anything. Cross my heart and hope to die.”

He gets a scathing look in return. “If you tell anyone—“

“Wait, wait, wait! You said something about mutually assured destruction, right? I get it. I get it, Harrington, fuck, you know I do. Who would believe me if I blabbed, anyway? Who are they gonna believe, the King or the Freak?”

Harrington sighs, but he must see the truth in what Eddie said because he moves away from the stall. Takes a wad of paper towels and starts running them under the sink. 

It emboldens Eddie enough to follow him. “I mean, really, they’d probably just call it wishful thinking or something. Plus, I’m pretty sure most of the school would rather die than talk to me, so, like, you’re safe, man. I’ve already blacked it out in my memory, it’s gone.”

It seems like Harrington has tuned him out, pressing the wet paper towels to his forehead and eye. That’s good, because Eddie doesn’t even know what he’s saying anymore. 

“Also, for the record? That was badass. I don’t think I’d have the guts to do that, even if the entire town kind of knows about me anyway. Which, wow, you were really good at hiding it. Hagan I kind of suspected, given the giant fucking boner he had for you, but you—“

“Do you ever shut up?”

Eddie’s mouth shuts with a click. Harrington sighs again and pinches his nose, looking almost like a mother trying to herd her seven rambunctious children into the minivan. His hands are shaking.  

“You okay, man?” Eddie finally asks quietly. 

Harrington doesn’t say anything, just presses the paper towels over both eyes, like he’s trying to stave something off. Oh, shit, is he…

“Are you…crying?”

“What? No,” Harrington says, obviously lying. “It’s the light, I get headaches. Concussion.”

“Right.”

“Look, can we just forget this ever happened?”

“Already forgotten,” he promises. “But, uh, for the record? That was really brave of you, man.”

“I wouldn’t have gone through with it.”

“That actually kind of surprises me, because I could not tell from your voice. You sounded like you were ready to march up to The Post then and there and spill all Hagan’s dirty little secrets. All ‘I’ve got nothing to lose,’ and shit.” He pitches his voice lower, in a mimic of some action movie hero or something. 

Harrington finally laughs, and something in Eddie thrills at it. “I pulled that outta my ass,” he admits. “I knew he would believe it, ‘cause to him I already did lose everything. My friends, my girlfriend, my…”  he waves his hand around, “my status, or whatever. And a few screws, probably.”

“Well I can attest to the screws, because I think you might be actually insane. You cornered him in an empty bathroom without checking to see if it was actually empty and threatened to out him to the entire town? I thought I was going to have to save your life, Jesus shit. Don’t fucking do that, do you have a death wish or something?”

“I did check,” Harrington snaps. “I looked under the stalls, and none of the doors were locked. Who the hell sits on a toilet like that anyway? You looked like one of those ugly stone fuckers, the ones they put on buildings and shit.”

Eddie bursts out laughing, too incredulous to be offended. “You mean gargoyles?”

“Whatever. Besides, Hagan won’t kill me. He’s too much of a coward.”

“I hate to break it to you, Harrington, but cowards are dangerous too.”

“Not Tommy’s kind of coward” Harrington says. “Not to me.” He wonders about the surety in his voice. Does he think Hagan still has feelings for him? Ex-boyfriends can be the worst kind of assholes. Hell hath no fury like a man scorned. Harrington gives him a look, like he knows exactly what he’s thinking. “He’s a bully and an asshole, but he doesn’t have the guts,” he insists. “He’s no Hargrove.”

Eddie sneers. “Hargrove. The guy’s a fucking psycho.”

“Tell me about it,” Harrington says dryly. He finally looks at Eddie, eyes him up and down. Eddie could take him, honestly, he’s scrappy and Hagan wasn’t lying when he said everyone knows Harrington can’t win a fight. Pair that with the concussion he’s sporting, and it’d probably take a love tap to take him down. But he doesn’t want to. 

“You’re probably better off without Hagan anyway,” he offers helpfully. It doesn’t work, just makes Harrington look like a kicked puppy, damaged and sad and cold. It makes Eddie want to take him in as one of his little lost sheep, honestly, which is an impulse he pushes far, far down. Abdicated or not, a king is no fit for a freak’s friend. Even if he and Byers have been pretty friendly. 

“I know,” he says. “But he was still my friend, you know? Like, the first one I ever had. Maybe that’s why it took me so long to realize.”

He doesn’t know what to say to that. There’s an awkward silence, where Harrington turns his focus back to the mirror. Eddie clears his throat and tries to lighten the mood. “So, you and Byers…”

The look he receives could make the Demogorgon shake in his boots. “Don’t you have a class to fail or something? You should probably go to that before—”

The bell interrupts Harrington perfectly, and he snaps his mouth shut. Eddie snorts. 

“Think it’s a little late for that, but I know a dismissal when I see one. See you around, Harrington.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Hey, remember—“

“I know,” he calls behind him, striding for the door. “Mutually assured destruction!”

Leaving the bathroom feels like being reborn a whole new man. He swears the air is cleaner than it ever was before he went in. His last glance behind himself shows Harrington looking in the mirror, no sign of moving as the door shuts. 

As he’s walking to his next class, he spies Wheeler and Byers huddled together, whispering. They look worried. 

