#onionchiver

[azrielgreen]

The Way It Shouldn't Be - Final Part

They're playing a song Eddie would hate and everyone's paired up and pretending like they got ANY of Tommy's liquor, dancing wildly and laughing loud but not loud enough to drown out the song Eddie would hate.

Steve's on the fringes, watching.

Has his own alcohol, got a never ending supply from his Dad's office. He thinks of the massive blowout party he and Tommy and the boys always planned for. Post Prom Insanity: partying for two maybe three days and then taking a roadtrip together, see other places, go on adventures.

Tommy's engaged to Carol, who's pregnant and no one's meant to know but of course everyone does. He's gonna work for his Dad, the thing he always said he never wanted to do. Everyone else, Steve wouldn't piss on them if they were on fire so yeah, no party.

No road trip.

No Eddie.

But Steve's there; hired the tux and everything, so why fuckin' not?

He drinks and imagines fucking Eddie somewhere on campus, the music playing while they kiss. He imagines a lot of shit that's not ever gonna happen because good things don't last.

They're not made to last.

It's not the way things are.

Whatever.

Stupid Enola Gay comes on and Steve tries not get all caught up in the melody, the way the minor keys fuck him up.

Eddie's not coming.

He knows because he swung by Eddie's trailer earlier, met Wayne.

The older man was kind, but really clear when he said Eddie was staying with friends for a few days.

Steve is sulking.

Kind of spoiling for a fight.

First dick he sees harassing a girl is gonna eat it, simple as that.

God, he feels like a chaperone.

Like he's a thousand years old.

Cannot wait to get home, cry and jerk off before he falls asleep. Wonderful plans. Stellar.

'Fuck you,' he mutters, takes another slug. Enola Gay always moves him.

He gives up when the song ends, what's the literal point of staying when the best song is already gone.

He's sulky, moody and still heartbroken.

Still in love.

It's not how it should be.

He knows that.

But it's how it fucking is.

He's leaving, he decides.

He feels ruthlessly good about it when someone grabs his hand and yanks him with knowing roughness.

'Dumping out, Harrington?'

He whirls, blinks.

Is a little drunk but like... not enough for this.

'Eddie?'

He looks...

Oh my god he's kind of dressed up.

For Eddie, he's dressed up, meaning he looks way more Devil Worshipper than usual. Hair all roughed up and wavy, eyeliner, all black, laced untied and that godforsaken Dio cut off he adores.

He's got a silver earring in; a dangly rose. It's undoubtedly something a girl would wear, all sparkly.

'Oh my god,' Steve mutters, dazed.

Then he shakes himself and smacks Eddie around the face.

'OK, ow.'

'You fucker! You don't call me for weeks and now you just rock up here, looking stupidly hot--'

'Aww thanks, babe.'

'--like no time has passed and nothing happened!'

Eddie sighs, glances around.

'People are staring.'

'I don't care!'

'You're drunk!'

'Well, you're an idiot!'

'Well, I love you.'

'Well, I love YOU-wait, no. What?'

Eddie rolls his eyes, pulls Steve close.

'I want us too.' Then he lets out a shaky sigh, strokes Steve's face. 'Christ, everyone is literally staring but i--'

Steve kisses him.

The world jumps the tracks.

The song skips.

Nothing will ever be the same.

It's the best fucking kiss of his life.

'I wanna fuck you.'

'Right here?' Eddie's kissing him back, its delightful, fucking gorgeius. 'Man, you really are a kinky fucker, but I've actually for a surprise for you?'

'You're not gonna sing to me, right?'

'Have a little faith in me, Harrington.'

'Does it get us the fuck out of here?'

Eddie grins, grabs his hand again.

*

'So, what do you think?'

Steve can't think. His brain is all mushy.

'Um.'

'You don't like it.'

'Eddie,' he says with soft astonishment. 'You didn't have to do this.'

The van is big, spacious. Steve's been in it before when it was not spacious, at all. Eddie has cleared the back completely but more than that, he's got supplies inside. Bedrolls, pillows, knives (of course) as well as cases of bottled water, canned good, tools, a compass and a map.

'I heard good things about Chicago.'

'From who?'

