#robin buckley’s fear of bats

[morganbritton132]

You probably get this all the time, and I don't know why I only thought about this now, but I'm suddenly fascinated by the idea of a government employee who knows about the Upside Down that has been tasked with keeping an eye on Eddie's TikTok page and just constantly being so frustrated

I never get this but I have thought about it at length!!! Lol.

I just picture one overworked and underpaid agent being tasked with the whole *hand waving* Hawkins Situation.

There used to a time when the Hawkins Project was a coveted position given to the best agents with the highest clearance, but now… Now all the gates to the other world have been closed. There’s been no activity in three decades. Brenner’s dead. The Russians defuncted their projects. The girl – Eleven or Jane, or whatever – hasn’t blown anything up since the nineties.

The Hawkins job is a babysitting job with CIA-level clearance, and it’s just… it was supposed to be a cakewalk but. There’s just… there are so many of them.

And for a while, they were spread all over the country.

One of them is a US Senator now and she called the head of the FBI ‘a bitch’ and ‘a coward’ on a hot mic last week, and maybe.

Maybe for the sake of national security and their own sanity, maybe this agent pulled a few strings and dotted a few more I’s than they’re authorized to just to get Lucas Sinclair, Maxine Mayfield-Sinclair, Dustin Henderson, Nancy Wheeler, and Robin Buckley back in Chicago.

Maybe they did that. There’s no paper trail, but maybe they did.

It’s easier to keep track of a ‘party’ of people if most of them are in the same state.

This Party – as they fondly call themselves – barely qualified as a threat anymore. They are barely a concern at this point. Only a few of them are considered dangerous enough to require anything more than the occasional check-in. Those people being Jane Hopper, James ‘Jim’ Hopper, Nancy Wheeler, Murray Bauman, and – much to this agent’s annoyance – Edward Munson.

Eddie wouldn’t be a cause for concern if he wasn’t so goddamn loud. He is in no way a threat to national security but the CIA doesn’t love when people allude to a defuncted Cold War project that resulted in an inter-dimensional serial killer murdering a bunch of small town high school students.

This agent does not believe that Eddie Munson knows what an NDA is or that he signed one.

It is one thing to write songs about demon bats and hell spilling into small town Americana or to make your album cover resemble the charred remains of Henry Creel’s disfigured body (‘yeah’ the agent thinks, ‘you’re not that slick, Munson’) but it is something else to announce to your millions of TikTok followers that you got rabies in a hell dimension.

This agent does not have enough pull to persuade Congress to outright ban TikTok and actually thinks that a TikTok ban would be an overreach of government control, but damn if it would not have made their life easier. Though they fear that Munson would just go to YouTube and the idea of longer content makes them shiver.

And by the way, this agent expected better from Steven Harrington!

This agent liked Steve! He was one of their favorites!!

Steve didn’t make waves. He lived a quiet life, paid his taxes, and barely had a social media presence. He was an absolute dream to be monitoring until Eddie downloaded that cursed clock app.

Steve was never viewed on the same threat level as Jane Hopper or Murray Bauman, but he was a closely monitored subject due to his long-term injuries and his time spent in the alternate dimension and the Russian bunker under Starcourt Mall. Despite close monitoring, there is no note in his file of any digression until Eddie started shoving Tiktok in his face.

This agent sits in their office at the CIA’s Chicago location.

In the basement, at the end of a long dusty corridor, beneath a buzzing fluorescent light, they get a notification on their computer. It’s from Tiktok, and this agent breathes in slowly. They rub at the forming headache between their brows and names it Eddie Munson.

They click the notification, waits a second for the shitty wifi to bring them to the app, and watches as Steve Harrington says, “Technically we’re time travelers.”

And they sigh.

[loveinhawkins]

Steve doesn’t think anything of it when he says it.

He’s lying on Robin’s bed, squished between a diverse collection of childhood teddy bears. Robin’s sat opposite him up by the headboard, her feet knocking against his knees; she’s massaging Pond’s cream into her elbows, and the room smells of cocoa butter.

Steve breathes in leisurely.

He thinks back to just a few months ago, when he’d first gotten the job at Scoops Ahoy—when he’d found out that his only co-worker was going to be a Robin Buckley: who the hell is she? he’d thought with a familiar carelessness, an echo from his junior year. Before the monsters. Before…

“Hey, Robin,” Steve begins. The words come slowly, like he’s wandering through the thought. “Do you ever think that, like… that it’s kinda crazy, y’know, how we ended up here?”

Robin pauses in her massaging. She gives him a dry look. “This is a pretty standard Sunday evening for me.”

Steve snorts. “Not like that, dickhead.”

Although maybe it is like that actually.

Maybe it’s about how he now watches Murder, She Wrote in the Buckley’s living room without Robin’s parents batting an eye; how they said he could join them for dinner beforehand, and then he kept showing up earlier and earlier to the point where him and Robin just spend the whole day together, and it’s never awkward, there’s no quips or whatever from her dad about them secretly being together; and maybe it feels sorta like a fairytale in the best way; maybe he feels a little like Laurie except he doesn’t want to propose to Jo.

And maybe it’s that the whole thing is just insane: that the entire goddamn trajectory of his life somehow took this wild turn, has made him land here, of all places, and he doesn’t even mean it in an asshole kind of way.

He means…

“Guess I’m just… just thinking. Like, it all kinda worked out, y’know?” Even as he says it, he knows it’s a risk—because they’ve not talked about Starcourt, not really, they’ve just talked around it, but this hardly counts, right? It’s just a joke, it’s just… “Yeah, I, um, got my head knocked around, but, it, uh, it meant I ended up here, so.”

He wants Robin to laugh—or at least, he thinks he does.

She doesn’t. She just goes very still.

He feels something twist in his gut; she’s got this way of looking at him, like he’s accidentally said more than what he thought he did.

“Steve.”

Robin crawls forward, clumsy and urgent. She grabs hold of his wrist. He feels the grease of body lotion as her thumb moves in tiny circles against his skin.

“That didn’t need to happen,” she says so seriously, and for some reason that’s almost the thing that does it, the thing that almost gets him to break on a slow Sunday evening in October, because whenever his stupid brain brings him back to July, to blood and pain and a deep, unimagineable fear, he tries to remember how it felt: how he laughed through it with Robin in a bathroom stall, and it would almost be enough to soothe the sting, that he could endure it, could endure anything so long as he could have this, please just let me have—

“We could’ve had the most boring summer of our lives,” Robin says, with a smile that’s a little sad, a little wistful, but always kind. “And I still would’ve…”

He hears them again, those words he’s been clinging to.

Listen to me, Steve. It's shocked me to my core, but I like you. I really like you.

“It just would’ve taken longer,” Robin finishes. Her eyes dart all over his face, and he suspects that he knows part of what she’s seeing: the ghosts of bruises. “Okay?”

For a moment, Steve can’t speak. “Okay.”

Robin shuffles up next to him, sitting right on top of one of her bears—“You’re squishing him,” Steve points out, to which Robin just snorts—and then she’s hugging him, maybe tighter than he’s ever been hugged before.

He lets his head fall forward and breathes.

They break apart eventually. If there’s a wet patch on her shirt, Robin doesn’t point it out—just says there’s cake for dessert, and she doesn’t move back to her spot, so her elbows are practically always in danger of catching Steve in the ribs.

And God, Steve tries to believe it: that he could have all of this without… That he could’ve always had it.

He tries.

[inkstainedheartbeats]

Two days after they nearly lose their daughter to a fire the Buckley’s open the door to find a woman with curly red hair on their porch step. Claudia Henderson. They’ve heard the rumors, Hawkins does so dearly love them, about why she moved to Hawkins when her child was six. They’ve heard the rumors about rumors. About how her boy is friends with the boy who did but didn’t. They’ve seen her out and about. Mousy. Timid. Flinching when yelling gets too loud and over protective of her boy. For a moment, just a brief one, they think she’s here to blame their hatchling. Their fledgling. Backs straighten, mouths flatten.

“I do hope I didn’t wake Robin, knocking on your door,” is what they get instead. The mousy, timid woman not as noisy and timid as they thought as she manages to smile and talk her way into their home. Robin is still asleep.

“Now I’m sure we’ve heard the fire story.”

They nod. It felt wrong, smelled fishy. Dottie has never been a fan of the government and River saw the damage to the Harrington boy. No falling debris could cause that.

“I don’t know much. Dusty won’t say much and always looks so scared when I ask. But it’s a load of cow manure. Something happened though.”

Claudia talks in a soft low voice, even when agitated and upset. Her hands moving in eclectic patterns. She tells them what she’s seen, what she’s guessed, put together with the Sinclair’s and oddly enough Ted Wheeler.

“Karen is of the opinion we should wait for the children to tell us. She listens in but doesn’t offer anything. It’s sweet really,” she says and they both notice that her cheeks get the same pink tint that Robin’s does when she talks about Tammy or Heather or Vickie or even Chrissy. Dottie raises an eyebrow, River tucks his chin.

They’re interrupted by noises coming from upstairs. A thump like a body hitting the floor. Followed by two sets of running feet. A door opens, closes, a few minutes later the toilet flushes. They wait and listen as two try to become one on the walk back to Robin’s room.

“Steve likes to think he’s sneaky, but his nightmares give him away. He’ll… he’ll probably cycle through houses. Will try not to be seen. Especially now.”

“Now?” River asks because he’s always been nosier than Dottie.

“Him and Hopper.”

There were rumors, some nastier than others.

“Hopper had practically adopted him.”

Dottie makes a pain filled noise. She’d had a different upbringing than River. His grandmother joining the little commune of hippies and nature lovers, those who wanted peace and a greater feeling of unity, than her parents. And the parents that had basically adopted her.

“We shared custody, Hopper and I. So he comes through my front door. He’ll collapse on me and cry. He probably won’t with you. I know he doesn’t with the others.”

It’s not quite what they left behind, what grief caused them to flee. But it’s still a village and Claudia is there to welcome them in.

—/—/—/—/—/—

Later. Not even a year later. They, and the others, stand up in town hall. Call Jason Carver a fear mongering asshole and condemn anyone who believes him. Jason calls them satanist sympathizers. They aren’t quite run out of town but people side eye them. Some of the more religious threaten them.

They’re there when Claudia get the call Dustin and Steve are in the hospital. There to take Steve’s place protecting the Munson boy. Worry deep set on their faces when he faints the moment Dottie takes the nail studded bat from his hands.

They’re there when Steve flatlines twice and Eddie does thrice. They’re there when Wayne Munson gets the Claudia treatment. They’re there because that’s what family, what a village does.

[jadoue1999]

The monsters in the shadows

Part 1 Part 2

Note: Hey guys!! Here is the first part of my fae!Steve and Vampire Eddie story! I had to split it in two parts because of how long the story is but the next part should be posted on Tuesday. I hope you enjoy it!

Summary:

“Hey there, big boy,” he says, trying to coax a reaction out of his prisoner.

“Hi,” simply answers Harrington. There’s something weird with the teen. His voice sounds different from what he remembers it to be; less pitchy, more authoritative. Kas feels obligated to listen. Moreover, Harrington looks… Different, taller, his features are sharper than usual. His eyes feel like they're piercing whatever soul he has left. He doesn’t focus on that, charting the changes to his recent transformation.

Somewhere far within himself, he notices Harrington’s neck, it’s smooth and unblemished, and yet something tells him that the strangulation scar should still be there.

Or: Eddie wakes up as a monster, but it seems like he may not be the only one.

Words: 3635

Part 1

The day Eddie Munson dies, it’s not the end. Well, it is for Eddie, but not for what now resides in his body.

He calls himself Kas.

Kas is Creel’s loyal soldier. He starts out without a name, and one cause: killing anyone that ventures too close to the gates. This task is easily completed, thanks to his now increased strength, speed, and agility. He does so well in fact that he is promoted in no time to be Creel’s right-hand man, and in the process, a deep part of him whispers his new name: Kas. He gains new abilities with his new rank, namely the ability to control the vines, the bats, and all the creatures connected to the hive mind.

The first time he sees someone from the gang Eddie used to consider his friend, he freezes. It’s Robin, the clumsy one, and she freezes too when they lock eyes. She eyes him up and down and notices his scarlet red eyes and his darkened fingers. There’s no mirror in the Upside Down, but Kas knows he looks like a corpse. 

“Eddie?” Breathes out the girl. “Is that really you?”

He grins, showing his fangs and delights when she steps back in fear. “It’s Kas now, actually.”

Buckley takes a moment to gather her thoughts, but then, it’s all spilling out. “Oh my God, I can’t believe you survived! You have no idea how everyone’s been since you died. Dustin is a mess; he barely leaves his house and doesn’t talk to anyone. And Steve! He's bad too but you know him, he doesn’t show it. But not being able to save you, or Max is really taking a toll on him. I can see it in his eyes. And—”

“Buckley,” he interrupts, he’s heard enough. “Let me make something clear.”

He slams her against the tree, and she gasps out his name, his old name, like a plea. 

“I told you, it’s Kas now, sweetheart.” He clasps a cold hand around her neck and squeezes slightly.  Instead, he glares at her. “And I’m not coming back. I’m loyal to Lord Creel now. Loyal,” he insists, his voice surprisingly bitter. “As in: I would never abandon him to a painful and lonely death.”

He stares into her eyes and revels in the pain. It’s only now that he’s actually paying attention to her that he notices that there’s something strange about Robin. But no matter how hard he looks, he can’t quite put his finger on it. It’s like a form of energy, something far more dangerous than Creel, but he doesn’t know what it could be.

 He’s still lost in his contemplations when she whispers. “We didn’t have a choice.”

“There’s always a choice,” he counters, his voice dripping with venom. His own anger surprises him but he’s quick to brush it off. “I’m letting you go, but I want you to give a message to Supergirl. Creel is giving her three days to surrender. If she doesn’t, he will make sure she watches as everyone she loves dies, starting with that boy she considers her brother.”

Robin is terrified, so terrified in fact that it takes her a few seconds for her to realize that he is not choking her anymore. Then, she wordlessly leaves, never taking her eyes off of him until she’s out of sight. 

***

Nothing happens on the first day which infuriates Creel. You’d think that a guy in his late 30s, monstrous or not, would be able to control his temper, but he’s practically boiling with anger, which puts the whole hive mind into a snappy mood, Kas included. He patrols the gates to pass the time and kills a person or two who are stupid enough to get close. Nothing really happens on the first day; the second day though it’s different. On the second day, the vines alert him of a trespasser. Kas heads there, without hesitation, Creel’s anger still lingers in his mind and he’s looking forward to sinking his claws into something. 

This “something” turns out to be none other than Steve Harrington himself. 

He’s trapped in the vines; they have been pinned against a tree and Kas takes a moment to drink in the sight in front of him. Eddie Munson once had… maybe ‘crush’ is too strong of a word, but he certainly had a fascination for the young man. A little flame that could have become more had they given it the time and attention. Eddie Munson had trusted that Steve Harrington was good, but Kas knew better. Creel had shown him how many of his fellow soldiers had died by Harrington’s hands, showed him the murderous glint in his eyes whenever he threw himself in the line of fire to protect his kids, Kas had felt the swings of the nail bat, the hit of the fireworks, and the oar, and the way the Molotov cocktail had burned Creel’s flesh. Steve Harrington was not to be underestimated. 

But right now, weaponless and restrained, the teen isn’t dangerous.

For the entire time, Kas has been staring. Harrington has stared right back. He seems… Curiously nonchalant about his situation. Even now that he stands in front of him, a predator, looking at its prey, Harrington isn’t even struggling. How peculiar.

“Hey there, big boy,” he says, trying to coax a reaction out of his prisoner.

“Hi,” simply answers Harrington. There’s something weird with the teen. His voice sounds different from what he remembers it to be; less pitchy, more authoritative. Kas feels obligated to listen. Moreover, Harrington looks… Different, taller, his features are sharper than usual. His eyes feel like they're piercing whatever soul he has left. He doesn’t focus on that, charting the changes to his recent transformation.

Somewhere far within himself, he notices Harrington’s neck, it’s smooth and unblemished, and yet something tells him that the strangulation scar should still be there.

“You’re not the one that's supposed to surrender,” he grins, making sure to flash his fangs. Maybe he’d get to see Harrington scared.

The young man stares at him unimpressed. “I’m not surrendering, I want to make a deal with Creel.”

A deal? How interesting. “And what could you possibly offer that’s worth more than what Lord Creel has wanted for years?”

Despite the tightness of the vines, Harrington manages to straighten up. “That’s between Creel and I.”

Anger boils in his veins, more than just his master’s. “Whatever you want to tell him, you can tell me.”

“I need his word.”

“I am Creel’s right-hand man,” he spits out. “Speaking to me is like speaking to him.”

Harrington narrows his eyes at him and Kas can feel the sudden tension. “Is that so?”

Something about his demeanor screams ‘trap’ but it’s impossible, he’s the prisoner here, not him. “It is.”

“Give me your name,” orders the teen in a tone he’s never heard coming from him before. “Robin said you didn’t use Eddie anymore, so give me your true name.”

The air around them is vibrating with an indescribable intensity, similar to the energy before a particularly powerful storm. Every instinct in his body is screaming at him to be careful, but he doesn’t care. “Kas.”

Harrington grins, and his pupils shrink to slits. For less than a second, his whole face shifts. His mouth is filled with pointy teeth, his eyes are bigger, and his ears are pointier. Kas blinks, and Steve is back to normal, leaving him to wonder if he hallucinated the whole thing.

“Then you can accept a deal on Creel’s behalf, and it being as valid as if he made it himself?”

“Yes,” he answers sharply.

The teen looks satisfied. “Good,” he grins. “I want to settle this petty fight once and for all. So, here’s my deal: I fight against Creel’s champion, no weapons. A fight until someone bleeds. One drop, no need for more bloodshed.”

Kas considers the deal before pouting. “And what does the winner get?”

“If I win, Creel has to leave Hawkins, the world, and, most importantly, Eleven alone. He cannot send any of his monsters in his place to do his bidding either. And I want him to free Maxine Mayfield’s mind. If Creel wins, he gets Hawkins, but the children, namely, Maxine Mayfield, Dustin Henderson, Lucas Sinclair, Erica Sinclair, Will Byers, Mike Wheeler, and Eleven are under my protection.”

Kas scoffs. “And what makes you think you could protect them? You couldn’t protect poor little Eddie.”

He sees the dark glint in Harrington’s eyes, warning him to back off. “I’m not worried about appearances anymore.”

There’s a weight attached to these words. Kas can’t shake the feeling that the game has shifted. He knows that should make him at least fearful, but he can’t figure out why.

“Do we have a deal?” Asks Harrington. He looks smug and Kas wants nothing more than to wipe his smirk off his face. He decides to humor him, for old time's sake. Harrington probably doesn’t know that he’s Creel’s champion and even if he did, the guy couldn’t put up a decent fight against the bats, he’s not going to last against the newly improved him.

“Sure,” he grins, showing his fangs for good measure. “You have a deal.”

Harrington’s face cracks into that uncanny smile again, and Kas has trouble connecting this face with the worry-filled teenager dotting over the children that had charmed Eddie a lifetime ago.

“Good. Take me to Creel.”

It sounds a hell of a lot like an order, so he decides to be petty. He orders the vines to retreat, and he barely gives the teen enough time to take a few steps on his own before he orders a smaller vine to coil around his wrists. The plant is small enough that Kas can cut it off, and the hive mind feels no pain. Even dead, though, it’s still wrapped tight enough to keep the teen moderately restrained.

Harrington raises an unimpressed eyebrow at his predicament. “Seriously?”

Now, it’s his turn to smile smugly. “Prisoners don't get a choice on how we get there.” Then he invades his space, like Eddie had in the stolen RV, and says in the same tone. “Plus, bondage looks good on you, big boy.”

As expected, Harrington flushes red, but there’s also anger in his eyes. “You don’t get to call me that. Only he could.”

“Aw,” he pouts mockingly. “Did I hit a sensitive subject?”

The brunette doesn’t meet his eyes, and it’s all he needs to realize something else. He lets out a dramatic gasp. “Don’t tell me that King Steve actually had a crush on Eddie ‘the freak’ Munson?” Steve is fuming, but Kas sees right through it. “You did!”

“Doesn’t matter,” grumbles the teen. Kas delights in the frustration he feels coming off of him in waves.

“If it makes it any better, he did too,” he adds, knowing I'll only add fuel to the fire. He sighs exaggeratingly. “Then again, he didn’t think he could be loved. And it never would’ve worked out between the two of you. Especially since the… You know the ‘leaving him for dead’ part.”

“Back off,” snaps Harrington, and strangely enough, he doesn’t mind changing the subject. 

Instead, he grabs the brunette by his shoulder and shoves him forward. “Walk.”

They walk in silence for a while, neither of them wants to be the one to break the peace. If he used his powers, they’d be there in less than five minutes, but he wants Steve to imagine what’s going to happen, he wants him to simmer in his own fears until they get there. He doesn’t seem very scared, though. In fact, he even looks annoyed. They pass through a clearing full of Demobats, some snarl at the trapped teen, but most either stay back or plainly fly away.

“They remember you,” he realizes, as he feels the anger and fear of the flock.

“Ozzy, right?” answers Harrington, with no amusement in his voice. There’s a few seconds of tension before he speaks again. “We came back for you. Just three days later, you weren’t there.”

Some deep part of him melts at the confession, overjoyed to know that he hadn’t been forgotten about. His friends had come back for him. But Kas quickly shoves that feeling as far as he can, instead, choosing to turn the knife in the wound. “You were too late, again.”

Harrington quickly shoots him a dirty look. “When did you get so mean? Dustin would be really sad to see you like this.”

He doesn’t like how guilty that remark makes him feel. An echo of Eddie and Dustin’s last conversation echoes through his mind.

“I love you, man,” Eddie chokes through blood and tears.

Dustin’s voice trembles. “I love you too.”

Kas snarls as he chases the memory away. He’s tired of the mind games Harrington is trying to pull on him. “That little shit abandoned me just like the rest of you did.” He shoves his prisoner forward, delighting in the way that he stumbles, even if it looks forced. “Keep annoying me like that, and I’m gagging you.”

“Geez, sensitive much?” counters the teen, but there’s a noticeable triumph in his voice.

They keep walking, in silence this time, and Kas can’t help the feeling that he’s playing right into Harrington’s hand.

***

Harrington still isn’t scared when the imposing house gradually appears on the horizon. He keeps his cool and walks straight ahead. It almost feels like the teen is leading Kas to the house. Suddenly overcome with anger, he grabs the brunette’s shoulder, keeping a tight hold on his shirt.

“I lead the way,” he hisses.

