#no upside down

[steddieunderdogfics]

i want to rec Emotional Motion Sickness by sidekick_hero because it is such a good fic! 💕💕💕

Emotional Motion Sickness by sidekick_hero

@sidekick-hero

Rating: Explicit

16,464 words, 1/1 chapters

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Upside Down (Stranger Things), Meet-Cute, (sort of), Porn with Feelings, Kink Discovery, Steve Harrington Has a Praise Kink, Soft Dom Eddie Munson, Sub Steve Harrington, Getting Together, Dom Eddie Munson, Body Worship, 90s Steddie, mention of platonic stobin

Summary:

"This is actually my first time in a gay bar and I had no idea it was a theme night, that people would be here looking for... for... leather and chains and whatnot. If I knew that, I wouldn't have come." It comes out in a rush, the words stumbling over each other in his haste to get them out as quickly as possible. Steve fights the urge to bury his head in his hands again, but part of him is glad he got it all out. Now he can only hope that Eddie still wants to talk to him, because he likes Eddie, and he may not be into the same things as him, but maybe... Steve doesn't know what he's hoping for, only that he doesn't want his night to end without at least getting Eddie's number. Maybe they can at least be friends. Steve really needs more gay friends, ones who don't send him to a bar without telling him they have theme nights. OR: Steve goes to his first gay bar after moving to New York with Robin and gets more than he was hoping for.

Thanks for the rec!

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[sp0o0kylights]

Indie horror filmmaker Eddie Munson, high off his first big (underground but notable) success, knows the movers and shakers of the film world have their eyes on him. 

They're just waiting to see if he was a one hit wonder before they open all the doors he's been trying to kick down. 

His next upcoming film is his chance, his shot at finally making it. Of being like Rob Zombie and the other creators he looks up to that masterfully blended metal and horror. 

This is his golden ticket. 

The project starts off smooth. His last success has greased the wheels, and things fall into place faster than ever before. 

He's got the best idea for this insane haunted house story, a true "mazes in mazes" type of deal with a queer twist. A real look at how a place can haunt a person just as easily as a ghost can.

 Everything's going swimmingly--until one of his leads drops out the day they're due to start shooting.

No call no show's, and later, Eddie will find out the guy got a last second call back to be a contestant on one of those Love Island bullshit romance gigs (and laugh his ass off when the main love interest takes one look at Billy Hargrove and goes on a five minute rant about ugly mullets on national television) but right now? 

He's fucked. 

He's called in every favor he has for this film. Maxed out every credit card he owns, tapped every contact, got on his hands and knees and begged his rising star journalist best bud to help him market it. (Which Nancy agreed too, for way less cash than she should have.) 

 Eddie can't get anyone on the phone, much less find a replacement actor and the amazing place they rented, that is so dark and wonderfully eerie, is booked out the rest of the year as an AirBnB. 

If he doesn't film now, he loses it all.

Cue the other lead, unknown theater actor Steve Harrington, watching his hair pulling, tire kicking, 'cursing and hopping while holding a toe' mental breakdown and asks why Eddie himself doesn't act in it. 

"Just go full Kevin Smith man. Act and direct." He says, with an easy grin. 

Jeff, Eddie's tried and true videographer, trades glances with Gareth and Grant (Eddie's long used special effects and makeup team, who double for about twelve other jobs because they're also his best friends and they're all in this together, make or break.)

"We don't really have a lot of other options." Gareth hedges. "You're already using me and Grant as background characters." 

Eddie, hands fluttering around his face as though trying to wave away this entire situation, squeezes his eyes shut and lets out a pained hiss. 

"Fine, fine!" He announces with the air of a man running towards a fire. "Fuck it, this is our one shot and so help me I will be shooting it!" 

Steve politely hides a laugh with a cough. 

"Chuckle all you want big boy, I'm going to tragically romance you so hard people will forget both of our characters actually live." Eddie snarls.

Steve, the handsome bastard, just winks.  "Looking forward to it." 

Eddie blushes, but hides it with a surge of frantic energy, conveyed by lots of yelling and moving and getting the ball rolling. 

Two days later, Steve would give the performance of a lifetime down on his knees, covered in a literal pound of fake gore, booty shorts and nothing else as he sobbed about how a lover could become a home. His hands clawed at Eddie's jeans before resting a tear stained face on a slim leg as he bent his body towards Eddie like it hurt to be away from him. 

Eddie would later receive equal praise in his own acting during the scene, with the world and every reporter in it asking how he conveyed an otherworldly panic so beautifully throughout Steve's performance. What was he thinking, to evoke those expressions on his face? 

The way his own pale hand, unmarred by blood and acting as a metaphor for the plot, would come to stroke Steve's cheeks.

Eventually he'd come up with a smooth polished answer that cheekily pleased his audience, but nothing would ever come close to the truth. 

("Eddie I've known you since grade school." Jeff said that night, a scant few hours after they'd wrapped. "You can act man, but not like that." 

Eddie made a wild "shut up" gesture, looking frantically over his shoulder before admitting; "You saw how close his face was to the prince of darkness!? I was seconds away from popping a boner next to his lips, in front of the 4K camera!” 

Eddie bounced into Jeff’s face so he could hiss: “He fucking had his chin on my thigh, Jeff, and I am only a man. A mere mortal!" 

"So we're gonna unpack all of that later." Jeff said finally, when he'd managed to get his mouth working and Eddie back out of his personal space. "But dude, we've talked about you calling your dick the prince of darkness." 

Eddie flipped him off.) 

One year later and critics named Corroded the best horror film of the year, praising the camera work, practical effects, and how there wasn't a soul alive who was surprised to hear Eddie and Steve were dating after their explosive on screen chemistry.

No one ever quite understood the prince of darkness jokes or why Steve mentioning it made Eddie blush, but that was a secret to find out later. 

Today on WIP’s I have no intention of writing, indie horror movie AU!

[nonbinary-eddie-munson]

Steve is Robins beard/no upside down AU where Robin and Steve run away and get married after Robin graduates because she gets outed in the last few weeks of highschool and its the only way to stop her parents from sending her to a christan all girls college.

Originally the cover up plan is for Robin and Steve to tell her parents that they just recently started dating and a girl in band started the rumor about Robin being a lesbian because she was jealous and hoped it would make Steve and Robin break up. They can fake date and then "break up" after Robin goes off to college in Chicago, claiming the distance was too much.

Robins mom is fully ready to accept this as fact, after all it will do so much for their status in town if her daughter marries into the Harrington family

Robins dad, on the other hand, hates the idea of his only daughter being with the son of Richard Harrington. He watched the bastard play with his sisters heart in highschool before running off to marry some rich girl and will be damned if he sees the same happen to his daughter. No it will be better if he put an end to all of this and ships her off to Mount Saint Marys so she never has to see the Harrington boy again.

Cue Robin and Steve aided by Joyce and Hopper making a plan for them to run away because Steve will be damned if all of Robins dreams are crushed because her father wants to be an over protective asshole. They decide the easiest way to stop her dad from tracking them down and forcing Robin to come home is if they get married.