'A lady trying to sell me tickets to Chicago, but look.' Eddie sighs, wraps his arms around Steve's middle from behind. 'I just wanna try. I wanna be with you and not be scared to lose out. I can't run, don't wanna do that.' He kisses his neck. 'I'm in if you are.'

'We could go anywhere?'

'Anywhere.'

'What if you hate me after a week?'

'That's why god invented hatefucking.'

'What if we get lost?'

Eddie's lips are warm against his skin. 'Sounds fun.'

'What if--?'

'Gonna save you some time, Harrington, there's a million reasons not to do something, OK? We don't have to, but I saw the maps on your wall. I know you want to blast outta this town and so do I. I love you, Steve. I'm being brave. You wanna be brave too?'

Steve leans his head back, looks up at the stars. He can hear the music from inside, muffled but still undeniable. Eddie's all around him, they're swaying a little.

He closes his eyes, smiles.

'Dance with me first?'

~ the end.

💕💕💕

[tink27]

I'm still in love with this ship but i feel like I've hit such a brick wall with fics lately, anyone read any good Steddie fics recently?? i dont care how long they are as long as they're completed :)))))

[sombersynth]

STEDDIE FANFICTION REC MASTERPOST PT. 7

Both the Sweet and the Bitter by GibbousLunation, 60.6k, explicit He’d thought it was sort of an insane idea, freshly twenty one and just out of an apocalypse that had very nearly ripped Hawkins clean out of the earth, sprawled across Robin’s lap on their shitty hand me down couch. ‘What if I just like, became a teacher,’ he’d said, apropos of nothing and all in one breath.

Touched by Onionchiver, 154 k, explicit Eddie’s expression creases, fractures. ‘I don’t know why I told you that.’ ‘I’m glad you did,’ Steve offers, nought but truth to give when he’s all bloody in the bathtub. ‘And I’m—I’m glad you’re here.’ On the back of a trembling exhale, Eddie asks, ‘What the fuck is happening?’ ‘I’m sorry.’ ‘Not your fault, all right? It’s—it’s OK.’ Eddie smiles, has to force it. ‘Whatever it is, we’re OK.’ Steve nods eagerly, feels like he can trust it when Eddie says it, even though he knows he’s lying to himself. ‘Yeah.’ 'Let's get you clean.'

Won’t Be the Same, Dear, if You’re Not Here With Me by Judasofsuburbia, 9k, teens+ Steve doesn’t want to ask this. He knows this is just a dream (or an upcoming nightmare). Something that’s made to feel real but isn’t. Still, he asks, “Are you actually alive?” Eddie glances up at him. His big, brown eyes are shimmering with naive, joyful hope. “You tell me, big boy.” or: five times steve harrington dreams of eddie munson and the one time reality feels like a dream.

Talking The Talk (The Insidious Implications of Decorative Handcuffs) by Onionchiver, 7 k, explicit Eddie’s in trouble. The problem is, his way out of trouble is usually to front some more, swagger harder, lay the charm on real thick. None of these are deterrents to Steve Harrington. The deeper he digs, the more Steve tells him he likes dirt. Or, Eddie Munson talks a big talk but actually knows nothing about BDSM, has never had sex, never even been kissed. Maybe he should have told Steve that.

Catch Me if You Can by Suddenlysapphire, 8k, explicit Steve Harrington, college swimmer and semi-oblivious romantic, falls into bed with Eddie Munson, college cross country runner with fast feet.

Took You for a Working Boy by Pukner, 43.8 k, mature Eddie comes out to Steve, and Steve's heartbroken about it for some reason. Eddie thinks Steve's dating Robin. Everyone else thinks Steve and Eddie have been dating this whole time. Robin doesn't get paid enough for this shit. Also, Hawkins has been cracked open like a badly-baked cake, and everyone's settled into the most mundane apocalypse possible. Eddie Munson starts a radio programme about it. Meanwhile, Steve gets his nails painted, and outsources a crisis he isn't having.

Love Dirty Men Alike Wrenowitch, 69.9 k, explicit 2004, Chicago. Steve Harrington finds himself as a sous chef for one Eddie Munson at the coveted Hellfire Grill. Turns out, gay clubs, kitchen culture, and a penchant for aggressive men gives Steve an opportunity for more than he could have hoped for.