They both startle when he speaks. “If you’re looking for Harrington,” he says quietly, stopping next to them, “check the smoke bathroom, by the band hall. I think he’s still in there.”

Wheeler’s brows furrow, but Byers gives him a nod, already moving. Eddie moves along as Wheeler shoots him a quick look of gratitude before following, books hugged to her chest. 

Eddie doesn’t know what’s going on between the three of them, but he kind of wants to now, especially considering Harrington’s non-answer when he asked. He doubts Wheeler is a cover-up, not after her and Harrington’s breakup and the quiet, lovey-dovey honeymoon phase she and Byers seem to be having. The one that kind of seems to tear Harrington to pieces sometimes, even as he sits with them and walks to class with them and even hangs out with them outside of school, if Jeff really saw the three of them at the diner together last week. Maybe Steve Harrington’s a secret masochist.

Then he remembers the bruise yellowing around his eye, the weird tension he has with the guy who beat him up last year. The way he damn near begged Hagan to beat his ass in the bathroom. Not so secret, then. 

Whatever. It’s none of Eddie’s business. He’s gonna soil his reputation if he keeps focusing on Hawkins royalty like this. Never mind the way Harrington’s soiled his own reputation enough. So what if King Steve isn’t king anymore? He’s still just another pretty face. 

A pretty face, with nice arms and big eyes and thighs. And he’s queer, and doesn’t seem like the kind of closeted that would have the usual jock shove him away after getting a blowie. Shit.

His lungs itch for the cigarette he never got to smoke. Too bad the bathroom is occupied.

[toburnup]

"Why'd you invite me?"

"I don't know." Tommy sniffs. The car stinks of perfume. "Seems like you could use a night out."

"Hm." Steve tilts his head, examines the side of Tommy's face. It's so dark that he can barely see him, and Tommy looks nervous. Maybe because it's just them in the car.

"Why're you so scared, man?" Steve says softly, watches Tommy swallow in his seat. "You're the one that brought us here."

is your light on? - ch. 7 - cyclone steddie | rated e [read more on ao3]

[redrosydiaz]

i had plans to work on my big bang fic today but then the stommy brainrot got to me and i started working on a "recounting of steve's real first kiss, not the one he tells everyone about" fic and well... here's a lil snip of what i put down today:

Steve tells everyone that asks that his first kiss was Sheila Anderson when he was fifteen years old. But, really, that’s not true. It was Tommy Hagan. When he was fourteen. It was late in the night, late enough that it was starting to be early. Steve’s parents were out of town, and Tommy was spending the night, as he usually did when Steve had the house all to himself. Steve didn’t like how big and empty it felt when he was all by himself, but Tommy did. He told Steve he liked the freedom, liked the quiet — no parents to tell him what to do, no sisters to argue with or fight for the bathroom. So whenever Steve’s parents disappeared (which was becoming more and more often these days), he invited Tommy over.  They were sharing Steve’s bed, Tommy on the left, Steve on the right, heads bent together and bodies curved towards each other like parentheses. All of the lights were off, and the sheets were pulled over their heads. Even though it was just the two of them here, no parents to bust them for being up well past lights out, it felt wrong not to burrow themselves beneath the covers. There was something sacred about hiding away under them, anyways. Just Steve and Tommy and all of their secrets, tucked into their own little bubble, safe from the rest of the world. Untouchable. Steve liked that. Liked feeling that way with Tommy. It was Tommy that started talking about girls first. He was recounting the story that Mike Lewenski had told him the other day about Vicki Carmichael and how she’d grabbed him by the wrist at lunch and tugged him out behind the school gymnasium and kissed him. Tommy told Steve that when he asked Mike how it was, Mike said sticky. Steve wrinkled his nose at that, and Tommy laughed, loud in the otherwise quiet room. His knees jerked forward, bumping into Steve’s, and he hadn’t moved them back into his own space. “Sticky?” Steve repeated. “Yeah,” Tommy said, the ‘duh’ unsaid, but implied. He pointed at his own mouth. “‘Cause of the lipgloss.” Steve’s eyes followed the path of Tommy’s finger, flickering over his lips, full and pink and curved into a wicked sharp smile. His teeth were so white, practically glowing, even in the dark. “Oh,” Steve said, distracted. “Oh,” Tommy echoed, mocking, and laughed again. He continued prattling on about Mike and Vicki, telling Steve that he wasn’t jealous of Mike beating them all to the punch because Vicki was pretty and all, but Mike hadn’t been her first kiss, and Tommy thought it was kind of weird for the girl to have more experience. “That’s just not how it’s s’posed to be, y’know?” He said. Steve was inclined to agree. Not because he thought it was weird for a girl to have more experience than a boy, but because he wanted it to be special. For both of them. He wanted to share the experience with someone.

[wheneverfeasible]

So this is a little different but…I really wanted to write something from Tommy’s perspective so…here we go.

wc: 1.9k || T+ || cw: implied child abuse || tags: onesided stommy, post s4 (everyone lives except Vecna), eventual background steddie, gay Tommy Hagan, bi Steve Harrington

~

Tommy loved Carol, he did. She was one of his best friends. He just…he wasn’t in love with her. Never had been. He tried to pretend, even to himself, that he didn’t know why. Tried to pretend like he didn’t know why he could never love her in the way she deserved to be loved.