So the night after graduation, Robin sneaks out of her house and steals away into the night with Steve. They drive all night until they make it to chicago as the sun is rising. Joyce has a cousin who lives in the city and is willing to let Robin and Steve stay in her spare room until they get settled.

Carina has the same motherly warmth as Joyce, though she never married or had kids instead choosing to live with her " Capital R Roomate" Marjorie. Of course, the two women know the truth of Robin and Steves situation and as soon as the court house opens, they bear witness as Steve and Robin sign the marriage papers and offically become Steve and Robin Buckley-Harrington

They actually fought quite a bit on last names Steve insisting that he should take the last name Buckley because fuck his parents, while Robin still angry at her father wanted to become a Harrington just to spite him. Carina is the one who convinces them to hyphenate after, to her horror and amusement they suggest combining their lastnames and becoming the Buckington's (Steves idea) or the Harringley's (Robins idea)

Steve and Robin find jobs together at a local coffee shop and after Robins first semester at school working towards a degree in linguistics, Steve decides to apply for community college eventually deciding he wants to become a school councilor, he loves working with kids and hey if he can help atleast one kid all the schooling will be worth it.

Steve and Robin love the city and once they both graduate -Robin ending up adding a teaching degree in with her linguitics- they get jobs teaching at a local middle school Steve as the guidance counciler and Robin teaching French and Latin. They talk briefly about getting divorced after a few years but after almost dying in a fire together when starcourt burned down they're trauma bonded for life, honestly steve doesnt know who he was kidding thinking he'd be fine staying in Hawkins until the kids graduated while Robin went off to Chicago.

Carina and Marjorie introduce Robin and Steve to the queer scene in Chicago and Steve has his bisexual awakening. Robin becomes Steves beard just as much as he is hers. They both date around a bit, but nothing serious ever comes of it theres not many people who can handle the combined force that is "Steve And Robin Platonic With A Capital P Soulmates"

Enter professional substitute teacher/drama club advisor Eddie Munson and brand new lead journalist of the Chicago Tribune Nancy Wheeler, who are both confused, gay and unwilling to be homewreckers but cant help but to be sucked into Robin and Steves orbit all the same

[unfinishedslurs]

stobin kidnapped- no upsidedown

Robin doesn’t know why she comes out to Steve Harrington of all people. 

It could be the drugs. It could be the way he’s been pretty good-natured about her ribbing all summer. It could be the fact that they’ve bonded, painfully and irreversibly, in the last 24 hours in a way she never has with anyone else and hopefully never will. It could be that she’s almost certainly going to die in this tiny, awful basement, and Steve fucking Harrington’s shitty homophobic spiel won’t matter because they’ll be dead. 

Tammy Thompson won’t matter, either. She’ll never, ever look at Robin now. Probably won’t even think about her as she cries over Steve Harrington’s tragic fate. 

“Have you ever been in love?”

They’re pressed back to back next to the hole that serves as their toilet, even if they’re not tied together that way anymore. Something about being able to see from all angles is comforting. No surprises. 

It also means she doesn’t have to see Steve’s face when he tells her how amazing this new girl is.

“Robin?” He asks when she doesn’t respond. “You OD on me?”

“I’m alive,” she confirms. Unfortunately. 

Nope, too soon to be making jokes about wishing she were dead when there’s a high possibility she ends up dead before she gets out of here. 

Steve’s presence leaves her back, and she almost panics before she realizes he’s scooting backwards until he can meet her eye. She scoots back until her back hits the wall, and he does the same. 

“This floor’s disgusting.” 

“Yeah, well, I’ve already got a bunch of blood and puke on my shirt, so…” he points out. “What do you think?”

“About?”

“This girl.” Why are his eyes so big? Is it the drugs in her system making her hallucinate again? Some great, cosmic consequence for being the kind of girl who can’t fall in love with this apparently amazing guy who protected her the best he could? She feels like she’s going to vomit again.

Eventually their singing dies down, and they exist in comfortable silence for a moment. 

It’s Steve who breaks it. “You know Jonathan Byers?”

“Didn’t he punch you and steal your girl?”

“Yeah,” he says. “I lied.”

“About what?”

“Only ever having been in love with Nancy.”

She blinks at him, squinting in concentration until he shifts uncomfortably and she gasps. “No,” she says. 

“‘No’ what?”

“You were not in love with Jonathan Byers.”

“Okay, yeah, I wasn’t in love with him,” he protests, squirming. “But, like, he’s cool, right?”

“No!” She exclaims. “No, he’s not cool, Steve. I can’t believe you made fun of me for Tammy, at least she didn’t give me a concussion!” 

“I deserved that concussion,” he protests. “Besides, it was a tiny one! That was, like, nothing compared to what Billy gave me.” Or the one he probably has right now, but neither of them point that out. 

“He stole your girlfriend.”

“Why do you keep saying that? There was no stealing anything. Nancy’s a human being, with, like, agency and shit.”

“Didn’t he take naked pictures of you guys?”

“What?” He sounds alarmed. “Is that what you heard?”

“Did he not?”

“Well…”

She laughs, disbelieving. 

“He apologized!” He says. “And he’ll never do it again, and I broke his camera for it anyway, so I kind of got retribution. Maybe too much retribution. I cannot overstate how much I deserved that beat down, I was an asshole to him.”

“God, you are not helping your case at all,” she giggles. He pouts at her, until he starts giggling too, and then they’re both laughing their asses off on the shitty basement floor until they lose their breath. 

They get lucky, she’s told while they’re in the hospital for smoke inhalation and a dozen other things. They were only in that basement for 24 hours until the police (re: Dustin and Erica) found them. It felt like a lifetime. 

She gets to sign out after six hours. Steve has to stay for two days. 

The nurses have to practically boot her out the door before she’ll leave his side. 

“I’m fine, Rob,” he says, rolling his eyes. “I’ve had worse.”

“I sure hope not!” The nurse exclaims as she’s checking over the monitor. “Young man, you are suffering from a Grade 3 concussion, bruised and broken ribs, smoke inhalation, multiple lacerations—“

“Jesus, okay, we get it!”

She gives him a scathing look before sweeping out of the room. Robin raises her eyebrows. “You’re fine, huh?”

The look he gives her could kill a lesser man. “Go home, Robin.”

“I’m staying the night.”

“You’re definitely not doing that.”

[strangersteddierthings]

Writing Prompt from this list requested by @tayloreever

#23. "Just pretend to be my date." and #60. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to seduce me." Set in a world where homophobia doesn't exist because that fits my vision better.

-

This is stupid. This is stupid and he shouldn’t have agreed. He looks stupid.

Eddie’s caught sight of himself in the tall, perfectly clean windows of the Chicago penthouse Steve lives in (fuckin’ trust fund kid that Steve is, having a fucking penthouse for himself). Eddie’s got his hair pulled back into a low ponytail and he’d used hairspray to try to tame his wild curls into something half presentable, but the cheap hairspray hadn’t held up on his way here (three separate buses he’d had to take and it was fuckin’ windy) and he could see it starting to look fuzzy again. The black suit he’s wearing has been perfectly tailored for him but he feels like a pretender in it He doesn’t even remember the last time he’s worn a shirt with buttons, much less the last him he’s had them all buttoned and a tie on. Stupid.