Holy Water Cannot Help You Now by Onionchiver, 4.7 k, explicit Read You're Divine first! It’s a little fucking unsettling that the second he’s out of the car and the house is in view, he’s hearing noises. The full moon lights his way, pale light that leaves him feeling exposed, seen. Steve’s car, the Beemer, is parked up on the drive along with someone else’s wheels, a pickup. The sounds get slightly louder the nearer he gets. Tommy is hyper aware of his own blood rushing through his veins, a mild edge of hysteria that this cannot possibly be anything like what his folks warned. There’s just no fucking way.

It Always Leads to You and My Hometown by Judasofsuburbia, 27.3 k, explicit This is where it should have ended. They would shake it off with some laughs and jokes about how desperate they were. They’d say “No wonder we can’t get anyone! These moves are god awful!” Steve would drive him home and they would see each other again at a movie night or maybe New Year at the Wheeler’s. They’d share the same platonic smiles and banter as they have since spring break. It didn’t end there.

Shake This World off My Shoulders by Judasofsuburbia, 6.6 k, explicit "I-I was worried about them too.” “I know you were,” Eddie says. “I just wanna know what got you all worked up?” “Your‒your um,” Steve stammers. Eddie uses his other hand to lift Steve’s chin up with two fingers. “My what? Gotta speak up for me, sugar.” “Your accent,” Steve blurts out. Eddie tilts his head to the side and furrows his brows. “My…accent?” Suddenly, the confusion is gone from his face as his lips stretch back into a smirk. “You like it when I talk all country?” Or: eddie's southern accent comes out when he's stressed, angry, or drunk and steve’s horny brain loves to kickstart at the absolute worst moments.

I’d Like to Return Some Tapes by L3gitD3ntist, 2.7 k, explicit “I might have missed you.” The confession left Steve before he thought to stop it. His weight shifted forwards as he guided Eddie’s hand back to the counter and hid it out of view under the shadow of his chest so he could play with his bracelet and fingers. “Not as much as I missed you.” Eddie quipped back with a challenging grin. Steve raised a single thick brow, twirling a ring around Eddie’s finger and feeling the metal forged design shift beneath his touch. “Is that so, Munson? Got any evidence to back that up with?” The expression on Eddie’s face changed like the wind. Boyish and light hearted now dark and enticing. Steve knew before he spoke that he had just taken the bait - hook, line and the whole damn sinker.

[eddywoww]

Do you read Steddie fics or just write them? If so, any you absolutely deem as must reads?

I mainly just write. I’m of course a big onionchiver fan but who isn’t? All my love to You’re Devine

[milf-harrington]

Is there a fic that’s just stuck with you? Like, you finished reading it and it’s forever on your brain?

there's a lot actually, bc my brain tends to relate things to other things uve experiencednso i often think "oh this reminds me of-" or "this is just like-"

but some fics from the top of my head are:

You're Divine + We Should Just Kiss by onionchiver. (@azrielgreen), the best part of you standing in the door way is that it's you, the art of burning by @hella1975, anatomy of a fall (this was a frerard fic i read when i was like. 15 and it just. stuck with me so hard), a little human contact aaannndddd paradise by the dashboard light

there's definitely more but these are the only ones i can remember rn

[lady-lostmind]

Hiii! I saw the post on you making a paper copy of “you’re divine” by onionchiver and was wondering how you did it?

So, Az is amazing and has a pdf file available to download here.

I brought that into Word and added a few things like, the review page and table of contents and such. Then I followed this video to get the formatting right to print it (including some page settings in word to make sure they were the right size.)

Then I followed this video to bind the pages together, and this video to make the cover.

I made my own cover art for mine, but Az has some really great options available to download for that as well!

It was a super fun project. I highly recommend giving it a shot. It seems like a lot up front but was honestly not too bad, at all. I'm definitely planning on doing some more binds soon.

Supplies I used:

Book binding kit

Book corners

Chipboard

Heatbond

Adobe Reader (to print pages correctly)

The rest of the stuff I used were things I already had like the fabric and some iron-on vinyl. And for the dust cover I printed on 19in long paper.