Tried to pretend that the envy he felt every time his other best friend had his arms around another girl didn’t make him feel sick to his stomach.

It was manageable when Steve used his popularity to date girl after girl without actually going steady with them, but then he caught genuine feelings for Wheeler and Tommy could feel it; he was going to be left behind.

Did Wheeler know that the first time Steve ever received a black eye was from his own father? Did Wheeler know that Steve wanted to be a mermaid when he was a child because he loved swimming so much and he couldn’t hear his parents yelling from under the water?

Did Wheeler know that Steve can’t remember a single instance of his parents telling him they loved him?

Tommy knew. Tommy knew these things about Steve and so much more, like how Steve used to think cows were the size of large dogs, or that narwhals were just made up animals like unicorns and dragons.

Tommy knew Steve’s favorite pasta shape, knew his favorite candy bar, knew that Steve actually enjoyed waxing for swim meets even though he’d complain every time.

Tommy knew that Steve had been forced into piano lessons he didn’t like as a kid, until his father forbade it and forced him to focus on sports, and that sometimes Steve would miss playing, even if he himself didn’t realize it.

Tommy knew that Steve was better than all of them.

When Billy came around, Tommy’s anger and hurt at being left behind had him latching on to the Californian boy, but they weren’t friends. Not really. Billy reminded Tommy of Steve a lot, actually, but as if Steve had let the sharp edges of his father’s ire and expectations pierce him and cut away anything soft and sweet and kind.

Tommy never wanted the crown for himself, never wanted the popularity, or attention. No, Tommy only ever wanted Steve.

But Tommy lied to himself, over and over again. He refused to admit it, to accept it, to allow himself to acknowledge that sometimes his eyes or touch or smile would linger a little too long when he’d been with Steve.

Refused to look too deeply at why he felt relieved when Steve and Wheeler broke up, why he felt so heartbroken when Steve didn’t return to his side afterwards.

Why he would still, even after everything, have to remind himself not to call Steve when reruns of Star Trek came on, a guilty pleasure show they both secretly loved but would never talk about to anyone, not even Carol.

Tommy hadn’t even been aware he’d driven to Steve’s house when he heard about the mall fire.

He’d sat there though, in his car, staring at the vacant spot in the parking lot and refusing to admit to the terror clawing its way up his throat, or the way his palms were sweaty against the steering wheels, knuckles white in their grip that would for sure leave seam indents in his flesh.

Eventually, however, Steve’s familiar car made its way slowly home the next morning. Tommy had been ready to jump out from where he’d been all night, to rush to his friend and make certain he was okay, but then a girl stepped out of Steve’s passenger side that looked vaguely familiar.

She looked across at Steve with a wide grin, laughing at something Steve said, Steve whose face was the worst that Tommy had ever seen it. Even after Billy. Even after Byers. Even his father.

Steve looped his arm across her shoulders, pantomiming fainting, and even through his closed car windows, Tommy could hear her cackling laughter and the way she screeched out “Dingus!”

Tommy remembered then. He and Steve weren’t friends anymore.

He continued sitting for a while longer once the front doors of the place he’d spent so much time at closed behind the strange duo, leaving Tommy behind. Again.

And then the killings started up, and then the earthquakes. And then…

It’s a fairly common phenomenon that, when life-threatening tragedy strikes, you start thinking about all the things you wished were different. You start thinking about your regrets, your wishes, your hopes.

Tommy had seen Steve at the school afterwards, volunteering and helping out the community he probably never would have just a few years ago.

He saw the way he watched his former coworker, the way he’d interact with the kids he’d gained through his connection with Wheeler, watched the way Steve carried himself like he was injured yet never let anyone see anything else but a smile from him.

He also heard about how Steve stood up for the Freak, how he proclaimed his innocence, even before news broke about Victor Creel’s son actually being alive but institutionalized out of state all these years. About how he had returned to reenact his father’s crimes before being taken down permanently.

As things settled, so many people displaced after their homes or businesses were destroyed, as the town tried to heal, people started reevaluating what was inportant in their lives.

Some people left town entirely, others stayed but left their jobs, some even left their families, or started new ones. No one was immune against wanting to live their life to their fullest, wanting to be with their loved ones, wanted to make their lives matter now that they knew that it could end so suddenly.

And Tommy, gut clenched with ice, was one of them.

He was going to propose to Carol.

But his hands shook as he headed for Carol’s, the ice in his gut swirling into a storm, and without realizing it, Tommy was standing in front of the Harrington house instead. Steve had looked so surprised to see him, had hesitated only a moment before saying they should go to his room for privacy.

Steve’s mom glanced his way but otherwise didn’t seem concerned that he was there, like his absence in Steve’s life hadn’t even been noted. Did she even know he and Steve weren’t friends anymore?

They’d gone up to Steve’s room, which hardly looked different at all from the last time he’d been up there, still devoid of Steve’s personality. Steve had shut the door, and though his hands shook, he’d told Steve he was going to propose to Carol, how he had the ring already and how it was happening soon.

Steve had looked confused, like he didn’t know why Tommy was telling him this, and congratulated him.

It was what broke Tommy.