He feels like some chump playing dress up.

Eddie is good at forgetting that Steve comes from money. It helps that usually they’re hanging out at Eddie’s trailer, Robin’s apartment, roaming the Chicago streets, or cafes and bars. Plus, Steve doesn’t act like a spoiled trust fund kid (most of the time).

Doesn’t matter. He shouldn’t have agreed to this when Steve had asked him, weeks ago now, in Robin’s apartment kitchen.

“A date!” Steve had shouted. He looked a little manic. Eddie heard as Robin had cackled from the living room. “Oh. Sorry. Shouldn’t have just yelled that at you. I’m a little worked up.”

“Why do you need me to get you a date?” Eddie was confused.

“No, not get me a date. Be my date. To the charity event!”

“What,” Eddie said. Because since when does Steve want to go on a date with him? Eddie really shouldn’t be questioning it because it’s the only things he’s wanted for months now.

“Can you just pretend to be my date,” Steve said a little bitchily as he’d put his hands on his hips, “for one night?”

Oh. Pretend date. For one night. That… yeah, that checks out. Makes more sense in Eddie’s head than Steve actually wanting him the same way he wants Steve.

“Eddie, yes or no?” Steve said.

“Alright, alright,” Eddie had thrown his hands up in defense, “One night! Jesus.”

He should have said no. Steve’s going take one look at him and laugh up a storm at how stupid he looks.

“Eddie!” Steve’s voice startles him and he jumps a little, turning quickly from where he’d been staring at his own reflection to see Steve enter his living room. Steve looks downright sinful, all dressed to the nines in a burgundy suit. Even the fucking loafer’s Steve is wearing are the same shade of burgundy at the suit. His hair is styled perfectly, not a hair out of place. Makes Eddie want to reach out and ruffle it just to get a reaction, while simultaneously wanting to smooth down is own hair, which he knows looks pathetic. “I-thanks. I wasn’t sure if you’d actually, y’know, follow through.”

“Why wouldn’t I? I said I would and I’m a man of my word,” Eddie aims for sounding casual, like he’s not currently stressed and spiraling.

“Yeah, of course man. I know that,” Steve says, “guess you wouldn’t sit through three separating tailoring sessions to not wear the suit.”

“Exactly. Plus, like, now I got something to wear to weddings and shit, if our friends ever get their shit together and someone proposes,” Eddie spreads his arms, “so, how do I look?”

Steve looks him up and down, eyes moving slowly as he seems to be taking every detail of Eddie’s look. The longer it takes him to speak, the more Eddie’s certain that he does in fact look stupid. “You look fine, Eds. What’d you do to your hair?”

Eddie’s stomach drops. He fucking knew it. He looks like some idiot pretending to play at high class. Eddie knows better. He’ll never be anything more than trailer park trash and no shiny new suit could make him look any different. “Nothing. Don’t we have to be going?”

-

Eddie should have said no because this is goddman torture. Steve is a prefect date. He holds doors open, introduces Eddie (with enthusiasm) to everyone that comes up to them, gets him drinks and snacks, seems to keep one hand on the small of his back the whole night, grounding Eddie.

He talks up Corroded Coffin as if they’re a legitimate up and coming band and not some garage band that plays in sleezy bars every few months. Parades Eddie around like he’s a catch and everyone should be jealous that their date isn’t Eddie. Every twenty to thirty minutes he’s using that hand on his lower back to guide him outside, to the must more deserted courtyard, like he knows Eddie is overwhelmed and needs a break.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to seduce me,” Eddie says the next time they walk away from some random couple they’d gotten roped into talking too, because Steve had slid the hand on his back to be fully around his waist and his nuzzled the side of his face when the lady had said they made a cute couple and if Eddie doesn’t make a joke of this he will explode.

 “Is it working?”

Eddie has to laugh at him to keep from giving himself away.

So, all in all, it's fucking awful. If Steve could have at least been a bad date, flirted with the single ladies they talk to in front of Eddie or something, this might be bearable. Eddie doesn’t know if he can survive a night of having Steve dote on him, all lovingly and shit, and it not actually be because they’re in love.

Eddie’s trying his best to keep it together, really, but then Steve’s parents, the hosts of this event, finally get the time to get away from the other Elites and come talk to him and Steve.

“So, you must be Eddie!” Mrs. Harrington coos, immediately stepping into Eddie’s space and giving him a kiss on the cheek, the exact same she’d done with Steve when they approached. “We’ve heard so much about you!”

“Y-you have?” Eddie can’t keep the surprise off his face or out of his voice.

“Of course,” Mrs. Harrington laughs. “You’re all we hear about these days. Have been the main topic of Steve’s calls for years now.”

“Mom!” Steve hisses, embarrassed no doubt by the assumptions his mother is making.

“She’s right, Steve-o,” Mr. Harrington says, patting Steve on the back like he’s sympathetic to his wife’s antics. “We haven’t heard this much about a person since you dated that girl in high school. What was her name? Natalie?”

“Nancy, honey,” Mrs. Harrington helpful supplies, “Nancy Wheeler. Oh, I wonder how she’s doing these days. Do you keep in touch, Stevie-Bee?”

“Stevie-Bee?” Eddie is delighted to repeat because he is going to call Steve that forever now.

“Mom!” Steve hisses again, “I am twenty-six years old. I think you can stop calling me that. Especially in public!”

“Oh, but you’ll always be my little Stevie-Bee, buzzing around so fast.”

It takes all of Eddie’s willpower to not snort a laugh. Holy shit. Steve’s parents are embarrassing and this is the best thing that could have possibly happened to him.

“So, Eddie, Steve says you’re a musician,” Mr. Harrington seem to take pity on Steve, switching attention to Eddie, “in a rock band. Says your amazing but haven’t been signed yet.”

“Oh, uh, no. No, not signed… yet,” Eddie adds the yet as an afterthought, because he’s certain they’ll never get signed for real, but he’s not going to admit that to the Harringtons.

“Shame, shame,” Mr. Harrington frowns, “I tried to get Steve to send me a demo of your music but he refused. Said you wanted to make it on your own, not be ‘bought by the industry’. But if you ever want a leg in, I do know a few producers looking for new talent. I promise I won’t talk you up. Just hand them the tape and let them decide if they like you.”

Eddie feels a bit lightheaded. What is happening? Because it’s true. Eddie had said they wanted to make it on their own, had kind of yelled it at Steve when Steve had offered to use his semi-famous status to get them gigs in better places. Eddie hadn’t wanted his charity, because that’s what he felt like it would have been, when Steve offered that years ago. But Steve talks to his dad about his band. Steve knows how important it is for him to not just pay his way to the top. This is too much. This tie is too tight, and this shirt is buttoned too high for him to catch his breath.

Steve’s hand is on his lower back, leading him away, calling over his shoulder to his parents, “we’ve got to go over there now, thanks, bye!”