Harrington doesn’t answer, but he does roll his eyes. They walk up the stairs that lead to the attic, and he can see the teen trying to avoid the vines that slowly extend towards him, curious at the new visitor. His helplessness gives him great satisfaction. When they finally reach Lord Creel, the creature is already waiting for him.

And he’s angry.

“Kas,” he says, his voice dripping with venom. “Why did you bring that thing here?”

Creel’s disgust toward humans is something he’s well aware of, but never had he referred to them as ‘things’ before. As he approaches his master, he knows he’s done something wrong. In a last ditch effort to save himself, he kicks Harrington behind the knees to make him kneel. The impact of his bone on wood resonates loudly around them, and Kas is relieved when the brunette doesn’t try to get up. An unruly prisoner is the last thing he needs right now.

“I found him close to the East gate.”

“Your orders were clear,” growls Creel. “So why is he not dead?

That’s a good question actually. He should’ve gotten rid of the team's protector. So why didn’t he? “I… I thought he’d make a good hostage.”

“I do not need a hostage; I need Eleven’s head on a stick.”

Kas’ stomach drops when Harrington speaks up, a chuckle in his voice. “You’ll never have her.”

Creel's head snaps down, his face slowly turning into an expression of annoyance. “Oh? And why is that?”

“Because we made a deal,” smugly answers the teen. He quickly explains the terms they’ve agreed to, and Creel’s face darkens.

“I did not agree to this deal, it is not valid.”

He may be kneeling, but Steve speaks with the confidence of someone who’s already won. “No, but your right-hand man did. And he, like everything else linked through the hive mind, is an extension of you. Therefore, the deal is valid.”

Creel’s burning rage is suddenly on him, and his dead heart jumps in his chest. “M— Master, it’s just a deal, why is it so important?” he continues to try to justify himself, barely registering when Harrington slowly gets to his feet. Kas does notice how quickly Creel is losing whatever cool he has left.

“It matters because he’s a fae!” His master explodes. 

A deep part of him demands attention at the mention of fae. It whispers of how dangerous they are, that he needs to be careful with his words because faes are tricksters. But most importantly, it warns him to never make a deal with them because the price will always be higher than expected. And Kas just made a deal with Harrington. He looks at the teen, he’s staring right back at him. He’s got that twisted face again, except it’s so much worse than before because now he knows that he’s not hallucinating. His teeth look even pointier, and his eyes glint with what seems to be malice. One of his long nails slices right through the vines keeping his wrists bound and he exaggeratingly rolls his shoulders. 

“Cat’s out of the bag.” His face morphs back to the more human-looking one, but Kas can still see the small details that don’t quite add up. “Let’s get this over with. The kids are waiting for me.” Steve turns to him and winks, but all Kas can see are the not-quite-round pupils. “Ready, champion?”

Uh. So, Harrington knew about him. No big deal he’s still stronger than him… Right?

Creel doesn’t say anything, but Kas can still feel his threat linger in the air. Win, or die. He swipes first, trying to catch the teen off guard, but he simply moves out of the way. Kas tries again, and again, but Harrington dodges him every time. It looks all too easy for him, almost like he’s playing a game. It’s at that moment that he remembers his earlier words.

“I’m not worried about appearances anymore.”

Was this what he meant? Was this the shift he felt?

Suddenly a long nail slices his cheek open, making thick, black blood drip down his face. Kas looks at Harrington, whose face hides in no way his satisfaction at his victory. “I win.”

The house shakes with Creel's anger. He towers over Harrington, who doesn’t even seem worried. “You may have won this fight, but who says I’ll let you leave? Maybe the deal is broken if you die.”

Anger flashes across Steve’s features and the illusion of humanity breaks for a split second. “Would you really risk breaking a deal with a fae? He spits out his tone firm and unwavering. “Not even you would be that stupid.”

Kas is surprised to see actual fear in Creel's eyes. It lasts barely a second, but it’s enough to know that everyone has seen it. His master tries to hold onto his powerful façade and stares down Harrington in an attempt to intimidate him. But if Kas remembered one thing from when he was alive, it’s that Steve Harrington doesn’t get intimidated easily.

As expected, Creel loses the battle and lets out a deep sigh. “Go,” he orders.

Steve smiles and starts to head out, Kas following behind him. He’s not sure why he’s doing it, it’s just something he feels like he’s supposed to do.

“Not you, Kas,” Creel sneers, and he knows he’s fucked. Because he didn’t just lose a fight, he’d also inadvertently foiled all of his master’s plans for revenge. And now he’s going to pay for his mistake. Kas is sure that he’s not going to kill him, but he’s going to make him wish he did. He walks to his master with his head down, he’s terrified, but he knows there’s nothing he can do.

“Kas will be coming with me,” interrupts Harrington. He places himself between him and Creel and the creature stares at him with eyes full of fury.

“And why would he do that? I made him who he is, he belongs to me.”

The teen is not deterred. “Does he?” He challenges. “Reach into the hive mind, he may be a part of you, but is he still yours?”

Lord Creel doesn’t say anything and Kas fears that he might call Harrington’s bluff. He has to be bluffing, right? His master eventually closes his eyes and concentrates. It takes barely 10 seconds before he reopens them with burning anger.

“What did you do?”

“Me? Nothing,” dismisses the brunette before gesturing towards Kas. “But your loyal soldier gave me his name. Willingly. That means you no longer have any claims to him.”

Creel roars in anger and lunges at Harrington. Vines goes to grab at him, but Steve doesn’t even flinch. However, his face darkens, and the temperature around them drops colder than Kas has ever felt it to be in this place.

“Attack me and see what happens,” hisses Harrington, his voice sharp and cutting. “This place has existed longer than you have, and it will exist long after you’re gone. Don’t make me speed up the process.”

Everything stills around them, and Creel seems to ponder on the words. He’s never seen him this powerless before. He’s not sure he likes it.

“You wouldn’t dare,” taunts Creel.

“Try me.” Harrington doesn’t move. “You have hurt people I love; you have killed innocents by the dozen. I am giving you the chance to walk away and leave us alone. Do not waste it.”

“I will spend the rest of my life, trying to find loopholes,” threatens the creature, his former master.

Steve simply smiles at him but there’s no amusement in his face. “I’ll be waiting.” He then turns to him and nods his head to the side. “Come on, time to go home.”

Harrington starts walking and that familiar feeling, that one that made him follow in the first place is back, except this time he knows what it is: ownership. He is not Creel’s anymore, but he is not free, because he gave his name to Harrington. 

And Harrington kills monsters.

[xoxo-sarah]

I Wanna Be Yours || Part 10

Part 9 | part 11

↝a/n: it's officially been over a year since I started this series. That is just insane to me. Sorry it's taking me so long! Much love 🩷

↝pairing: Robin Buckley x fem!Wheeler!reader

↝Warning: possible spoilers, cannon events, throwing up, the 'demo'bats from the show, Steve getting hurt, cursing, blood, slightly proofread, pinning,

↝⎙ 6.13.24

You flopped on the ground, soaking wet and panting. Particles that resembled that of dead embers swirling up from a fire flew around, making you blink.

Nancy got to her feet, running towards Steve, who was struggling to breathe.

Two bat-like creatures were biting at his sides, another having its tail wrapped around his neck. He tried grabbing at them and at anything that could possibly help. You followed suit, seemingly having telepathic powers with how you two moved to do the same thing. Nancy picked up an oar right as you heard two thunks behind you.

Eddie cursed, moving to stand. He leaned against a boat, grabbing the other oar. He yelled your name, the wooden tool flying through the air, landing at your feet. You yanked it up, swinging at anything that let out a squeak.

Nancy wacked one of the squeaking creatures with the oar, causing it to fly away with a whine. “Hey, there.” She leaned over Steve's body, and he registered that there were other people. That you all jumped in after him.

Nancy's arms moved automatically, swinging every which way, at anything that was coming toward her.

Robin ran to stand on the tail that was choking Steve.

Eddie stood, not knowing what to do. It was all so overwhelming. All the weight of the last few days sat on his chest like an elephant. A whisper of his name had his eyes focusing on you, blinking quickly as you ran towards him. He didn't have time to register you swinging at his head until he was pushed back, a wail ringing on his ear as one of Satan's spawns flopped at his feet.

He straightened his head, turning towards the other group. “Nancy! Behind you! Watch out!” At Eddie's exclamation, you turned, seeing one attach itself into the back of her neck. She yelled, dropping her oar. Yours fell out of your hand, and you were right at her side, yelling and pulling at the slimy yet scaly body.

“Oh my god, Nancy!" Robin tried helping you, pulling and prying.

“Get it off of me!” Nancy shrieked.

Eddie picked up the oar you dropped, hitting anything that was flying.

Steve ripped the tail from his neck, moving to sit up.

Nancy fell forward on her knees as her neck was finally freed. Your grip loosened, letting Robin have full control as she slammed the thing into the ground over and over.

Eddie used the broken part to stab, yelling as he impaled one in the air.

Steve threw his against the grind, until he put his foot on its upper body, ripping its tail from its body. He panted, throwing the tail somewhere, before spitting out blood. You looked Nancy over, your eyes moving to Robin, frantically searching her for any injury, doing it quickly so she- or anyone- wouldn't see you. She caught your eye, heaving.

“Fuck!”

“Steve!” Nancy frantically made her way to Steve, “oh, my god.”

“ Jesus H. Christ!” Eddie's oar clattered to the ground as he began pacing around.

“ Are you okay?” Nancy gawked at Steve's body, noticing every injury. She gasped, as he moved his hand from his side.

“Well, they took about a pound of flesh, but other than that, yeah, never better.”

You stepped closer to Robin, inspecting the bat in front of her.

“ Uh, do you guys think these bats have, like, rabies?”

“What?”

It's just that rabies are, like, my number one greatest fear. And I think we should probably get you to a doctor really soon because once the symptoms set in, it's too late. You're already, like, dead." Robin's breathing became shallow.

You quickly stood, grabbing her face. Maybe it was to comfort her, or yourself-as your hands were shaking against her cheeks. “Robin. Robin, he doesn't have rabies.” Your voice was soft, yet stern. She stared into your eyes, switching between them with her own doe eyes. The other three watched, until a loud squawking echoed in the distance behind you. You dropped her face, turning toward the sound.

More bats flew toward you, stopping around where you fell through the glowing gate.

“Aright, there’s not that many.” The bats began this awful screeching, ringing in your head like a headache.

“We can take ‘em. Right?”

More screeching came from the distance, where the bats had flown from. “You were saying?” Robin glanced at you. You didn’t dare look in her direction.

Nancy frantically looked around, “The wood. Come on.” She began running, Steve and Eddie in tow.

Robin sighed, “Great. More running.”

“I should’ve stayed with the kids.” you said quietly, only loud enough for Robin to hear, before running toward the wood. If Nance had heard you, she would never let it go. Even if you did help save her from bats. It wouldn’t matter in the end.

After running like your life depended on it- probably because it did-, Nancy noticed a rock, quickly realizing it was Skull Rock. She halted, pointing at the rock for Steve and Eddie to go ahead and get under. When Robin caught up, Nancy searched behind her, “Y/n, c’mon!” You didn’t hear her. Your focus was on the ground and making your feet move.

You all huddled under the rock, trying to catch your breath, but it didn’t do any good. Your hands squeezed at the flesh of your thighs in your crouched position. Squeezing your eyes shut, you let your head fall against the rock behind you. You gave no min to the tingling it caused.

You could hear the bats stop- or at least move far enough away. Robin stood, moving from under the rock, exhaling, “Oh, okay. That was close.”

“Yeah,” Eddie’s voice broke, “too close.”

Rapidly blinking, you lifted yourself up, catching Steve losing his balance and leaning against one of the rock walls out of the corner of your eye. “Oh, sh-shit.”

Nancy turned, “Steve? Jesus…” She leapt forward, looking at his wounds.

“I’m fine. I’m fine.” he whispered, not wanting to worry anyone.

“No, no. No, you’re not. You’re losing blood. Come on, sit. Alright?”

Steve grunted, but obliged, his body dropping against the hard round. Nancy squatted in front of him. He moved his hand that was covering his side. Blood coated his hands, and trailed from his wound to under his waistband. Robin gasped, Steve grunted, and Nancy internally panicked.

You, on the other hand, felt sick. Your eyes were glued to where the blood was gushing out, your empty stomach feeling like it would come up as a whole any second.

Nancy ripped the bottom of her shirt, as Robin kneeled at Steve’s side. “Okay, so the good news is I’m pretty sure wooziness is not a common symptom of rabies, but if you start having hallucinations or muscle spasms, or you start feeling aggressive-like you wanna punch me or something-you should totally let me know.”

“Robin?”

“Yeah?” She looked at him, worry clear in her eyes.

“I kinda wanna punch you.”

Robin laughed, “Sense of humor still intact. That’s a good sign.”

You silently made your way out of the opposite end of the rock, walking away from the others. Sinking to your knees, you began heaving. You tried to be as quiet as possible, as to not alert anyone.

“Where’s Y/n?” Nancy looked around, not seeing you. She locked eyes with Robin, silently asking her to find you. As Nancy stood and began walking around the rock, Nancy glanced up at Steve, before she wrapped the torn shirt around his waist.

“Y/n?” Robin knew you couldn’t have gone too far. Coming around the corner, she saw you hunched over. You were dry heaving, leaning against a much smaller rock. She quickened her pace, dropped beside you. “Oh, y/n.” She whispered, grabbing the hair that was falling in your face, pulling it into a make-shift ponytail.

When you were done, you wiped your mouth, although nothing had actually come out. You fell back, sitting on your knees, as Robin undid the loose ponytail you had thrown your hair in, trying not to pull at the knots the water had created. She threw your hair in a messy ponytail, just to get it out of your face. It wasn’t at all flattering, but you really couldn’t care less. You both sat in silence for a minute. You sighed, wiping sweat off your forehead.

“God-sorry.” the embarrassment hit you as you motioned to where you had been hunched over.

Robin only shook her head. “It’s no problem. One of us was bound to throw up soon. I mean, did you see Steve? Gross. I’m just glad it wasn’t me.” She offered a little humor behind her words. You could only offer a small, amused smile in return, before your attention was brought to Eddie, who had made his way onto a rock, looking into the eerie sky.

“So, uh…this place is like Hawkins, but with monsters and nasty shit?”

“Pretty much.” Nancy answered Eddie, helping Steve walk. Eddie pursed his lips, starting to step down. “Wait! Watch out for the vines. It’s all a hive mind.”

Eddie froze, “It’s all a what?”

Robin offered her hand for you when she had stood up, but something inside you made you shake your head, offering a thankful smile. You got to your feet, stepping away from her.

Steve answered Eddie, “All the creepy crawlies around here, dude. They’re, like, one or something. You step on a vine, you’re stepping on a bat, you’re stepping on Vecna.”

“Shit.” Eddie tried walking down the rock, avoiding the vines.

Robin walked forward, away from the awkward air you had created. “But everything from our world is still her, right? Except people, obviously?”

Nancy nodded, “As far as I understand it, yeah.”

“So, theoretically, we could go to the police station and steal guns and grenades and whatever we need to blow up those bat things that are guarding the gate?”

Steve glanced at the girl, “yeah, I highly doubt the Hawkins PD had grenades, Robin. But guns, yeah, sure.”

“Well, we don’t have to go all the way downtown for guns. I have guns in my bedroom.”

Eddie jumped off the rock, landing with a thud. “You, Nancy Wheeler, have guns - plural- in your bedroom?”

“Full of surprises, isn’t she?” Robin grinned, thankful for the woman at the moment. You felt the same sick feeling in your stomach, but for a different reason than before.

Nancy ignored her, “A Russian Makarov and a revolver.”

Steve stepped forward, right by Nancy to whisper in her ear, “Yeah, you almost shot me with that one.”

Nancy turned to him, a playful tint in her eyes, “You nearly deserved it.”

Eddie chunked his vest at Steve’s bare chest, ruining whatever tension that was building in Steve and Nancy’s little bubble.

“For your modesty, dude.”

A sudden rumbling of the ground had everyone stop talking. You tripped over your feet, moving to the left to avoid landing on a vine, but ended up landing on somebody else, causing a domino effect. Robin caught her breath from under you, her hot breath fanning against your ear. A mean growl sounded from the distance.

“It sounded like a dinosaur.”

“Don’t…even.” Eddie glared at you from under Robin, moving his legs, that half of your body landing on, to kick you, no bite behind it. Truly, he wouldn’t doubt there was some kind of dinosaur creature lurking. He didn't appreciate the teasing. “Guns seem like a pretty good idea to me.”

“Yeah, me too.” Robin puffed.

You stood, offering your hand to Robin this time. She stared at it, seemingly understanding that this was your silent attempt at apologizing for earlier. She took your hand, taking your apology in the process.

Eddie wiped the sweat from the palms, before taking your outstretched hand.

“So, what are we waiting for?” Steve threw the vest on, grabbing his flashlight, and began leading the way.

•© 2021-2024 by xoxo-sarah on Tumblr•

• My work is not to be translated, copied, modified, and/or reposted on any other site without my permission. [!I don't give permission!]

🫧 Taglistׂׂ ૢ ~ @overtrred28 @ihatepeanutss @jovana1234578 @dobbycarl @kyleeservopoulos @marirxse

[yours-etc]

🪱🩷 wiggly worm wednesday🪱🩷

this very special wiggly worm wednesday is for @someforeignband <3 we have been obsessing over THE steddie album— Conan Gray’s Found Heaven— for months now and it’s time i did something about it!! so here is a little blurb i wrote <3

Eye of the Night 🦇

Steve could feel something watching them as he walked Robin over to Vickie’s. He house wasn’t far from Steve’s place where they were hanging out before hand, and when Vickie rang asking if Robin wanted to stay the night, there was no stopping that lesbian from practically running out of his front door. He offered to drive her the handful of blocks, but she refused. Saying that this was probably one of the last few nice fall evenings they would get before winter made it unbearable, and she needed to let out energy before she got to Chrissy’s. Steve just laughed and told her he would walk with her just to be safe.

“Well aren’t you just my night in shinning armor!” She cooed as they left his house.

“Yeah yeah, laugh it up Buckley, but this gated community is really dangerous. A raccoon could come out and bite you at any moment,” He said leaning into her, “Racoons with rabies!”

Robin pushed him away and pointed her finger angrily at him, “Don’t even joke about that with me Steven,” she said in a stern tone that has long lost its affect on Steve.

And so here they are making the track to Vickie’s place. He hates to admit it but it is a lovely night out, just cold enough to need a jacket but not too cold that your bones start to ache. But there was a nagging feeling at the back of Steve’s mind.

Something is watching them.

Something is following them.

He tried to shoo the thoughts away, but ever since Vecna he’s always been on edge, never feeling truly safe anywhere. He’s trying to get over it, but it’s difficult when shit keeps happening in the god forsaken town. The kids all say that there’s no reason to be worried, no reason to fear, Vecna was the biggest bad guy and they took care of it, nothing else is going to happen.

Except that’s what they said the first three times. So sue him if he wants to stay prepared.

Robin picks up her pace slightly when Vickie’s house comes into sight, “Alright Steve-o see you tomorrow at work!” She runs off leaving Steve at the stop sign at the end of the road like a parent watching their child go to school for the first time, only its his best friend going to try and sleep with her long time crush she won’t make any moves on.

He watches until he sees the front door open and Robin walk in. Once she’s inside he lets out a deep breath he’d been holding and turns around to start walking home.

Steve could feel whatever it was the whole way back. He’d hear a rustle of leaves, a snap of a twig, a breath not coming from himself. The closer to home he gets the more wound up he becomes. Thank god he grabbed his keys before they left the house, and thank god he always left his bat in the trunk of his car. He’s only a turn and a few houses down when he feels whatever it is that’s been trailing him get close. He doesn’t know how he knows, but something tells him they are closer now and he needs to run. His hunch is only confirmed when the street lights start to all flicker around him.

And so he does.

Without warning.

He takes off running as fast as he can pulling out his keys to unlock the trunk when he gets there. He can hear quick footsteps speed up with him, which only pushes him to go quicker. He hears a snarl? Growl? Something not human for sure, come from the thing behind him when he takes a sharp turn down the street his house sits at the end of. It take both no time as all and what feels like hours to reach his car and get the bat out.

Once it’s in his hand he turns around to find…nothing.

The street is quiet and the lights have stopped flickering.

Steve stands there and waits. He’s not stupid enough to think it left. And sure enough out of the corner of his eye he sees a figure dart to his back yard. He takes after, this time being the one who follows. But once again, when he gets to the backyard, it’s empty. The pool he should have drained moths ago sits completely still, not a single ripple being made. The only light comes from the pool and his house which is too far back to provide any kind of helpful light to him.

“I know you’re back here,” He says into the darkness.

There’s a small rustle and nothing else.

“What do you want?” He says still surveying the area. He looks around slowly trying to see if anything is amiss, if he can even make out anything in the dark.

Then he hear it, the sound of his back door sliding open. Steve is just quick enough to see the lights get turned off. He takes off immediately, barreling into his own house like he’s the fucking intruder.

Once again, there’s nothing at first.

But this time the science is broken quite quickly by a creek of the old wood floors and quick steps up the stairs.

It’s then that Steve realizes he’s being lead, played with, this thing wants him to follow this goose chase. For what though, he’s not completely sure. If it wanted to kill him there was plenty of time to do that already.

More aware of his position, he’s cautious climbing his stairs. When her makes it to the hallway it’s only his bedroom door that is open. He can feel cool air from his room window down the hall creating a chill in the house. In his room he finds an open window and something small sitting on the ledge. When he edges closer, bat still tightly gripped in his hands. The small item reflects the moonlight. It’s a ring, a fairly normal ring, silver with a blackish blue gem in the middle.

Steve has seen that ring before.

He gasps and drops his bat running the rest of the distance to the window to pick it up.

“Eddie?” He says to himself, almost like a prayer, closer to a plea, full of desperation, words getting half stuck in his throat. He looks at the ring like it’s the most precious thing in the world, holds his like it could disappear at any second. This is Eddie’s ring, the ring he gave Eddie the summer before… well before everything happened. Steve never thought he’d see this ring again.

He doesn’t flinch away when familiar arms wrap around his waits pull him back into a warm chest.

He doesn’t flinch when warm breath against the crook of his neck causes goosebumps to cover his skin.

He doesn’t flinch when lips graze his ear and soft curls brush his cheek lightly.

“Did you miss me much Stevie Baby?”

No pressure tags i just want to see what y’all are cooking up! (if you want to share!)

@theroundeviloftable @cheerscoops @someforeignband (HA i tag you back 🙂‍↕️)

And of course anyone I didn’t tag POST YOUR WORMS I WANT TO SEE THEM!!