He yelled at Steve then, demanded to know why Steve wasn’t angry, why he didn’t protest everything because surely what they had had had been more than just friends. Tommy’s looks had lingered, but so had Steve’s. Sure, it wasn’t just on Tommy, but…

But Tommy had seen it. He’d known there was something there. Knew the friendship between him and Steve could have been so much more.

Knew that the reason he couldn’t love Carol was because he was in love with Steve. That he always had been.

Tommy was angry, and hurt, and it couldn’t have been one-sided this entire time, it couldn’t. He refused. He had to make Steve see.

So he kissed him.

And Steve kissed back.

He’d pulled Steve against him by his lapels and kissed him hard and angry and it took a moment for Steve to respond, but he did. Tommy walked him back towards his bed, pushed Steve onto his, following closely barely without breaking the kiss.

Steve groaned beneath him, Tommy’s hands moving under his shirt as pressed against him in all the ways he’d wanted to for years, and he would prove to Steve that this is what they were always meant to be.

And then Steve’s mom entered the room.

The thing was, Tommy wanted this with Steve. He loved Steve, wanted Steve to love him, but…deep down he knew that Steve did not. Knew that Steve was touch starved, love starved, but maybe they could make this work.

Except. Staring in horror at Steve’s mom, at the disgust on her face, every single one of Tommy’s fantasies fell apart because, at the end of the day, he wasn’t strong enough.

He was always the follower, never the leader. He had raised Steve up to be king, had then later done the same to Billy, but never did he want that crown himself. He never wanted to be the one leading the charge. He would follow, would hide in the shadows of those stronger than him, but he was a coward.

He was a coward now too.

Without so much as another look at Steve, Tommy fled. He pushed past Steve’s mom, ignored the sound of her yelling, ignored what could only be the sound of a slap echoing from Steve’s room as he flew down the stairs and out the door.

He went to Carol’s the very next day and proposed.

He didn’t hear about what happened to Steve after his father got home, didn’t see Steve for a while even. He was caught up in wedding preparations and refused to think about that night. He couldn’t.

He was too much of a coward to be with the one person he truly loved because then he would have to accept the fact that he never actually liked Carol, not in that way. He never liked any girl that way.

Thoughts like that though? In a town like Hawkins? It would kill you. Tommy would lose everything and everyone and he couldn’t, he just couldn’t.

So he pretended Carol was the love of his life, he made love to her, kissed her, held her. He made himself forget the taste of Steve’s lips against his, the touch of his chest hair through his fingers, the sounds Steve made…

Eventually, he hears the rumors. Carol tells him, actually. Steve is living at the new Munson trailer.

She laughs at that, scoffs at their former friend, but Tommy wonders how long he lived there. Wonders if it was that same night, or after.

When Tommy finally sees Steve again, after returning from his honeymoon with Carol, he sees it all.

Tommy knew what Steve looked like when he was truly happy. More than that, after Wheeler, Tommy knew what Steve looked like when he was in love.

The look in Steve’s eyes, the flush in his skin, the smile on his face, and even the way he held himself as he grinned at something Munson said as they hung on to each other exiting the diner…

Steve never looked his way. Never saw him. His eyes and focus were only for the other boy who had, somehow, made Steve the happiest Tommy had ever seen him. And there, uncaring who might see, Steve slid his palm against Munson’s and laced their fingers together as they walked down the sidewalk towards their future.

Happy. In love. Proud and brave.

Everything that Tommy wasn’t.

Everything that, now, Tommy could never be.

~

Fun fact: This is actually Tommy’s POV of a Steddie roleplay I have going on with Deryth (hi buddy!) about events that take place prior to the main plot, and then on to past where we’re currently at, so creative licenses abound here lmao

It’s also not exactly Steddie focused in this post but it is Steddie adjacent, so I’m gonna go ahead and tag my

Hostage Hotties:

@derythcorvinus @katyawriteswhump @honeii-puff @scoops-aboy86 @dotdot-wierdlife

@everywherenothere @bumblebeecuttlefishes

[sh1tbird-shantytown]

Ah thank you for answering my Stommy ask i loved it a lot. Can i get some more Stommy.

Okay so like what if Tommy finally sees what Steve's doing with the kids amd the mindflayer and acts like he's down to help and he is he wants to help steve.

But at the same time he has a bit of a breakdown infront of everyone and his whole bad boy persona drops and he's scared he didn't expect this, he didn't believe in anything like this before and he doesn't understand how steve does it.

Can i get some Johnathan being sympathetic to Tommy and sort coming to an understanding with him, and they get eachother, (i like to think that Tommy isn't rich like steve and is more like the byers than everyone thought. Like he comes from a broken home and all the fancy clothes he gets from steve)

Ooo and some tommy and johnathan being like ugh "rich people"

Will and Tommy moment though where will is like :O and Tommy takes him under his wing like Steve did with Dustin

Whoa this is long. Im so sorry. I hope you have a good day.

stommy for sure. thanks, hun!

===

He didn’t expect it to happen. He never really did, he would get a call from Hopper or Joyce or Dustin usually. Cancel everything and go play near death whack-a-mole for a few hours. He’s gotten real good at it at this point. Tommy was suspicious, started asking questions.

“Where are you going off to?” he’d shown up at the Harrington house. Steve wouldn’t let him in, his bag of monster hunting supplies and his stained nail bat poking out prominently. “Or do you have someone in there with you?” Tommy moved his head around to search behind Steve’s shoulders.