Eddie hears Mrs. Harrington laugh like Steve’s told a hilarious joke but it fades quickly as Steve basically runs him back through the gala and up the stairs, to the private bathroom that was reserved for, apparently, only the Harringtons.

Honestly, Eddie’s calmed down by the time they reach the stairs but he lets Steve lead him all the way to the bathroom. They stand in front of the counter, blocking access to the sinks. Not that it would matter, because no one else is in here.

“Sorry, for them,” Steve immediately apologizes for his parents, “they mean well, but they’re… a lot.”

Eddie doesn’t respond right away because his brain is still processing. Steve talks about him to his parents. “You told your dad about my band?”

Steve won’t meet his eyes. “Umm, yeah. He doesn’t look like it, but my dad’s a Black Sabbath fan. And you said that was like, one of your inspiration bands when starting Corroded Coffin so…”

That pulls a laugh from Eddie, high pitched and awkward because Mr. Harrington is a white collar worker, who wears three piece suits and has his hair cut close to his head, and the thought of him head banging in his car on his drive to work enters Eddie’s mind against his volition and he must laugh at the image it conjures. “Holy. Shit. Stevie-bee.”

“Do not-“

“Your parents are so embarrassing. No wonder you needed me to be your date. Holy shit. Just imagine if you’d brought a real date. They’d have run away so fast!”

“Yeah, well, thanks for not running.”

“I’m trying to blend in. Running would be too much of a spectacle.”

“Blend in? Is that why you did that?” Steve gestures to his hair and Eddie feels his face heat up. “and why you pick just a regular black suit?”

“You said black tie event. Of course, I picked black. And what’s wrong with my hair?” Eddie turns his head to look in the mirror before looking back to Steve.

“Nothing’s wrong with it, Eds. It’s just not… you.”

Of course, it’s not, Eddie thinks. He’d been thinking that the whole way to Steve’s penthouse. The double takes people on the bus had given him had told him he’d looked ridiculous. He’d thought that when he saw his reflection in Steve’s windows. “I know! This isn’t me.” He gestures to all of himself.

Steve tilts his head slightly, looking Eddie up and down again. Instead of speaking he steps into Eddie’s forward and starts yanking at his tie. Eddie’s frozen because Steve’s so close and he looks so determined suddenly and Eddie wants to see where this is going. Steve throws the tie on the ground before going for the buttons on Eddie’s shirt. He undoes the top three, then moves to his suit jacket and undoes all of them.

Then, Steve steps closer, into Eddie space, reaching up behind his head to remove his hair tie. Steve pulls his hair a few times during the attempt, but he doesn’t stop Steve. Once his hair is free, Steve flings the hair tie over his shoulder and runs his hands through Eddie’s hair, shaking it out and pulling it forward.

“There. Better.”

Eddie turns to the mirror and is disappointed. Steve said better and Eddie had been expecting better. But it’s just him. His hair looks like it does every day, wild and frizzy and everywhere. “Better? This is how I always look.”

“I like how you always look, Eds,” Steve says, quiet and serious. In the mirror, he watches Steve’s reflection stare at the side of his head. “I think you’re beautiful.”

Eddie gives himself whiplash turning to look at Steve. “What.”

Steve shakes his head, a self-deprecating laugh coming from his lips. “Come on, Eds, like you didn’t know.”

“I don’t know,” Eddie argues because it’s true. He’s got know clue.

“Look, if this is gonna make it harder for you to pretend to be my date, we can go. I don’t want this to be awkward. I just wanted…”

“Steve. Stevie,” Eddie feels a little bit like he’s on fire. “I am going to need us to talk right now because I’ve spent this whole night thinking I looked stupid and you tell me I’m beautiful and that’s-“

“Stupid!?” Steve says, indignant, “never! You just looked so uncomfortable and-“

“No, I was still talking!” Eddie shouts, “I’ve spent this whole night wishing you were a terrible date because then I could go home and forget about this but instead you’re a perfect date and you think I’m beautiful and you talk to your parents about me and I really, really want to kiss you.”

Steve takes his face in his hands and then Eddie is being kissed. Holy shit. It’s the best kiss of Eddie’s life. When they separate to catch their breath, Steve blurts out, “I told my parents we were dating. Months ago. They wouldn’t stop asking and mom can always tell when I have a crush and I just panicked and told her we were together and she said we had to come to this event so she could meet you because this was the soonest they could get to Chicago.”

Eddie’s lightheaded all over again. There is a lot to unpack in Steve’s word vomit but that can be a later problem. Instead, Eddie just pulls him in for another kiss.

Or five.

Who’s keeping track anyway?

[withacapitalp]

No Upside Down AU where Steve still acquires his seven little nuggets.

El is the daughter of a cult leader (Brenner) who runs away the night Will gets taken by the cult. They all help to rescue Will ala season one and Steve still gets his shit kicked in by Jonathan- Concussion #1

Season two Billy is billy so Steve gets his second concussion protecting the kids from him. After the first one he had some tinnitus he was struggling with, but after this one he's officially deaf in one ear and HOH in the other.

Season three there's no Russians just a fire in the mall. Robin and him get close during their time working at scoops ahoy together, and she loves to learn languages so she starts to learn sign and teach him (Autistic Robin whose special interest is languages no I will not change my mind) and so after he saves her and the kids from the fire and is even more HOH in his one good ear, he pretty much sticks just to sign when he can.

The kids are the kids and they love him and they take it as a challenge to learn sign to be just as good at it if not better than Steve is at his own language. Most people do not realize that Steve is Deaf/HoH because he was never dethroned he just became very isolated past sophomore year and everyone thought that he was doing a too cool for school above it all type thing.

I have many many more thoughts

[wixterirox]

me one second: Do you ever think about how Billy spent his whole life alone & he sacrificed himself for someone he didn’t even know, but did it because she showed him compassion 😔😭

two seconds later: Billy in scoops ahoy outfit ☺️😋

[steddieficrec]

the devil’s camaro (please don’t remember me, it’s only 1993) by roosterroo

(6/6 I 32,798 I Mature)

It’s 1993. Eddie works at his local garage after serving time for a drug charge in high school. There he meets Steve, a typical well to do suburban dad type, who turns everything Eddie believes on his head. And he’s married- but also flirting with him?

OR

Mechanic Eddie develops a crush on Suburban house-husband/kindergarten teacher Steve, who definitely likes him back, and is also beard-married to Robin.

[steddieunderdogfics]

meeting you was coming home. by througheden

@thefreakandthehair

Rating: Mature

7,804 words, 1/1 chapters

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Upside Down (Stranger Things), Steve Harrington is a Sweetheart, Eddie Munson is a Sweetheart, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Bisexual Eddie Munson, Paramedic Steve Harrington, Missed Connections, Gay Bar, also I couldn't pass up the opportunity for an emo night, Valentine's Day, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Idiots in Love, Love at First Sight, Alcohol, the soulmatism is real my friends

Summary:

“I know this is fucking crazy,” Steve’s mouth starts moving before he can stop it once they break apart. “But I can see myself falling in love with you.” Eddie’s heart thuds as it crawls into his throat. “Me too, Steve. Me too.” The I already am is silent. Their Ubers are around the corner, moving in opposite directions, when they both have the same crushing realization. I didn’t get his fucking number. Or, the one in which Steve finds, loses, and somehow finds again the love of his life.