[thorniest-rose]

Omega steve is everything I’m so excited onionchiver is writing it !! Have you read primal by fluffychicken? It’s not finished yet but the premise is so good. Eddie chases omega Steve through the woods✨

I know, I'm so excited!!! I started reading the first chapter tonight but I'm trying to savour it slowly. I love being blessed with such long chapters. And I haven't read that other fic but I'll have a look tomorrow! I love omega Steve, he's my most precious baby doll. Did you read that pregnant omega Steve fic I recc'd the other day? That's so good too!! Ugh I would love to write an a/b/o Steddie if I got the chance but I have so much other stuff I'm in the middle of writing!!

[azrielgreen]

The Way It Shouldn't Be - Part Four

They're frozen in idiotic repose.

Muscles weak, the slow ebb of pleasure still not gone, it lingers in their blood and their skin and all the hollow places that pleasure is wont to pool, puddle-like and lovely.

And the person knocks again.

'Um,' Steve says intelligently, brain short circuiting. 'Uhhh...'

Eddie snaps out of it first, he twists and manoeuvres and then hides himself down in the footwell of the back. 'Get your shirt on and open the window a crack.'

Steve's laissez-faire attitude mostly comes from the semi-certainty that he's dreaming.

'I should--what?'

Eddie grunts. 'I'll hide. You... answer. '

'Mr Harrington,' comes the voice of what Steve thinks is the reception lady, Mrs Harper. 'You and your friend are missing class.'

It's the worst possible time to get the giggles.

Steve pulls his t-shirt in, pants too when he finds them except they're not his, they're Eddie's.

'Y-yeah, I'm coming.'

He's got his come all over himself.

It shouldn't be funny.

'You're a psychopath,' Eddie informs him, still trying to hide. 'Get in the front seat and act cool!'

Steve gets there, breathless with laughter that feels like fingers pressing on his ribs, seeking the in between spaces to make chemical humour and hysteria.

He tries to bite it down as he cracks the window the very bare minimum.

Mrs. Harper looks unimpressed.

'Lunch ended half an hour ago.'

'I'm... very sick,' he tells her, affecting a grimace. 'Yeah, lunch did not agree with me. I threw up and then came here to... feel bad. Alone. In my car.'

She cocks a brow.

'Alone.'

'D-definitely.'

*

Eddie's mad at him.

He's not speaking to Steve.

Well, OK, maybe Steve is letting his imagination run riot there. It's been like a day. No one knows (they think) and they parted ways after Harper wandered off.

Eddie hasn't come by.

Steve is... well, he's spiralling a little.

Thinks he fucked up when he said he loved Eddie.

Eddie didn't say it back.

Steve gets drunk.

He's good at it.

Sits by his pool, drinks and smokes and sulks. He's fantastic at that.

And that's where Eddie finds him.

'Do you know how stupid it is to drink near a pool?'

Steve flinches, looks up.

'Eddie.'

Eddie kicks off his boots and socks, sits beside Steve and dips his feet in the water.

'One and only.' He plucks the cigarette from Steve's fingers, takes a drag. 'Are you moping?'

'I'm sulking and no of course not! This is my house and my pool, I can do whatever I want!'

Eddie looks at him. 'Much as I can't believe I'm about to say this, we need to talk.'

Steve looks down, eyes stinging.

He doesn't want this.

Knows what those words mean.

He's fucked up, laid himself bare, put Eddie in an awkward position. He messed up and here comes the punishment.

'I'm not good for you.'

Steve blinks, his tears drop into the pool and then he looks over. 'Huh?'

'I'm not good for you,' Eddie repeats calmly. 'I'll derail your whole life. I. I kinda already have.'

'No you haven't.'

Eddie shoots him a look.

'OK, maybe you have but like, in the best way. I don't want life on the tracks or whatever. I like this, with you. I love you, Eddie.'

'Steve, you're drunk.'

'And I still love you. Look, if you came here to end it, that's fine.' It's so not fine. 'But don't make out like it's the best thing for me or whatever. Don't do that. I want you. I want us. If you don't, you gotta say it.'

Eddie's quiet for a beat. The chlorinated water ripples. The cicadas sing.