[katyawriteswhump]

the power of love part 2 (new steddie, stobin, steve whump fic)

Steve has a habit of surviving near death experiences then getting sick for no reason. And Eddie and those fatal bat bites? After an impossible feat of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation from Steve, he’s mysteriously fixed. So, Eddie’s back to being banished, this time with Steve and Robin in tow. Eddie’s healing, but Steve isn’t… and life gets even more confusing, when Eddie develops feelings for Steve, which aren’t entirely unrequited.

Part one here Also on AO3 (where it's tragically in need of some love *sobs*) Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15

Chapter Two

Steve POV

Steve blinks his eyes open. Fear lurches then fades. Leaning over him, kinda blurry, are… Robin? Munson!?! He’s at home. Lying on the couch in his parents’ living room, to be precise.

“Steve? You back with us?” Robin appears wild-eyed, spooked out. She’s holding a bloodied cloth over his bat bites, which stab like new again.

Steve presses the heel of his hand to his brow, disguising his pained whimper with a shaky, “Yeeeeah.”

“Phew! Not delirious? Only a bit woozy, huh?”

“You seriously still shitting yourself about rabies?”

“To be honest, no. That’s slithered so far down my list of things to lose my mind over, I’d forgotten. Trust me, he’s as likely to have it as you now.”

Eddie, who hovers at her shoulder, pokes out his tongue, kinda jokey. The rest of Eddie’s face is still slightly blood-smeared. Haunted. His hair is a mad mess, his bandana repurposed as a bandage about his elbow. Steve glances down his own aching body, which is damp, vaguely shivery. Near naked, in fact, with a towel tucked around his waist.

Oh yeah. He went for a swim, and then… 

“Shit! Are you seriously mopping my blood with Mom’s linen napkins?” Steve tries to push himself up, and flops back down, humiliatingly fast. On top of that, his head throbs—when does it not, these days? He makes a more concerted effort to sit, forcing himself through a wave of nausea and dizziness, then notices: “Shit, shit, SHIT! I’ve bled on the couch—this cost a thousand bucks!”

“I knew there was a reason Wayne avoided white faux leather,” says Eddie, as he and Robin share a look. “Oh, and a Munson never splashes less than fifteen-hundred bucks on soft furnishings.”

“You’re hilarious,” mutters Steve.

“Your Pops can chew my head off,” says Eddie. “Some of that blood is yours truly’s. I mean, I got got bad. Really bad. And theeeeen… I got better.” He narrows his eyes to inquisitorial slits, which bewilder Steve, given how rough he feels.

Robin lifts the ruined napkin. “You’re bleeding like before Wheeler first bandaged you up. It makes no sense.”

“Nothing’s made sense for about two and a half years,” Steve points out. Actually, scratch that. Little of his life has made much sense. “There’s a first aid kit in the kitchen, with proper bandages. Where did you think I got the Hibistat towelettes from? Didn’t you morons think to look?”

Robin hurries off. Eddie takes over holding the now thoroughly disgusting napkin over Steve’s bites. “Woah, he’s not lying,” she calls. ��His parents keep an actual first aid kit with actual useful crap in it.”

“Yeah, in case you forgot in the last thirty seconds,” says Steve, “the Harrington family bleed.”

“It doesn’t even come out green,” Eddie says. “Totally destroys your ‘rich folk are aliens’ theory, Buckley.”

“Haha,” snarks Steve.

“This might take a minute,” calls Robin. “I had no idea there were so many sorts of dressings. We don’t want a triangle one, huh?”

Left alone, Eddie doesn’t seem able to look Steve in the eye. He’s giving off such awkward vibes that Steve takes pity, nudges Eddie’s hand away, holds the napkin himself.

“I guess this is where I thank you for saving my life,” says Eddie.

“From what I could gather from Dustin, you’d only gone and done the same for us. Not a hero? Total bull.”

“Those weren’t normal circumstances.” 

Eddie’s so squirmy, Steve flinches away too. He’s felt drawn to Eddie for some time. He likes the guy way more than he’d expected, finds he likes looking at him too, crazy rocker tresses and all, but… Jesus Christ! Talk about shitty timing.

It’s not the first time Steve’s been blindsided by a crush on a guy. Plus, he knows Eddie is queer; he’s one of the few other friends that Robin’s lately ‘come out’ to. However, Steve’s simply not gotten the energy to figure out if the weird fizzle of chemistry he feels is all in his head. What he really wants is to stagger upstairs to bed and sleep for a week. No time for that, though. He groans, threads the fingers of his free hand through his damp hair.

 “We need to take advantage of this earthquake chaos. Get you outta town right now before somebody comes looking.”

“Yeah. I figured as much.” Eddie sighs hard. “No more facing down ferocious monsters. I return to being Eddie the Banished.”

“Not much choice, man. Look, we can bring bedding, whatever supplies we need from here. Take one of Dad’s cars and find a place to lay low till we know what’s happening and what the next plan of attack is.”

“You were worried about the couch and now you’re suggesting we jack your Pop’s wheels?”

“I don’t give a crap about the furniture—it was a dumb knee jerk reaction. I mean, things change. People change. Last time I looked, we weren’t exactly bestest buds.”

Now we’re off saving each other’s lives.

A loud crash from the kitchen slices between them. “Sorry!” yells Robin. “Kinda dropped… everything.”

“Need some help there, Rob?” Steve tries to push himself to his feet. His head rush is instant and epic; his vision blacks out, nearly taking his entire consciousness with it.

“Easy, easy!” Eddie’s arms are around him, clumsily guiding him back down. Steve whimpers before he can stop himself; his stomach churns and he feels painfully sick. Eddie wedges a cushion beneath Steve’s head, presses the cloth back to Steve’s bleeding side. “Robin’s right. You need those injuries looked at. I go alone.”

“No.” Steve snatches a shaky breath. “Way I see it, we’re both deep in the shit."

“I’m the one with the murder rap snapping at my butt, Harrington.”

“And I’m the one who’s been harbouring a known fugitive, stealing Winnebagos, and Christ knows what else. Crap, I bet they’ll blame me for Nance’s sawn-off shotgun. While the rest of those underage brats get off light, I’ll be dragged to jail as sure as you.”

“Your daddy can afford a lawyer, man.” At least Eddie’s looking at Steve now. His words still feel like a punch in Steve’s already bleeding gut—with those knuckle dusters that’d gotten lost somewhere on the ride.

Steve retaliates with as daggers a glare as he can conjure: “You wanna thank me for saving your life, Munson? Then stop trying to ditch me.”

Part 3

Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13

...

tags: @estrellami-1 (thank you, thank you, thank you!) If anybody else would like to be tagged on this fic or any of my writing, I would probably cry... in a good way, honest! Reblogs, comments and likes also very much appreciated :)

[steddieunderdogfics]

A very sweet friends to lovers fic all mixed up in a howl's moving castle au, recommended for the theme weekend 💜

https://archiveofourown.org/works/52643542

The Boy Who Swollowed a Star by hititlikehammers

@hitlikehammers

Rating: Mature

9,951 words, 1/1 chapters

Archive Warning: No Warnings

Tags: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Howl's Moving Castle Fusion, Alternate Universe - Wizards, Friends to Lovers, Mutual Pining, Eddie as Howl/The Wizard Munson, Steve as Sophie, (kinda), Robin as Calcifer, Dustin as Markl, Platonic Soulmates Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington, But What If Eddie Ate A Lost Spark-Of-Life To Save A Stranger, And Lost His Heart In The Process, And What If That Stranger Then Became His Best Friend and They Were In Love, But One Lost Their Spark and The Other Lost Their Heart, And Probably Robin the Very Powerful Fire Demon Was The Key To Fixing All of It, What THEN?!?, Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Wizard!Eddie Sometimes Assumes a Bat-form So There's Also That, Hurt/Comfort, So Desperately Fluffy Though, Happy Ending

Summary:

The Wizard Munson is supposed to inspire fear and awe. A trickster, a devil, a power unmatched. Blah blah blah; Steve only sees the gangly boy who almost fell off the roof of the Harrington’s tailoring shop, trying and failing to be stealthy and mysterious when Steve was not yet ten—so where whispers follow down alleyways about the dreaded terrors of the Wizard? Steve really just sees the goofball. His Eddie. “Come with me, Stevie,” Eddie doesn’t even pause for pleading, dives right in and begs him as if Steve needs convincing; "if nothing else, come with me so I know you’re safe, so I can do what needs doing without splitting half of me always just worrying. Save me from scrying out endlessly, to make sure you’re okay.” Steve’s heart thumps painful, pathetic: pure and unvarnished in a way he thinks is only possible when Eddie’s nearby. Only possible for Eddie, at all. Which means the answer’s wholly obvious—the war’s getting worse, this is his Eddie—only one response was ever really on the table: “Alright.” --- A Howl's Moving Castle Fusion/AU

Thanks for the rec!

This rec is a part of Theme Weekend. The theme this weekend is Friends to Lovers.

Know a fic that deserves extra love? Submit through our asks or the submission box!

[bendeddicksssss]

The Ghost of Family Video

The first chapter of one of my fanfics on ao3 just to give a little sneak peak.

Summary in the shortest amount of words: Steve died after the events of Starcourt, and Eddie is a psychic who can see ghosts. I think you can guess what the fic is about ;)

Chapter 1: Steve Harrington is Dead

Robin Buckley started working at Scoops Ahoy for the same reason every other teen gets a job; she wanted money. Her parents were never the type to ask her to help with the bills, nor did they ever ask her to get a job, but she enjoyed having money stored up for college and emergencies. It was cushioning for both her and her parents if they ever needed it, and, with her brother at college, they needed all the help they could get. She had a job before–started working the ticket stand at Hawkins old theater when she was 15. She was 17, however, when she started working at Scoops Ahoy—working with Steve Harrington.

Robin never had a job that didn’t include a coworker, but Steve was an entirely different concept. He didn’t feel like a coworker, even if they did work together. He felt like an entity more elusive than Bigfoot. She hated Steve, but she didn’t hate him in a normal sense. She hated him because he made her heart grow heavy with comfort, despite the fact that he was a homophobic, dick-bag of a jock. At least, that’s what Robin assumed when they started working together. Steve proved her assumptions wrong within the first week of working together. He brought back coffee whenever he went on his break. He offered his extra breaks to Robin if she looked tired. He insisted on taking in all the heavy stock, and he never let Robin pay for her own dinner or lunch if she forgot to pack one. Even then, she hated him.

She hated him like the ocean hates the beach. They were stuck in a constant battle of one metaphorically crashing into the other, but, in a strange way, it worked. Each crash of a wave chipped at the other person’s sandy shore, letting out pieces of shells and hidden creatures in the tide pools. Each wave was a new discovery about who the other person really was. They were the ocean against the beach. Waves in the sand. Forever connected. Steve and Robin. 

That feeling within their “friendship” was even before all hell broke loose and before Robin knew Russian spies hid beneath the mall and monsters worse than the ones under her bed were real. Even with their mutual teasing and stormy beaches, no one could deny that Steve and Robin were connected. No one could deny that they were, at least, friends. Robin tried to deny it. If anyone asked, she’d tell them that Steve was just another schmuck she was stuck slinging ice cream with. A rich kid who was forced into a job by his snooty parents. He was nothing to her, but she was only lying when she said that. Steve wasn’t nothing. He wasn’t nothing at all.

Steve was a walking puzzle missing half the pieces and the guiding picture, yet Robin tried her hardest to figure him out. It was impossible. He was a mystery confusing enough to stump Sherlock. He flinched at flickering lights and dissociated in the cold freezer where they stored ice cream. He kept a baseball bat in the trunk of his car that Robin had only ever seen the handle of, which had a small brown stain on it—one that looked suspiciously like blood. In an expected fashion, he teased Robin about still being in high school, calling her “Freshman” with every other sentence despite the fact that she was on her way to her senior year. Strangest of all, he refused to let Robin ride her bike home after the closing shift; she rode with him nearly every day with her bike in the backseat of his car. Eventually, he started picking her up to be taken to work too. It wasn’t even a conversation between them; he just showed up while Robin was dragging her bike down her driveway. She didn’t try to argue, seeing the dark bags under his eyes and the silent begging within them—a look built more of fear than desperation. She couldn’t have said no even if she tried. Besides, who was she to turn down a free ride?

Steve also had a pack of kids who followed him like ducklings to their imprinted mother. “I babysit them.” He always used it as an excuse, but that never made sense to Robin. To start off, she knew for a fact that Scoops was Steve’s first job. He never mentioned being a babysitter until they started showing up. She also knew that most of the kids have older siblings. Growing up with an older brother, Robin knew that older siblings are usually stuck with the babysitting job. Max Mayfield, Will Byers, Mike Wheeler–they all had older siblings. Why would their parents waste the money in hiring Steve? Moreso, why, out of all the high school students in Hawkins, would they choose Steve to babysit? He was a jock known for getting drunk at parties and flirting with everything with boobs. He didn’t exactly scream babysitting material.

Outside of his role as “Mama Duck”, Steve was also friends with Jonathan Byers, even though the man was known around school for stealing ‘King Steve’s’ girlfriend. In fact, Steve’s face lit up like a Christmas tree the few times Jon came into shop, even when the boy was there without his younger brother or any of the other children. 

Despite her initial shock, Robin could handle these discoveries and odd traits. She could handle Steve being friends with a few kids and with Jonathan Byers, but there was a fact about Steve Harrington that stood out above the rest. The most surprising thing about Steve was that he wasn’t, at all, what Robin thought he’d be. He wasn’t a douchebag. He wasn’t a ‘womanizer’, like her friend, Kate, would always call him. Sure, Steve flirted with everything and anyone that breathed, but he was always respectful. He made eye contact and complemented their hair or their smile. He was even nicer with the customers without boobs, complimenting them even if he wasn’t trying to get laid. Steve Harrington wasn’t Steve Harrington. He was just… Steve. Her coworker. Her friend. Her puzzle that she spent the first half of that summer trying to figure out. 

It wasn’t until she saw a monster bigger than her house that she discovered all the missing pieces of Steve. Why he flinched at flickering lights and why the cold always bothered him. She figured why he prefers cats and smaller dogs to bigger ones. She figured out he was smarter than he let on, having intelligence in things besides books and school. She figured out he was selfless. He threw himself headfirst into danger to try and save a couple of kids, one of whom she was pretty sure he hated because Erica Sinclair was an asshole of a child, but he saved them. He tried to save Robin too, but Scoop's captains stick together, right? She wasn’t gonna leave him alone, and that idea scared her more than anything. Just one traumatic experience together and she was already codependent of a man whose head was more hairspray than brains. 

She doesn’t know how long they were in the bunker for. All she knew was that Steve was nice to talk to. He listened, and he asked questions. She would try and urge him to talk, and he would, but she could tell he was holding back. Sure, she had all the pieces to the puzzle of Steve, but she still needed the bigger picture. 

“You think they’d buy it if I pretended I could only speak French?” Robin asked when they were left alone. The guard's voices were muffled just outside the door, so she talked to drown out the few Russian words she understood– “The boy… blue… spies… bleed.”

“What?” Steve asked a few seconds after her statement. 

Robin shrugged, her shoulders brushing against Steve’s, “I don’t know; it could work. I am fluent in French!” she sighed dejectedly, “I’m sorry. I’m just talking to not freak myself out. I’ll shut up.” she cleared her throat and looked to the ground, deciding that it probably wasn’t the best time to make jokes.

“Talk.” Steve suddenly urged. She looked at him. This was before they were tied back-to-back, so she could still look at him. “You don’t have to talk about them. Talk about anything… you’re gonna be a senior, right?” Robin nodded. “You want to go to college?” 

Robin tilted her head. This wasn’t the first time they had talked about college, but it was the first time the focus was on Robin. In past conversations, talks about school was usually Steve making fun of Robin being in high school and Robin making fun about Steve for not going to college. “I want to go to Chicago.” Robin answered. 

“The university?” Robin nodded. 

“I always wanted to live in a big city; Chicago is at the top of my list.” In all honesty, ever since Robin was young, she dreamed about living in a city, but she dreamed about going west to California–Hollywood. She wanted to be a director or a writer, but Chicago seemed like an easier option. A steppingstone to get to her dream. “Honestly, I don’t want to go to college, but I think a degree would be nice to fall back on.”

“What do you want to do?” 

Robin smiled, “I want to write.”

“Books? Articles?”

“Movies.” she corrected. Steve went on to ask about what kind of movies, and she talked about a few ideas she had for a romantic period piece (leaving out the sapphic details) until the door burst open. Robin had almost forgotten she was in a nightmare. She was grateful for his distraction. 

When they got separated, it was like time stood still. It could’ve been hours–days–weeks–minutes–seconds, and all Robin experienced was an empty mind and a racing heart. There were no clocks and no windows. Just her tied to a chair, and Steve… Steve being tortured. Robin heard Steve’s screams from all the way down the hall. She tried humming Blondie or Queen to drown them out but each one was louder than the last. Robin liked horror movies, sure. She watched thrillers with friends and would challenge herself to not chicken out, but the actors in those films never even came close to the screams Steve was making. They were blood curdling and garbling, as he begged for his life. For a break from the pain. Robin wished she could rip her ears off. Worst of all, she felt useless! Robin heard punches and Russian voices shouting at her friend, and all she could do was listen and hope that he was still breathing. Her parents never really forced any specific religion growing up. She wasn’t sure how prayers were supposed to work, but she tried her best: Please, God, let Steve be alive. I know I don’t believe in you. You probably hate me right now, but please let this scream not be his last. Please bring him back. 

Steve came back bruised and bloodied and unconscious, and Robin tried to feel for a pulse, screaming at the guards for answers. What happened? Fuck… She couldn’t find his heartbeat. Robin always sucked in anatomy class—got too grossed out by the dissections, but she knew it was somewhere on his neck… maybe the wrist? She just had to loosen her binds enough to feel for his heartbeat. She tried to reassure herself that she just had to keep looking, but she couldn’t find it! She couldn’t find his pulse and the guards were watching them, and she knew that she would be next in their sadistic crusade. They tied them back-to-back all while Robin was still panicking. When Steve took a gasp of air, she nearly added her own punch into the mix for scaring her, but the Russian guards were already moving on to the next form of torture. But, hey, Steve was alive. She wasn’t alone. 

Later, they sat beside a once-empty toilet. The stench and taste of vomit lingered in Robin’s nose and throat. The Starcourt bathroom tiles were sticky and covered in a thin layer of dirt and dust. The custodians must’ve not cleaned yet, as the theater was still open and, thus, the mall was open. Her heart stopped when she heard silence coming from Steve’s stall, but he was only thinking and resting. They’d been awake for nearly 48 hours now, and Robin was just waiting for the right moment to pass out.

Coming out to Steve was almost as terrifying as the entirety of the Russian base. He had just told her he found someone for himself (implied it was her), and she told him she liked girls. It was the truth, but you can’t just tell people that! Sure, Steve was miraculously not a douchebag, but straight guys don’t always take rejection well, and people, in general, don’t always take queer people well. But she was high and scared, and she wanted someone to know before she died. Robin should’ve learned by that point to not underestimate Steve Harrington. She should’ve figured out that Steve was as far from a bad person as someone could be. Steve Harrington wasn’t a bad person at all, though his Kermit impression was kind of shit.

“I’m like you.” He told her when they had another chance alone. It was when they were driving back to the mall to help their friends, leaving Dustin and Erica on the hill.

“What?” she asked.

“When I said I found someone better for me—better than Nancy; I was talking about…” he swallowed down the lump in his throat. “I was talking about a guy. His name’s Eddie.”

Robin smiled, “Oh…”

Steve’s face regained its color, and he laughed. “Yeah,” he snorted, “oh…”

Yeah, Steve wasn’t a bad person in the slightest…

He held her hand when they were hiding from the guards. He reached his arm out to hold her when he crashed into Billy Hargrove, so she wouldn’t hit the dashboard. He gave her his last firework to throw at the Flayer. He gave her a stick of gum he found hiding in his pocket when she complained about still tasting vomit. He gave her his shock blanket when she was still shaking beneath hers. He denied medical treatment and insisted they check on Robin and Dustin first. He snuck a few Band-Aids and an ice pack from the ambulance to take care of himself; Robin saw him do it, but she just assumed he had already been checked and was just grabbing extra supplies. Afterall, he told everyone that he was already checked on, “Go help someone else; I’m fine.” he insisted anytime a paramedic asked him. Ever the selfless hero… Steve.

After they were all debriefed and lightly threatened by the US government to keep their mouths shut and sign NDAs, Steve asked Jonathan if he’d be willing to drive them. “My head just hurts.” and Jonathan said sure. On the drive home, Steve was fighting off sleep in the backseat, leaning his head against Robin’s. No one could even fathom resting. Their bodies were still in fight or flight mode, ready to fight a monster that was already dead or guards that were buried beneath tons of dirt, ash, and debris. No one really questioned Steve’s exhaustion, though. They didn’t know the full story, but they knew Steve, Robin, Dustin, and Erica were trapped in that bunker for nearly days. No food. No water. No rest. Dustin and Erica passed out, afterall. Steve wasn’t the odd one out. If anything, Robin was, but she didn’t want to sleep. She just let Steve use her as a pillow.

Perhaps, she should’ve known something was wrong by him fighting off sleep so much. Robin’s not an idiot; she knows the signs of head trauma, but she was so tired. Perhaps, if she had been stronger and fought harder against the guards, she wouldn’t have gotten drugged. She would have had the mental clarity to notice one of Steve’s pupils was bigger than the other. She would’ve noticed him squinting and flinching at every light, flickering or not, and limping. Would’ve noticed he had to lean against the wall at every other step. Granted, she didn’t know if any of those things happened, but there must have been something she could’ve noticed! Something Robin could’ve seen, so she would know Steve needed help, but the man’s stubbornness was bigger than his hair, so, of course, she didn’t know.

Steve died not long after they left the mall. They had all gone to his house afterwards. No one wanted to be alone, and he had the most available space for everyone in the party. He also had a stockpile of extra clothes, blankets, pillows, and sleeping bags. Apparently, Steve really was a babysitter, or, at the very least, the kids’ honorary mother. After helping everyone find some supplies to go to sleep and some PJ’s, he went to bed early, saying he had a headache and was just going to take some Tylenol. Robin tried to go with him, but he insisted she stay and hang out with everyone. They were watching The Fox and the Hound because it was the only animated ("comforting") movie Steve had. “I know it’s for kids, but it’s one of my favorites.” He explained with a shrug, leaning against the railing for support. 

“Are you sure you’re, okay?” Robin asked. “Did the paramedics give you all clear?” 

Steve only laughed, “Yeah, Rob. I’ll be fine. Go watch the movie. I’ll see you in the morning.” He insisted, waving a dismissive hand. 