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[foxgloveprincess]

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Female Reader (Second Person Narrator)

Word Count: 1,347

Summary: Your days in high school were unforgettable thanks to Eddie Munson’s playful idea of teasing.

Warnings: Alternate Universe (No Upside Down), Time Skip (includes bits of High School before skipping to Adulthood), Crushes, Pining/Yearning, Teasing, Fluff, Hugs (with dubious consent, but it is welcome), Mild Angst, Flirting, Pet Names (li’l hellspawn). Minors do not interact (18+).

A/N: After watching Stranger Things, I couldn’t stop thinking about how I imagine Eddie totally doing something like this. Older Eddie inspired by these picture edits which just slapped me right across the face (in the best way possible). This probably needs a second part—which may or may not ever happen. Hope you enjoy anyway!

I love feedback, so go ahead and reblog if you want. However, I give no permission to copy, translate, rewrite or post my work on any third party website or app. Seeing my work posted anywhere beside my blog, my library blog, or my AO3 account (FoxglovePrincess) means it’s been stolen/plagiarized.

I don’t do tag lists, so follow @foxglovefics to sign up for notifications on my fics. 

This is not Beta’d, so all mistakes are my own.

Please DO NOT click ‘Keep Reading’ if you are not 18+ years of age or if you are uncomfortable with the pairing, themes, dynamics, or warnings. You are responsible for your own media consumption. Thank you!

You realize somewhere along the line you made a ‘mistake’—if you could really call it that. In fact, you knew the exact moment where you met the point of no return. It happened too fast and you were stupid and immature and self-conscious and overwhelmed and not thinking straight—all because Eddie went in for a hug.

You don’t know why your body did it, but you ducked out of his enclosing arms and backed up a step, feeling the heat fill your cheeks and your heart flutter. Babbling apologies rushed from your lips, but it was too late.

That small, supposed-to-be inconsequential moment cemented you on a path both maddening and marvelous. Because Eddie would not let it go. Oh no, not when you were his li’l hellspawn.

See, your brother was older than both of you—a senior when you were in 8th grade. Into the fantasy, the heavy metal, the alternative side of things. He met Eddie when your family moved to Hawkins in the middle of the school year. And then you met Eddie. 

The crush hit you almost the moment you set eyes on him. He was gorgeous, wild, expressive. His smile lit up the whole room. You could have listened to him laugh for hours. And he had no filter, cursing the moment he laid eyes on you walking into their club meeting before turning his irritation to your brother. Even his pout had been cute that night as you watched them play D&D from the sidelines. It was safe to say he wasn’t too pleased to meet you.

Still, the next year when you started at Hawkins High, you were swept under Eddie’s wing. Without your brother to protect you, he stepped in as a trusted upperclassman—at least, that was his explanation.

To say your crush grew exponentially would be an understatement. Then the hug incident happened and sealed your fate.

At first, it took you by surprise, Eddie’s game. Every time he saw you walking around, he grabbed you in a hug. From the front, back, or side, if he caught a glimpse of you, you found yourself in his arms. In the library, the cafeteria, the hall, the gym, the field, the auditorium, wherever—even off school grounds.

In favor of honesty, you could admit to yourself you loved it. Getting swept up by him, smelling his cologne, being held in his arms.

But you couldn’t admit it out loud. No, definitely not. That was against the unspoken rules. You learned them quickly and early on. Eddie hugged you when he noticed you. The hug would last as long as he wanted. No matter how he rocked or swung you around, you kept your footing. You didn’t say anything, except perhaps an exclamation of “Eddie!” ringing with phony indigence. You didn’t hug back or show any indication that you were inwardly swooning. Because if you did, you knew it would stop, the game would be over.

So, you played along, filling your role in his teasing game. Not serious for him, but everything for you.

What started as the most pathetic, transparent lie you ever perpetuated, morphed into stolen moments. Feeling giddy and guilty every time you raised your voice in the hallway hoping to catch his attention, or walking past him more than once for no other reason than to do the same. Hoping he might hear your voice or look up at the perfect time and give you what you wanted.

If he ever caught on to your crush or your schemes, he never said. Still presenting his arms wide when you crossed paths or notching his head on your shoulder when he snuck up from behind.

Your friends thought it was weird and you took no time correcting them. They didn’t need to share the special moments between Eddie and you. They wouldn’t understand. Their crushes on Tom Cruise or David Cassidy or the boys on the basketball team didn’t appeal to you.

You knew Eddie. He brightened your day. He tried to make you laugh. He cared.

He let you crash Hellfire meetings when you couldn’t stand listening to your parents fight for another minute. He let you sleep at his trailer when you needed a place to lay low. When he found you under the bleachers one day in the late autumn of your junior year, he hugged you from behind. But when he noticed you were crying? All teasing dropped. He stayed with you until your tears dried and you could tell him what happened, the gentle weight of his arm wrapped around you and holding you for hours.

You dreaded to think that he thought of you as a younger sister. But you were willing to take it if it meant he would wrap you up tight and hold you for those precious seconds.

After high school, your lives took different paths. You left Indiana. He stayed. You’d missed him and sent a letter every few months—at least for the first year. He never responded. So you tried to move on, only to find yourself right back where you started.

Even so many years later, Eddie still appears in your dreams doing what he always does. Gripping you in a giant hug and flashing a twinkling smile. It doesn’t happen often, but it leaves you lying awake, yearning. You can’t help but wonder what would have happened back then if things had clicked into place.

The thought haunts you as you walk around the town square, past the old movie theater and what used to be Melvald’s General Store, remembering the lay of the land. Feeling strange, almost uneasy. You didn’t imagine yourself ever moving back to Roane County, but somehow everything in your life started pointing right to Hawkins. How could you refuse? 

You pass by a new mechanic shop on the corner and turn down the side street to head back to your modest home when you feel them. You tense and stumble back as someone wraps their arms around your waist. A shriek of outrage passes your lips. Your hands clamp on their forearms, noticing the oil smudges and the tattoo by the elbow. The inked bats give you pause.

You swallow your nerves, but refuse to hope. “Eddie?” you squeak.

“Thought that was you, li’l hellspawn,” he sighs, resting his chin on your shoulder. “Can’t believe you came back.” His arms tighten around you and you have no choice but to lean into his embrace. He smells the same under the motor oil and sweat—wearing the same cologne.

You stand silent in his arms, remembering the rules of the game. You wait with that old familiar anticipation of the release. But he doesn’t move.

“You still hate hugs?” he asks, voice soft and tentative.

You sigh and shake your head. “Honestly,” you confess, “I never did.”

His arms loosen and he steps around you. The moment your eyes find him, all those silly, adolescent hormones rush through you and knock you back.