'I want it too. I want us.'

Steve waits, then asks, '...but?'

'I think,' Eddie says slowly, choosing his words. 'I'm scared to have you for my own. To believe that I get to have you this way.'

'Scared of what?'

'Scared of losing it. Losing you.'

Steve touches his face, clumsy affection of three fingers while the sun sets and the sky darkens.

'You can't lose me.'

Eddie swallows, stares ahead. 'I've lost people before. It's. It's hard for me to have something that's mine.'

'I wanna be yours,' Steve whispers, throat so full it's swollen with all the things he feels as they cram for freedom. 'I want to go to prom with you.'

'We can't. You know we can't.'

'Then I wanna dance with you here and fuck you here and love you here too. I want to be where you are and nowhere else.'

Eddie looks back and Steve, gaze softening. 'You're definitely drunk.'

Steve holds his gaze. 'I love you. I don't love many people but I love you, Eddie. That won't change.'

'It might.'

He takes the last of the cigarette back.

'Then I guess you have to decide if I'm worth the risk.'

It's a long time before Eddie gets up, walks away and leaves.

Steve waits to hear the door click shut before he lets the tears spill.

*

Final part next week.

[azrielgreen]

✨️🕸My STEDDIE BIG BANG fic!🕸✨️

[azrielgreen]

Touched 🦇CH8🦇 Preview

Steve’s shoulder hurts, his arm is tingling and painful but it’s much better, so much better in fact he literally couldn’t care less about it.

All he cares about is…

‘Eddie,’ he groans pathetically, trying to get into Eddie’s lap, needs kisses, needs love, needs that aching cavern inside to be filled until he thinks it’ll split him in half, he needs everything. ‘Alpha.’

‘Oh my god, are you fucking serious?’ Nancy hisses, trying to pull Steve away. ‘This is not the time!’

‘Is it the Thing?’ Jonathan asks in a low whisper.

Eddie grunts with the effort of dodging Steve’s kisses, in the end has to flip Steve around and imprison him in a wall of muscle, wrap him in tight arms with Steve’s back against Eddie’s chest.

‘Stop it, you have to be quiet.’

Steve can’t, he’s writhing with it. Doesn’t know if it’s the adrenaline, or the pain or what, but he’s… he feels like he is mid heat and Jesus Christ, he doesn’t care who sees it, but he’s gonna have to beg Eddie to fuck him right here, on the dead soil of this dead world.

‘Can’t,’ he whines, scrabbling for freedom. ‘Eddie, can’t control it. Use the voice, please.’

Eddie doesn’t hear him though and Steve’s facing away, so he dips into the bond, finds it scalding hot to the touch and fever-bright.

Use the voice to calm me down, please.

I can’t do that.

If you don’t I’m gonna lose it and get us killed. Use it carefully, I know you can. I love you. Please.

When he opens his eyes, he’s wet between the legs, he’s throbbing and desperate, his blood thick with itch and his body screaming to be filled, fucked, bred.

Eddie’s cheek is against Steve’s, holding him from behind when he drops his voice to that rope burn baritone, and says, ‘Be calm and quiet for me, Omega. Slow, deep breaths. Calm. Relaxed. You’re OK. Just for a few minutes then it’ll pass.’

Steve feels like someone cut his strings.

His whole body sags, his brain drops into bliss and he exhales a breathy sigh, feels so much better.

Everything’s fine.

He just has to breathe.

‘That’s it,’ Eddie says, kissing him, holding him tight and his voice cracks beneath the weight of a guilt that Steve doesn’t understand because everything is fine, it’s OK, it’s perfect. ‘That’s it, so good for me.’

‘Fucking hell,’ Jonathan utters, but it’s not about Steve. Everyone is looking up at the shadow passing overhead.

Everyone except Steve, who just needs to breathe.

‘What the fuck are they?’ Jason whispers.

‘Never seen those before,’ Hopper states grimly. 

‘They’re like bats.’

‘Owens said everything has a hive mind, so let’s make sure to stay out of sight.’

Eddie muses, ‘Like the Crebain?’

‘What the hell is a Crebain?’