Steve’s voice broke when he said that sentence and, after watching him hopelessly lie to impress girls, Robin knew Steve’s voice broke when he lied. Yet, she didn’t say anything. She just assumed it was because he was tired. Surely, Steve wouldn’t turn down medical help. Surely, he wasn’t that careless about himself. Robin wished she knew this would be their last conversation, so she could think of something better to say.

“Okay. Love you, dingus.” She would’ve said, if she knew he wouldn’t actually see her in the morning.

Steve would’ve rolled his eyes. “Love you too, freshman.” She would punch his arm, making him wince and call her an ass. That’s how she likes to imagine their last conversation, but that’s not at all what they said. He still dismissed her and lied about his own health, but she didn’t tell him she loved him like she wishes she did. No, instead she said, “I’m surprised they could hurt your head so much beneath all that hairspray.” She stuck her tongue out between her teeth teasingly, “It’s like your own helmet, Harrington.” 

“Ha, ha.” Steve blanched while rolling his eyes. “You’re just jealous that I came prepared with protection.” he ran a hand through his hair for emphasis, making the sweat coated streaks fall around his forehead. Robin laughed and sent him off to bed with a promise that they’d spend all of tomorrow together, just to talk and heal. 

Nobody knows the exact time of death, as everyone was asleep, but the doctors believe it was shortly after their conversation—a bit past midnight. As it turns out, Steve went to sleep with one of those head injuries you’re not supposed to sleep with. Something got hit too hard beneath all that hair, and Steve simply stopped breathing. “It can happen in patients who have suffered from concussions or untreated head traumas. It’s common in those who have experienced a hemorrhage or aneurysm of some kind.” Nancy had explained, but, truly, there were a number of other variables that could’ve caused that. A bad reaction to that Russian drug, his concussion, a hole in his lung, internal bleeding, or even a really bad fever. In any case, Robin should’ve never let him go to bed alone. 

Another thing she wishes she could change is something she’ll forever be guilty for. Robin wishes more than anything that it was her who found the body. She wishes she wasn’t dealing with a hangover from that weird drug Steve and her were given and that coffee wasn’t the most important thing in the world. Coffee wasn’t the most important thing, but, at that moment, Robin would’ve traded her soul for a mug. Ms. Byers had made breakfast for everyone, and Steve was thought to be sleeping in, even though he was the first one to go to sleep. “I’ll get him.” Dustin volunteered, rolling his eyes and groaning like it was a chore.

The boy walked up the stairs and went to Steve’s bedroom. The door was open a bit, so Dustin didn’t feel the need to knock before he walked in. The first thing he noticed was that Steve’s bed sheets were messy, like he had moved around a lot in his sleep. The next thing he noticed was a Tylenol bottle on the floor; the cap was off, and the contents were spilled across the carpet. Dustin figured Steve had a nightmare and knocked the bottle and his sheets over, knowing nightmares were common for everyone in the party. Hell, there were quite a few nightmares during that night. Dustin had one. It was about Steve not making it back from the bunker. It was about Steve dead on a concrete floor.

At least, a bed is more comfortable than concrete.

“Hey, Steve, wake up.” Dustin nudged Steve’s foot, which was covered by his blanket. He was still wearing his Scoops uniform, being too tired to take it off, Robin supposed, or he passed out. “Steve, come on.” Dustin spoke louder and nudged him harder. 

Dustin moved forward and clapped his hands above Steve’s body. “Steve!” He nearly shouted. He reached forward to grab Steve’s arm with a roll of his eyes, and gasped when he felt how cold it was. His heart jumped to his throat and choked him like a noose. “S-Steve…?” his voice was shaking. Steve’s house always had great air conditioning. He was just cold from the AC; that was what Dustin told himself. It was cold in the house, and all of Steve's blankets fell off of him in the night, so he was cold. “Steve, this isn’t funny!” Dustin grabbed Steve’s arm and shook it. Steve felt stiff, like he was a mannequin and not a person. “Steve!” Dustin screamed this time. His voice echoed out into the hallway and downstairs, alerting the others. “Steve! Please, you gotta wake up!” He grabbed both shoulders, shaking him vigorously. “Steve!” 

Robin was the first person up the stairs despite her headache and poor coordination. The blinds were closed, and the room was gray, so she flicked on the overheads to find a man just as gray as before the lights were turned on. He was pale and his eyes were shut. His lips looked blue, and his veins were prominent beneath ghostly skin. “Steve…?” Robin didn’t scream like Dustin, but her voice cracked. She didn’t run to his side or shake him. She merely stepped out of the way as Joyce and Jonathan ran into the room. “Steve…” she couldn’t tell if she was breathing. Dreaming or having a nightmare. Awake or asleep. Dead or alive. In that moment, there was no difference. 

“Steve—get off of me!” Dustin elbowed at Jonathan, as the boy tried to pry Dustin away from his friend. “Steve! Wake up!” Robin felt tears streaming down her face, but she was confused why they were flowing. She wasn’t there. Her mind was still at Scoops. She was still watching Steve being a dingus and badly flirting with girls. She was in the backroom with him listening to a Russian code. She was tied to his back, and they were laying on the ground talking about where they would be if they became friends earlier. Steve would be in college, and Robin wouldn’t be in a Russian bunker. She was in the mall bathroom talking with him about Tammy Thompson’s bad singing voice. They were in the “Todd-father” discussing the possibilities of going to gay bars in Indianapolis. They were standing on the stairs wishing each other goodnight. They weren’t… he wasn’t… This couldn’t be happening! Steve… Steve was just here.

Dustin screamed and kicked when Murray entered the scene and picked the boy up from beneath his arms. “Let go of me! — Steve!” Dustin screamed. It was the kind of scream that vibrated the walls and shook Robin to her core. A kind of scream she’s only ever heard come out of movies. The boy was pushing at Murray’s arms, trying his best to escape and return to his friend’s side. Tears were streaming down Dustin’s face, and Robin glanced into the hallway at the sound of a thud. Max had reached the top of the stairs, having had to fight her way through a now sobbing Lucas. She was sitting on her knees with her hands covering her mouth. Robin could tell she was screaming, based on her stretched jaw and narrowed eyes, but she couldn’t hear it. Everything was suddenly muffled. Her headache from that hangover switched into a stabbing pain, and the ringing in her ears drowned everything out. “Steve!” Dustin shouted—barely heard. Murray set the boy down besides Max and blocked them both from the room. Max threw herself into Lucas’s arms. Robin looked on as Jonathan started doing chest compressions. She glanced over the balcony to see Mike with his hands cradling the back of his head, covering his ears. His hands were clenched so tightly, that Robin was sure his nails were digging into his scalp. Will was hugging Jane, who was sobbing and clinging to him, shaking her head in denial.

Joyce suddenly walked out of the room. She was gasping and choking on her own tears. “Ms. Byers…?” Robin didn’t know what she was going to say or ask. She just needed confirmation that this wasn’t real. That this was just a Russian drug-induced dream. That this was all some sick nightmare or cruel joke from the universe, and she was gonna wake up to Steve sitting at the kitchen counter with an ice pack to his swollen eye and a coffee mug in hand. “’Bout time you woke up, Buckley.” He’d say with a smile despite the split in his lip, because Steve had the best smile, and he loved to show it. He smiled in the Russian bunker and smiled through tears. He smiled in every picture no matter the context, and Robin used to say he was too happy. He’d just shrug and say, “Better than being miserable.”

“I’m so sorry, honey.” Joyce whispered instead of disproving reality. She wrapped her arms around Robin’s shoulders. It was then that the younger girl felt her knees buckle, like she was made of broken glass and poorly glued back together, and all it took was Ms. Byer’s touch to make her break once more. A scream wrenched its way from her throat, loud and painful. It vibrated the walls and left her vocal cords burning. Joyce caught her as she fell, but Robin collapsed to the ground anyway. Joyce came with her, never releasing Robin from her arms. 

Downstairs, Nancy had called 911. In Steve’s room, Jonathan was still desperately doing CPR, singing Bee Gees beneath his breath and looking at his friend through a teary, blurred vision. Jonathan didn’t tell anyone what happened until after the autopsy had shown that Steve had a broken sternum and broken ribs. Jonathan explained that he heard and felt the man’s chest crack and cave, but he couldn’t bring himself to stop. He couldn’t let Steve die. “I can’t get Stayin’ Alive out of my head…” he joked with a wet laugh, but everyone knew it wasn’t a joke. Everyone knew he now hated that song more than anything else.

It was Joyce that had read them the autopsy report. She was friends with the doctor who ran them. It was her that read from the doctor’s note that it was strange Steve died. It was that doctor who predicted that Steve had lied and hadn’t seen any of the paramedics, because even a first-day trainee would’ve seen the obvious head trauma from a mile away.

“That’s ridiculous!” Mike had scoffed, “Why would anyone refuse help from paramedics?”

“Because he didn’t want any.” Max answered. The way they talked about Steve’s death changed after that. No longer was it talking of a friend who died. They were talking about a friend who committed suicide. At least, that’s how Robin interpreted it—the change in everyone’s tone and the anger shown at the funeral. If a friend dies, they get mourned. If a friend kills themselves, especially one as important and relied upon as Steve, they get yelled at.

They had Chief Hopper’s funeral on Tuesday, Billy Hargrove’s was on Thursday, and Steve’s was on Monday. They tried to postpone Steve’s funeral until August for when his parents would be back, but, when Joyce called the Harringtons, they forwarded money and told her to go on with the funeral without them. Joyce ended up breaking that phone after giving Steve’s mother a piece of her mind, which mostly contained curse words and heavy insults. The plastic shattered in her hands after she slammed the phone on the hook repeatedly, cursing Steve’s parents and sobbing about a son that wasn’t really hers.

At Hopper’s funeral, nearly the whole town showed up. There were a lot of funerals the following weeks for a lot of Hawkins citizens, but Hopper was the chief and considered the hero of the fire, so it made sense that he had the biggest crowd to show up. It was so crowded that Robin was forced to stay in the outskirts of the pack with Erica and Lucas beside her. She ended up leaving early. She didn’t know the man that well, anyway.

Billy’s funeral wasn’t as crowded, but a few people from school showed up, including some from the old basketball and swim team. Billy’s dad left early, muttering something about “a waste.” Mrs. Wheeler was there, and she was crying, which Robin found strange. Sure, the woman could’ve been there because Nancy and Mike were, but that didn’t excuse her crying. Max was standing by the lowering casket with her arms crossed, refusing to cry, but she did. Her jaw clenched and her hands turned to fists, as if she was angry at herself for tearing up. Robin was just observant enough to notice these things, and she placed a comforting hand on the girl’s shoulder. Max leaned into her touch without a word. In fact, they didn’t speak at all that day. Robin wonders if she should’ve said something—anything—to comfort the girl more than a touch could, but Steve’s funeral was coming up. Robin couldn’t be bothered to comfort anyone past a touch. How could she when she, herself, was ripping at the seams?

Steve’s funeral had the least amount of people to show up. Tommy and Carol showed up to the ceremony, but they left before the burial. There was exactly 13 in attendance at the burial once the preacher and the graveyard men left. There was Robin, Dustin, his mom, Lucas and Erica, Mrs. Sinclair, Mike and Nancy, the Byers, Jane, and Max, who caught a ride from Lucas’s mom because her mom was working that day. 

Steve’s gravestone was tall but simple, with little flowers carved into the border and floral vases at the sides. Everyone pitched in to add to the stone what Steve’s parents weren’t willing to pay for.

Steve Harrington

April 12th, 1967 — July 5th, 1985

Beloved Friend, Hero, Babysitter

“Anyone want to say a few words?” Joyce asked once the dirt was place over their friend. The woman’s face was red, and tissues were clenched in her fists. Thinking back, Robin realized that Joyce hadn’t cried at a single funeral, not really. At Hopper’s, she teared up, but she was so busy comforting Jane that she didn’t allow herself the breakdown she probably needed. At Billy’s, she comforted Max, taking over for Robin when the older girl had to leave early. At Steve’s funeral, Joyce Byers didn’t cry, because she had to be there for the kids, but it proved difficult. The tissues in her hand had little splotches of blood from her nails digging into her palms. It took Robin a long time to figure out why Ms. Byers was torturing herself, but the answer hit her like a train. Joyce is a mom; moms can’t cry. Never in front of the kids. They keep themselves together and cry when the lights in the house are off and the work for the day is finally finished. They let their tears build up inside of them until they explode. Robin wonders if any dishes were broken in the Byers’ household that week. No one, not even Joyce Byers, could survive that long with that many bottled tears without breaking some glass.

Robin liked Joyce, but she was too busy staring down at the patch of dirt that was once her friend to really hear Ms. Byer’s question. The small crowd stayed silent when it was asked, save for a few sobs, sniffs, and gasps for air. Max stepped forward, staring down at Steve’s grave with a red face and swollen lips. “Fuck you.” She gasped through a sob. Robin was surprised she didn’t bite her bottom lip clean off when she used it as a method to stop her tears.

Max then leaned down to drop a bracelet on the grave. It’s one of those braided ones, made with string, beads, and yarn. “El and I made you this at our sleepover. We were gonna give it to you, but I didn’t have it with me at Starcourt. I-I guess it’s useless now. What kind of friend are you? Y-you fucking asshole.” She spoke only after her sobs were subsided into small cries. She wiped her eyes and looked at the rest of her friends before walking off. She went and sat at her brother’s grave, and everyone knew it wasn’t because she loved Billy more. It was because she hated people seeing her cry, so they looked away once her shoulders began to shake, and her hand flew to her mouth to deafen the sobs and gasps. Her hair was pulled over her as a curtain to hide her own disgust—her emotions. Robin leaned over to look at the bracelet. “#1 Babysitter” it read in those little lettered beads. The string was blue and yellow–Steve’s favorite colors. The colors were recently poisoned for Robin. 

Mike went up next. “I, uh, still think you’re a dumb jock, but you’re a good person. Y-you saved our lives more times than I can count. You saved my life more times than I can count. Thank you…” Mike stepped back and stared at the sky, anywhere but the ground. “I wish you were still here, so you could tell Dustin to stop being an asshole. You were always the one to keep his ego in check.” Mike laughed wetly, “He’s gonna be awful to deal with now that you’re… now that you’re gone…” Mike took another step back, like Steve’s grave was suddenly a demodog ready to pounce instead of a mound of dirt and stone. “Why’d you have to leave us, man? You were supposed to lead us—teach us about surviving high school and dealing with other dumb jocks. You—you’re a fucking jerk, you know that!?” Nancy grabbed his arm before he could storm forward. Mike leaned against his sister and turned his eyes away from Steve’s grave completely. Perhaps, he believed that, as long as he didn’t see the newly dug dirt, it wouldn’t be real. Nancy wrapped her arms around her brother, as he hid his crying face in her black dress. To Robin’s surprise, the girl owned three, and she wore a different one to each funeral. This dress was Robin’s personal favorite, as it was mostly tool with a tight waistline and a small shawl, like a 50’s prom dress. Steve would’ve liked it.

“He was supposed to teach me basketball.” Lucas spoke so quietly that Robin was sure only she heard it, as she was the only one to look his way. “We were supposed to practice all Summer, man. You still haven’t taught me how to properly do a lay-up.” He laughed until he cried, and then he laughed some more, “I promise you; I’ll get on the team. Hell, I’ll make it to varsity—the big leagues, the NBA. I don’t care if they don’t let freshmen on V; I’ll find a way. I’ll practice every day, and I’m getting your old jersey number, okay? You better come to my games. I’ll be looking out for you, got it?” he was smiling through his tears, and Robin had to look away. Lucas was always the type to put on a brave face, but Robin saw the way his smile cracked his façade. It was too forced; it was disturbing to watch. She could hear the slow transition of his laugh turning into painful sobs. She closed her eyes and waited until she heard a noise other than a sob.

Lucas dropped something on Steve’s grave, and she looked down to see his old jersey folded and placed neatly on the dirt. Lucas wiped at his eyes and glanced around at his friends. He clenched his jaw and tried to stop the tears from falling, but they wouldn’t stop. “I-I’m sorry.” he walked away to join Max, stopping at his mom to grab tissues from her purse. The mothers, besides Joyce, were sitting far away on a bench to give everyone space to say goodbye. Robin realized as she watched Lucas walk over to them, that, technically speaking, only 11 people attended Steve Harrington’s burial. They were just bystanders.

Lucas approached Max like a wild animal, but she merely patted the ground beside her. It made sense. They had matching wounds. Both lost a brother, and Robin is not including Billy in that statement.

“You saved us.” Erica spoke next. “I was so scared, and you protected us, like a knight. You’re an idiot for doing it, but you did it. And now you…” Erica furrowed her brow before reaching into her skirt’s pocket. She pulled out a My Little Pony figurine. Robin didn’t know which one it was, but it must’ve meant a lot to Erica. The girl sobbed as she placed it beside Max’s bracelet. “You better not lose this. It’s my favorite, okay?” she pointed to the grave like she was giving Steve a lecture. Robin couldn’t help but smile at the gesture.

“What pony is that?” It was Will who asked, talking for the first time since they lowered Steve's casket.

“Twilight Sparkle.” Erica answered quietly, embarrassingly. It wouldn’t be for another three months that Erica would explain why she chose Twilight Sparkle. It was when the girl had wandered into Family Video to rent The Last Unicorn. Robin asked why she chose that character, and she told the older teen that it was because Twilight was a leader who valued friendship and loyalty. Robin sobbed after Erica left the store. She sobbed so hard that she nearly threw up her lunch and had to go home early. She doesn’t know why she cried so hard. Steve talked about being forced to watch My Little Pony with Erica, so she knew that Steve knew who Twilight Sparkle is. She laughs at the thought, because he would surely insist, he was a different character, but Erica’s right. Steve was a leader. He loved his friends, and he was as loyal as a dog to its owner.

Erica and Lucas left after that, bringing Max along because she didn’t want to stay, even if she was supposed to ride home with Nancy. Nancy dropped a teddy bear and a rose off at Steve’s grave. “You’re an idiot, Steve Harrington.” She sobbed through a tight mouth. Steve used to say that Nancy would call him an idiot the same way Robin calls him a dingus. “It’s affectionate.” he said, but Nancy’s tone was dripping with venom. The girl walked away, shaking her head and clenching her fists. Mike and she left, and she peeled out of the parking lot like a bat out of hell. Anger fueled the vehicle more than gasoline, in that instance.

“When it rains, this will be destroyed, but you’re a real barbarian, Steve. Even if you don’t know what that is.” Will placed a drawing of Steve in a suit of leather armor that looked suspiciously like a Scoops Ahoy uniform. His weapon was a spiked bat, and he was smiling and looking at the sun. The next day, Robin stole that drawing to make a copy at the library’s printer. She returned the drawing the same day, but she had the copy hanging up in her room next to a polaroid Jonathan took of the ‘Scoops Troop’, as Dustin called them: Steve’s bloody yet smiling face, Erica’s tired eyes, Dustin’s bright smile, and Robin in her vomit and blood-stained uniform.

“I forgive you, Steve.” Jonathan said next. “I know I told you that a long time ago, but I don’t think you ever stopped blaming yourself for what you did. You’re not a bad person. You never were. I don’t hate you. I would never hate you. You’re… you’re my best friend.” His voice was shaking with his hands. He had nothing to give but a small photo of him, Steve, and Nancy on the Byers’ couch. Steve’s face was bloody and bruised (not from the Russians—apparently Jonathan throws a powerful punch), but he was smiling the brightest. Always the optimist, Robin supposed.

Joyce didn’t say anything. She was too busy comforting Jane, who kept trying to speak but came up short every time. The Byers and Jane left, leaving Dustin and Robin.

“I thought he was asleep…” Dustin whispered. He removed his ‘Camp Knowhere’ cap and placed it on the corner of Steve’s grave. “Sorry, it’s not Farrah Fawcett, but I don’t think they let hair spray into the afterlife.” Dustin joked. He laughed before he suddenly broke into sobs. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. “You…” his voice broke, and he bit his quivering lip. “I hate… I hate you so, so much, Steve.” He shook his head. “Our deal was you die, I die. Not you die, I keep on living without you. What made you think I could do this without you?! Why would you leave me like this?! All you had to do was let them look at you! They were going to get to all of us eventually! They were paramedics Steve. It was their job to help you, and you sent them away! You insisted you were fine, you, fucking asshole. Why was it so hard to let someone else take care of you for once?! Why are you such a “hero” that you couldn’t… you…” his voice cracked, “you may think that was selfless, but this is the worst thing you’ve ever done. You weren’t helping us; you fucking killed yourself, and now I’m alone, Steve! Who’s going to drive me around? Who’s going to teach me how to talk to girls and do my hair? Who–Who’s supposed to be my dad now? Did you hear that? You were my dad, Steve. You weren’t my brother. You weren’t my babysitter or mom, Steve; you were my dad, and now you’ve gone up and left me too. You should’ve—you should’ve let them look at you! How hard was it to get help, you, fucking asshole!” Robin rushed forward to stop Dustin from kicking the dirt, grabbing his arms and yanking him back. “Let go of me!” Dustin shouted, shoving Robin away.

“Dustin, this isn’t what Steve would’ve wanted— “

“Don’t tell me what he wanted!” Dustin snapped. “You knew him, for what? A few months?!” He pushed forward, gesturing to himself. “I’ve known him for years, Buckley. He saved my life more times than I can count. We have been through hell together; you don’t get to tell me what he would or wouldn’t want!” He pointed an accusing finger to Robin, who held her hands up in surrender. “You didn’t even know him.”

“Dustin, I— “

“Just forget it.” He spat. He left before Robin could say another word. She watched him storm past his mom, who offered a comforting hand, but he just ignored her and shoved his way past. He marched to her car and yanked at the door to get in. They drove off with nothing but a sparing, apologetic glance at Robin from Ms. Henderson. She smiled back and waved.  

Robin turned back to Steve’s grave and sighed. “Hey, Dingus…” she greeted with an awkward smile, “I hate wearing dresses, you know.” She looked down at the black dress her mom forced her into, as dad’s suit was just on the side of too big. She looked back up at Steve… Steve’s grave. “I tried to convince them to let me write Dingus on your grave, but they weren’t having it. They said something about insulting the dead, but they don’t understand what it means to us.” She licked her lips. “I’m surprised Tammy Thompson didn’t show up. I bet her singing would have woken you right up.” Robin snapped her fingers and began singing a “Kermit'' rendition of ‘Candle in the Wind’. She laughed and snorted, before she frowned and paused. “I should’ve woken you up. I shouldn't have let you sleep. Fuck, I—I shouldn’t have let you go alone.” She took a shuddering inhale. “I fucking hate The Fox and the Hound, Steve! You call that shit comforting? That movie’s your favorite? It’s depressing as shit, Dingus, and it makes me cry every time I watch it! A-A-And we were both scared. I should’ve forced you to sleep on the couch or-or gone with you. We should’ve been there for each other! I should’ve…” Robin interrupted herself with a gasp, like she was in pain. Then again, she was in pain. The kind of pain where there’s a stab in your chest from a knife that you can’t get out. No matter how much you claw at your skin and rip away your clothing, that knife stays. It’s not heartbreak. It’s not jealousy. It’s not rage. It’s guilt. It starts in your chest, and it spreads to the rest of your body like a slow building wildfire. And similar to a slow wildfire, you don’t notice it until the trees are all burning and there’s more smoke than clouds in the sky. “I should’ve saved you.” she glanced at the word ‘hero’ carved into his stone. “It should’ve been me.”