He’s aged well. His hair hits just under his chin, but he’s tied back with a bandana. The black ink of newer tattoos peek from under his shirt collar and sleeves. A short and scruffy beard defines his jawline. But he still wears a guitar pick around his neck. His smile still brightens his whole face. He still radiates safety and warmth.

“How long are you staying for?” he asks, wiping his fingers with a dirty rag.

You try not to stare, though you fail miserably. “The foreseeable future,” you reply, a little dazed.

His eyes drop to the ground as he tucks the cloth back in his pocket.  “Good, that’s good.” He nods, more to himself than you. His gaze lifts, raking up your form. The intensity stuns you. Your belly flip flops pleasantly. “We can pick up where we left off.”

That look in his eye, the mischievous quirk of his lips—you swallow hard. The end of the old game, it seems, starts the beginning of the new.

[whenyouwishuponastar7]

the wicked messenger (1/1, 24890 words) Pairing: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington Rating: Teen+ Tags: Alternate Universe - No Upside Down, Canon Era, Steve Harrington Needs a Hug, High School, Robin & Steve Are Best Friends, Billy Hargrove is a Little Shit, (he aimed for evil but it backfired spectacularly), Billy & Max Have A Good Relationship, BETTER at least but not completely there, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Light Angst, Developing Friendships, Fluff and Humor, Flirting, Notes and Letters, Romance, Implied Sexual Context, Falling in Love, Happy Ending Summary: In which Steve Harrington accidentally leaves his notebook on his desk. When he returns to retrieve it, it’s gone, and he chalks it up to someone being a dick. When it reappears on his desk and all of his notes have been scrutinized, mocked, corrected and made… more understandable, all in bright red ink, Steve still thinks this guy is an asshole, but at least some of it is helpful. Steve may start to carry a torch for him, but he can’t figure out who it is. It doesn’t help that Steve starts to develop a Billy Hargrove problem different from what he’s faced all year. -- I hope you enjoy it! 💜

[insomniacwriter17]

Saved from the Flames - Chapter One

“When you're born in a burning house, you think the whole world is on fire. But it's not.” --Richard Kadrey

Billy Hargrove is 9 years old. He tries his best to be the son his father wants him to be - quiet, respectful, and obedient. But Neil just pushes harder and harder, all in the name of raising a "strong man". When Billy is removed from his father's custody and placed in foster care, it takes some time for him to realize his world is no longer burning around him. New experiences, new people, new opportunities all make Billy realize there's a whole lot more to life than respect and responsibility.

AKA: The story of how Bob Newby became a real life superhero for one little boy who needed saving.

Inspired by this post I saw from @connordax

read on ao3

CW: Descriptions of physical/mental/emotional abuse

It was a warm Monday night in the Hargrove home. Billy had come home from school to an empty house, and he’d managed to get his chores done before his dad had come home from work. While his dad cooked, Billy had sat down at the table with his math worksheet to start his homework. Now the nine-year-old was sitting in front of a plate of spaghetti, his dad next to him. It was silent at the table, tense and uncomfortable. There was a knock on the door and Neil stood up, pointing to Billy’s plate. “Eat up, you have homework to do.” 

Billy nodded, casting a glance down at the plate. He hated tomatoes, but he knew his dad didn’t want to hear that. So instead, Billy took the opportunity of being alone to pour more of the powdered parmesan cheese on his noodles, hoping to mask the tomato flavor. 

He’d only gotten a few bites swallowed before his dad came back into the room, an odd look on his face. “Billy and I just sat down to dinner. He’s right here.” Billy didn’t understand, were they having company? Usually when there was company, Neil would force Billy into a nicer outfit. And his dad was using his public voice. The one that didn’t sound so angry, so disappointed all the time. Neil stepped out of the doorway and a lady with pretty blonde hair and a briefcase walked in, a smile on her face. 

“Hi, Billy. My name’s Gabby. How are you?” she asked. Billy’s mouth was full of food, so he didn’t dare answer, not with his dad shooting daggers at him over Gabby’s shoulder. So instead, he held up his hand with a thumbs up, nodding at her. “Can I sit down with you for a minute?” she continued, pointing to Neil’s abandoned chair. 

Billy’s gaze fell to his father again, searching for some sort of understanding that didn’t come. “I brought some work home with me,” Neil interrupted, reaching for his plate. Billy was becoming more and more uncomfortable – his dad seemed scared. That wasn’t normal. “I’ll go eat and knock it out while Gabby keeps you company, okay?” His voice was too kind for home, Billy noted. This was the voice he used around teachers and doctors. 

Billy only nodded.

And then Neil left the room and Gabby sat down beside Billy, offering him a gentle smile. “How’s your dinner, Billy?” 

Billy shrugged. “It’s fine,” he murmured, pushing the noodles around his plate with the fork. “How do you know my dad?” 

Gabby set the briefcase at her feet and then leaned forward so she was leaning against the table, looking at Billy with gentle eyes. “I actually haven’t met your dad before right now. Billy, have you ever heard of a social worker?” 

“No ma’am,” Billy replied. Better be polite so she doesn’t tell my dad I was rude, he thought. 

“Well, my job is to go around Hawkins and check in on kids to make sure they’re safe,” she explained. “You can keep eating if you want to, but I have some questions for you to answer, if you feel up to that?” 

Billy shrugged but made no move to continue eating. In fact, he put his fork down. “It’s okay, I don’t like tomatoes anyway,” he told her. She seemed nice enough. “What questions?” Something about this made him uncomfortable, but he didn’t know why. It felt almost like a trap. 

“Just simple questions about your life,” Gabby promised. “I just want to get to know you a little bit. Like…your dad told me you were nine years old. When’s your birthday?” 

Billy relaxed a bit at the ease of the question, especially when he heard it was questions that Neil had fielded before they’d gotten to Billy. “March 29,” he replied, sitting up straighter in his chair. 

Gabby asked a lot more questions, ranging from questions about Billy’s day at school, what things he liked to do when he was home, and a lot of questions about his dad. Billy tried to answer them as best he could, but sometimes Gabby looked like she didn’t like his answer or something was making her sad. 

“You seem like a really sweet kid, Billy. Do you ever get in trouble? Like at school or at home?” 

“Sometimes,” Billy mumbled, shrugging. “I guess.” 

“When you get in trouble, what happens?” Gabby’s voice had gotten more serious, and Billy’s tummy was churning. He felt like he was going to throw up. He knew this question. The school counselor had asked him that question a few days ago, and she hadn’t liked his answer. She’d gotten serious and quiet and asked a lot more questions, but Billy had clammed up and refused to answer anything else.

So Billy changed his answer. “Um, nothing. Sometimes Dad gets mad and yells.” 

“That’s it?” Gabby pushed, leaning in a little closer to Billy, like she was really trying to listen to him. Billy nodded. “He never gets too mad and accidentally hits you?” 

Well, accidents happen sometimes. That’s not bad. “Maybe on accident,” Billy whispered, looking at his plate. His spaghetti would be cold by now, which would make it even grosser. Maybe if he answered Gabby’s questions and he could get her to leave, his dad would put it in the microwave and warm it back up. 