‘He still can’t hear you,’ Chrissy reminds Nancy.

‘I can hear you through Steve,’ Eddie points out, sounds deeply unhappy about it though. ‘When he’s like this… he’s mindless. There’s no interference. I can hear through him.’

‘My god,’ Robin mutters.

Hopper turns to watch the last of them fly on. ‘They’re passing by.’

Steve is so relaxed.

So calm.

He could nap.

‘You’re doing so great, Little Fox,’ Eddie tells him, kissing his neck. ‘Just a few more seconds and then you’ll be back to normal.’

‘Are you controlling him?’ Jason demands.

‘Stay the fuck out of it, Carver.’

‘That’s gross, that’s like mind control.’

‘You don’t know shit, so shut your mouth!’

‘Guess you really are a monster.’

‘Hey,’ Hopper warns sharply. ‘Enough. Carver, don’t make me regret bringing you. Munson, sack up, I mean it. No bullshit in here, it’s too dangerous.’

Steve feels like he’s waking up, even with his eyes open. He can hear other sounds, he’s noticing things. It comes in a massive rush of pure overwhelm.

And the death right with it.

The smile in the dark.

The dead eyes.

I see you. I taste you. I know you, Steven James Harrington. I will find you.

[azrielgreen]

A small Touched CH9 preview!🥰💜💞✨️

[azrielgreen]

TOUCHED - Chapter Six Opener (be warned for heavy angst)

April 24th 1986

He’s marked for death.

Has it inside him.

He’s carrying it as far from the others as he can.

And it makes him heavy, like he’s got all the water of the world in the hollow of his bones; staggering beneath the weight, he has to wrap his arms around his middle and do everything he can to stay upright because once he goes down, he’s not getting back up again.

It’s dark and it’s late but the moon above is full, she’s rounded and bright and she alone shows him the way because it’s been a very long time since he came here.

The path is treacherous, every step causes pain and the death inside is slowly eating him from the inside out, determined to get free.

He won’t let it.

Eddie Munson is going to save the world.

Save everybody he loves.

He’s going to save Steve.

The incline looms and he wants to cry because it’s too steep, it’s massive and dangerous. On a good day, when he wasn’t riddled with death come calling, he’d scale it easily. He’s the Alpha, after all.

The strong one.

The protector.

But right now, the pain is such that it shortens his breath, lungs not daring to fully expand, skin tight, muscles locked. He can’t think straight, he can’t do anything but go where his instincts tell him, with only the moon and his natural sense of direction to guide him.

The first time he slips, he falls hard. Rolls all the way back down where he started and tears his fingertips trying to hold on. He can’t do it like this, he fucking can’t.

Oh god.

Eddie grits his teeth, blinks hot tears from his eyes and swallows the urge to scream as he slowly unwraps his arms from around his middle.

The fucking thing inside him leaps at the opportunity, clawing for freedom from the inside. Scratching and biting, Eddie fails to contain the symphony of his agony and screams as loud as he can, screams so hard he’d be hoarse for days if only he was going to live to see another sunrise, which he won’t.

There’s no way, either way.

He climbs as quickly as he can, legs trembling, muscles searing into his bones like they’re welded there. Every exertion feels like single use, final use. The last time he’ll climb, the last time he’ll jump, the last time he’ll land so hard he gets winded.

Experiences he took for granted.

Oh god, he took so much for granted.

The pain of landing from the small jump to level ground has him on his knees, nausea rolling through him as the thing claws and bites and tries to eat its way free.

Eddie wraps his arms around his middle again, eyes tight shut. The trees above are thick, incredibly dense and even though the moon is bright, so lovely and full tonight, there’s barely any of her light here in this place.

He looks up, blinks hard to see.

The lightning tree.

He’s here, he made it.

The place where all things come to die.

And Eddie doesn’t really know why he chose this place. He knows and he doesn’t. His Alpha knows it. The wild wolf inside him wants to be alone when they die, to spare their love the pain of simultaneous loss, to prevent their mate from taking this evil and sacrificing himself.

Eddie knows that’s exactly what Steve would do.

He’d take it, trap it and kill it by killing himself.

And there’s no fucking way he’s letting that happen.