Robin went home after talking to Steve’s grave for another hour. She talked until the faucets in her eyes went dry and the numbness felt like a lump of burning coal in her throat. “I’m not hungry.” She muttered to her mom on the way to the bathroom. They had one bathroom in the house, but Robin didn’t give a shit. She spent nearly three hours there, staring at the mirror. Staring at her bruises. Staring at the dark circles and large, purple mark on her neck from where they pressed that needle into her skin. Staring at someone living. Someone who didn’t deserve to be.

In movies, it always rains at funerals. It didn’t rain. Of course, it didn’t. Steve hated the rain. “It ruins my hair, and it’s miserable and gray.” Instead, it was a cloudless day and hotter than the fireworks that burned the Mind Flayer. Robin was left sweating in her funeral outfit, so she got into the shower sometime during hour two of crying. She sat down in the tub instead of standing and cried with the water. Turns out, she hadn’t run dry, she just ran out of excuses to cry at Steve’s grave instead of going home where her parents would do nothing but pity her and care for her. She didn’t want pity; she wanted Steve. “I wish you were here, Steve.” She whimpered, calling out to her lost friend.

Her friend, who was sitting outside the bathroom door. Steve, who was still in his Scoops uniform and wishing he changed his clothes before he went to sleep. Steve, who had his elbows resting on either knee as he held his head in his hands. Steve, who was sobbing and crying along with Robin. “I’m right here…” he repeated. He lost how many times he had said the sentiment, but he was sure it was in the thousands by now.

“I’m right here.”

[ilovecupcakesandtea]

My master list

Title: Lets bring this idiot home

Word Count: 12173

Archive Warnings: Temporary character death

Rating: M

Pairing(s): Eddie Munson/Steve Harrington Robin Buckley/OC

Character(s): Eddie Munson, Steve Harrington, Robin Buckley, The Party

Tags: Steddie, Steve Harrington. Eddie Munson. Robin Buckley. . Temporary Major Character Death

Beta Reader: Thank you so much to my awesome beta reader/cheerleader @slippy-slip I really could not have done this without you at all.

Art link and credit: Art is by the amazing @kokoshka67 as is the banner

Ao3 Link

AN: Working on this has been an absolute blast.

I wrote this for the @strangerthingsreversebigbang event and had a lot of fun doing so!!

Divider links: reblog and bats

Cold, that’s the first thing that Eddie felt when he woke up. Maybe felt wasn’t the right word, more experienced. He didn’t think he could actually feel anything. He was sure he should be feeling something. He should feel pain, he distinctly remembers being eaten alive by demobats making sure Henderson could get out of this hell pit and to help keep Steve, Robin and Nancy safe. 

He must be dead, that’s the only conclusion he could come to. Dead. Not even 20 yet and he was here, dead, in hell. People always did say he’d end up in hell.

“Jesus H Christ,” he said, sitting up and looking around. The place looked totally different now there was no lightning in the sky or thunder to be heard. The only thing that remained the same was the red sky and the ground under him. 

It was at this point he noticed that he was surrounded by bats, bats that he was sure had just been eating him, taking chunks out of his sides, arms and legs. But now they were just sitting there, looking at him. Watching him, rather unnerving really if you asked Eddie, almost as though they were waiting for him to do something, anything.

“Looks like everyone got out then,” he said out loud, for no reason other than to break the silence. He never did well with silence. 

“What the fuck,” he screamed as the bats all nodded back at him, as though they were actually replying to what he had said.

He scrambled to his feet as quickly as he could and moved off towards the trailer where the gate was. Reaching for the door with more force than he intended, he fell right through and landed back on the ground face first. 

“Christ,” Eddie exclaimed, sitting back up headfirst in the living room. 

So definitely dead, a ghost by the looks of it. First thing he had to work out was a way of interacting with the world around him, surely it was possible to do? It had to be, right?  

He took a second before standing up again to look around inside the trailer. It looked like the gate had closed. 

“Well fuck, guess I'm stuck here a ghost then,” Eddie sighed. 

Turning around he saw the bats had followed him. They were less scary when he looked at them now that they weren’t trying to eat him. 

“Well come on then, if you’re following me let's go and see what’s out there,” Eddie spoke to the bats. He was losing it already, talking to the damn bats.

Eddie started to float off in a random direction when the bats stopped in front of him, stopping him in his tracks. He started in another direction and they moved in front again. A third try had him stopped again. 

“Alright, alright you want me to go somewhere?” Eddie asked the bats flying in front of him, getting chirps in response. 

“Well I guess I’ve got nothing better to do, lead the way,” he gestured widely. 

The bats flew off slowly and looked back to make sure Eddie was following, giving what sounded like happy little chirps when he was. 

Eddie floated behind the bats all the way through Hawkins, through the woods and out the otherside where Riffer Rick’s could be seen.

Entering the house he was filled with emotions, all of the fear and the hopelessness that he felt the last time he was there all came back to him. Only hours beforehand he was in this place laying low because he was wanted for murder after watching the death of Chrissy Cunningham. 

The bats lead him further into the house and into Rick's bedroom, the last bed he lay on. On the bed lay his body, his mangled body with a torn shirt and missing flesh. 

“You really did a number on me huh?” Eddie laughed a humourless laugh. The bats gave off sad chirps in response. “Yeah I know, you had no choice, he made you. Thank you for making sure I rested comfortably though.” 

Eddie looked close at his body. He wondered if he could get his ghost back in there. Would there be a point if he did? His body has no heartbeat he was clinically dead, and even if he wasn't there didn't seem to be any way of keeping a human body alive down here long term.

As he was walking Eddie kept trying to touch different things, concentrating really hard on doing so. Wondering if the type of thing he was trying to touch made a difference or if him having any kind of connection to it helped. Everything so far had been a no. Everytime he touched something his hand went straight through it. His feet didn’t physically touch the floor and his whole body felt light. 

He wasn’t sure where to head for a while. Just wandering around Lovers Lake, seeing if there was anything that could help him at all. Nothing seemed out of place. With a heavy sigh Edidie headed into the town centre and ultimately towards Hawkins High. 

Walking across the football field Eddie headed towards the clearing that once held the picnic table he used as a meeting point for his drug deals. A place that he spent many hours sitting in, reading, drawing or listening to music. 

As he entered the clearing he noticed he wasn’t alone. Hovering by the picnic table was Chrissy. 

“Chrissy?” Eddie whispered, he hardly dared to believe he wasn’t alone in this hell. 

“Eddie?” She replied, moving towards him quickly. “Why are you here?!” 

“I died, apparently,” Eddie shrugged. “How long have you been here for?” 

“It’s hard to say, I’ve been kinda floating around the place, seeing what else and who else I can find,” she replied smiling

“Chris I need you to know I had nothing to do with your death, I tried to help. I am so sorry I left you. I’m so sorry that I couldn’t help you. Everyone misses you, they all love you so much. Jason led the whole town against me to avenge you. I promise if I could have done anything differently I would have,” Eddie cried. 

“Eddie, I know,” Chrissy whispered, placing her hand close to his face. “There was nothing you could have done, please know that.”

“But I ran away and left you there,” Eddie whispered.

“You watched me float to the ceiling and my bones snap, what could you have done?” Chrissy asked. 

“Nothing I guess,” he spoke softly in reply. “See, you did the right thing, you could have been next for all you know,” she smiled reassuringly at him. 

“Why are you here?” Eddie asked, gesturing around to the clearing. 

“This is the last place I remember thinking everything could still be ok. Like I had someone that was on my side and that I wasn’t completely losing my mind,” Chrissy replied simply. 

“Even though you saw something whilst you were here, you still felt safe?” Eddie questioned. 

“Yeah, you looked at me like you might actually believe me if I was to tell you what I’d been going through. You tried to make me laugh. Right until the end I felt safe with you Eddie,” she stated.

“I really really wish I could have saved you,” Eddie huffed, anger clear in his voice. 

They spent a while floating around the clearing and chatting, finding out more about each other. She told him about all the secrets of the basketball and cheerleading teams as they both giggled away. Eddie told her all about Hellfire and the campaign he had finished the evening he took her back to the trailer.  Chrissy told him about her family, her shitty mum and dad but also about her wonderful auntie and grandma who stood up to her mum whenever they could. Eddie told her about his own parents who skipped out on him for different reasons but also about Wayne who had taken him in and was better than a lot of dads he knew despite never wanting children of his own. 

The conversation changed to the upside down. Eddie asked Chrissy about what she could and couldn’t do down here and if she’d seen anyone else. 

“Yes actually I have, Barb Holland is around somewhere, the same with Fred and Patrick, I’ve seen them both as well. I’ve had a few good chats with Barb, she’s lovely, she was really helpful when I first ended up here. I can’t really interact with anything, my body seems to just go through it,” she replied. 

After saying their goodbyes and promising to see each other again very soon, Eddie decided to continue with his trip around Hawkins. Floating around the parts of the hospital he could, around the police station and around the arcade as well as everywhere else he could get into.

A while later, time had no concept anymore, neither light nor dark to tell night from day, no working clocks, probably for the best after Vecna, Eddie found himself back in Hawkins itself, followed by the bats who hadn’t seemed to want to leave him alone since he woke up. There was no one around at all, no cars even. Hell he wasn't really sure where he was heading, no real destination in mind. 

As Eddie floated through the centre of town he found the record store, as it looked in 1983, he walked through the door without opening it and started to look around. 

He saw posters advertising the newest Iron Maiden album at the time. The tour that Metallica were embarking on in the January of 1984. Suddenly it hit him. Surrounded by this ‘old’ music it showed him what he would be missing out on, what he would never have again. New music. He couldn't even touch things physically  so he didn't even have old music to listen to. He’d never play his sweetheart again. Never listen to the Master Of Puppets album again. The tickets for the Ozzy and Metallica show that Wayne had worked really hard to surprise Eddie with, wouldn't be used by him. Then there was the overwhelming emotional pain of missing Wayne. Did Wayne think he killed all those people? Wayne,  Eddie realised, would have come home from this shift, fully expecting to head to bed and then to go to sleep, to find the dead mutilated body of Chrissy Cunningham on the floor and Eddie gone. He couldn’t even remember what his last words to Wayne were.  

Eddie sat on the floor and screamed. Screamed for Chrissy, for Wayne, for Dustin, for Max. He beat his fists on the counter in front of him and was hit by the realisation that he was physically making contact with it, he was making noise against the front. It came as such a shock that he stopped screaming immediately, and then his hands fell right through again and back to his knee.

“Huh, that's an interesting development,” Eddie spoke. “Bet Henderson would be able to tell me what happened, I should probably go and find the little shit.” 

He headed in the direction of the Hendersons. Seeing Hawkins back in 1983 was really weird, not the weirdest thing to have ever happened to him but certainly up there. Eddie walked past shops that had long since closed down, or had moved locations. Places he had never been able to shop in he could now just walk into without the dirty looks.   

Eddie found the Henderson house, floated through the front door and saw straight away that this wasn’t the Henderson house. Someone else was very clearly living here at this point in time. Fuck.

As he floated away from the house, he had no idea where to go next. He wasn't sure how to contact the other side of the gate and he wouldn’t be able to touch anything if he could find it anyway. 

“Dustin saw me die didn’t he?” Eddie wondered out loud.

Once again the bats seemed to nod in response. That would always be weird. 

“So everyone else must think I’m dead?” He asked. 

Another nod.

“So they won't be coming back for me,” he whispered. 

He wasn’t quite sure how he knew this to be true but he was almost certain that if everyone was going to be anywhere, recovering from what they had gone through it was the Harrington Mansion. Luckily he knew they way, the parties back in the day had been very lucrative for his little side business. 

It took what felt like ages to float there. But finally, in front of him was the infamous Harrington Mansion, just as big as he remembered and with Steve's BMW sitting outside of it as well. Walking across the lawn and to the front door Eddie walked right through and into the entrance way. 

Eddie moved around the house slowly, trying to listen out for any sign of anyone on the other side of the vale. He tried shouting out for Henderson, for Steve, for Robin, for Nancy, for anyone. He tried moving things off the side but his hand just went through the items. It was then that he heard it, very faintly, but it was definitely there. Master of Puppets playing out to him from the other side. Now he was determined to make contact. 

“I’m alive!” He screamed, “Come back for me!” 

“Please,” he whispered. “Please find me” 

He finally remembered the one thing that he’d been told was always a sign of the Upside Down, lights. The kids, and older teens, had freaked out whenever any lights flickered. 

Eddie concentrated on the music he could faintly hear still and put his hand on the light switch, going through slightly but clearly making the lights in the hallway flicker. 

“What the fuck,” he heard.

It had been a very, very long 72 hours since they got out of the upside down and to the hospital. Various amounts of medical care were needed for everyone and aside from Max, Steve was kept the longest. His wounds had to be bandaged a couple of times before they would let him leave, the staff wanted him to stay for longer but suddenly being down staff members and up patient numbers meant they didn’t argue too much when Steve said he wanted to leave. Getting home was a blessing, Steve didn’t normally like the silence but a few minutes alone was needed. The dirty clothes in his bag needed to go straight into the washer so that's where he headed first. As he walked past the living room Steve caught the sight of the tape player they had all sat around before everything making mix tapes for everyone, just in case. He felt compelled to walk towards it, maybe to tidy it all up first. Sitting by the player he gathered everything together and made sure all the tapes were in the right cases. 

The last one, still sitting in the player, was Master of Puppets. Eddie had insisted on listening to it over and over again to make sure he knew it before going back into the Upside Down. 

Eddie, who was determined to graduate. Eddie who had been so full of life even at the end, wanting to be strong for Dustin. Eddie with his big brown doe eyes and his even bigger personality. Eddie, who even in the short few days Steve had really known him, had shown him a glimpse of a future. A future snuffed out with Eddie’s last breath. His first ‘round’ with the upside down and he ends up dead. Steve should never have forced Eddie and Dustin to be decoys, he should have sent them both home before they went to kill Vecna, they should have had another plan. Eddie should not have died in that horrid place. A victim like Chrissy, Patrick and Fred.

Turning the volume up on the player as loud as it could go he pressed play and let the music engulf him. He stood up and went about what he set out to do, putting his clothes in the washer. Everything was in, bar the vest. Steve stood holding the vest, just standing there looking at it. Leaving it on top of the washer Steve turned around to go about getting clean himself and then going to sleep when he saw it. The lights were flickering. He could hear that the song was coming to an end and the lights were flickering. 

“What the fuck,” he said outloud. 

This couldn’t be, the Upside own was finished. Vecna was dead and the gates all closed. Then he noticed it, the pattern, the lights were making 3 quick flickers 3 longer flashes and 3 quick flickers again. S.O.S. Could Eddie really be alive? 

The relief washed over him. If Eddie was communicating with him then he must be alive in some way. He needed to work out what to do, he couldn’t yet get everyone else involved, they were enjoying being at home with their families. No, he’d do this himself until he had to get everyone else involved with whatever rescue mission was needed. With the idea of a shower and sleep behind him now Steve grabbed a notebook and a pen and sat down at the kitchen table to write down everything he knew about the Upside Down, gates and anything else supernatural. 

It wasn’t until he heard the front door open that he looked up and noticed it was now dark outside. 

“Robbie?” Steve said into the darkness, closing the book and pushing it away from him.

“Yeah it’s me dingus, you ok? Sitting in the dark all by yourself,” Robin asked, concern obvious in her voice. 

“Yeah, I’m ok, I was just sitting here and didn’t even realise it had gone dark. What are you doing here anyway? Why aren't you with your parents?” He questioned, trying to change the subject.

“Wanted to make sure you’re ok, your parents aren’t here and I didnt want you to be on your own,” she replied, coming over and giving him a hug, “What's this?” Robin questioned poking at the notebook.

“It’s nothing,” Steve whispered, he needed her to leave this alone for now. 

“Steve, I’m not going to push, just know I'm here for you,” Robin said. 

“Thank you,” He replied. “Anyway don’t you have a date tonight?” 

“I called J and rescheduled, explained about the earthquake and everything and how I needed to help clean up and just needed to be with the family tonight,” Robin shrugged. “Want to watch a movie and judge everyone before we fall asleep on the couch and get really uncomfortable?” 

“I couldn’t think of a better way of spending the evening, shall we make some food first?” He suggested.

20 minutes later they were both sat down with Top Gun on and huge bowls of pasta.

“Kelly McGillis is so hot,” Robin sighed. 

“Not as hot as Tom Cruise,” Steve replied.

They couldn’t hear him or see him and he couldn’t see them or hear them any more but Eddie was in the room with them humming along to Master of Puppets hoping that someone had got his message earlier and that they were coming to save him.

The pair spent the rest of the evening watching films and judging everyone in them. However Steve couldn't shrug off the feeling he should tell Robin, at least she would probably know what to do. He was so grateful for her turning up to make sure he was ok though, he didn't have the heart to ruin it. He'd show her everything in the morning. 

Later that night they crawled into bed together and as per their custom Robin was the big spoon. She was tiny but they both felt better sleeping this way. They fell into a restless slumber, too exhausted to be kept awake by the horrors that they had seen but not settled enough for it to be restful. 

The next morning they woke up and made breakfast. Over an unusually quiet breakfast for the pair, Steve thought about what was written in his notebook. Having slept he felt better about letting Robin know what he had seen. Once toast had been eaten and coffee drank, Steve pushed the notebook towards Robin and stood up to do the dishes. "Steve, why does this page have Eddie's alive with a question mark at the top. And why is this followed by everything we know about the upside down and supernatural things in general?" Robin whispered. "The lights flickered," he answered simply. "Just like the S.O.S that Eddie told us about." 

"He was dead though babes, we all checked for any sign of a pulse, all over this body. There wasn't one," Robin countered. 

"Look, I know that, ok. I know the gate is closed and I know we all checked for a pulse and it wasn't there, but the lights flickered and it was S.O.S," he replied, pinching his nose to stop himself crying. 

"Okay, do we need to get everyone else involved?" Robin asked, believing him.

"Maybe later. Can we just have a think if there's anything I've forgotten before we let them know? They're all still just kids and they're with their families right now," he suggested.

"Of course we can," Robin smiled, cuddling into him from behind.

"I really hope he's alive Bobbie," Steve sniffled.

"Oh dingus, me too," she sighed.

"Steve, I know you don't want to get them involved just yet but if Eddie is down there on his own we need to help him. We both know we can't do this on our own, it wouldn't help anyone and we'd just get ourselves into danger. Would you want to tell them what happened when we both come back half dead?" Robin said after their second morning together.

"Yeah, I know. I'll radio them soon and get everyone here and see what they say," He sighed. "I just want them to be kids for once."

“Me too dingus, me too, but we need their help,” the girl responded, pulling him into a hug.

They both got showered and dressed for the day and then Steve radioed Dustin.

"Henderson, you there dude?" Steve spoke into the walkie.

"Steve? Everything okay?" came the static reply of Dustin seconds later.

"Gather everyone at yours in 30 minutes. I'm picking you all up and bringing you here," Steve said, trying not to sound as stressed as he felt. Was he really dragging them all back into this bullshit?

"Sure okay, guys check in if you heard that," Dustin responded.

Different variations of 'heard' could be overheard from the walkie as each party member said they would be there.

"Right, sit down, I need to tell you something," Steve started a little while later when all of the party were all sitting in the Harrington living room.

"Are you dying?" Dustin asked straight away.

"Did you get Robin pregnant?" Mike asked.

"Are you moving away?" Lucas questioned him.

"No, no, none of that. Especially the Robin being pregnant thing, she’s like my sister dude," Steve replied, already exasperated. 

"Well you've never had an issue fucking sisters," Mike retorted.

"Just yours Wheeler, just yours," Steve said straight faced.

"Just listen, please," Steve sighed. "A couple of nights ago when I got home from the hospital I was playing Master of Puppets at full volume and the lights flickered, like S.O.S, like Eddie showed us. I didn't hear anything but I know what I saw. I'm not clever enough to work this shit out on my own. I'm not asking anyone to come back down there if it's needed, I will do that alone. I just need help working out what's going on and how to go about fixing it."

"Oh yeah, like we're going to let you go back down there on your own," Dustin huffed, rolling his eyes. "So, which lights? Was it just the S.O.S or was it other flickering too? You said you didn't hear anything else but are you sure? Any kind of static from the radio? From the tape player? We need to see if we can contact the other side. Going to be a bit difficult if we don't know if Eddie is here or not. Like in the house still," Dustin rambled, question after question being thrown at Steve.

"Just the lights in the hallway that I saw, nothing else at all even vaguely weird. Robin did you hear anything or see anything last night or the night before?" Steve asked, turning to Robin for the last question.

"Nope," She responded, shaking her head.

Dustin's immediate reaction was to jump up and run to the light in question, clearly in the hopes to find some way of using them to communicate with Eddie.

"Okay so how do we talk to him?" Mike asked as he followed Dustin into the hallway.

"Can we even talk to him? Like if he's dead and a ghost or something will we be able to talk to him?" Dustin wondered out loud.

“Well he communicated with us so we should be able to talk back to him in some way. Like we did with the lite-brite the other day, we’ll figure this out ok. We need to. Eddie needs us again,” Steve pointed out.

“We could use the walkie talkie or a radio as a spiritbox type thing?” Robin suggested. “Kinda sweep the frequencies and see if we get anything at all from the upside down at all, it's kind of a different world like talking to a ghost would be.” 

The party spent the rest of the day going through different channels on their walkies and walking around the house trying to get something, anything. They had gone through all the channels and walked around the whole of the Harrington house getting nothing back. 

“I don’t think we’re going to get anything,” Will sighed. 

“What’s different now than when you saw the lights Steve?” Mike asked.

“Music!” Robin shouted, jumping up. “Sorry, Steve said when he saw the lights he had Master of Puppets on full blast.” 

“Yes! That’s it! Steve, where’s the tape and the tape player?” Dustin asked. 

Steve found them both and soon the opening notes were blasting from the speakers and around the house. 

They restarted their checks with the walkies, concentrating in the hallway, less than 3 minutes later and a walkie picked something up. 

" 'derson," came a crackly voice through the walkie that Lucas was holding in the hallway. 