But Gabby wasn’t done. “Can you show me your room, Billy? Do you have any cool toys?” 

Billy bit his lip but shrugged, sliding off the chair and heading toward the living room. Gabby followed behind him, and Billy froze when he caught sight of his dad on the sofa. The man’s face was unreadable to Billy, which was never a good sign. His lips were pursed tightly and he was stiff where he sat. “How’s it going, kiddo?” he asked evenly. 

“She wants to see my room,” Billy kicked at the carpet nervously and didn’t look at his dad. “Sir,” he added quickly. 

Neil froze, silent for a moment. “That’s fine,” he replied curtly, standing with his half-finished plate. “I’ll start cleaning up the kitchen.” Billy nodded, swallowing thickly before leading Gabby down the hallway to his room. 

“What is this, Billy?” Gabby asked as they approached his room, reaching for the lock up toward the top of the door. The outside of the door. 

“It keeps the monsters out,” Billy told her. “Dad locks it at night when I go to bed. Or if he’s not going to be home to watch me.” 

Oh no. He definitely shouldn’t have said that, he realized. Gabby stopped, casting a look to the blonde boy in front of her. “How often does that happen?” 

Billy shrugged, clamping his mouth shut. Oh, his dad was going to kill him. “Billy, honey, you can talk to me,” Gabby promised, kneeling in front of him. Her face was more serious than it had been before. “Does he do that a lot? Leave you here alone?” 

Billy stared back at her, unyielding. But his eyes were wide, and that was enough of an answer for Gabby. “Okay, how about those toys then?” He didn’t have the courage to say he didn’t have any, so instead Billy just walked into his room and stood there, waiting for Gabby to come in and take a look around. 

Gabby realized quickly that Billy wasn’t going to say anything else, but that was fine. She had what she needed, though it would take a few days to get it all together. She looked around the bare bedroom, her heart sinking for the young boy in front of her. She wished nothing more than to be able to scoop him up and take him now, but they had to wait until the judge gave the okay. 

“Alright, Billy, thank you for being so helpful!” she smiled cheerfully at the boy. “I’ll let you and your dad finish your dinner now.” She led him back to the living room and then into the kitchen where Billy could hear Neil cleaning the dishes. 

“Mr. Hargrove, I think we’re all done here. Thank you for being so helpful,” she smiled over Billy’s head, nudging him toward the table. Billy settled himself in front of the cold pasta, trying hard not to pull a face. 

“Thanks for swinging by,” Neil’s voice was tight. “Hey, Billy?” The boy stiffened in his chair, looking to his dad immediately. 

“Yes, sir?” His voice was meek, shaky. 

“Why don’t you walk Miss Gabby to the door, tell her thank you, and I’ll heat your dinner back up for you?” Neil offered, drying his hands on his jeans and heading to the table. Billy looked like a deer caught in headlights as he scrambled off the dining room chair, nodding quickly. 

“Yes, sir,” he repeated before looking up at Gabby. The blonde woman smiled reassuringly and let BIlly lead the way to the front door. 

“Thank you again for being so helpful, Billy. Now, I’m going to give you this,” she explained, handing him a small, rectangular piece of paper. “This has my phone number on it. If you’re ever scared or in danger, you can call me and I’ll come find you, okay?” 

Billy nodded quickly, shoving the paper in his pocket without hardly looking at it. “Thank you,” he mumbled under his breath, and Gabby ruffled his hair before she walked out the door and Billy was able to close it behind her. 

Feeling like his feet were way too heavy, Billy shuffled back into the kitchen, where Neil was pulling a plate of spaghetti out of the microwave. “You better put your ass in that seat and eat this food,” the man ordered, and Billy scrambled to obey. “Who in the hell did you talk to?!” 

The plate slammed down onto the placemat in front of Billy, causing the smaller boy to flinch. “N-nobody!” he insisted tearfully. He shoved a forkful of pasta into his mouth, ignoring the way the sauce burned every inch of his mouth from being too hot. 

“You better hope she doesn’t come back,” Neil huffed as he moved back to clean the kitchen, slamming dishes too hard into the sink. “You won’t like it if she does.”

“Yes, sir,” Billy whispered, blinking tears out of his eyes. He continued to eat his dinner, knowing the faster his plate was clean, the sooner Billy could get out from under his father’s burning glare. 

When Billy finally made his way to the bathroom to shower that night, Billy pulled the piece of paper Gabby had given him out of his pocket, staring at it for a minute. He knew if his dad found it, he’d be in way more trouble, so Billy ripped it up into little tiny pieces, flushing it down the toilet. 

And it was a good thing he did, too. Because as soon as Billy came out of the bathroom, Neil was grabbing Billy’s dirty clothes from his arms, searching the pockets for anything he could find. The searched clothes were tossed to the floor, and Neil growled, “Pick ‘em up. Get in bed.” 

It was too early for bed, Billy wanted to argue. He still had math homework! But before he could open his mouth, a smack to the shoulder sent pain radiating through Billy’s body. “Boy, I told you to do something!” 

“Yes, sir,” Billy whispered, scrambling to pick up his jeans before running into his room. Neil followed after him, lecturing about respect and responsibility, while Billy tried to dodge his father’s swinging hands unsuccessfully. 

By the time Neil left Billy’s bedroom, Billy was crying. His torso and thighs were pounding where his dad had hit him, and the threats Neil had given him echoed in Billy’s mind as he laid himself down in his bed. “If that woman shows up here again because of something you said, you’re not gonna be able to talk for a week.” 

For a woman whose job was to make kids in Hawkins safe, her showing up really didn’t help Billy feel safe. He hoped he never had to see her again. 

[idiotcurls]

Attention!!

I have uploaded the first chapter of the Rockstar Eddie + Student Steve AU to AO3. It's called "The Fleetwood Café"

Summary: Steve's favourite place to study, is a small Café in Chicago. He likes the staff, he likes the coffee, he likes the ambiente. The only thing he doesn't like, are bands playing at the venue. They are usually noisy and Steve needs quiet. On that particular friday, he is especially cross. Why you ask? Because of Eddie Munson. When the lead singer ventures into the café area, to steal some napkins, he accindentally tips over a glass of water with his guitar case. Of course, the spilt water lands on Steve Harrington's laptop and he about mc fucking had it. He hates the guy. A coincidence, or fate for all we know, brings them back together in a different setting. Steve learns, that his preconceived notions are sometimes wrong. Eddie learns, that ex-Jocks can be nice people too.

Or, the one where Steve is studying to become a teacher, Eddie and his band are trying to get on the big stages. They meet in the worst way possible. But Steve slowly falls in love with Eddie and his musical talent and he understands, that the yearning Eddie's music evoces in him, is something he has to deal with.