Eddie crawls over the earth, one arm around his middle, feels like he’s being slowly cut in half. His heel presses into the ground; mulch, leaves and dirt. He thinks of Steve that night in the snow, how he’d buried his hand, unconsciously seeking the source.

Eddie sobs weakly, presses the heel of his palm there now and utters, ‘Look after him for me,’ to the mother.

The dead tree looms.

Even now he remembers the angry bumblebee sound that struck joy in his heart. So many years ago and he never saw another snake like that in Indiana.

The death almost has him.

It’s gnawing, ripping, devouring him to get out.

Free from the meat and bone cage.

Probably the dumbest fucking thing he ever did.

Maybe the bravest, too.

He reaches the tree, panting and gasping, spit running from his parted lips in a thick line. He’s juddering, not trembling and the agony now has surpassed his ability to process it. He remembers reading about animals in the jaws of a predator, how their body shut down, how their nervous system released dopamine so they wouldn’t be afraid. So they would accept it.

Eddie can accept death if it means saving his pack, his mate, his love.

He can be the fucking hero for once.

Back against the tree, he reaches into his jacket for what he stowed there hours before, what he stole from Nancy.

It’s a revolver, six bullets.

And it’s small, but it feels heavy.

Eddie tries not to think of how it’ll be for Steve to find him. For anyone to find him, but especially Steve and it will be Steve who finds him, he knows.

Cruellest of fucking ironies.

But he can’t let this loose.

And it’s still tied to him, to his life force.

Umbilical cord of grotesque violation, he’ll use it against the fucking thing. If I’m going down, you’re going down with me.

Eddie looks up at the sky.

The moon is so lovely.

It’s a Pink Moon, Chrissy had told them yesterday.

Steve is obsessed with the moon. It makes Eddie smile, even now, to think of all the nights they spent outside together, wrapped up warm, cuddling on the porch swing, just watching her.

Nights in the woods, following her light.

‘You watch over him for me,’ Eddie tells her, draws back the hammer on the gun. He hopes it’s quick, he hopes it doesn’t hurt. He hopes Steve forgives him one day. ‘Tell him I n-never loved anything the way I love him.’

There’s a thud, then a crash co-mingled with a punched out exhalation of voice and Eddie goes still, instincts flaring to life. The thing inside blinks, feeling around, daring to touch the bond it seeks to corrupt.

Eddie stares ahead. ‘No. No.’

Steve Harrington rubs his grazed hand on his knee, catches his breath and then looks at Eddie.

Suddenly the trees don’t seem so thick anymore, the moon’s brighter than ever and all the dark of the night cannot obscure the man Eddie loves in blinding, beautiful detail.

Steve is sweaty, he’s breathless and ruddy cheeked. Hair all fucked up, it’s got leaves and shit in it and he absolutely fell a few times, Eddie can just sense it.

With the vile thing inside gone still, contemplating, the bond is almost functioning normally again.

They can feel each other.

Sense, scent, taste, see, seek.

Nowhere on earth I wouldn’t find you.

Always and everywhere.

Eddie should have known.

‘No,’ he says again, doesn’t want to believe it.

Steve’s eyes flare bright gold. It’s the most gorgeous shade of warm, melted metal combined with the final moments of a summer day. Eddie never gets to see Steve’s colour the way he sees everyone else. The faint halo of empathic shade around each human and even some animals, but they do not scent and perceive one another the same way. As Steve cannot scent himself through Eddie (more’s the pity) so Eddie cannot see Steve’s light, though he already knows it would be that colour.

That colour he sees the barest flash of in their dark places, where the bond meets and he can melt into Steve.

‘You motherfucker,’ Steve hisses, voice trembling, hand over his heart. Eddie’s senses let him feel every inch of his failure to keep his mate away. Steve is too fast, too smart and they are too closely intertwined. ‘Give me that right now!’

Eddie shakes his head, swallows bile and puts the gun to his temple, finger on the trigger.

‘Get the fuck out of here, I’m not gonna warn you twice.’

‘Give it to me.’

‘Steve.’

‘Eddie, I’m not fucking around. Give me that gun, you’re out of your mind and you’re not thinking clearly, OK? Give me the gun. GIVE ME THE FUCKING GUN!’