“No, Tom,” Steve put his hands up, “Some stuff just came up. An emergency.”

“Is your mother in the hospital? Is your father back home and he’s sending you out for errands so he can invite his side chick over—“

Steve leaned against the doorway, unamused, “—Come on, Tom, that’s not funny.”

But Tommy didn’t stop, “—Is Dustin sick? What’s so important that you had to cancel twice on me this week? Huh!” Steve closed his eyes for a brief moment, collecting his bearings. He stepped out and closed the door behind him.

“Look,” he slowly took Tommy’s hand, the other watching with clear suspicion. “I would much rather stay in with you and watch your stupid drama movies.” The other’s face twisted a little but he listened. “Hopper needs me right now, important, top secret, emergency.” He squeezed Tommy’s fingers a little with every accentuated word. “It’s best that you don’t know, you’re safer that way.” He had hoped that would get Tommy to back off. Wishful thinking.

Tommy shook his head and crossed his arms defiantly, “I’m coming with you for sure now. You don’t get to keep things like this from me now. No secrets.” Steve opened his mouth but Tommy pinched his arm, interrupting him. “No secrets! Okay? You don’t get to go risk yourself, or whatever you’re implying, and leave me in the dark!” Tommy stomped his foot and Steve had the mind to assume he’d been paying attention to all his sisters way of dealing with their own boyfriends. Tommy cupped both sides of his cheeks when Steve sighed. “I am your boyfriend,” he made Steve look at him. Tommy looked concerned, face wrinkled and cheeks pale. “I deserve to know.”

His shoulders sank as he gave in, “You’re not going to like it. Probably won’t even believe it.”

Tommy glared, “Try me.”

Steve went back into the house and grabbed his bag. Tommy quickly noticed the bat, obvious about it with his wide eyes not meeting Steve’s own and instead on the spikes peaking out over his shoulder. He didn’t ask yet though. Instead, he followed Steve all the way to the BMW and then got in the passenger side.

Steve looked over at Tommy sitting rigidly before starting the ignition. There were intense lines between his eyebrows and his lips were being abused by him biting them. He started gnawing on his fingernails when Steve made a decision.

He stepped out quick and Tommy startled, “Where are you going now?”

Steve leaned back in, antsy, “I’m going to get you a weapon.” Tommy looked like he desperately wanted to ask, Steve waited, but Tommy just sat back with his leg bouncing. He sighed again and Tommy glanced over at the noise. “You don’t have to come. It’d be better if you just stayed here until I get back.” Tommy folded his arms, leg still going up and down due to the weight of his hand not lessening it.

“Like hell I am,” he grumbled, “Go get me something if it’s so necessary.” Steve’s shoulders and ankles were tense and locked a little in place. This wasn’t going to end well even if Tommy believe him. He wasn’t supposed to add anyone else to the group. All he had as an excuse was Tommy’s unrelenting behavior and how immediate and stressed Hopper had sounded when he called. The excuse that maybe more help was necessary.

So Steve went to the shed and found a chain. A long iron chain that his father had used to hold the fence gate between theirs and the neighbors’ yards shut. He went back to the car with it in hand. When he sat back down Tommy stared wonderingly at it. Steve dropped it in his lap, the sound heavy as it slipped slowly to the car floor and clanked together.

“Can you still lasso?” he asked quietly. Didn’t want to trigger Tommy into some spell of hysterics.

Tommy swallowed and his eyes grew even more serious than before, “Yeah, yeah I can still lasso.”

Steve looked from the chain to Tommy’s face a few times, “Can you do to the same with that as you can a rope if we need you to?” He’d seen Tommy lasso, done some himself in the summers on the Hagan farm. Their small farm that housed loads of milk cows. It was a nice escape, mostly outdoors and their house was rundown only a little. Obviously warn from love and family and sweet time. Something real against the Harrington’s artificial capsule.

Tommy nodded again, “I can make it work.” When Steve didn’t catch Tommy’s eye for another minute or so, he started out to the Byers’ house. He could tell Tommy was trying to pay attention to the route but he kept messing with the chain. Steve knew he was forming it around to form the lasso correctly. Had seen Tommy sit on a bale of hay and mess with a rope the same way.

They pulled up to the dusty driveway and Tommy finally looked up with recognization, “Who exactly is involved in all this?”

Steve parked and neither of them moved, “Well, we’ve got all the Byers, Mike and Nancy Wheeler, Lucas Sinclair, Dustin, and Hopper”

Tommy glared over at him and opened his door, “What kind of shit have you gotten yourself into?”

Steve only smiled thinly and he stepped out to grab his bag from the backseat before heading up to the door. Hopper was smoking and watched him as Tommy slowly gathered his chain.

“What did you do now?” Hopper didn’t sound surprised.

Steve could only shrug, “He insisted.”

Hopper took a drawn out puff, “Well you should have resisted.”

Steve turned his neck to glimpse as Tommy closing the car door, “You trying resisting a Hagan and then get back to me.”

Hopper raised a brow and flicked the ash off the filter, “Just keep him by you and make sure he doesn’t get hurt. I don’t want to have to explain to his parents.”

Steve rubbed his upper arm as Tommy walked up to his side, “Why would I get hurt? And what’s wrong with my parents?” he ordered defensively.

Hopper sighed and squished the cherry out in an outdoor ashtray balanced on the porch railing, “Nothing, kid. Your father just doesn’t like me.”

Tommy muttered something Steve only just barely caught, “You just can’t leave an innocent drunk man alone on a Friday night.”

“What’s that?” Hopper’s eyes narrowed. Tommy folded his arms and didn’t respond, only shook his head once.

Steve looked between the two. He knew Tommy’s father liked to drink sometimes. Mostly after a long day working on harvesting hay bales and tending to their cows. Knew his mother and Tommy’s sisters hated when he did. Tommy didn’t know how to feel, got mad at Steve when he tried to sympathize. A few of their fights had ended in Tommy throwing the fact that Steve’s father was never really around back in his face. Yelling he wouldn’t understand. Couldn’t. Not the same way.

“What’s the code?” he asked to break the heavy tensions, to at least try. Instead a new sort of shadow surrounded them.

“Orange,” Hopper took his hat off and rubbed his forehead, “Looks like more strays are picking off cattle at night. We need to go catch them.”

Tommy perked up, “Cattle? So you do know what’s been picking our calves off?” he shouted. “What is it? Why are you hiding it from the town? Us farmers!” He was livid and when Steve touched his arm to comfort, it was whacked away. He stepped back, a bit betrayed. The adrenaline in Tommy must have picked up already. He only acted like this when he was wound up tight and angry. Hopper was silent for a long moment as Tommy huffed his breaths in and out, upset.

He turned around to the house and said, “You’re about to find out,” before the door opened and closed.

“What is going on, Harrington?” Tommy asked, desperate now. Desperate for answers he hadn’t asked for. Made Steve annoyed that he allowed himself to get pent up again. Out of control of himself, the opposite of what they’d been working on. He took Tommy’s hands gently, at least thankful for Tommy allowing that much.

“I need you to take a few deep breaths, Sweetheart,” he used his calm tone. Used it for the kids when they got too scared sometimes. “This isn’t going to get any easier, so if you want to step out, do it now.” He waited and Tommy didn’t move, didn’t really do anything besides stare at him. “Is that a no?”

“I’m not leaving,” Tommy stated stubbornly.

“No one would think any less of you,” Steve said deeply, “We all wish we didn’t have to deal with this shit. You can go back home, you wouldn’t be able to tell people about this. The government will confiscate you otherwise.”

Tommy scoffed, “So my father isn’t some crazy conspiracy theorist.” Steve didn’t answer, didn’t really want to, didn’t think he needed to.

“It’s scary, Tom.”

Tommy puffed out his chest, “I don’t care. I’m staying with you and that’s final.”

The door opened and Dustin started yelling, “Son of a bitch, why is he here, Steve? Get your ass in here, we need to start planning!” Steve turned and Dustin started attempting to drag him up the porch. “We’ve got target on three different farms tonight.” He stopped and Steve almost tripped on the last stop. He asked Tommy, “Dont you live on one?”

Tommy’s shoulders rose, “What’s it to you?” Dustin glanced at Steve, who was giving a warning glance, shrugged his shoulders and headed inside again.

Steve grabbed the door and held it open for Tommy, “Come on then!” Tommy ran up and into the house, the warm waft of heat blown into their faces. Joyce met them first, Dustin rushing back into the other room.

She eyes Tommy worriedly, “Did you tell him anything yet?” Steve shook his head. She wasn’t mad, she instead waved then in more, “Well then we have quite a bit to catch you up then, huh?” she smiled welcoming. Walked them in through to where everyone was already staring over a map of Hawkins. Red circles around what Steve assumed were the farms being threatened.

Nancy’s face twisted, “What’s up with this?” she gestured to Tommy and his chain clutched in his fist.

“He wants in,” Steve shrugged and stepped forward to look at the map between Hopper and Dustin, “Not like we couldn’t use the help.”

Nancy scowled, “We can manage.”

“Yeah,” Mike butted in.

Steve glared at her, “Let it go, Nance. He’s here and that’s it, please.” She looked at Johnathan but John looked at Tommy just as openly as his mother had.

“You know how to throw that?” he looked at the dark chain links.

Tommy nodded and pointed to the west circle, “That’s my farm. Well, my dad’s.” He looked sheepish, like he was admitting something.

“Cool,” Steve heard Will whisper.

Johnathan smiled more just as Nancy’s frown deepened, “Didn’t know you were in the lower levels like us.” Tommy frowned and Nancy scolded John with a slap to the arm. “It’s just cool is all,” he defended himself from her onslaught.

Tommy grew confused, “Cool?”

John nodded, “Tuff,” he grinned. Tommy smirked and eased down, comfortably joining Steve by his side.

“So do I get the backstory or what?” Everyone else looked at Hopper.

The man rolled his eyes but relented, “Keep up,” he pointed at Tommy gruffly. The boy nodded and Steve planted a grounding hand on his shoulder. “When Will went missing he was actually trapped in a different dimension. There’s El, who isn’t here right now, she was an experiment.” His voice with filled with distaste. “ She has powers, telekinesis. She’s resting right now so she can—“

“Which is stupid,” Mike snapped, “She’s not ready—“ Lucas and Dustin elbowed him to shut him up.

Hopper didn’t even look at the kids, “She’s getting ready to fight the bigger problem, the mindflayer. Something that likes possessing people. Watch out for that,” he tipped his hat back. “But there are big dogs from that other dimension sneaking in like your average coyote onto farms. So we have to go out and clean them out.” Steve eyed Tommy’s face which was stoney. Hopper turned back to the table and map when he fingered Tommy had at least taken all of what he said in through his ears to process eventually. “We’re hitting it by groups. Joyce and I will go to Merrill’s. Nancy, Johnathan, Will, and Mike are going to Tinnerman’s. Steve, Tommy, Dustin, and Lucas are at Hagan’s. Got that?” he looked around. When no one disagreed he backed away.

Steve took his bag off and set it on top of the map, “You still have that tire iron?” he asked Dustin as he took out his lighter.

“Yep,” the kid nodded, “Still behind the house, I’ll go get it,” he ran off.

Steve only had to look at Lucas for an answer, “Got my pockets full of rocks and marbles this time.”

Steve smiled small but assuring, “Good.”

Everyone walked off to retrieve their own weapons or start their own vehicles. Except Steve and Tommy. Tommy was pale and his eyes were greyish.

“Hey,” Steve rubbed a thumb across his freckled cheek, “What’s going on in your head?” he whispered.

Tommy looked up and took in a shaky breath, “I’m ready to kill some monsters?” The questioning tone didn’t surprise Steve, the words did though. He didn’t ask, didn’t want to over work Tommy’s mind already. Not when they still had a long night ahead.

===

The Hagan property was the smallest of the three Hawkins farms. Fencing behind them that was meant to keep cattle on grounds, then a big barn, then the Hagan house. But it wasn’t meant to be called “small” either. The cattle were safe in the barn as long as they all stayed attentive and ready to kill off any demodog invaders. Simple, all in a days work. But Tommy was shaking like a leaf and Steve heard rustling from their right.

He stepped ahead a few steps just as Dustin and Lucas yelled out at the shadow creeping out of the trees. Tommy cursed loudly, so much so Steve feared Tommy’s mother would wake from it all the way in the house. He swung his bat to stabilize himself and then went to town on the thing’s neck, back, and head. It went down quick and others started coming out more and more. Lucas slung-shot his own ammunition and Dustin kept them back with Steve’s lighter and a can of hairspray.

“Can you get that one, Tom?” he shouted over the growls of a new dog as one ran past him to the fence.

It was a pretty quick success all things considering. The carcasses laid around Steve in wide diameter, gunk sprung all over the grass and tree bark. But as silence carried no more sounds carried out from the darkness.

He faced the group, Dustin parking things back into Steve bag and pulling out water bottles. Lucas was trying to wipe the sweat from his face.

Then Steve caught sight of Tommy standing still. Too still. He panicked.

“Tom?” he whisper yelled as he ran up to him. Grabbed his arms and then his head, “Tommy, are you alright?” Tommy’s pale face reflected streaks of luminescent tracks in the moonlight. His eyes looked frozen wide. “Hey,” he wiped away the tears with his thumbs and made Tommy make eye contact. Which seems to blow him out of his stupor. He started breathing sporadically. Steve hugged him and started breathing in and out exaggeratedly. “Match me, Sweetheart,” he whispered. Breathed in and waited as Tommy matched it. Exhaled and patiently listened.

By the time Tommy was lax against him, exhausted and adrenaline all gone, Steve had decided they were done. He snapped his fingers to grab Lucas and Dustin’s attention.

“Yo, call Hopper and see what they’re up to, please,” he threw one of Tommy’s arms over his shoulders. Started leading them back to his car a little ways away. Tommy wouldn’t speak, Steve had the mind to assume he was in shock. Knew the feeling himself. But the amount Tommy was still partially immobile on his own was concerning. “Can you signal to me how your feeling, Tommy? What can I do for you?” he asked as he opened the car door and worked his boyfriend into the passenger seat. He knelt on the wet road, his jeans getting damp at the knees.

Tommy finally made eye contact on his own and pressed his lips together, “That was scary.” Steve nodded understandingly. Tommy continued, “This is fucked,” he sat back and forcibly enclosed Steve hand in between his own. Steve distantly heard Dustin yapping to someone on the walkie talkie. “How do you all do it?” he asked exasperatedly. He deflated and shook his head, lost, “How do you do it all? You were amazing back there, didn’t hesitate or flinch.”

Steve smiled and leaned up to give Tommy a kiss to the cheek, “No one is going to be upset with you Tommy. We don’t even have to mention it. The important thing is,” he stepped back, “That we’re all safe and the dogs are done with.”

“But—“

“We won’t hold it against you,” he promised and Tommy closed his mouth slowly. Nodding in agreement a little reluctantly.

Dustin was messing with the dials on the walkie when he left Tommy there, “I’m gonna go clean the mess up, you two get in the car and wait.

Lucas stepped up though, “I’ll help.” Steve gave him a look but he persisted, “Please?”

He rolled his eyes, “I guess you’d be better help than Dustin.”

“Hey!” the other scolded.

Lucas flicked him, “Please, you gag every time the goo gets on you.”

“I wonder why!” Dustin called back as he got into the car with Tommy.

===

It was a few weeks later and Tommy was a little more comfortable in the Party and their occasional missions to take out other dimensional monsters. Tommy was good with the chain when he wasn’t completely petrified. Caught and wrangled multiple dogs out of the way on occasions. Sure he stopped out a few time but they didn’t fight him about it. Knew he knew what he couldn’t handle.

He was teaching Will a thing or two now. They each sat on logs in the Byers’ backyard with ropes in their hands and on their laps. Steve watched as he leaned against the back door doorframe with Joyce. Johnathan had tried to follow along but had quickly knotted his bad. Had encouraged them both instead as Tommy directed Will step by step.

Then, Steve joined them as they worked on tossing and capturing low tree branches. Tommy lassoed them all and Steve got some. But Will grew his skills fast apparently because he was right behind Tommy, grasping all the practicing targets with concentrated ease.

Tommy fist bumped the kid and Steve used his height to pull the rope back down, “Good job, Byers!”

“I was actually good at it,” Will beamed proudly. Tommy slung an arm over Wills shoulders and headed towards the house as Joyce called for dinner.

“You know, you should come take Steve’s place on the farm over the summer.” Will bounced on the souls of his feet a bit at the excitement and giggled when Steve scoffed dramatically.

“I’m just rusty.”

Tommy chuckled, “Come on, Byers One and Byers Two, let’s leave the Rich Boy to clean up.” Will laughed and followed him loyally.

Johnathan stood with a definite nod, “Agreed.” Steve stopped to watch them race to the house like they were all young boys.

Tommy fit in just fine.

[ao3feed-harringrove]

Tommy's Party

https://ift.tt/2WQoY8s

by petersfeather

You can imagine Steve getting tipsy and watching girls get tipsy and them both getting handsy to the point that they’re clumsily groping on Tommy’s couch. Where Tommy sits to eat his cereal and watch cartoons in the morning. Where Tommy used to eat cereal and watch cartoons with Steve when the two would have sleepovers back in the third grade.

But don’t think about Tommy thinking about that.

~~~

Based on Tommy's Party - Peach Pit (bc someone had to)

Words: 6150, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Stranger Things (TV 2016)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M, M/M

Characters: Tommy Hagan, Steve Harrington, Billy Hargrove, Carol Perkins

Relationships: Tommy Hagan/Carol Perkins, Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington, unrequited Tommy Hagan/Steve Harrington

Additional Tags: Unrequited Love, Unrequited Crush, Unrequited Lust, Angst, Internalized Homophobia, Hurt No Comfort, Implied/Referenced Sex, Swearing, Friendship, Friends to Enemies, stommy, But Make it Hurt, Harringrove, but make it 2 kind of selfish and dickish boys, this is for Chester Rushing please let's take a minute to remember him, he's not dead i just like to remember him ♥, use of 1st and 2nd person, sorry about that btw i just started it that way and then ran away with it, look i'm here for the DRAMA alright??

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2WQoY8s

[ao3feed-strangerthings]

Tommy's Party

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2WQoY8s

by petersfeather

You can imagine Steve getting tipsy and watching girls get tipsy and them both getting handsy to the point that they’re clumsily groping on Tommy’s couch. Where Tommy sits to eat his cereal and watch cartoons in the morning. Where Tommy used to eat cereal and watch cartoons with Steve when the two would have sleepovers back in the third grade.

But don’t think about Tommy thinking about that.

~~~

Based on Tommy's Party - Peach Pit (bc someone had to)

Words: 6150, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Stranger Things (TV 2016)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M, M/M

Characters: Tommy Hagan, Steve Harrington, Billy Hargrove, Carol Perkins

Relationships: Tommy Hagan/Carol Perkins, Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington, unrequited Tommy Hagan/Steve Harrington

Additional Tags: Unrequited Love, Unrequited Crush, Unrequited Lust, Angst, Internalized Homophobia, Hurt No Comfort, Implied/Referenced Sex, Swearing, Friendship, Friends to Enemies, stommy, But Make it Hurt, Harringrove, but make it 2 kind of selfish and dickish boys, this is for Chester Rushing please let's take a minute to remember him, he's not dead i just like to remember him ♥, use of 1st and 2nd person, sorry about that btw i just started it that way and then ran away with it, look i'm here for the DRAMA alright??

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2WQoY8s

[metalheadcowboy]

Thinking about Tommy being the oldest sibling still living at home. Tommy who’s a senior in high school, wasting away what was supposed to be the easiest year of his life looking after his four younger siblings while his parents both work tireless hours early in the morning until late into the night. And he didn’t have to step up, but really he did because what else was he supposed to do? With the youngest one barely being out of diapers he had no other choice.

And it drains him, fucking takes everything out of him until at the end of the day there’s nothing he has left to do but either sleep or cry, if he even has the energy for that. He’s spent more nights sobbing into Steve’s chest, tucked tightly under his warm duvet than he can count, letting the younger boy rub his bare back and whisper sweet nothings about how wonderful he’s doing and how he’s not alone, though Tommy’s not always so sure he believes it, but he tries, he really does try and that’s the best he can do.

[metalheadcowboy]

[metalheadcowboy]

Post sex Tommy and Steve eating at Waffle House at one in the morning in comfortable silence, hair sex-stricken, Tommy’s shirt riding up Steve’s back while Steve’s slightly hangs off Tommy’s shoulders.