“Holy shit Eddie! It’s Lucas, man is that really you?” the younger boy asked excitedly. 

“Older Sinclair! Man, it's good to hear your voice. Yeah it’s me,” came the staticky reply. 

“Lucas, what channel are you on?” Dustin demanded to know. 

“Eddie! Eddie, it’s me, It’s Dustin,” Dustin said into the walkie once he had tuned it right.  

“Henderson, I’m so fucking sorry,” Eddie replied quietly. 

“Dude, we’re going to fix this okay, we’re going to bring you home,” the curly haired boy said. 

“Operation Let’s Bring This Idiot Home has officially begun,” Robin laughed into her walkie. 

“Now I know I’m saved with the brain of everything helping the kids, is the brawn behind your brains helping too or is King Steve too busy?” 

“I’m here you jackass, stay close to whatever you’re using to speak to us. We could use your weird knowledge of things.” 

“Always happy to be a fountain of weird knowledge. I’ll stay where I am. Over and out for now,” Eddie replied before the music ended and the static of the radio started up again.

Eddie didn’t think anything would be able to wipe the smile off his face. Having human contact again after days of no one but bats to talk too and it being the people he went down fighting alongside felt amazing. Knowing that they wanted to help him potentially get back to the right side up gave him a feeling that he never thought he would feel again, hope. 

He wanted to go and wander around and explore more of the Upside Down, he wanted to know how far it spanned. Was it just Hawkins that was affected or was further afield having the same issues. He also wanted to be nosey in peoples houses, as much as his ghostly body would allow anyway. However he needed to stay close to the radio he had been able to communicate to them through. Unable to actually take it with him. 

He waited around for what felt like ages. He hoped someone would check in with some update or idle chit chat, but no, silence. The more the silence drew on and on the more the bad thoughts crept back in. Eddie had had time since ‘waking up’ to accept that this was his new normal but since the talk with the party he allowed himself to think about going home, about hugging Dustin again, seeing Wayne again, about 6 kids, a winnebago and a road trip.

Had they already forgotten about him? He couldn’t be sure how much time had passed with no way of gauging time of day. He also didn’t know if time worked the same down here as it did up there. Trying to convince himself that a large amount of time hadn’t actually passed was difficult but he had to try.

“Hey, guy’s, is anyone there?” He asked, touching the radio, which seemed to be the only way he could get it to work. 

Silence. 

No reply came at all, not even static. 

He sat and waited, speaking into the radio another few times, trying different things to see if that would help. He had no luck.

Eddie felt helpless again. 

The little bit of hope he had ripped away from him as quickly as it had come.

How was he going to recover from this now? He’s already come to terms with being stuck down here forever now but he’d, albeit for a brief moment, had hoped that that would change. 

“Eddie, you there man?” Steve asked later that evening, something told him he needed to check in with the other man. He couldn’t imagine how lonely it must be to be left alone down there. 

Nothing came back. 

“Munson, you there? It’s Steve,” Steve said again. “Harrington, Steve Harrington, just like in case you know another Steve.” Maybe he had been hanging out with Robin too long.

Still nothing. 

Has the connection they made been lost? Has something happened? Had Eddie just wandered away and couldn’t hear him? All kinds of thoughts ran through his head.

Steve was trying the radio over and over walking around the house. 

“Hey dingus, everything ok?” Robin asked, waking into the house and seeing him pacing. 

“I can’t get Eddie back again Robin, he’s gone,” Steve replied frantically, trying the radio one more time. 

“Okay, we can sort it,” she replied calmly. 

“What if he’s gone this time Bobs?” he whispered. 

“He isn't okay, we know this. It took us ages to get in contact last time. We can keep trying okay. You did forget the music though. I can’t say for certain that helps the link but it’s not a coincidence that the 2 times contact has been made that music was involved,” she reassured him, pulling him into a hug.

“You’re right, let’s get it playing and see if that works again,” he replied, breathing out the breath he felt like he’d been holding for ages. 

They got the tape playing and Steve tried again. 

“Hey Munson, you there man?” He asked again, hoping he sounded a lot calmer than he felt. 

“Steve Harrington as I, well, float in another worldly place,” Eddie replied, drawing out Steve’s name. “How can I help big boy?” 

“Just wanted to check in, see how you’re doing,” Steve replied, trying his best to hide his blush from Robin, the smirk on her face suggested he hadn’t been successful. “Guessed it must be pretty lonely down there, and it’s just me and Robin here right now” 

“I’ve made friends with the bats!” Eddie exclaimed, glee clear in his voice.

“The bats?!” Robin shouted after taking the walkie from Steve. 

“Yes, they’re not too bad when they’re not killing me,” he laughed, he could just imagine the look on both their faces. “Oh you’ll never guess who else is down here! I haven’t spent all that much time with her but we did spend some time together, Chrissy.” 

Steve looked at Robin straight away, he could sense the impending freakout before it happened.

“That’s great! Maybe we can errmm, talk to her sometime, I guess, like maybe. She probably doesn’t want to talk to me, or us I mean, she didn’t even know us really,” Robin rambled. 

“I get it Robin, she’s a very beautiful girl,” Eddie replied casually. Robin’s shoulders relaxed at being accepted without having to say the words. “I was always slightly more inclined towards the basketball team rather than the cheerleaders but I have been known to look their way.” 

Days passed and the group did research into all things to do with ghosts and discussed their collective knowledge of the Upside Down. Robin had made a couple of long tapes with Eddie's favourite songs once they realised that any music that Eddie connected with emotionally worked to bridge the gap between worlds. They left a tape running any time someone was awake and in the house. 

Everyone had gone home on the fifth day of brainstorming when Eddie’s voice came across the walkie that they had made sure could always be used by him. 

“Steve, you there?” he asked. 

“Yeah I’m here. Miss me already?”

“You weren't meant to figure it out,” Eddie laughed. 

“Secrets safe with me,” Steve responded with a laugh. “All jokes aside, everything ok? Need something?”

“Yeah, a huge favour actually. Can you help me keep everyone away from Riffer Rick's bedroom if you guys have to come down here. My, erm, physical body is in there. It’s not pretty and I don’t want anyone seeing that unless it can be changed.”

“Yeah, of course. If someone needs to go there it’ll be me,” Steve said, nodding as though he could be seen.

Almost two weeks later the party realised they had as much information as they could gather and the next step, they all decided, was heading down into the Upside Down. 

“I know you don’t want to but I think we’re going to need El involved in this. I’m not sure how we can open the gate without her,” Dustin declared. 

Everyone else agreed reluctantly and Mike gave her a call to fill her in on everything so far.

“I have sensed something a little different down there. I couldn’t quite work out what it was though, it didn’t feel evil. Just sad mostly, sparks of happiness but mostly sad,” El explained when she joined the group.

“Can you open the gate again so that we can go and see him?” Mike asked her. 

“Possibly yes, I can feel the one in the pool a little still so maybe I can open that one up again,” El replied.

“A gate in the pool?” Nancy whispered “Where it came and took Barb. I never thought about that.” 

“So El, you can open the gate up and we can head in, save Eddie and bring him home,” Dustin said cheerily. 

“Let’s take it one step at a time shall we?” Steve replied. 

Heading out into the back garden and over to the empty pool the group looked around to see if anything looked any different. 

“I can feel it the strongest here,” El said as she stood near the diving board. “I can open this gate up. I can’t feel anything dangerous and Eddie said that he hasn’t seen anything bad right?”

“Said he’d made friends with the bats,” Robin scoffed. 

El got ready and sat on the diving board. Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes, held her hands out and concentrated. The air suddenly felt heavier. A rip in the very fabric of the universe started to open and continued to spread. Once the gate was open fully El placed her hands by her side and opened her eyes again. 

“It’s open and I can’t feel anything bad in there,” El said as she took a tissue from Will who had rushed over to her. 

The silence was deafening. Any noise that there seemed to be before the gate was opened had disappeared. 

“Right, let’s get going then,” Dustin said, stepping forward. 

“Just me, Robin, Nancy and Jonathan are heading in ok. We can’t risk any of you but we’re all adults and have made this decision,” Steve said, one hand on his hip and the other pointing at each of the party in turn.

“Right, let's just go in and bring this idiot back,” Robin sighed, picking up her axe. 

They had spoken at length with Eddie about what creatures could be found down there. He’d said they were harmless but they couldn’t be sure what would happen when people who weren’t connected to the Upside Down entered. 

Steve went in first, trusty nailbat swinging by his side. Jonathan and Nancy followed him, Nancy with her shawnoff pointed dead ahead and Jonathan with a pistol in hand. Robin followed the group with her axe held ready to strike should it be needed. 

“Watch for the vines guys, don’t forget about the hive mind. We don’t know what connection they have now. Also we’re not sure what kind of connection they have to Eddie either so don’t hurt any of them because we don’t want to hurt him as well,” Robin rambled. 

“I hate this place, it’s no less creepy now than it was when we were last here fighting for our lives,” Nancy commented. 

“You weren’t joking when you said this place was stuck in ‘83. The Phillips still have that awful tree that always used to overhang the sidewalk,” Jonathan said looking around. 

“She was such a bitch too, always on at me and Tommy over something or other. Plus her cooking was lousy and they were always cheating on each other. Broke up 3 other marriages between them,” Steve replied off handedly. 

Walking around the Upside Down when something wasn’t trying to kill them was a whole new experience for each of them. This time the place was silent, all bar their footsteps and chatter. The sky was no longer red with lightning above them, no bats or other demo creatures were trying to kill them, just silence. They knew that Eddie had been spending a lot of his time at the Harrington residence as that was the only place they could communicate with him. So that’s where they headed too. 

“This is all suspiciously quiet down here. This has not been my experience of this place so far. Is this ok or are we walking into a trap? Oh shit. Did we ever take a second to check if this was actually Eddie? We all saw him dead, Steve you tried chest compressions and Nancy you checked for a pulse. What if we didn’t actually kill Venca and he’s bringing us down here hoping we come back down without much of a plan so he can kill us and get free?” Robin questioned. 

“Robs, it’s Eddie ok. Trust me,” Steve replied. 

The group continued to walk towards the Harrington residence without issue and finally they were there. 

“Munson, you here man?” Steve asked as he walked into the house. It felt so weird for him to be seeing the house as it was in ‘83, before everything started.

He could almost see a younger version of himself sitting on the couch watching something on TV. Or sitting with the book club he joined talking about their neighbours. 

“Yeah in your super posh living room,” Eddie said, interrupting Steve’s thoughts before they could spiral any further. 

They all walked into the living room with their weapons ready to attack if it wasn’t actually Eddie. 

“Guys, I’m a ghost. You can’t kill me any further and a nail bat or gun isn’t going to get rid of me,” Eddie laughed. 

“I brought an iron poker as well,” Robin declared, unhooking it from her belt. 

“A wise woman, Buckley, but please keep it away from me. We don’t actually want me to disappear,” Eddie said, moving further away from her.

“The weapons were for more fleshy creatures than yourself, no offence obviously,” Nancy pointed out. 

“I told you they're all harmless, nothing will hurt you. Venca is dead. I can’t feel him at all and the bats agree,” he sighed.

“Right so Eddie is officially a ghost, we don’t know where his body is, we don’t know what state that body is in, and we have no way of getting ghost Eddie back into human Eddie even if parts 1 and 2 weren’t an issue, which they are,” Robin spoke up. 

“I, erm, know where my body is. The physical one anyway but parts 2 and 3 are still an issue so,” Eddie said sadly.

“Let's go and see what we’re dealing with then,” Nancy said, turning to leave clearly having already made up her mind that they were heading to Eddie’s body next. 

“I think we should ask Eddie what he wants to do about his body. He should be given the choice as to who gets to see him like, well, that,” Steve shrugged. 

“Thank you Stevie. I just want you guys to know that bits of the flesh are missing. It’s clearly a very dead body ok. It’s not pretty. None of you need to see it if you don’t want to, I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t. I asked Steve to keep the kids away so they didn’t have to see it but I would really consider if you want to see that or not,” Eddie said before the group could move too far. 

“Thanks for the heads up Eddie but if we’re going to fix this at least one of us that can go right side up needs to see your body so we know exactly what needs to be done,” Nancy nodded at him.

“Lead the way then,” Robin said. 

The group all left the Harrington house and started their way through the woods towards Riffer Rick's place. Their surroundings stayed as quiet as it was when they entered the Upside Down a few minutes prior. The bats follow at a safe distance behind them. 

“I don’t like that they’re following us at all, it’s really creepy,” Robin pointed out. “Can they stop please?’

“They don’t like you guys being down in their territory either. Last time you were here you guys set fire to things and did a lot of harm. Plus killing their master,” Eddie shrugged. “They’re not going to hurt you though if you don’t do anything.”

“Does this pose a future issue of getting your body out of here? Is that maybe something we need to be careful of?” Jonathan questioned as they reached the house and walked inside.

“I don’t think so but maybe we need a game plan for that happening,” Eddie replied. “Right, I’m in the bedroom, I mean my body is in the bedroom. Please remember what I said earlier about what’s in there before you just walk in.”

“I’ll go and look, no one else needs to join me if they don't want to,” Nancy said, walking towards the bedroom. Steve followed behind her.

A few minutes later Nancy and Steve both walked back out. 

“The first issue would be the fact your body has no blood in it but it doesn’t actually look like it's started to decompose which is good,” Nancy declared. “We’d have to close up  the wounds. Get at least 5 pints of blood into you and restart your heart.”

“Not a lot then, we could get all of that done in an hour or so right?” Eddie deadpanned. “Let's face it guys, we can't do that. My spiritual being is outside of my body and we have no way of fixing that. I’m dead and I’m staying dead. Is there any chance someone could explain all this enough to Wayne so I can speak to him again though please?”

“Yeah of course, anything to help,'' Robin replied. “Should we have a look around? Make sure Vecna/ Henry / 001 is dead? May as well make sure the job is done.” 

“Sure, let's head over to the Creel house and check it out,” Jonathan shrugged.

The group walked back into Hawkins and through the town and passed the Memorial Hospital.

“We could burn it down?” Robin suggested, nudging Steve, as they walked past Family Video.

“We could always burn the school down instead?” Eddie countered as they went past Hawkins high.

Finally they were walking up the path towards the Creel house. 

“I know we’re all thinking it and I just want you all to know that even if we can’t get this situation fixed I appreciate you all trying. It means a lot that you all came down here to try and help, even though you had no idea what was waiting for you when you got here. So yeah, even if I’m still a ghost at the end of all this, Thank you,” Eddie said as the group made its way inside the creepy house. 

“This really is an awful place. I can still feel the vines around me,” Robin commented with a shudder. 

“There’s so much cool shit in this house that I want to explore but I can’t physically pick anything up which sucks,” Eddie said, looking around the hallway. “Buckley, can you help me explore?” 

“Don’t touch anything yet, we still need to make sure this place is safe,” Nancy spoke up.

“It’s safe,” came a voice from behind them. 

“Hey Chris, you know everyone right?” Eddie greeted Chrissy. 

“I know faces, but not everyone’s names. I know you, obviously. Steve from basketball and Robin from band, really wish I’d gotten to know you better Robin,” she spoke softly. “I’m really sorry but I don’t know either of your names,” she apologised, turning to Nancy and Jonathan. 

“I’m Jonathan Byers and this is Nancy Wheeler,” Jonathan smiled awkwardly.

“Right, now we’ve all been introduced, can we have a look around this place now. See what kind of things could be taken back to the right side up or just fun things down here,” Eddie declared. 

The group spent lots of time looking around each room in the house, after Chrissy had helped Eddie learn how to float up the stairs. The last room they looked in was an old library filled full of very old books and some handwritten texts. They spent time looking through each of them seeing if there was anything that could be useful to anything. 

“Erm guys, I think I may have found something,” Robin spoke up. “It certainly isn’t a normal book, looks super old and it’s giving me a really weird feeling.”

“Let’s have a look,” said Steve, walking up beside her and taking the book from her and looking through. 

“Open it!” Eddie insisted, a manic look on his face as he was on the other side of Robin.

“Alright, alright,” Robin sighed.

Instantly a ghostly green glow started to come from the book. 

“This is amazing,” Eddie cackled. 

“We need to close this book now and hope that it didn’t do any damage to either the Upside Down or the Right Side Up,” Robin said, trying to close the book.

“We should have a look through it to see if it can help any. If any book in here can, it's this one,” Steve pointed out.

“Have neither of you seen The Evil Dead? Nothing good can come from using this book for anything,” She sighed. 

“Can we at least look through it to see? This could be my only hope to fix all of this,” he asked, gesturing to himself. 

“Fine,” Robin sighed. “But I 100% reserve the right to say I told you so when this all goes wrong.” 

“Let’s take this back and get the party to look through it, see if those nerds can find something in it,” Steve suggested.

The group headed back out of the Creel house after finishing their look around and headed back towards the gate and the right side up. 

“We’ll keep in contact over the walkie as normal and we’ll come back and see you if we can’t get this sorted quickly,” Steve said, having to keep his hand still to stop himself from reaching out to touch Eddie. 

“Yeah ok Stevie, I’ll sit by the radio waiting for your call,” Eddie smiled shyly. “See you guys soon, yeah?”

“Bye Robin, good to see you,” Chrissy said, waving at the other girl. “Bye guys,” she finished and then floated away.

“Erm Buckley you got a sec?” Eddie spoke up as Robin just stood and looked at the space where Chrissy had been. 

“Sure, what’s up?” She asked, shaking herself and stepping towards him. 

“I’m not sure if you were being serious earlier about speaking to Uncle Wayne about all of this. But it really would mean the world to both me and him if we could talk again, even if it’s just one last time,” Eddie spoke nervously.

“I said I would and I will, ok. As soon as we know exactly what is going on with you I’ll talk to him. No need to upset him with you being dead if we can bring you back,” she smiled. 

“I owe you one, seriously. Once I’m all ok, whatever you want, just ask,” Eddie said

“Just take care of him ok, he’s not as strong as he makes out. That’s all I ask in return.” 

“What?” Eddie stammered. “I don’t know what you’re on about.”

“Yes you do. I’m not going to say a word though,” She nodded. 

Eddie nodded in response and turned to float away again. 

Back at the Harrington house the party, along with Steve, Robin, Nancy and Jonathan sat down with the book. Dustin had previously made sure that a walkie had been made so that the button didn’t have to be pushed in to talk to Eddie.

They spent the rest of the day and some of the following day having a read through the book to see if anything was useful. 

“There’s a whole section in this book dedicated to exorcisms. Eddie, you’d love that! You can shout Latin at people and they’ll think you’re cursing them but you’re really just telling demons to get away,” Dustin laughed.

“Oh dude that sounds amazing! You’ll have to show me when we get all of this fixed,” Eddie replied, clearly also very entertained by the prospect. 

“Hey, wait here a second!” Dustin exclaimed. “I actually think I’ve found something! There’s something in here called the Transmutational Resurrection Spell. The Latin incantation translates to ‘Restore the blood. Restore the flesh. Restore the bone. Bring the spirit and warm the body. After death, made whole again.’ This could be useful, it would need Eddie’s blood though which I don’t think we have.” 

“Is it a good job one of the 6 languages I speak is Latin?” Robin sighed, “Write it down for me please Steven then I can start learning it.” 

“I, erm, still have his battle vest and I was wearing it whilst I tried to do CPR, that should have some of his blood on it still,” Steve said sheeplishly. “I didn’t have time to put a wash on okay! Things happened very quickly once I got home,” he defended.

“We need to discuss what we do if this works and what we do if this doesn’t work. We can’t just go into this with no plan at all,” Nancy spoke up.  

“This is starting to sound like a DnD quest,” Eddie laughed. “If this doesn’t work then that’s okay. We tried, well you guys tried.” 

“Stop with that shit okay,” Steve huffed. “You were the only reason we know you’re down there. You did the S.O.S on the lights and got us to look around the Creel house. So stop with that self-deprecating bullshit, okay, it’s not cute.”

“Yeah, ok Stevie, just for you.” 

The group spent the rest of the afternoon talking through the best way to get Eddie’s soul back into his body and then to get his body, alive, out of the hell pit that is the Upside Down. Nancy and Jonathan took the party and Robin home and left Steve alone at the start of the evening. He made something to eat, changed the tape in the player and moved everything to be as close to the love seat so that he could curl up with some food and talk to Eddie. 

“Hey Eds you there?” he asked. 

“Yeah I’m here Stevie, everything ok?” came the reply. 

“Everythings fine. Just wanted to check in with you, seen as it's just us now,” Steve responded.

“Got me alone, have you sweetheart?” Eddie chuckled. “I’m not that kind of girl Stevie, need to wine and dine me first.” 

“It’s a date,” he responded, not really thinking and feeling his cheeks heat up as he realised what he’d said. 

“As soon as I’m fit enough we can work out the details of that date, yeah?” Eddie hummed.

“Once I’m finished with my food, do you want me to read something to you? I’m sure there’s something here I could read for you if you wanted me too?” Steve asked, trying to keep his cool when all he wanted to do was kick his legs and giggle. 

“That really would be great. Anything you have, takeaway menus included, I will happily listen too,” Eddie replied, a smile clear in his voice.

The rest of the evening consisted of talking through everything, from how they were actually dealing with everything to what Eddie's first meal would be when he could eat again. A conversation spurred on by Steve actually reading the takeaway menus to him through lots of laughter and silly voices. 

Lying in bed that night, for the first time in days, Steve felt hopeful for the future. There was no doubt that he liked Eddie as more than friends, the physical attraction to the other man had always been there. After spending time with him over the last few days though and talking to him for hours tonight there was no ignoring that the attraction ran deeper than how good Eddie looked.

A banging on his front door the following morning woke Steve up. 

“Is the world ending again?” He asked as soon as he opened the door, showing Robin to be on the other side. 

“Yes actually my world is ending ok Steven so a little sympathy would be great right now, thank you,” she replied, walking into his house and heading to the kitchen. 

“What’s happening?” He asked, following her into the kitchen and starting to make coffee. 

“I still like Chrissy but I spent the evening with J and I really like J too. It’s a mess,” she replied, helping him make coffee by getting their favourite mugs out and grabbing the sugar and creamer. 

“Ok,” he responded, clearly thinking his next words through. “Does J know about what happened? I’m assuming you weren’t silly enough to tell her everything but does she know what’s in the press?” 

“Yeah, she does. She’s mentioned it in passing a couple of times but never pressed for anything.” 

“So maybe being honest with her is the best way to go?” he shrugged. “It’s not like you’re looking to move in together next week, get married the week after and adopt 4 kids and a cat by Christmas. You could tell her that you really enjoy seeing her exactly as you are but that you really need to keep it at this pace for a little bit?”

“What if she’s not ok with it?” She whispered. 

“Then she’s no good for you anyway. You’re not telling J that you were in love with Chrissy or that you two were in a relationship. You’re telling her that you had the feelings for someone who is unfortunately now dead and that it’s caused a bit of emotional conflict within yourself and you wanted to make her aware of this,” he said, passing her a cup of coffee. 

The pair sat down at the breakfast bar and ate cereal chatting away, catching up on the gossip that Robin had heard from her mom last night. 

“I think I have feelings for Eddie,” Steve whispered as he was washing the dishes. 

“That’s ok. Thank you for telling me,” Robin replied, leaning her head into him as she was drying the dishes he was washing. “He’ll be back with us soon and you can woo him with romantic metal songs and pretty painted miniatures.”

“You really think so?” He asked.

“Yes, no doubt about it. Pull out all your best moves and he’ll be yours before you know it,” she smiled. “Anyway, I’ve spent most of the night awake learning that incantation and I think I have it nailed. Dustin said that he and the rest of the party were meeting early at the Wheeler’s house so that they can make sure they know what else is needed for this to work and Nancy said that she was going to look into ways of making sure we could bring Eddie home at least alive enough.” 

Steve got ready for the day and before 10am he had a living room filled with everyone again, all talking over each other about the plan they had concocted. 

“One at a time please,” Steve shouted loudly over them all.

Calmly Will explained the plan. They would move Eddie’s body close to the open gate, Robin would perform the incantation and then Nancy and Jonathan would perform any immediate medical intervention needed. Nancy having stocked up on supplies at the drugstore on their way over to Steves. 

Gathering everything together, weapons included, the group headed towards the gate again. 

“Good morning everyone, to what do I owe this pleasure?” Eddie asked cheerfully as the group headed into the Harrington home and found him in the living room. 

“Eddie!” Dustin shouted running towards the other man, catching himself short of trying to hug him.

“Hey Henderson, missed you too,” Eddie beamed.

“Shall we get this all started?” Nancy suggested “Not wishing to break up this reunion but we really should try and see if we can get Eddie back into his body as soon as possible.” 

“Yeah Nance is right, let’s head over to Rick’s and bring Eddie back to the gate entrance and sort this all out ok,” Robin agreed. 

Walking back over to Rick’s, Steve was trying to think of a way that they could move the body but still keep Eddie’s wish of the party not seeing him like that. 

“Erm, Nance, Jon, can I grab you both for a second? You guys carry on,” Steve shouted. “Eddie requested that I don't let the party see his body, he doesn’t want to be remembered like that. Do you have any wipes with you Nance and I can clean his face off? And Jon will you help me carry him? I thought we could cover all but his face with a sheet and carry him like that. Means that all anyone will be able to see is his face.”

“Yeah I’ve got some in the bag ready to clean any wounds but we can clean his face off first,” Nancy replied. “It’s a really good idea Steve”

“And sure, I’ll help you carry his body. Sounds like the best idea to have him wrapped in a cover anyway,” Jonathan agreed. 

“Thanks guys,” Steve smiled at the pair.

As they all reached the house Steve stopped them all.

“I want you all to stay out of the bedroom okay, no questions asked, just do as I say.” Steve said, hands on hips making eye contact with each as he spoke.

They all entered the house and Steve, Nancy and Jonathan went towards the bedroom ready to get Eddie’s body cleaned up and moved. 10 minutes later and the three walked back out into the main part of the shack with the body bundled up in a blanket and being carried between Steve and Jonathan. 

“I’ll go ahead and keep a lookout for anything trying to attack us if everyone else can kind of spread out around Jonathan, Steve and Eddie with Robin at the back?” Nancy suggested as the group filled back out of the shack. They all nodded their approval of her plan. 

All of a sudden there was an almighty screeching sound followed by the sound of the bats taking flight. Nancy raised her gun ready to shoot and the others stood around with their various weapons raised ready to fight. 

“Please don’t hurt them, can you all lower your weapons?” Eddie shouted quickly. “Hey guys, my friends are helping me okay, they’re not doing anything to hurt me.” he said more calmly, addressing the bats this time. 

The bats stopped screeching and settled back onto the fencing by Rick’s. 

They got Eddie’s body to the edge of the gate and placed it down on the sheets and blankets they had placed on the ground earlier. 

Eddie got as close as he could to his body, Robin knelt next to it and held the vest in her hands.

“Restituo sanguis. Restituo carnes. Restituo os. Afferte spiritus et calidum corpus. Post mortem, natus totum iterum.” She chanted over and over again.

At first it didn’t seem to be doing anything and then all of a sudden his soul was pulled back into his body and everything went black to him and his ghost vanished from sight for everyone else. 

Eddie lay on the ground still covered in the blanket for what felt like hours. Not moving or even awake, just laying there. 

“He’s got a pulse, it’s strong and his breathing is good too, I think he just needs some rest.” Nancy said, standing back up from checking Eddie over again. 

“Let’s get him out of here and into the house. He needs to be warm and comfortable and to be somewhere safe. Who knows what could still happen whilst we wait for him to be okay enough to move.” Steve suggested. 

Between Steve and Jonathan they picked Eddie up and carried him to the house. Getting him onto the sofa. 

“Should we bring a mattress downstairs so that when he wakes up he doesn’t need to move around so much to get everything he’ll need? You have a bathroom and everything down here plus the kitchen and access to the outside.” Robin suggested. 

“Yeah, yeah that’s a really good idea! My dad’s old office is empty, we can set a bed up in there. I’m sure my parents have an old bed frame they took apart and never got rid off and I know there’s a spare mattress as well. Some of you shitheads want to come and help me make a bedroom for Eddie?” Steve asked. 

They all agreed and everyone but Nancy, Robin and El,  went to help Steve. 

“Is Steve ok?” Nancy suddenly asked, turning to Robin. 

“Erm, yeah, I mean as well as any of us really are I guess” Robin replied. 

“Good, I worry about him is all. He seems to really like Eddie though. Not sure I’d ever say I'd describe someone looking at a ghost as longingly, but he does.” Nancy chuckled. 

“Damn, you think Harrington preferred me as a ghost?” Eddie suddenly rasped out from where the girls were sitting beside him. 

“Eddie!” Robin gasped, reaching over to touch him. “How are you feeling?” 

“Like I was a chew toy for a load of bats and my soul was thrown back into my body” he replied smiling weekly. 

“I'll grab you some pain relief and some water,” Nancy said, standing up and rushing from the room. 

“Hello Eddie, it's good to finally meet you in your physical form” El smiled, waving slightly. 

“Supergirl!” Eddie grinned as best he could. “Thank you for everything” 

“Ed’s” a whisper came from the doorway.

“Hey Stevie, “ Eddie replied sheepishly. 

“You’re okay” Steve breathed out, as though he had been holding his breath. 

“All thanks to you big boy.” the other boy smiled. 

“Erm El, shall we erm go and see if anyone is hungry or thirsty and sort some food and drink if needed” Robin said, gently taking El by the hand and leading her out the room. 

“We’re setting up a bedroom for you in the office, unless you have somewhere else you’d rather stay whilst you recover?” Steve said, stepping further into the room. 

“No, nowhere else I’d rather be” He smiled, attempting to sit up, only to fall back down again. 

“Lie back down and let's get some pain relief in you shall we.” Nancy ordered as she walked back into the room carrying a syringe. “IV morphine” she shrugged, nodding at it.

“Yeah, that sounds amazing to me. I’m not even going to question where you got it from or how much you have.” Eddie laughed before wincing in pain.

Eddie fell back asleep again within 5 minutes of having the morphine and spent the next 4 hours flat out, only waking up again because of the pain. 

Waking up with a wince and a groan he looked around the room the best he could. 

“Hey, I’m here, don't panic and don't try to move okay. Is the pain back again?” The voice of Steve came from behind him and seemed to be moving closer before it entered his vision. 

“Yeah the pain’s back again and this couch isn’t the most comfortable to have been lying on for hours.” 

“Okay, let's get you moved into your bedroom, sorry if it smells of cigar smoke and bourbon in there by the way. It was my dads office slash escape from the wife and kid room. Let me just go grab some more hands and we can get you moved okay.” Steve said as he left the room. 

He returned a couple of minutes later with Robin, Jonathan and Nancy following him. 

“We’re going to get you moved and then I’m going to give you more pain relief after we’ve got you settled. Let's start with getting you sat up shall we?” Nancy suggested.

With Steve taking the shoulders and Jonathan taking Eddie’s legs the two of them slowly and smoothly sat him up. 

“Jesus Christ that hurt so fucking much” Eddie said through gritted teeth, tears clear in his eyes. “Can we try the standing now” 

The two boys sat either side of him and placed his arms around their necks and their arms gently as they could around his waist. 

“On three, let's stand and then take a second.” Jonathan said, looking at Steve and Eddie, receiving nods from them both and then counting to three. 

With a lot of whimpering the four of them got Eddie moved and settled onto the bed and comfortable again.

“Here I’ve got some more pain relief for you.” Nancy informed as she entered the bedroom again. “We’ve been able to make you alive again and physically restore any flesh the bats took but you were still dead for over a week. Your body has not moved for almost all of that time. You’re going to be stiff and tired for a few days. Rest up and make sure you don’t push yourself. I believe Robin is on the phone to Wayne now. She’s not telling him you were dead and then alive again, she's just telling him that you’ve been found and are hurt but alive and here.”

“He’s on his way here now” Robin updated them both as she came into the room. “How you feeling now you’re in bed?” 

“Exhausted honestly. I’m so grateful to you for calling Wayne though and getting him to come over.” He replied. 

Once the morphine kicked in again Eddie fell back asleep.

Waking up again he was aware of someone sitting next to him with their hand on his arm. 

“Uncle Wayne?” Eddie rasped. 

“Yeah it’s me Ed’s. Need some water? We can help you sit up.” Wayne answered.

It was only then that Eddie noticed someone else was also sitting next to him, but on the other side of the bed. 

“Please,” Eddie smiled.

Some puffing and panting later Eddie was sitting up propped up by pillows and being helped to take a drink by Wayne. 

The rest of the evening was taken up by catching up with Wayne and the party who all filtered in inturn. Steve not leaving his side for more than 5 minutes at a time. 

The following day everyone went home to be back with their families and Eddie spent most of the day sleeping after being assisted to get into the shower and to wash and dry his hair. In the evening he was helped out into the living room. Sitting on the coffee table was Chinese takeout. Sweet and sour chicken, roast pork fried rice and prawn crackers all sat next to other containers. 

“You remembered '' Eddie whispered, sounding choked.

“What you wanted as your first meal back? Yeah of course I did. I didn’t think you would be up to it last night but figured you’d be ok with it tonight.” Steve shrugged, hoping his blush was hidden.

The boys sat and ate their take out, chatted and watched a couple episodes of The Golden Girls, naturally laughing and gossiping about their favourite characters all the way through. As the evening wore on and both boys became more and more tired they got closer and closer on the couch. 

“We should get you back into bed” Steve suggested at the end of their 5th episode. 

“Yeah ok, let's get moving” Eddie sighed. 

They got Eddie back into bed much easier than they had the evening before. A couple days of rest and pain relief having worked wonders. 

“You have more pain relief on the nightstand as well as a couple of bottles of water and a couple snacks.” Steve pointed to everything in turn. “Right, I'll leave you to it.” 

“Stay?” Eddie whispered. “It was really lonely down there on my own.”

“Yeah, sure, if you want me too,” the other boy smiled.

Eddie shuffled out of his trousers and shirt before scooching further down into the bed. He was joined by Steve after he had taken his own trousers and shirt off. 

“Good night Ed’s” 

“Night Stevie.” 

The following morning both men woke up tangled together and feeling much more rested than they had in days. Steve turned slightly so he was laying on Eddie's chest and hoped that the other man was still asleep so that he could enjoy this a little longer. He froze when arms pulled him closer and he realised that the other man was clearly not asleep. 

“Morning” Eddie rasped, sleep still in his voice. 

“Morning” came the shy reply, Steve still hoping to not break the spell.

“I don’t mind you know” 

“That’s good, because I really like it here” Steve said, ever so glad Eddie wouldn’t be able to see how red his cheeks were. 

“Get up here and look at me?” Eddie asked. 

Reluctantly Steve leaned up and looked at Eddie.

“You really are so beautiful, I’ve always thought so” Eddie mumbled, almost to himself.

“I was so fucking upset when I thought you were gone, can’t believe you’re back” Steve choked out, over come with emotion towards the man in front of him.

“I’m here and I’m yours, if you want me that is” 

“Of course I do.” Steve said, moving up Eddie’s body and leaning over him slightly.

“Then kiss me,” Eddie whispered.

Their lips met in the most tender and love filled kiss that Steve had ever felt. This was home. This was forever. 

3 Months Later:

“Ed’s come on! We need to get going or we’re going to be late” Steve shouted from the living room as he was getting his shoes on.

“Down in a second, I want to look my best for our first public outing as a couple and our first double date with Robin and J.  

“Let’s go then sweetheart” Eddie said, walking down the stairs ready to go 5 minutes later. 

“Let’s go. The first of many dates” Steve smiled, pulling his boyfriend into a kiss.

[withacapitalp]

Backrooms 3- EDDIE GOES WITH THEM

Link to SCREAM

Link to ao3

Sorry it's a day late!!! Eddie goes with them won by 97% Who could have guessed?

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

So Eddie’s choices were to try and figure out this hell-scape on his own…or follow a gorgeous Adonis with weapons and knowledge and fighting skill….

“Hell yeah, I’m coming with,” Eddie agreed instantly, grabbing Steve’s hand and practically jumping into a standing position. 

Steve’s hand was big and warm, enveloping Eddie’s long slim fingers in a comforting heat that settled out the last of his fear, but made his heart start to race for an entirely different reason. It got even worse as Steve squeezed their fingers together, giving Eddie a soft secretive smile that made a weird aching hunger pang in the middle of his chest. 

I wonder what those hands would feel like wrapped around-

“You got a name, metalhead?” Robin asked, interrupting Eddie’s absolutely delicious daydream, sliding her eyes over to Steve with her lip curling upward. 

Steve dropped Eddie’s hand like it was on fire, brow furrowing as he and Robin began to have a silent back and forth with just their eyes. Eddie wasn’t exactly sure what they were debating, but that combined with Nancy standing guard by the doorway and ignoring all of them was starting to create some serious awkward feelings. 

“Eddie,” He said, interrupting whatever weird wonder twin thing the two sailors had going on, “I’m Eddie Munson,”

“Eddie Munson?” Nancy replied, finally turning away from the doorway and giving Eddie a deathly glare. 

What is this girl’s problem? 

“What about it?” Eddie grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest and shrinking away from Nancy’s evil eye. 

“Nothing,” Nancy spat out, flashing her knife quickly before stowing it away in the sheath on her hip, “Let’s go. Don’t forget to link up.”

As she said the words ‘link up’, Nancy thrust her hand forward. Robin took it and interlocked their fingers, as Steve knelt down to stow his nailed up baseball bat into his backpack. Once it was secured, Steve took Robin’s free hand, holding his other out for Eddie. 

“Doorways are dangerous,” Steve explained when Eddie hesitated to take his hand again, “Don’t want you to get lost,”

Eddie wanted to ask how he could possibly get lost just exiting the room from the hallway, but the serious looks he was getting from the rest made the question dry up in his mouth. 

“You got a last name Sailor Steve?” Eddie asked instead as they exited back into the yellow hallways. The second they were in the hallway, they all dropped contact, and Eddie nearly shivered from the cold that came from losing Steve’s body heat. 

“Harrington.”

“Buckley!” Robin interrupted, jabbing one of her boney elbows directly into Steve’s side. 

“Geez Bobbin, I just forgot,” Steve complained, gasping in pain as he took two side steps to get out of elbow jabbing range. He turned to Eddie with a slightly uncomfortable smile, raising one shoulder in a short shrug. 

“Sorry about her. It’s Steve Buckley…now.”

There was something there in that pause, something weighted and uncomfortable. It existed in the hard line of Steve’s mouth, and the way that Robin slowly slid closer to him. 

Something, but I’m not sure if I should touch it, Eddie thought. The last thing he wanted to do was say the wrong thing and be left alone again. 

“For the record, I think you look much more like a Buckley than a Harrington,” Eddie offered.. 

“Well thank you very much, Eddie Munson,” Steve beamed, waving his hand around at the yellow walls boxing them in, “And may I be the first to formally welcome you to the Backrooms,” 

What should Eddie ask next?

“What’s the Backrooms?”

“So, why is it Buckley now?” 

Poll

[bored-writer101]

X Reader Masterlist

Marvel

Bucky Barnes

Nightmares | Bucky comforts you after you have a nightmare.

Good Morning | Waking up with Bucky, who doesn’t want you to get out of bed.

You Deserve The Word | Bucky can’t help but think that he doesn’t deserve you, but you assure him that isn’t true.

Five Years Later | Five years after the blip, there seems to be a way to bring back everyone… including your lost love.

Distraction | You wanted to finish unpacking your new home, but Bucky had other plans.

Tom Holland!Peter Parker

Will You Be My Girlfriend | Peter takes Y/N on a late night swing through the city before popping a very important question.

Cuts And Bruises | When Peter shows up bruised and bloody, you make sure to clean him up and take care of him.

Bedtime | Peter visits you late at night after patrol. He forces you to go to bed and get some much needed sleep.

You’re Spider-Man? | After it comes out that Tony Stark visited Peter, you make him tell you the real reason why.

Druig 

Never Leave Again | After many years apart, you set out to reunite with your love, Druig.

Foggy Neslon

Happy Valentine’s Day | After a tough day you completely forget about Valentine’s Day. Foggy, being the amazing boyfriend he is, does his best to cheer you up with an amazing night.

Stranger Things

Read more of my Stranger Things works on wattpad!

Steve Harrington

I’ll Always Be There For You | Steve does his best to avoid admitting his fear of horror movies to you. But during a movie night with the kids, you let him know that there’s no reason to be embarrassed.

Eddie Munson

I Promise | After you defeat One, you run back to your best friend, Eddie. You promised him you’d make it back alive to tell him a big secret you’ve kept from him for a long time.

More Bats | You can’t stop yourself from drawing more bats down eddie’s arm in pen, but you didn’t think he was actually going to get them tattooed on him.

Name Three Songs | You're wearing one of Eddie's Metallica tees when a guy tries to get you to name three songs. Eddie swoops in just in time to tell the guy to fuck off.

Jonathan Byers

Should I Stay Or Should I Go? | While your singing and dancing around Will’s room, trying to cheer him up, Jonathan comes home. He can’t stop himself from asking you a question he’s wanted to ask you for a long time.

Robin Buckley

We’re Supposed To Be Studying | You invited robin over to study, but she’s more interested in going through your things.

Bye Billy | You’re waiting for Robin after work, when Billy comes up to you. He doesn’t seem to be getting the hint that you’re not interested.

Eleven Hopper

You’re Cute When You’re Angry | Eleven helps calm you down after you get angry about failing a test.

Supernatural

Read more of my Supernatural works on wattpad!

Castiel

Crooked Tie | Castiel’s crooked tie drives you crazy. He becomes very confused when you start to fix his tie every time he shows up. One day he finally confronts you, asking you why you always fix his tie.

My Angel | You had fallen right into their trap. The angels were using you as bait to get Castiel. They made the mistake of underestimating him.

Sam Winchester

|Supernatural Rewrite Masterlist|

Rock, Paper, Scissors | You flirt with the brothers after a successful hunt.

Dean Winchester

Rock, Paper, Scissors | You flirt with the brothers after a successful hunt.

Criminal Minds

Spencer Reid

It’s Always Been You | You go to see Spencer at his apartment to check up on him. It’s been two weeks since the fiasco with maeve and he hasn’t left his apartment. While you’re there, the secret you’ve kept in all this time is revealed.

Aaron Hotchner

Worried | When you are kidnapped by an unsub, Hotch will do anything and everything to get you home safe.

BBC Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes

Sneaky Cigarette | John convinced you and Sherlock not to smoke, but one day the two of you can’t help it.

Serenade Me | You’re bored out of your mind, so you decide to play Sherlock’s violin. He comes home to see you playing.

Harry Potter

Neville Longbottom

You’re My Happiest Memory | You and Neville find out your each other’s others happiest memory when trying to conjure your patronus.

Friday The 13th (2009)

Clay Miller X Reader | You are Clay Miller’s girlfriend. He’s taken you to the middle of bumfuck nowhere, looking for his sister, Whitney. She’s been missing for a month and a half after she went on a camping trip with some friends. You and Clay are determined to find her, but there is a hockey masked killer who is waiting in the woods for you.

[morganwrites12672]

Hurt/comfort with Robin Buckley? Maybe you get hurt out in the snow and she panics or something idkkk I just love jer

Thank you! I have been wanting to write some Robin x Reader!

And, as always, my requests are open! I do write for quite a few characters so check my pinned post for details!

Robin Buckley x Reader

It was the middle of December. Over the last few weeks the snow had been shitty. All it did was make it difficult, and sometimes impossible, to drive. But, after all that time it was finally good playing snow.

It did not matter that you were technically an adult. You loved playing in the snow . So did your girlfriend, Robin. She loved the snow more than you had thought.

"YN," Robin yells and you see she was rolling a snowman. You giggle as you walk over to her and help her push it.

"I think it's getting to big," you say to your red faced girlfriend. She looks so cute with flushed cheeks and a red nose. The snow giving her a nice flush.

"Find," she grumbles as she makes a snow ball for the middle part. After an hour or so, you and your lover we're just running around in the snow. Having made a snow family, and even using all of the food dye in your house to make them rainbow, you were both freezing. Neither one of you would be the first to go in.

You squeal as you are hit with a snow ball in the face. You brush the cold off of your face as another hits your shoulder. You turn around to see your lover, clearly amused with herself, with a pile of snowballs in her arms.

You scoff as she throws a few more. "how childish," she smiles. You knew her answer was going to be a fun one.

"Says the one who made the snowman's bright rainbow," Robin chides and you feel the familiar cold of getting hit in the face.

"It's gay Robin," you decide. She laughs at your joke. You had both been dating for almost a year; a whole year; before anybody found out. And it was only because you were making out at Steve's. It was risky (and you got caught) but it was funny.

Steve was shocked, he only knew Robin was gay. So he had been hitting on you for a while. Robin still uses it as blackmail. Anytime she wants a different movie than Steve, 'you hit on my girlfriend' is brought up.

You reach for a handful of snow to throw back but pull your hand back with a hiss. You see some blood in the snow and a little piece of an aluminum can that got mowed over.

"Y/N? Are you okay?" As concerned as ever, Robin let's out something between a squeak and a gaso when she sees the blood. Oh, shit. You apply pressure and begin to walk to the house.

"YN, are you okay? Oh, my god. What if get tetanus? That is my second highest fear. I don't think you show signs immediately though. Do you have a fever yet? I think that's the first sign," Robin rambles as you smile and open the door.

"I'm fine, I've had my shots," you remind as you both ditch the winter gear and robin grabs the first aid kit.

"That's what Steve said about rabies from those bats!" Robin says with a look of pure horror as she begins to clean your finger.

"Baby, Steve didn't get rabies," you remind. She was going to freak the fuck out. It was robin, you loved her; she could be a bit much sometimes.

"Oh shit, sorry," she mumbles as you hiss from the feeling of antiseptic. She quickly dabs and wraps your finger with a sigh of relief.

"All done," she says and kisses your finger before wrapping you up in a big hug, "I was so scared," she whispers into your hair.

"Hey, nothing will ever happen to me as long as I have you," you remind and pull back enough to kiss her head.

[steviewashere]

Death Embraces You as I Kiss Your Skin

(also on ao3)

CW: Mild Cannibalism (Just Steve savoring a droplet of Eddie's blood), Major Character Death (They both die in the end), Unhappy Ending, Minor Religious Imagery, Canon Typical Blood/Gore

Rating: Mature!!!!

WC: 1,783

Tags: Secret Relationship, Breaking Obtuse Promises, Steve Asks That Eddie Doesn't Forgive Him, Vecna is Defeated, Grieving Steve Harrington, Loving Something That Death Can Touch

Relationships: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington

Characters: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley, Dustin Henderson, Background Nancy Wheeler

------------------------- It goes like this:

Steve and Eddie have had a private—extremely private—relationship in the background between Steve and Nancy's breakup to 1986: The Spring Break Showdown. Kept secret even from Robin.

They've made plans. For the future. Things involving leaving Hawkins in the rearview mirror. Finding a quaint little apartment. Stuffing the rooms with furniture and decorations and clutter—more than Steve's ever been able to have in his childhood home. Making holiday meals and celebrating joint holidays, like Hanukkah and Christmas; Steve was raised catholic and Eddie's born into a Jewish family and it didn't make sense to either of them to erase histories. Going to schools or finding a band, working minimum wage jobs, coming home to each other's waiting arms. Getting kissed on the forehead and cuddles and something more when they get to the bedroom. Maybe adopting a few pets. Getting married, if America ever allows it. Having children. Retiring to California to enjoy the warm beach and cool, glistening ocean. Dying some days apart.

They've planned it all.

But, in comes March of 1986.

Steve's always known that Eddie's little "gig" of drug dealing was going to crumble to pieces sooner or later. Though, he didn't imagine it happening by means of him possibly killing Chrissy Cunningham. And, it may seem unfaithful, but for a very long while (knowing what he knows) Steve believes Eddie actually did. He's strong. Can carry upwards of 120 pounds on his own. And Steve's seen Chrissy—she's petite, easy to throw in the air at basketball games, flexible and maneuverable. So to believe Eddie could kill, that's less of a breech of trust, but more a welcome of pure and simple logic.

Dustin convinces him otherwise. Meaning that, Steve is forced to be on the lookout. Forced to bring supplies. Forced to find Eddie.

And they do, and that's great! However, it's relieving to see the fear in Eddie's eyes, well as relieving as vomiting profusely, nonstop, for days on end. To finally explain himself—the bruises and blood and loose nails alongside a weapon of a baseball bat and why Steve knows so many children. "It's unnerving, Stevie," Eddie had said, "That the nerds I attend school with are, somehow, in your social circle. Don't make me think you're a creep.” They had laughed.

So they band together. And they traverse the Upside Down. The heavy comfort of Eddie's denim laid across Steve's back. Eddie's closeness. His warm breath. But he tries to convince Steve to go back to Nancy, and not because of true love actions or whatever garbage he tries to say at first, but because Eddie thinks he won't make it out of this. "But you will, Eds," Steve promised, "I'll make sure of it."

He breaks that promise. Because of course he does.

The axe falls from his grip. Heavily to the ground. His hand burns from the tightness he held onto the handle. Palm a dull red, fingers aching. His body trembles, knees weak and legs like splintering tree trunks, ready to land sideways on the dusty, dirt ground. 

At his feet is Eddie's mangled, bleeding, cold corpse. Eyes glazed and far away. Mouth agape, lips parted enough for mumbles to fall through. Hair fanned around his head like the saint halo depicted on Saint Francis' portraits. Blood. There's so much blood.

Dustin's off to one of his sides. Mumbling and sobbing and dry heaving. Saying something like, "He was saving us. It was—He died for us."

And there's nothing in Steve's power that he can do to remedy the horror. He carefully shifts the necklace from around Eddie's neck to go above his tangle of hair, loosely fisted in Steve's hand, and passes the guitar pick off to Dustin.

"Get him through the portal," Steve tells Nancy and Robin, head jerking to Dustin. Voice short, firm, demanding. ”I’m going through with Eddie's body."

"Steve—" Robin calls out to him. His back is turned to them. Eyes wet and downwards at Eddie. "It's no use. He's just going to be extra weight. We need to make sure Lucas and Max are okay,” she attempts to persuade.

He stiffens. Shoulders hunching to his ears. "Then...Then—Nancy will drop me off at my house with Eddie first. You guys will check on the others. I can't do this right now."

"Steve, it's—There's no po—"

"Robin," he growls. He sighs through his nose and looks warily, though exhausted, though heartbroken over his shoulder. Ribs cracking under his skin, heart shriveling, stomach bursting with bile. She looks so devastated. She looks like she wants to reach out. She looks at Steve like he’s an untouchable, gravely injured dog. ”He was my everything," Steve whispers, "This is—I promised to make sure he'd be safe. He's everything to me. You have to understand that."

From where Steve can see, he takes in that Robin slumps defeated. She is no longer pleading, however. Rather, at a nasty fork in the conversation. Her eyes lock with his. No longer determined. Sad, though. Sympathetic. Her head jerks once in a nod of finality. "I'll make sure Nancy knows that there was a change in plans. I hold myself to that," she promises, devotes more like.

With nothing else to say, the words caught on Steve's forked tongue, he turns back to Eddie. Leaves his supplies adrift on the dirty ground. And kneels to his side. He's able to see the sinew of Eddie's insides. His moist muscle. His young bones. His tattoos, the ones Steve was present for. The ones he'll never get to trace again, when they're warm. When Eddie's skin is supple.

He lays his finger along Eddie's newest one. It wraps around the left side of his ribcage, hiding underneath his back. A dragon. One he drew himself. Scaly and long. Breathing fire. Fanged, sharp teeth. Steve thought it was the prettiest thing Eddie had ever sketched. He draws the tip of his finger around the large, left eyeball of the creature's face. It appears to be crying blood, Eddie's blood. The blood Steve promised to keep below the surface. In the moment, his tongue craves the intimacy of knowing Eddie's skin. Knowing who he is, his everything about him. Carefully, a still dewy drop of blood on his finger, Steve brings it to his chapped mouth. Laving the fluid. Savoring it around his wet insides. Feeling cohesive, congruent, melodized with Eddie's soul. But it’s enough, even if it never will be.

Steve is gentle when he lifts Eddie’s corpse. As if he’d simply fallen asleep. Like he does—used to—on the sofa. As if he’s being carried to bed. He’s heavier because of his clothes. Lighter, at the same time, because of the blood and the chewed holes in his skin. He’s mine, Steve laments, He was mine. Not the demobats’. Not Vecna’s. Nobody else’s but Steve’s.

It’s trouble, getting him through. Relying on Robin and Nancy to catch Eddie’s body. To lift him from the mattress and give him back what’s his. Steve can feel their eyes. Imploring. Burning into him.

In the back of the RV, he lays Eddie on the couch. Pets his hair. Runs his knuckles over Eddie’s right cheek. Kisses his forehead. And at his home, carries Eddie through the door, lays him out on his bed, and gazes.

He looks…peaceful, oddly. Satiated almost. Asleep.

The bandana wrapped around his head is still colored as if fresh from the wash. Steve takes it in his weak grasp and wipes away at the blood. At the dried spit at the corners of his mouth. He lays the now dirtied rag in his lap, hands stained a dark, deep red—different from when the axe was in his grip.

Steve doesn’t know what to do. To bury Eddie’s body would be like burying half of his soul. Leaving him to decompose would be a sorry fate, Steve wouldn’t be able to leave the room. He’d have to keep his body glued to the edge of his mattress as Eddie turns green and marbled and all to bones.

He thought he finally had it. The love he sought after since childhood. Something that rooted him to the soil and wrapped in tendrils over his naked body. And in a way, he surely did. Because Eddie doted. He loved with his whole body—in sex and hugging and simply holding hands and words so soft they get lost in the dark and kisses so gentle, Steve could cry. They planned. They promised a lifetime and a half to each other. But Steve would give Eddie everything, all of forever, the moon if only he could grab it with his bare hands.

Maybe it’s me, Steve ponders mournfully. Maybe it’s his body and his heart and his brain. It’s his voice in a quiet, dark room. It’s the way his eyes trace the rain on his window. Over naked bodies and how his fingers trace pubic hair and hip bones and scars from falling accidents. It’s him and him and him, it has to be. 

What fate is worse than death?

Loving him, apparently. To love and want love. To hold and cherish. To hunger with great need.

Steve cups Eddie’s uninjured cheek. “I’m sorry, honey,” he whispers brokenly. Throat twitching with his breath. It’s almost incredible how he’s managed to keep himself sewn together. And now, in a room he’s never favored, on a bed he’s shared with only two people, after a long strenuous night of near death impulses—he bursts, unravelling. He cries and cries. Softly and whimpering. Unable to keep his eyes open with the weight of his eyelids. The weight of all that this means. His future, dissipated. His love, lost. “Don’t forgive me,” he murmurs. His free hand wraps around Eddie’s. Palm cold. Fingers limp. Skin pale.

He thinks, at this moment, he finally understands the ending to Romeo & Juliet. 

If only. If only this were the play. And they were performing their parts.

Steve lays on his side, tucked under Eddie’s lifeless arm. Head cozied to his shoulder. His own wounds uncovered and bleeding onto his sheets. A hand on Eddie’s stilled stomach.

He never thought of a life after Eddie. He always thought he was going to die first. Considering his history. He thought it would be anticlimactic and beautiful all at once. He never thought Eddie was something that death could touch.

“My love, you were everything,” he whispers to…nobody.

But maybe, if it was only believable after all he’s seen and all he’s lost and all he couldn’t save, God delivers messages.

------------------------ First time writing an unhappy ending, oops. Hopefully this was good, though.

[edentrees]

—✮Eden's Rules✮—

—✮• I will do

—• Platonic and Romantic relationships

—• Fanfics

—• Headcannons

—• Fluff

—• Angst

—• ADHD, Depressed, ED, and other types of disorders

—✮• I will not

—• Make any type if SA stories

—• Any kinks I'm not comfortable with!!

—✮• Movie's

—• The black phone

—• IT(only chapter one cuz I haven't watched chapter two)

—• Fear Street 1-3

—• Fanfik

—• You are so not invited to my bat mitzvah

—• Bottoms

—✮• Show's

—• Heartbreak High

—• Heart stopper

—• Boo Bitch

—• School Spirits

—• I am not okay with this

—• Trinkets

—• Sweet tooth

—• Stranger things 3-4

—• YELLOWJACKETS!! New to me

—✮• Female Characters

I am ONLY taking Female reader!

—• Tiger (Sweet tooth)

—• Bear (Sweet tooth)

—• Robin Buckley (Stranger things)

—• Nancy Wheeler (Stranger things)

—• Tabitha Foster (Trinkets)

—• Elodie Davis (trinkets)

—• Moe Truax (Trinkets)

—• Sydney Novak (I am not okay with this)

—• Rhonda (School Spirits)

—• Dawn (School Spirits)

—• Gia (Boo Bitch)

—• Erika (Boo Bitch)

—• Tori Spring (Heart stopper)

—• Darcy Olsson (Heart stopper)

—• Tara Jones (Heart stopper)

—• Quinn (Heartbreak high)

—• Sasha (Heartbreak high)

—• Beverly Marsh (IT)

—• Ziggy Berman (Fear street)

—• Deena (Fear street)

—• Kate Schmidt (Fear street)

—• Cindy Berman (Fear street)

—• Alice (Fear Street)

—• Shelia (Fear Street)

—• Samantha/ Sam Fraser (Fear street)

—• Hazel Callahan (Bottoms)

—✮• Male Characters

Only Female Reader I'm very sorry

—• Bruce (The black phone)

—• Robin Arellano (The black phone)

—• Finney Blake (The black phone)

—• Vance Hopper (The black phone)

—• Griffin(The black phone)

—• Any of the boys in IT

—• Leon (Fanfik Platonic)

—• Tosiek (Fanfik Platonic)

—• Any Boy from Your so not invited to my bat mitzvah

—• Platonic For Heartstopper boys

—• Stan the man (Stanley Barber I am not okay with this)

—• Gus (Platonic Sweet tooth)

—• Any boy from Stranger Things

—✮• Accepting for BxB

—• Will Byers

—• Tosiek

—• Leon

—• Charlie Spring

—• Nick Nelson

—✮• Remember the Rules!!

[xoxo-sarah]

I Wanna Be Yours || Part 15

Part 14 | part 16

↝a/n: I was supposed to post this earlier this morning but got distracted by Spencer Reid fanfics. I'm sure y'all understand 😞

↝pairing: Robin Buckley x fem!Wheeler!reader

↝ Warning: not proofread, possible spoilers, cannon events, angst, fear, Vecna, upside down and it's gross self, switch of pov at the beginning- it's Robin's pov for the last chapter, shorter than my other chapters, second to last chapter!!

↝⎙ 9.7.24

-Robin and Steve's POV-

“Maybe she's just scared,” Steve started, keeping his voice down as to not alert Nance or you. He saw how you pulling away had affected her. The hurt was evident on her face, even more so as you walked away. He had never seen Robin hurt like that, like she was a kicked puppy. As soon as the door to the RV shut, Robin busied herself, grabbing bottles and tins of kerosene. “Given the situation, I'd say it's normal to feel that w-”

“Steve,”

“What?”

“I don't care.” She sighed.

Steve watched her. “And I don't understand why you do either with everything that is going on. She has other things to worry about.” Although she couldn't tell him about you being cursed, she had a hunch that he already knew. Who wouldn't? “Honestly, this feels like the perfect time for that pull of the rug because, in the face of the world ending, the stakes of my love life feel spectacularly low.”

Steve looked over at his best friend, sympathy lacing his furrowed eyebrows, “Exactly, today could be our last day, spend it with her. You deserve to be happy.”

Robin shook her head, opting not to reply.

It was a kiss- well, many kisses. She wouldn't lie and say that she didn't like it, but she would understand if you could. The timing was God-awful, she'd admit.

Maybe Robin should pull away, at least until this is all over.

Things don't always go as planned.

“Help!” Nancy yelled from inside the van.

Steve and Robin were instantly on their feet, scrambling to the door.

Once inside, Robin felt the world stop spinning.

-----regular POV-----

“Escapade” by Janet Jackson played through the headphones covering your ears. Robin sat beside you in the back of the RV, hand encasing yours. Dustin and Eddie were on the other side of her. Although you were squished against the window, you hadn't felt more content, which was crazy given the circumstances. Steve was currently driving you all to your possible deaths.

Robin's hand let go of your hand, moving to squeeze at your thigh. Looking away from the passing trees, you turned to her concerned eyes. She stared into your own for a moment, before leaning forward. Her lips met your cheek, unsaid words being left behind when she pulled away.

The van came to a stop. Max, Lucas, and Erica got out, walking toward the Creel house.

The RV was now parked in the woods beside the trailer park. Nancy paced the van, before stopping. “Okay, I wanna run through it one more time. Phase one-”

“We meet Erika at the playground. She'll signal Max and Lucas when we're ready.” You answered first, fiddling with the headphones around your neck.

Nancy nodded, “Phase two?”

“Max baits Vecna.” Steve added. “He'll go after her, which will put him in his trance.”

“Phase three?”

Dustin answered, “Me and Eddie draw the bats away.” Eddie cupped Dustin's head, shaking it with a grin on his face.

“Four?” “We head into Vecna's hopefully newly bat-free lair and-” Robin held up the glass bottle with a cloth sticking out of the top. The flammable liquid sloshed around. “Flambé”

“Nobody moves on to the next phase until we've all copied. Nobody deviates from the plan, no matter what. Got it?”

You all nodded, “Got it.”

You grabbed a few of the homemade spears, following Nancy out of the RV. You quickly made your way to Eddie's trailer, Steve flipped the light switch on, staring at the old sheet hanging from the ceiling.

“Be careful.” Dustin told Steve, watching as he took his bag off.

“Thanks, buddy.” Steve patted Dustin's arm, before grabbing the sheet. “Here goes nothing” He climbed through, flipping to land of his feet.

As soon as he stood, he looked up. Robin muttered sarcastically, “woah…what does he want us to do, applaud?” You smiled, amused, before watching Steve drag the old mattress over, plopping it on the ground.

“Alright, let's go.” Nancy shrugged her bag off. Robin dropped to one knee, offering an extra boost.

After Nancy fell on the mattress, Robin motioned for you. She helped you step on her connected hands, pushing you up. Supplies dropped next, followed by Eddie.

Robin flopped on the mattress. You were quick to help her up. Your hands stayed intertwined even after she was off the gross mattress. More supplies, then Dustin.

Walking into the familiar darkness, the flying particles didn't bother you as much as before.

“Hey, guys, listen.” Steve stopped walking, turning back to Eddie and Dustin. “If things here start to go south, I mean, at all, you abort. Okay? Draw the attention of the bats. Keep 'em busy for a minute or two. We'll take care of Vecna. Don't try to be cute or be a hero or something. Okay? You guys are just-”

“Decoys.” Dustin and Steve's voice overlapped. “Don't worry. You can be the hero, Steve.” Dustin sighed.

“Absolutely, I mean,” Eddie looked between himself and Dustin, “Look at us. We are not heroes.” He grinned at Steve.

Steve turned around, beginning to walk toward you guys.

“Hey, Wheeler.” You turned, seeing Eddie looking at you. You jogged over, not wanting to keep your group from the mission for long. He took you by surprise as he brought you into a hug. “Make him pay.” His words were mumbled into your hair. “For Chrissy.” He squeezed your arms, before pulling away. Smiling, he let you go.

Determination ran through your veins.

“When Vecna fails with Max, he's going to go after you. Keep this on.” Nancy stood in front of you, grabbing the headphones from your neck and placing them on you. She left one ear uncovered, so you could still hear what was happening around you. “Stay close.”

She turned back around, following Robin and Steve through the dead woods.

“Uh,” Robin's voice shook, as she shined her light on a tree. “I don't mean to freak anyone out, but I swear we've seen this tree before.”

“That's impossible.” Nancy walked closer.

“That would suck, right?” Robin threw her head back, exasperated. “If…if Vecna destroyed the world because…'cause we got lost in the woods?”

“We're not lost, Robin.”

She chuckled in response, unsure. She walked ahead, seemingly losing her mind in the process.

Nancy watched her run ahead, “Robin, hey. Watch out for the vines-Hive mind! Remember?”

“Thank you!” Robin jogged ahead.

“Ah, don't worry about her.” Steve threw his hands up. You quickened your pace, shining your light to watch your step.

“Robin, hey, slow down.” You fell in step with Robin, turning to watch her side profile. “Take a breath, okay?”

She inhaled through her nose, exhaling through her mouth. “The weight of the world is on our shoulders right now. I mean, the rest of the world doesn't even know what's about to happen. They're clueless. What…what if this doesn't work? What is Vecna outsmarts us?”

“Robin,”

“We don't actually know if this is going to work.”

“Robin.”

“We could all die, and then Vecna can do god only knows what else to Hawkins.”

“Robin!”

You pulled her shirt, causing her to stumble backwards, away from the vine she nearly stepped on. She blinked at the vine, before looking at you. “Thanks.”

You nodded, grabbing her hand. “Everything will be okay. We're doing all we can.”

Bats flew around the old house that once belonged to the Creel family. Vecna was the only one occupying it now. In front of it was the playground you were to meet Erica at. You all gazed at it from your stop on the hill, thinking over the plan, ignoring the anxiety in your stomach.

“Okay, the lovebirds have copied.” Erica spoke from the other side, the particles growing brighter on your side. “Max is moving into phase two: Distracting Vecna.”

“So far, so smooth.”

“Yeah,” Steve agreed with Robin, “We're not even at the hard part yet.”

Thunder mixed with the sounds of creatures lurking.

“Take the bail, you son of a bitch.” Nancy glared at the house, “Take the bait.”

“Okay, she's in. Initiate phase three.” Erica spoke again,

“She's in. Move on to phase three.” You echoed into the walkie.

“Copy that. Initiating phase three.” Dustin concluded. Eddie began playing “Master of Puppets” by Metallica, the music vibrating the very ground you stood on. The bats snarled loudly, flying toward the sound.

“Okay, it's working. Let's go.” You quickly made your way to the house, Vine/tentacles squelched wetly, making you frown in disgust.

“Oh shit,” They were everywhere, covering the floor, walls, even the ceiling. “That's not good.” Steve grumbled. He jumped over the slithering vines. Robin cursed when he waddled before regaining his footing.

Robin grabbed your hand, squeezing it, as she gnawed at her bottom lip.

“It's okay.” Nancy spoke.

"You got this,” You squeezed Robin's hand in reassurance, offering her a smile. She reluctantly let go, stepping forward to follow what Steve did.

You went next, followed by Nancy. You held your breath as you hopped up the stairs. Steve helped you on the final step. As soon as everyone stepped forward, finally being able to breathe, the ground shook, sending you all three steps back.

You quickly huddled together, holding each other tight.

Robin sighed before her head snapped down, watching a vine wrap around her leg. She looked up, panic in her eyes. Before she could say anything, she got yanked back, against the wall. You shrieked, moving toward her.

“Y/n! Steve!” You swung the hatchet down on the vine with force, Nancy and Steve doing the same.

Bringing the hatchet back, something wet wrapped your wrist, pulling you back. Yelping, you collided with the wall on the other side of Robin. Your weapon clattered to the ground. Steve was grabbed next, then Nancy. More tentacles wrapped around your limbs, slithering tightly around your neck.

You grunted, fighting for oxygen. Looking up, you watched as Robin's lips moved but nothing came out.

Your eyes moved up, meeting her eyes, before your vision became blurry.

•© 2021-2024 by xoxo-sarah on Tumblr•

• My work is not to be translated, copied, modified, and/or reposted on any other site without my permission. [!I don't give permission!]

🫧 Taglistׂׂ ૢ ~ @overtrred28 @ihatepeanutss @jovana1234578 @dobbycarl @kyleeservopoulos @marirxse @ch-3-rry