Despite himself, Eddie flinches.

There is no command Steve could make to override his autonomy, bodily or otherwise, but it goes against the very grain of who he is to deny Steve anything.

He rasps, ‘No,’ with what little breath his body can spare. Even sitting is exhausting. The sly death inside grins wide, vicious. It senses the better vessel to emerge from.

The superior body.

‘Fine, walk me through it then,’ Steve says, would-be calm, approaching slowly. ‘You’re gonna kill yourself in front of me rather than let us help?’

Eddie’s vision is faltering. ‘M gonna save the world.’

‘Fuck the world. Put the gun down, I can help, you know I can.’

‘That’s why you can’t get near it, baby,’ Eddie wheezes, lungs tighter than ever. ‘You’re too powerful. It wants you. Wants…’ He screws his eyes tight shut, won’t think about it, won’t even let himself contemplate it. ‘Please go.’

Steve shakes his head and Eddie smells the salt, knows his boy is crying.

‘Where the fuck else would I go? You’re here, so I’m here. Give me the gun. Trust me, please.’

‘If it gets inside you, there’ll be no stopping it.’

‘I won’t let it in.’

‘You won’t even know it’s happening. Stay back,’ Eddie warns, going rigid with anticipation as the thing within grins and hungers. ‘Steve, stay back, I’m not kidding.’ Steve doesn’t listen though, he’s edging closer with every passing second. Eddie’s panic is like a livewire, it’s giving him strength in the moment at a cost he won’t be around to pay for later. ‘Stay back!’

It’s the Alpha baritone.

It’s sound from a place created for the sole purpose of control and it’s the first time Eddie has ever used it without Steve’s express consent.

The command strikes the air, strangles the bond and forces submission into the Omega, who stills instantly.

Steve’s mouth falls open, astonished at the betrayal. ‘You…’

‘I’m sorry,’ Eddie tells him, tries to swallow but his mouth is too thick, it’s all fucked up. ‘Baby, I’m so sorry, but you gotta stay back. Please. This thing wants you more than it wants me, it’ll get inside and eat you alive.’

Both of you.

Steve tries to move forward but he can’t, he can’t.

Like a glass wall has been erected between them, the Alpha did one last good deed, however much the loss of autonomy hurts their Omega.

Eddie’s wolf is bleeding to death, drowning in sorrow for all that they will miss. Mistake after mistake and now, here they are again.

The place where all things come to die.

‘Take it back,’ Steve utters, stricken.

‘I can’t.’ Eddie grunts, sobs thickly when his lungs contract hard enough that he thinks his insides are breaking. ‘You shouldn’t have come here, Little Fox.’

[azrielgreen]

Just out of curiosity, how do you know when you're going to want to stop writing for a fandom? I think it's great that you can set that boundary for yourself and give yourself a much needed break, I think it's really important to knkw when to stop when something is no longer enjoyable, but basically, how did you go about deciding the date? No pressure to answer, just wondering because it is something I tend to struggle with a lot lol 😅

This is the first time I've ever realised that I want to set myself an actual end date and that's genuinely because I am at the point now when i feel like - when all works are complete - I will have told all the stories I wanted to with this pairing. Simultaneously, I am keenly aware of the potential harm extended participation in a fandom of this size and scale can do to me. I have a tendency to push myself extremely hard to make people happy and with a fandom of this scale, I want to look after myself better than i have in the past. 'You're Divine' remains my cautionary tale for pushing myself too hard. I also haven't had a break for over a year now, I've been writing back to back non stop pretty much every day for a year and i am very excited to replenish and recharge and refocus my talent on original creations. These are all very positive things for me.

💜💜💜

[azrielgreen]

My first ✨️🌒by Azriel🌘✨️ fic in the fandom and it's my strange little 'Flowers in the Attic' meets 'Hannibal' story...

🦇✨️Blood, and Other Things✨️🦇

Featuring obsessively devoted vampire Eddie and twisted brat human Steve.

[azrielgreen]

Chapter Ten

[azrielgreen]

"What's my fav Steddie fic I've ever written?" (excluding anything with Billy, I'll do another one for all ST fics) 💜💜💜