[steddierecs]

Teach me how to fight, I'll show you how to win by charlies_ginger

Word count: 3,757 (complete) / 1/1 Rating: T

Relationships: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson

Characters: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson

Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Female Steve Harrington, Alternate Universe - Always a Different Sex, Famous Eddie Munson, Crack Treated Seriously, do i tag this as m/m or f/m i honestly don't know, BAMF Steve Harrington, Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Implied Sexual Content, no actual smut stevie's just horny, Firefighter Steve Harrington, taking the patriarchy out back and shooting it in the head, guy in the summary is NOT eddie, stevie get to verbally eviscerate a rude dudebro as a treat

Summary:

The guy snorts, smiling in a way that makes Stevie's hackles rise, and puts his shoulder on the wall next to her. She wrinkles her nose slightly, sidestepping back a bit. “Right, sure,” he leers. “Please don't tell me you're one of those fake hot girl fans. Like no offense honey, but you do not look like someone that listens to Corroded Coffin seriously.”

“Excuse me?” Stevie retorts warily, lifting her gaze from where she's been trying to subtly convey she's not interested in the conversation by keeping her attention locked to her phone. The alarm bells are starting to ring in her head at the guy's tone, and the smirking condescending look in his eyes. It makes her skin crawl, especially considering he's still very obviously looking at her tits.

[groovinbilly]

the one where billy and eddie are besties and chrissy thinks she's a cunning girl (harringrove)

“Are you gonna be an asshole about it?” Steve crosses his arms and looks wary of Billy. And in all fairness, Billy can't pass up the opportunity to antagonize Steve. It's in his nature. But he's learning to not cross the line. Not with Steve.

Eddie is doing a terrible job of pretending to mind his own business. But he can see him shaking his head, amused. Billy wants to throw him off the bench and run away with his goodies box.

“Don’t get your panties in a twist, princess” he says amid smokes. He is about to get up and take with him Billy's chance to keep staring at his stupid pretty face. Jesus. "I have said nothing"

"Yeah, well, we all know you're not exactly the embodiment of kindness" Steve says. Billy makes an exaggerated face of apparent offense. Eddie snorts, throwing away his intention of feigning disinterest.

“Alright, Stevie. I’m not gonna be an asshole, cross my heart” he says with unusual seriousness. Steve is growing out his hair, strands falling over his eyes. But Billy can see Steve looking at him, almost sheepishly. Steve is not a shy person. "What do you want, tiger?"

Steve runs his fingers through his hair and after a pause that has Billy captivated by Steve's hair's ability to take on different shapes, he blurts "I hear that you have a small business running here."

“You mean, Munson?" Billy asks, pointing to his friend. Eddie is leaning against the table with one hand to his cheek, and his gaze darts from Billy to Steve as if he's watching an interesting tennis match. The idiot.

“No, no” Steve says quickly. “I don’t mean that” He shoots a quick glance at Eddie who points to the pot box. Billy frowns, looking around him. The old table in the clearing behind the school is where you get the finest weed you can pay for. Billy is just a new addition to Eddie's makeshift office.

Steve clears his throat a bit and gives him an expectant look. "The other business," he says moving his hand. As if that meant anything to Billy.

“I don't follow” Billy drops his cigarette to the floor and looks back at him, confused.

“Me neither,” Eddie quips, but no one pays attention to him.

"Jeez" says Steve exasperated "You're gonna make me say it"

"Say what?" Billy wants to shake him up so he can stop beating around the bush. As he prepares to light another cigarette, Steve abruptly opens his backpack.

A crumpled sheet of paper with almost illegible handwriting appears in front of him. "What’s this?”

Steve gives him an unimpressed look. “My essay for English”

"OK? Good for you?” Billy puts the cig pack back and examines the sheet.

“Funny” Steve crosses his arms again and reluctantly says “Chrissy told me you could write me an essay for a few bucks.”

“Wh-” Eddie's coughing fit interrupts Billy, he's choking on his own saliva. Billy feels his ears burn as he slaps his friend's back a bit too harshly. "Chrissy told you that?" Billy squawks.

"Yeah" says Steve looking at the scene, doubtful. "She said you helped her a lot with her essays and her grades. She even told me you sometimes tutor."

The more Steve says, the more Eddie chokes. Billy's whole face is burning. Fucking Chrissy.

"Is there something wrong?" Steve looks lost, and Billy wishes Cunningham had given him a heads up. She can't just throw these curves at him without a warning.

“Oh, Chrissy girl,” Eddie says in awe, gathering up his things once the choking hazard has passed. "See ya, lovebirds" he says before vanishing into the paths leading back to the school before Billy could throw a rock at him.

"What was that?" when Billy doesn't respond immediately, his expression falls. “Okay, I get it,” and ripping the essay from Billy's fingers, he gets up to leave. Again.

Billy has two seconds to react and take the sheet from Steve. "Calm down a bit," he says before Steve can respond. Even though he can't read a damn thing, he examines the page. “Sometimes I do favors for Chrissy, you know, as a friend,” he says nonchalantly, turning the page to see more of Steve's cramped small handwriting.

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

"I'll pay you." Steve says resolutely as if Billy needs more encouragement. "Money is not an issue, really." Steve still thinks he needs to convince Billy. Sometimes the kid can be clueless, Eddie had told him.

Billy assumes a business-like posture and laces his fingers. "Deadline?"

"Friday, second period,"

"That's close" being Wednesday afternoon. As far as he could read, Steve has attempted to write about basketball and the fear of public speaking. With no apparent connection. "What's the topic?"

"Uh, clearly how sports can help you overcome anxiety," he says, pointing to his essay. Billy nods. Right. He looks at his watch and figures that the library is closing for today, but tomorrow he has 1 hour before picking up Max. Enough to put together a draft. He can do the rest at home.

"Alright" he says putting the sheet in his backpack. Steve looks at him expectantly. "What"

"Are you able to, uh, can you at least get me a B+?" says sheepish. Billy can get him an A+ if that's what he wants. "I need to step up my game, but it has to be realistic."

“You got it. Not too clean, right?" Steve relaxes his posture and laughs. Billy is star-struck for a moment.

“Right.”

The sky has darkened, and the breeze has gotten colder. The noise coming from the school has subsided and Billy has to find Max.

"Well, I'm off then," says Steve, as if they hadn't spent the last few minutes staring stupidly into each other's faces in silence. Billy coughs and tells me too.

Steve is the first to leave, but stops when he reaches the line that separates the clearing from the rest of the forest. "Uh, if you can, maybe, you know." Steve is moving his hands again. Billy waits patiently. “If you have the time, can you help me with other subjects? You know, tutoring?” Billy says nothing for a while, and when Steve frowns, Billy forces himself to speak.

"Uh, sure, man," he hangs up his backpack and walks over to Steve. “Just say the time”

They both walk in silence to the parking lot. It's uncomfortable but bearable. After all, Steve and Billy aren't exactly friends. Not to mention that Billy has the fattest crush in history since he entered Hawkins High. Too bad King Steve doesn't play for his team.

Chrissy Cunningham has no business making him hopeful.

“See ya” Steve says with a pat on his back as he reaches for his Beemer. Billy nods and walks briskly over to his Camaro with a pounding heart. He is truly fucked.

Later, when Billy puts on his glasses to decipher Steve's hieroglyphs, this is his reaction: