#soidade

[ao3soidade]

I’m definitely going to start writing some of the prompts y’all have sent me, but I had to get this out first. Canon-compliant Steddie, so... proceed with caution.

Eddie hadn’t had a chance to talk to Steve alone since they got back from the Upside Down. Not that he was looking for a chance to talk to him alone. He wasn’t. Yeah, it had been a pleasant surprise to find out Steve Harrington was actually a good guy, and maybe a slightly less pleasant one to realize that he was actually attracted to him, but that didn’t mean he had a crush or something. 

Having a crush on Steve Harrington would be a very bad idea. 

It didn’t matter if he had a lesbian best friend (Eddie wasn’t trying to eavesdrop. He just overheard. It wasn’t like he hadn’t suspected it before that, and she had clearly clocked him a mile away, so it was only fair.) No matter how accepting he was of Robin–shit, maybe he’d even be accepting of Eddie, if he knew–Steve was obviously, painfully straight. 

Eddie wasn’t even expecting to talk to Steve alone again, not really. Even if he kind of wanted to. It was probably better if he didn’t. That would make it easier to convince himself that he didn’t have a crush. 

After they got supplies at the War Zone, when they were safely secluded and everyone was getting to work on their plan, Eddie went into the empty Winnebago to clean up a bit. He wished he could take a shower, but anything helped when he was covered in alien slime and polluted lake water. So he washed his face, scrubbed as much dirt as he could off of his skin, even found some mouthwash in the medicine cabinet. And when he came out of the bathroom, Steve was waiting for him. 

Eddie’s mouth opened, but no words came out. He closed his mouth, swallowed. 

Steve smiled, and Eddie’s stomach did a flip. God damn it. He had a fucking crush. 

“Hey,” Steve said. “I just wanted to, uh, make sure you got your vest back.” He held the vest out to Eddie. 

For one insane moment, Eddie thought about telling him to keep it. Keep it? Really? A metalhead didn’t give away his battle vest, especially not to someone he barely knew. Eddie had spent years collecting all those pins and patches, saving up to get them at concerts, sewing them on by hand. He might as well ask the guy for his hand in marriage. 

“Thanks,” Eddie said instead, taking the vest from Steve. 

“So, how are you holding up?” 

Eddie laughed. “Me? You’re the one who almost died, dude.” 

Steve shrugged. “Not the first time.” 

“That doesn’t make it better. Probably worse, actually.” 

Steve shook his head. “I’ll be fine.” His smile looked a little forced now. Great. Eddie must be annoying him. He never did know when to keep his mouth shut. 

“Yeah.” Eddie punched Steve’s arm lightly. “I know you will. You’re the big hero. You’re gonna kick the bad guy’s ass, save the town. Get the girl,” he added. 

Steve looked down. “It’s not like that.” 

Eddie’s heart sank. This could be their last conversation, and Eddie was fucking it up. “I’m sorry.” 

“It’s fine,” Steve said quickly. “You’re right. I was hung up on Nancy for way too long. But we’re not right for each other. I– I get that now.” 

“What do you mean? The way you look at each other,” Eddie said. “The way she jumped into the lake after you.” 

“So did Robin.” Steve looked Eddie in the eye. Eddie couldn’t read his expression. “So did you.” 

Eddie put his hands up. “Peer pressure, man. Everybody was doing it.” He made himself laugh, like it was no big deal, when he knew he must have been looking at Steve pretty much the same way Nancy had been. 

“You didn’t accuse me and Robin of being in love.” 

“Well, no. You’re obviously not.” 

“I wish Dustin could see that. He’s constantly trying to get us together.”  

Eddie laughed, for real this time. “Isn’t that kid supposed to be smart? Really barking up the wrong tree there.” 

“Yeah,” Steve said, smiling a little before he stopped, looking curiously at Eddie. “Wait. What do you mean by that?” 

“Robin’s– She’s not really– It just doesn’t seem like you’re her type.” He raised his eyebrows at Steve. 

Steve frowned. “What do you–” Steve paused. He must know what Eddie meant by that, now. “Where did you hear that?” His voice was flat, cold. 

“I heard you two talking about a girl named Vickie? But I kind of figured, before that. I just didn’t know for sure.” 

“How?” Steve spoke quietly. It was the first time, in all of this, that Eddie had heard him actually sound scared. It made Eddie’s heart ache, to hear the fear in his voice, to see the cracks in that tough exterior. And it made Eddie’s heart ache to hear how much Steve cared about his friend, how much he wanted to protect her secret. 

“I don’t know.” Eddie scrambled for an answer that wasn’t the truth, but also wouldn’t make Steve worry. 

“You just figured? What do you mean? Did she do something? Did I do something?” 

“No,” Eddie said quickly. “Nothing. I—” Fuck it. What was Steve going to do, beat him up? Haul him back to town and let the angry mob at him? No. Because Steve Harrington was a genuinely nice guy, a fact that was really fucking with Eddie’s head right now. “It’s just like gay intuition or something. Ask Robin. She has it too. The first time she looked at me, I knew she had my number. She could tell.” 

Steve’s brow furrowed. “She could tell? That you’re…” he trailed off. 

“Gay. Yeah.” 

“Oh.” Steve’s expression was unreadable again. 

Eddie took a step back, licking his lips nervously. He thought it would be fine, or maybe just hoped so. Maybe the stupid crush was clouding his judgment. Either way, it was probably best to get out of punching range. 

Steve was silent for a moment. Eddie thought Steve must be running through all of their interactions again with this new context. The casual touches, the compliments, the–in retrospect–obvious flirting. Eddie was such an idiot. He moved further away. 

“Where are you going?” 

“Nowhere. I just, uh– I don’t know.” 

A look of realization crossed Steve’s face. “Dude, come on. I’m not gonna– Robin’s my best friend.”

“I know. But lots of guys are cool with it when it’s a girl. Two girls together is hot, right? A gay guy, that’s different.” 

Steve laughed, shaking his head a little. “Yeah, it’s definitely different.” 

What did he mean by that? Clearly he didn’t hate Eddie, didn’t seem disgusted by him, wasn’t rushing to get away from him. So what was the difference between how he felt about Robin being gay, and how he felt about Eddie being gay? 

“How is it different?” Eddie shouldn’t ask. He probably didn’t want to know. But the words came out before he had the chance to stop them. 

Steve stared at Eddie for a moment, brow furrowed and eyes searching. “I wish I’d listened to Dustin.” 

“What?” 

“He kept telling me I should meet you. That we would be friends. I didn’t believe him.” 

Eddie shrugged, hands out. “Don’t worry about it, Steve. I felt the same way when he told me about you. Guess we were both wrong.” 

Steve nodded. “But we can hang out. After the big fight. When all this is over.”

“I’m not sure if this is ever gonna be over for me, Steve.” He was beginning to doubt whether he would even be around for after.

“No. You’re right. It’s never over, not for any of us. That shit sticks with you.”

“So do murder charges.” Even if Eddie did make it through their plan alive, what did he really have waiting for him on the other side? Everyone thought he was a serial killer. 

“No, I’m telling you, man. The government knows all about this Upside Down stuff. They always cover it up. They’re gonna come in and explain everything away, like they did with the mall. Everyone believes that fire story.” 

“Steve.” Eddie looked at him sadly. “Did it ever occur to you that the easiest way to come up with a story everyone believes…” He paused. “Would be to use the story they already believe?” 

“But–” Steve shook his head. “You’re innocent.” 

“You think that’s ever stopped the government?” 

“Jesus.” Steve sat on the couch, looking at his hands. 

Eddie sat down next to him. “It’s okay,” he said. He put his arm up on the back of the couch, but kept it as far as he could from Steve’s shoulders. “You’re probably right. It’ll probably be fine.” 

Steve looked intensely at Eddie. Their faces were inches apart, and Eddie’s heart was racing. 

“You asked me earlier,” Steve said quietly. “Why it was different, with you and Robin. It’s actually, weirdly, exactly the same.” He looked away from Eddie, bit his lip. His eyes flicked briefly upward. “Because when Robin told me– At that time, I kind of had a thing for her.” Steve looked back at Eddie with a half smile and his eyebrows raised, expectant. 

“I don’t–” Eddie pulled his arm toward himself, shrinking away from Steve. 

Steve had a thing for Robin, and it was the same, somehow the same, with Eddie. But it couldn’t be the same. There was no way. Steve couldn’t have a thing for Eddie. He was straight, and in love with Nancy Wheeler, and wouldn’t have been caught dead with Eddie a week ago. How could it be the same? 

Steve must have figured out that Eddie liked him. It wasn’t so different from the situation with Robin. One person had a crush that was rejected due to incompatible sexualities. Close enough. 

Eddie’s first instinct was to deny it outright, but protesting too much might make it even more obvious. He decided to just play dumb. “What do you mean?” 

“If you’re right,” Steve began. “If this doesn’t all work out, then this might be my only chance.” 

“Your only chance for what?” Eddie barely got the words out before Steve’s lips were on his. 

Eddie froze, for a second. This couldn’t be real. It didn’t make any sense. But, he reasoned, nothing about the events of the past few days made any sense. Why did this have to? He relaxed, parting his lips and feeling Steve’s tongue slide between them. He put a hand on Steve’s jaw, then wrapped it around to the back of his head, pulling him closer. Steve’s hand went to Eddie’s waist, and Eddie wanted to do the same, hovering briefly before he remembered the wounds. It was too bad, because he would have loved to get a hand under the vest– Eddie’s vest. Watching him run around in that vest had been driving Eddie crazy, and a part of him wanted to tear it off of him. Another part wanted to leave it on, to do unspeakable things to Steve while he was wearing it. 

The hand on Eddie’s waist traveled to the edge of his t-shirt, toying with it tentatively before going underneath to touch Eddie’s skin. Eddie thought about stopping him, thought about how long it had been since he’d had a shower, how gross he probably was, but it was the end of the fucking world. Steve was gross, too, and Eddie thought it was hot as hell. Who could have guessed how good Steve Harrington looked covered in blood and grime? 

Eddie pulled away to shrug out of his leather jacket. He had barely taken a breath while they were kissing, and he was panting a little. 

“Need a second to catch your breath?” Steve smirked at Eddie. His breathing was even, seemingly unaffected. 

“Yeah,” Eddie said. “Not all of us were on the swim team.” 

“Captain of the swim team,” Steve corrected. 

“I thought it was co-captain.” 

“So you were listening.” 

“You caught me.” Eddie smiled, then leaned forward to kiss Steve again. 

It wasn’t long before Steve broke the kiss again, his eyes traveling up and down Eddie’s body. 

“Co-captain needs a break now?” Eddie asked. 

“No,” Steve said. “I can hold my breath for almost five minutes.” 

“That,” Eddie said, tilting his head and widening his eyes. “Is very interesting.” Eddie had a lot of thoughts about that, but he tried not to dwell on them for too long. He was getting ahead of himself. 

“Is it?” Steve asked, smiling. Eddie wondered if Steve knew what he was thinking. He also wondered if he should be embarrassed about that, but he didn’t have much time to think about it before Steve was pulling off Eddie’s shirt. “Is this okay?” 

“Yeah,” Eddie said. It was more than okay. It was great, almost unbelievably so. It would be perfect if not for the circumstances, and if not for Steve’s injuries, which Eddie eyed warily. “Um, I don’t want to hurt you.” 

Steve shook his head. “Don’t worry about me right now.” He ran his hands down Eddie’s chest, stopping at his belt. He raised an eyebrow. “Handcuffs?” 

Eddie smirked. “Wouldn’t you like to know, Steve?” 

Steve smiled. “Yeah, I think I would.” He pulled the end of Eddie’s belt out of the loops, and Eddie’s heart was beating so hard that he could hear it pounding in his head, couldn’t hear much else. 

And then the pounding was outside his head, on the door of the Winnebago, and they sprang apart. 

“What are you guys doing in there?” Dustin was yelling through the door. “Why is the door locked?” 

“You locked the door?” Eddie whispered. 

Steve gave Eddie a shrug and a half-smile, like who, me? Smug bastard. He planned this. Or at least part of it. Eddie wondered if Steve had guessed how far it would go. How far it would have gone, if not for Dustin banging on the door. 

“Guys?” Dustin’s voice got louder. “Is everything okay in there?” 

“It’s fine,” Steve yelled. “Can you give me a goddamn minute, please?” 

“Hurry the hell up,” Dustin yelled back. “We’ve got shit to do!” 

Steve shook his head. “That kid. I swear to god.” He looked at Eddie, who had fixed his belt and was now putting his shirt back on. “Sorry.” 

“You don’t have anything to apologize for,” Eddie said. “I, um– That was nice.” 

“Could have been nicer,” Steve said, gesturing toward the door. “Maybe it’s good he interrupted. I didn’t even take you out to dinner first.” 

Eddie laughed. It was weird, thinking about going on an actual date with Steve Harrington. He couldn’t quite picture it. 

“Now we have to get through this, so I can take you out to celebrate. Dinner, movie, the whole thing. Or whatever you want, if that doesn’t sound–” 

“Dinner and a movie sounds good,” Eddie said. It did sound good. Even if he couldn’t picture it, he would have liked to. He wanted to see what that looked like. 

Steve smiled. “Okay, then it’s a date.” 

Eddie smiled back, nodding. “Okay.” He really, really would have liked to see that. 

Later, when they were all dressed in probably-useless tactical gear, laden with makeshift weapons and lofty plans, Eddie promised Steve that he wouldn’t try to be a hero. He smiled, as genuinely as he could, but Steve didn’t look convinced. When he finally turned away, leaving Dustin and Eddie to their part of the plan, Eddie stopped him. 

“Hey, Steve?” When Steve turned around, Eddie held his gaze as long as he could, drinking in the sight of his face for the last time. Eddie wasn’t sure what he wanted to say. 

You go with Dustin. Let me do the dangerous part. I’ve got nothing to lose. But he had Steve to lose, and that was the whole thing, wasn’t it? I love you. But that wasn’t quite right. He barely knew him, he couldn’t be that sure yet. I could have fallen in love with you. That was better. That was true. He was already partway there. I’m having second thoughts. I don’t know if I can do this. The plan, the plan. He could do that. That was the easy part. But Eddie had been cooking up his own plan, for a while now, and Steve had messed it up. Steve had given him something to look forward to, a reason to get through this. The date. Eddie knew it could never happen. There were dozens of reasons why it couldn’t happen. But he wanted it to. 

I’m sorry I won’t be able to make it to our date. That was what Eddie wanted to say. That was what Eddie would say, if he had the nerve, if he weren’t such a coward. But maybe, if things went according to plan, Eddie’s plan, Steve could remember him as a hero. 

Eddie had to say something. He’d hesitated too long. People would start to get suspicious. 

“Make him pay.” 

Steve looked confused. He held Eddie’s gaze for a moment, searching for something, but Eddie didn’t give anything away. A short nod and Steve was off, still hopeful, still determined. Still the hero. 

[youwearfinethingswell]

this fic is actually killing me!!!!!

[gorgiamind]

Can we talk about how quickly the Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson AO3 tag is getting filled and how GOOD everything is?

[rogueddie]

Friends With Benefits Steddie Fics

Important: READ THE TAGS! Also, leave a comment and kudos! These fics are amazing and I love them and I hope y'all do too 👀

let me be your (every)thing

starsdontsleep

Nancy has broken up with Jonathan and the moment Eddie hears the news, he realises his "thing" with Steve is about to be over.

Words : 2,882 Chapters : 1/1 Rating : Teen and Up Audiences (Mature)

AO3 : x

tangled up in barbed wire love

twelvexclara

“You’re so fucking—”

Before he can finish what he’s saying, Eddie grabs him by the shoulder, switches their position. Presses him into the door harshly and his head thumps back into the wood, sends a spike of something through his veins. He’s got a forearm at Steve’s throat, digging into his pulse point.

Daring him to say something.

He blinks dizzily up at Eddie, ignores the hinge digging into his back. They share breath, panting at each other, frozen for a moment. Steve’s heart is a hummingbird in his chest and he hopes, prays even, that Eddie can’t feel it.

Words : 39,260 Chapters : 1/1 Rating : Explicit

AO3 : x

Say Something Stupid

murdertrashbabyrat

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, shit fuck, goddamnit.

Steve cannot fucking believe he’s realizing this right now, when he is literally inside Eddie, cannot believe he is watching this man smoke a goddamn joint as he rides him and thinking oh shit, I love him.

Words : 6,159 Chapters : 4/4 Rating : Explicit

AO3 : x

It was only a kiss

corrodedbisexual (mishabawlins)

Steve and Eddie's nighttime coping with the horrors of their past brings them close in ways Eddie never would have expected. But that's all it is. Moments of mutual comfort, a fun distraction from the endless string of nightmares.

...Or is it?

Words : 5,377 Chapters : 1/1 Rating : Mature

AO3 : x

if my body told the truth

literaldisneyprincess

“Hey, hi Eddie, hey, it’s Steve. Uh, do you know anything about cats?” he asks.

There’s a pause. “Steve, did you get a cat?”

Words : 19,321 Chapters : 3/3 Rating : Explicit

AO3 : x

Friends and Benefits, and Maybe Something More

oddermoths

“You know Harrington,” Eddie set his arm on the armrest of the chair. “If you weren’t straight, I’d kiss you silly right now.”

“Then do it,” Steve found himself saying before he could think.

Or, Steve and Eddie enter into a friends with benefits relationship, and Steve finds himself wanting more.

Words : 6,445 Chapters : 5/5 Rating : Teen and Up Audiences

AO3 : x

How to Be a Heartbreaker

literaldisneyprincess

Steve has a plethora of methods under his belt for getting his conquests to leave soon after they’re both satisfied. He’s used them all, with varying rates of success.

He doesn’t have much experience in getting someone to stay.

Words : 8,715 Chapters : 4/4 Rating : Mature

AO3 : x

Are You Flagging?

soidade

“Look, I’m just asking, okay? Not– I don't mean anything by it. But, uh.” His eyes darted back and forth, then he leaned in close to Steve. Steve had gotten used to that, kind of. The guy had no concept of personal space. “Are you flagging?” Eddie finally finished.

Steve shook his head slowly, eyes narrowed. He had no idea what that meant. He had no answer. “What?”

Eddie leaned away from Steve, facing forward again and nodding. “Okay, got it. That answers my question. Carry on.”

Words : 40,991 Chapters : 17/17 Rating : Explicit

AO3 : x

[manoelt-finisterrae]

No meu libro non tolle a túa soidade

Algunha vez a imaxe da escritura presencia a insatisfacción do anfitrión o embarazo dunha pregunta nun segundo que aínda é tempo o libro procede do ar o cheiro onde vivín sendo orixe si desexo un mesmo palabra claridade dos xardíns onde as ondas estaban prohibidas e aínda deleitabase a nada logo o noso camiño convertíase en folio a brancura e a inxenuidade da rebeldía abourada pola fortuna do baleiro

© Manoel T, 2023

[bambiispots]

I posted my bind of Are You Flagging? earlier where I had a placeholder for a dust jacket.

I finally got my new design in!! I love it so much! I decided to go with a 80s style VHS box aesthetic and made it look vintage and grimy. I ended up liking it so much that I thought it’d be clever that if you “took the case off” it’d reveal an actual VHS tape 📼 📺 📼 📺

It was in incredibly tedious, but I love the concept and effect.

I like to use graphics in my typesets on blank pages to ensure all chapter headers start on the right, and I decided to go with a cute little Flagging 101 lecture! I was nosy and googled what the other colors meant, so by the end of the fic you’d know what all the basic colors stood for. And of course for the bookmark I just had to use a mini versions of Eddie’s hanky 🥹

My chapter headers represent Eddie and Steve- Eddie with his chain and bats 🦇 , Steve with his preppy polo buttons and a film strip from Family Video 🎞

This copy is for the author! the end papers are changed to tie in both the VHS cover and an alternate cover I’ll be posting later!

It’s watercolor babygirl pink and iykyk 😏

As always a huge thank you to the backbone of fandom- the writers and artists for providing such amazing products for us to consume and enjoy!

Are You Flagging? By Soidade on ao3 is an amazing top tier Steddie fic that I urge you to read. You can find it pinned on the authors page @ao3soidade

Also a huge thank you to @littleststarfighter for letting use their gorgeous art! I was so inspired I completely rebound this fic, redesigned the typeset AND redesigned my hardcase just so it’d match. They have quite a few stunning Steddie pieces so be sure to go show them love 🖤

[noor-kazem]

@manoelt-finisterrae :

camiño da memoria

vilas de nubes para resucitar as palabras

montadas na ollada real dun ceo sen deuses

firmamento como chans da paciencia

trono de caricias sen evanxeo nin salmos de camelleiros

separación patriarcal da soidade no tremor da carne

sacerdotes que como demos humanos arden ao sol

todos os xinetes da nosa existencia cabalgan sobre esa sal

rapariga de acougo halo sen alma ao fin vivir

coma se aí fóra estuviesemos bebendo

desa sabedoría de ser ondas sen gaiolas nin criptas

ollaras para vernos nesa morada sen ter que partir

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

الكلمات المروعة تبقيني معلقة على اللحظة المظلمة ،المسار المسدود إلى الأيدي التي جعلتني دافئة، أصبح ڪصورة عائمة، ڪنجم مع مرور الوقت وتزايد المسافة ، سأعيش في النهاية موتي من بعيد.

The dreadful words keep me hanging on the dark moment, the dead-end path to the hands that made me warm, I become a floating image, a star as time and distance grow, I shall at last live my death from afar.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Korkunç sözler beni karanlık ana, beni ısıtan ellere giden çıkmaz yola, yüzen bir görüntüye, bir yıldıza dönüşüyorum zaman ve mesafe büyüdükçe, sonunda ölümümü uzaktan yaşayacağım.

[ao3soidade]

I asked for prompts, and I received a bunch from @last-night-is-a-blur including Will and Robin talking about being gay. I love that idea so I, characteristically, went way overboard and wrote over 2000 words. I hope you all enjoy it!

Robin knew something was up with Steve. He had been looking furtively around the store all day, peering around corners to check if any customers were hidden in corners. That, along with the disappointed glances toward Robin when he found that the store wasn’t empty, told her that he wanted to talk.

Unfortunately, the store didn’t empty out during their shift, which left Robin wondering what he needed to talk about so badly. It could be something as simple as asking for dating advice—which he did despite Robin’s insistence that she had no idea how dating worked—but his obvious need for secrecy made Robin nervous.

By the time they were done with work, Robin was practically vibrating with anxiety. The moment the doors of Steve’s BMW were shut, Robin turned to him.

“Alright, Steve,” she said. “Out with it.”

“What?” Steve looked bewildered.

“Whatever you’ve been wanting to talk to me about all day!” Robin said, her voice rising in both volume and pitch. “You’ve been totally stressing me out, so just say it already!”

“Okay, okay,” Steve said, holding up his hands defensively. “You didn’t have to stress about it. It’s nothing bad.”

“What is it?” Robin glared at him.

Steve took a deep breath before he began. “So, hypothetically, if I found out someone else we knew was gay–” He paused. “I know I shouldn’t tell anyone. I promised I wouldn’t. But I really want to tell you, because, well, you know. But I shouldn’t, right?”

Robin’s eyes widened. Part of her wanted to say yes, tell me, please, I need to know. She felt almost desperate in her need to make a connection with someone like her. But she knew how she would feel if Steve told someone about her without her permission. She sighed. “Probably not,” she said. “Definitely not,” she corrected. “You promised.”

“Yeah,” Steve said, deflated. “That’s what I figured.” He was quiet for a moment, then looked at Robin again. “Can I tell the person about you?”

Robin considered. The prospect of talking with this person was exciting, but she wasn’t sure. “It depends who it is,” she said finally.

Steve threw up his hands, exasperated. “You just said I can’t tell you that.”

“I know,” Robin said. “I just– it’s hard.”

Steve’s face softened. “I know. I’m sorry.”

Robin shrugged. “It’s okay.”

They were silent as Steve started the car and started the drive toward Robin’s house. Her brain was going a mile a minute, but she managed to keep her mouth from doing the same. Finally, she had a thought she felt was worth sharing.

“What if you went to this person,” she said, speaking slowly, deliberately, considering her words carefully. “And told them you have a gay friend, but don’t say who. And tell them that I want to meet, and you can set up a time, and then we both have the chance to chicken out if we decide we don’t want to do it.”

Steve tilted his head from side to side, considering. “That could work.” He stopped the car in front of Robin’s house. “Oh,” he said. “I should say, this person’s not like a dating prospect for you or anything. If that makes a difference.”

Robin hadn’t even allowed herself to consider that, but it did narrow it down. So it was a guy, or someone who wasn’t around her age. Maybe both, considering the group Steve spent a lot of his time with. “Doesn’t make a difference,” she said as she got out of the car. “Just let me know when.” They said their goodbyes, and Robin walked into her house. She knew she would be thinking about this constantly until Steve got back to her.

It didn’t take long, though. Less than a week later, Steve told Robin that it was all set. They would meet at Steve’s house, which was going to be empty that weekend as it often was these days. Neutral territory, a chance to back out if they needed to. Robin knew now that she wouldn’t. She couldn’t, not now.

That Saturday, Robin got to Steve’s house early. She sat on the couch with him, jiggling her foot and rambling about nothing in particular. Steve just nodded along. He probably wasn’t paying any attention, but she appreciated the fact that he didn’t tell her to sit still and shut up. There was no way that was going to happen anyway.

Robin heard a car pull up and jumped to her feet. Steve held her back.

“Give him a second,” Steve said.

Robin sat down again. Him. So it was a guy. She squinted, trying to see through the window despite the distance and sun shining directly in her eyes. She saw a glimpse of a face through the front windshield of the car that was now parked in front of the house. She craned her neck, trying to get a better view.

Jonathan. Oh god, it was Jonathan? Robin’s thoughts started spiraling out of control immediately. She was friends with Nancy now, she knew they hadn’t broken up, knew that Nancy was happy, that she thought Jonathan was too. But he was lying to her, not that she blamed him, she knew how hard it was to tell anyone, and she was sure he loved Nancy on some level, but it really wasn’t fair to string her along like that, to tell Steve for some reason but not talk to Nancy. How was Robin supposed to talk to him? How could she know this and then talk to Nancy, act like nothing was different, like nothing was wrong? How could–

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a car door slamming shut. The passenger side. With the glare of the sun, she hadn’t noticed that anyone was in the passenger seat. Jonathan gave the other person a smile and a wave, then drove off.

“Oh,” Robin said with a sigh of relief.

“Oh what?” Steve asked.

“I thought–”

There was a knock on the door, but Steve waited, looking at her expectantly.

She waved a hand at him, waving away all those nervous thoughts about Jonathan. “Don’t worry about it. Answer the door.”

Steve stood, walked to the front door, and opened it. Standing on the front step, looking even more nervous than Robin felt, was Will Byers.

Will looked past Steve, spotting her on the couch. She smiled gently.

“Hi,” she said.

Will smiled back, and Robin thought she could see some relief break through his anxious expression. “Hi,” he said.

“I’m gonna go upstairs,” Steve said, pointing. “Let you two talk. I’m here if you need me.” He walked quickly, giving a final glance to Robin and Will before he got to the stairs. He gave them a thumbs up. Robin rolled her eyes.

Will sat, not next to Robin but in an armchair that was angled toward her. It was good, Robin thought, it would be easier to talk if they could see each other. But Will didn’t look at her. He sat hunched over, staring at his hands which were folded in his lap.

“Um,” Robin said. She wasn’t good with words, but apparently she was going to have to lead this conversation. “How are you doing?”

Will shrugged. “Okay.” He glanced up at Robin for a second, then looked back down.

Robin had only seen Will a few times since he moved back from California, and his appearance still surprised her. Her mental picture of Will was still the scared boy at the mall, so small and fragile-looking. But now he was so tall, maybe taller than Robin, and his voice was changing, and he wasn’t a little boy anymore.

But he still looked scared. He still looked fragile.

Robin wanted to say something to put Will at ease, but she wasn’t even sure how to put herself at ease right now. “I guess Steve’s the cool person to come out to,” she said after a moment, hoping a joke would break the tension.

Will laughed. It was barely a laugh, but Robin saw the corners of his mouth turn up and heard his short exhale. “I guess so. I didn’t really plan to tell him. He said I seemed down lately and asked if I wanted to talk about it. He’s easy to talk to. It just came out.”

Robin raised a finger. “Ha. Came out.”

Will raised a skeptical eyebrow. Okay, wordplay wasn’t the tactic with him. But at least they were talking.

“I know what you mean,” Robin said. “Well, probably part of the reason I told him was because of the truth serum or whatever that the Russians injected us with, but he is easy to talk to.”

Will looked at her quizzically, and she wondered if he hadn’t heard that part of the story. But that wasn’t what she was here to talk about.

“So did you just figure it out?” Robin asked. “Is that why you’ve been down about it?”

“No,” Will said. “Well, kind of. It’s a long story.”

“I’ve got time.”

Will sighed, then looked back down at his hands as he began to speak. “People have been calling me gay basically my whole life. And– and other words.” He curled in on himself, like he wanted to shrink away, to make himself too small for anyone to notice. Robin knew the feeling. “The kids at school. My dad.”

Robin’s chest hurt. She couldn’t imagine how that would feel, coming from her own parents. Actually, she had imagined it many times, and had resolved never to tell them because even the imagining was too painful.

“So I guess I kind of always knew, or maybe feared, that it was true. I knew I didn’t like girls, but I thought maybe I just didn’t like anyone like that. But there was this moment last summer, before all the stuff at the mall. It was like something broke inside of me, and I suddenly just knew. For sure. I was devastated.”

Robin was afraid if she spoke, she might start crying. She swallowed hard. “I had a moment like that.” She was surprised, and relieved, that her voice still sounded calm. “First day of ninth grade I saw this girl and just thought, oh shit.”

“Yeah,” Will said. “Oh shit is right.” He didn’t elaborate, and Robin didn’t want to push him.

“I’m sorry you’ve been struggling with that,” she said. “I know how hard it can be. How lonely.” Her voice broke on the last word, and Will looked up quickly. There was so much concern in his face, so much care, for Robin. He barely knew her and he was looking at her like he’d forget his own problems in a second to focus on hers instead. It broke her heart to think about how people had treated him. How could anyone see this sweet, shy kid and want to hurt him?

Robin cleared her throat. “That’s why I thought maybe we could be friends. We can talk about this stuff. And– and other stuff! It doesn’t have to be just this kind of stuff, it can be anything–movies or games or whatever you’re interested in.” She was starting to lose control of her sentences. She cleared her throat again, looking around the room as she spoke. “But knowing you’re around, it just makes me feel a little less… alone.”

When Robin looked back at Will, he had tears in his eyes.

“Oh no,” she said. “I didn’t mean to– I’m sorry.”

“No,” Will said, wiping at his eyes. “You didn’t– I’m sorry.”

The sight of Will crying opened the floodgates, and Robin wiped the tears off of her cheeks, then pressed her hands against her eyes. After a few seconds she felt a weight next to her on the couch, and Will’s arms wrapped around her.

“Thanks,” she said, turning to hug him back. It was comforting, but somehow that made her more emotional instead of less. She sobbed.

“Sorry,” Robin said again. She squeezed Will tightly and then released him, wiping her eyes again.

“It’s okay,” Will said. “I understand. I didn’t think I’d ever meet someone like me. Like us.”

“You’ll meet more,” she said. “We both will, when we get out of Hawkins. I’m going to college soon. I’m sure I’ll meet a lot of them. Us.” She had thought about it before, somewhat doubtfully, but it was easier to believe with Will sitting her next to her. “And I’ll introduce you to all of them. You can come visit me.”

There were still tears in Will’s eyes, but he smiled. “That sounds good.”

Suddenly, there was a sound from across the room, and Robin looked up to see Steve rushing down the stairs.

“Sorry,” he said as he reached the bottom of the stairs. “I don’t want to bother you, I just need—” He glanced over at them, slowing down as he took in their tear-stained faces. “Are you guys okay?”

Robin laughed. “Yeah.” She looked at Will, who nodded. “Yeah, I think we’re going to be just fine.”

[allthingssteddie]

My steddie recs part four

(Unfortunately I haven’t been able to read much steddie fics but these are the ones I read while ago and loved them.)

Are You Flagging?

By soidade

genius loci

By Ayes, itskleo

it breaks your heart, but two of the Ramones are dead

By sugarybowl

how a resurrection really feels

By LiarsandThieves22

[steddieficrec]

what are your top 10 favorite Steddie fics?!?!?

Oof. You have the hard questions.

(pleased to be) on the line with you by Kedreeva

(1/1 I 3,820 I Explicit)

Eddie pulls the phone away from his ear and looks at it as if it can tell him what the fuck is going on right now, why Steve Harrington is at the mechanic shop, sweet talking him like a stranger at 8:03 on a Friday morning.

----

Or, the one where Eddie dials a wrong number and accidentally discovers Steve works as a phone sex operator.

don't do drunk (what you wouldn’t do sober) by starsdontsleep

(1/1 I 4,070 I Teen)

Getting drunk alone with Steve has always been a bit of a risk for Eddie. He sits closer, looks longer and flirts harder. He also makes a stupid mistake and wakes up in the morning to the harsh reality of what his drunken self had suggested to Steve.

Rebuild by rainbow_nerds

(1/1 I 7,864 I Explicit)

In 1976, when Steve Harrington was ten years old, he was cast as the lead character in Ruins of Relfonth. The film went on to become a classic of the intersection of sci-fi and fantasy genres, and Steve hated just about every second of it.

At twenty three, with no clue what he wanted from life, he decided to give acting one last shot – on a music video for a band he'd never even listened to.

get up and shake the glitter off your clothes by judasofsuburbia

(1/1 I 11,021 I Explicit)

He looks positively debauched in the mirror. There is glitter smeared all over his face. Hair standing at all angles and hickies littering his neck and chest. His hands instantly go to them, pressing into them to make sure he’s not making them up when he notices a ring on his left finger.

Eddie’s mood ring.

No fucking way.

or: the spicy six go to vegas. steve and eddie get married but they don't remember a thing. steve's convinced himself that eddie's feelings were all a drunken mistake. but were they?

the most remarkable thing about you standing in the doorway is that it’s you by greatunironic

(5/5 I 34,987 I Explicit)

Sixteen years after the world didn't end for the last time, Max Mayfield showed up on Steve’s doorstep and said, “You gonna walk me down the aisle in May or what?” Or, it’s 2002 and Steve Harrington attends a wedding, a funeral, and a birth.

Are You Flagging? by soidade

(17/17 I 40,991 I Explicit)

“Look, I’m just asking, okay? Not– I don't mean anything by it. But, uh.” His eyes darted back and forth, then he leaned in close to Steve. Steve had gotten used to that, kind of. The guy had no concept of personal space. “Are you flagging?” Eddie finally finished.

Steve shook his head slowly, eyes narrowed. He had no idea what that meant. He had no answer. “What?”

Eddie leaned away from Steve, facing forward again and nodding. “Okay, got it. That answers my question. Carry on.”

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

A (mostly) innocent question leads Steve Harrington on a journey of self-discovery, friendship, sex, and romance.

Not So Bad by outofmygourd

(9/9 I 43,409 I Mature)

Vecna is dead. It's the summer after the party's freshman year. Steve Harrington spends it in the Family Video Store, and Eddie Munson is spending post-graduate life bothering him. And maybe Steve isn't as bothered as he used to be.

sub-culture by palmviolet

(13/13 I 60,702 I Teen)

“Is he whining about Eddie being mean to him again?” Robin is leaning in the doorway, eating a leftover slice that’s probably cold by now. “You talk about him more than you talk about girls, Steve, it’s getting concerning. Anyone would think you had a crush.”

or, steve is pretty convinced eddie now hates him. turns out eddie has the opposite problem.

flight risk by Ayes, itskleo

(16/16 I 81,326 I Explicit)

Eddie Munson is famous for giving his bodyguards the slip. Enter Steve Harrington. Has this bratty rock star finally met a babysitter that can keep up with him?

Suspended Bridges by foresthearts

(35/35 I 243,515 I Mature)

“Steve really needed to get his stupid thing he had with Munson under control. He struggled to find a word for it. It was like an anti-crush or something. The same awareness and panic that a crush brought, but not because he had feelings for the guy. Because of the opposite. Because any time he saw Munson, his heart kicked up in fear, his breathing got shallow, his whole body started to warm. Munson made him want to turn heel and run.”

In which Steve has the opposite of the suspended bridge effect.

(Featuring omega!Steve pretending to be an alpha and alpha!Eddie silently losing his mind.)

[inklessletter]

any steddie fic recs you think deserve more love?

Hi sweet thing.

To be honest, it's been ages since I don't sit and read new fanfics. At the beginning of the year (actually until roughly last may) I kept reading and reading, but since I started drawing more from summer till now, the wedding, a full time job, and stuff, making so many fanarts took the 90% of my free time, so I don't think I can name recent fanfics, I'm sorry about that. I want to fix that. But I also want to take time to write again. And I still have little free time, so, idk how that's going to turn out.

But I can tell you about the fics that will for ever have my unconditional love. See the list below, in no particular order:

STEVE'S FIRST BRUISE by cairparavels

the lathe by palmviolet

Black Out Days (Fairground Nights) by Oonionchiver

thirty days by Adure

show me the place where he inserted the blade by cheatghost

November Paramedic by BackyardOwl

We're Better Off As Lovers by Appledagger

You're Divine by Oonionchiver

Are You Flagging? by soidade

The Mess We Made On Fridays (Gave Me Sundays On My Knees) by Oonionchiver (I really like Oonionchiver, okay?)

Every fic here listed (and so many more) holds a special personal meaning to me.

I'm not tagging any author here because just making this post I've come across something that got me ?¿¿?¿?, so I won't tag anyone

[zsorosebudphoto]

Soidade, Mallorca, Illes Balears, 11-12-23

[steveshairychest]

Pls share your Steddie docs or any recommendations 🙏🏻

I don't actually have alot of time to read bcs I work 5 days a week but the ones I have read and really enjoyed on Ao3 are:

soft breath, beating heart by geansai -this one is vampire Eddie and it's mwah brilliant

Keep it Steady, Eddie by outofmygourd - literally my all time favourite I stared at the ceiling for hours after finishing it

Are you Flagging? by soidade - so good I stayed up till 6am reading it

Black Sabbath and Weed by twelvexclara - I think this was the first steddie fic I ever read

Turn Your Back on Mother Nature by gr0gu - loved this one it's short and sweet ,, if u think 16k words is short

Not so Bad by outofmygourd - if you haven't read this one yet you need to right now it's so good

That's all I have! Hopefully the links work !!

[deadwright]

hey!! sorry to bother but I was wondering if you have read any steddie fics at all or that you enjoyed..... I am very afraid of going into the tag without guidance and wanted to ask if you have any recs (I follow very little people in the fandom) !! :o) thank u anyways hope u have a good day

hello bestie! you're so right tbh i'm fighting for my life in this tag, but here are all the steddie fics that i really like so far (under the cut):

You Children Of Today (Are Children of the Grave) by CaptainHoney (E)

Fall Forever (and Never Look Behind) by CaptainHoney (E)

aka @grandmastattoo: chief steddie understander and purveyor of incredible fics and playlists. this series is my top favourite ever!!!!!

Promethean by CaptainHoney (E)

the tags say dead dove do not eat but boy did i FEAST

Whole Lotta Love by stereobone (E)

one of my favourite writers, all their fics are fantastic. speaking of:

Keep It for Me by stereobone (E)

i'm going to blame the full sobbing wailing breakdown i had over this on the fact that my wedding is also coming up, but who's going to believe me? certainly not me.

Some Things Cosmic by stereobone (E)

this got me in my feelings so bad oh my GOD i would do anything to make this real

Play It Right by stereobone (E)

every little character detail of this is just. i could chefs kiss until my fingers bleed about it all.

You're the Driver, You're the Road by stereobone (E)

Are You Flagging? by soidade (E)

one of the most popular steddie fics on ao3, if not thee most

stereoscope by seraphy (E)

just finished this one and woof! heavy on the delicious steve angst. i love when stranger things fics dive into the endless trauma so this one got me good.

make a deal with god by mcalpines (T)

SO very funny, one of my favourites ever!

Easy, Easy, Easy by judasofsuburbia (E)

what can i say, i adore a deeply comforting happily-ever-after future fic.

misgiven by palmviolet (T)

another good stranger things writer, their current wip has me hooked (more on that later)

Mutual Future by knell (E)

another funny one! i love when men are stupid <3

The Worst Mixtape Ever Made by nbfutureboy (M)

songfics can be so hit or miss, and this is an absolute hit. embarrassing for me that i genuinely love all the songs on the titular mixtape though.

Lovesick in Loch Nora by red0aktree (M)

this is beyond my wildest dreams. i laughed, i sobbed, i screamed myself hoarse with sheer feeling. GOD. IT'S SO GOOD PLEASE I'M A WRECK

A Sign of The Morning by ToEdenandBackAgain (M)

full of delicious steve whump and obliviousness in spades. also the reference letter part made me WAIL with joy

the summer of '85 series by ToEdenandBackAgain (T)

horniest T rated fic i ever did read but steve in that little sailor outfit was truly life-changing. also feeling vindicated as a mint chip appreciator

don't start (too late) by Ark (E)

AIYAAAAAA THEY'RE SO SWEET AND IN LOVE. also absolutely cemented my belief that steve harrington was born to suck and fuck

meet me in the middle of the air by kirkaut (T)

it's a wip with one chapter up as i'm posting this but holy shit i love it so far. everyone sounds like they're supposed to and i canNOT resist steve whump, it's like ambrosia to me

to live my own way by Macellarius (E)

this is exactly how the the rest of the show should've gone. duffers LET HIM GRADUATE GODDAMMIT

STRIKE TEN. by oaseas (T)

me handshake emoji eddie since our shared toxic trait is letting steve get away with anything just because he looks so cute in his little sailor outfit

smoking guns (hot to the touch) by fivecenturiesverse (T)

did not expect to start weeping about the power of friendship at 2pm on a workday but damn this really got my ass. love in all its forms is so good ;-;

Some Cupids Kill With Dice by horrormoviebarbie (T)

this fic makes me want to put on a slutty little outfit and run through the streets screaming about it like a town crier. young dilf steve/teacher eddie MOST concept of all time. all this to say that it made me feral and though it's a wip i'm already rereading it weekly

the most remarkable thing about you standing in the doorway is that it's you by greatunironic (E)

i need you all to known that i actually screamed and cried so hard that i yartzed while reading this. a stunning rollercoaster of emotions, and the perfect end that i will carry with me further than canon could ever hope to go.

We are Stardust, We are Golden by idiopathicsmile (M)

between steve's insistence that simon and garfunkel are in love and him casually knowing the lyrics to a black sabbath song, this fic really is the Try Not To Fall In Love With Steve Challenge (EXTREME MODE)

I Made A Fire by emchant3d (E)

YOWWW 🔥🥵

fear is fading fast by amiparanoidmuch/p1013 (E)

funny, hot, absolutely STELLAR fic that make me yell and squawk into my pillow every few lines. WHERE is robin's milkshake for outstanding wingmanning

Lunge to the Maximum by BoudicaMuse (E)

a truly EXCELLENT pwp feat. the scoops ahoy uniform? hey now hey nooow this is what DREEEEAMS are made of

The Road Goes Ever On by bookscorpion (E)

road trip! wip but it's already lovely, with that slow, nostalgic americana vibe.

The Shire is NOT on Fire by kissesforcas (E)

not since supernatural 8x11 larp and the real girl have i cared this much about a renfaire. steve and robin giving huge dean and charlie energy (deeply affectionate)

Have I Found You, Flightless Bird? by kissmejusttokissme (M)

TWILIGHT AU!!!! BUT BETTER!!!!! AN ABSOLUTE TREAT

Red Eye by alinafewwords (T)

obligatory coffee shop au but make it genuinely good!!! wip as i type this but i'm already so unbelievably excited for the updates

Do You Mind? (will you mind?) by GreenQueenofClubs (E)

absolute concept of all time. this fic was so good it scrambled MY brain and it took me an embarrassingly long time to even type this coherently

Sanctuary by SpicedSage (E)

very very cute, absolutely nailed the eddie voice

throw me one by Adure (E)

men are so stupid uwu

Paper Thin by idiotslantern (E)

oh i YELLED out loud when-

like a heartbeat drives you mad by creature_from_the (E)

deeply hot and so good i wish i could read 100k more of it

We Should Just Kiss (Like Real People Do) by OonionChiver (E)

sweet baby jesus and the grown one too...........it's a LOT but woof what a journey. heed the tags on this one fr

STEVE'S FIRST BRUISE by cairparavels (not rated)

spidey!steve is maybe the best thing to happen to me this year

I've seen your face before, my friend, but I don't know if you know who I am by HMSLusitania (M)

time travel fics in general are always baller and i ADORE the concept of this, i would love to see more of this universe

Not So Bad by outofmygourd (M)

It struck me deep (it brought me to my knees) by Gorgeousgreymatter (E)

don't go wastin your emotions by kissesforcas (M)

Orta Recens Quam Pura Nites (Newly Risen, How Brightly You Shine) by AidaRonan (M)

all i need from you (is all your love) by wearing_tearing (M)

Meet Him On The Main Line by nbfutureboy (T)

ink you up by Adure (E)

nightswimming by heartofwinterfell (T)

hold me now, i need relief by ToEdenandBackAgain (M)

there's a clock in my head (is it wrong? is it right?) by cloverspies (T)

Eddie Munson's Vampire Mixtape by Springandastorm (T)

just so long it don't mess up his hair by lagardère (laurore) & MissAntlers (T)

Dying of love but it's okay by prufrocks (E)

You Can Cook? by Zigster (E)

we're just kids in the dark by FagurFiskur (T)

Skull Rock Era by chattrekisses (E)

the space between by amiparanoidmuch/p1013 (E)

steve harrington's six step guide to getting the guy by oaseas (T)

AND NOW. A collection of fics covering my favourite concept of all time: TIME LOOPS!

the lathe by palmviolet (M)

wip for now but updates pretty quickly. steve pov time loop done SO well i dream about it at night

I can't save us, my Atlantis by kissmejusttokissme (T)

i believe this is the first steddie time loop fic i read, so this one is very dear to me. please check out the next in the series as well, the aftermath is brutal and so so interesting.

pulling your strings by Thorinoakentwig (T)

looooove this one also, another steve pov

and it all comes down to you by heartofwinterfell (M)

finally, an eddie pov! and it's so good too i'm a huge fan

you are going to die in your best friend's arms (but he won't let you leave like that) by oaseas (T)

dustin pov, which is absolutely genius because he's the only one who could've handled it this well. also the family bonding in this is SO sweet, and i love seeing steddie from an outside perspective.

[sombersynth]

STEDDIE FANFICTION REC MASTERPOST PT. 4

We Should Just Kiss Like Real People Do by OonionChiver, 88.4 k, explicit ‘Please?’ Eddie stops him again, this time by holding his face. Steve feels Eddie’s thumb moving over his cheek, he feels the cool metal of his rings. He feels everything except what he needs. ‘I’ve never loved anything the way I love you, Steve Harrington,’ Eddie says, dark brown eyes moving between Steve’s own. ‘This isn’t the moment, sweetheart.’ It’s not a rejection, but it’s not a kiss. Steve quietly cries, insides cut up on the broken shards of his stupid little heart and Eddie holds him, he holds him all night until they fall asleep together.

A Sign of The Morning by ToEdenandBackAgain, 86.8 k, mature Vecna is dead. The Upside Down is cut off from Hawkins yet again. Steve is trying to go back to normal, whatever that is. He's also trying to figure out exactly how Eddie Munson has managed to fit so easily into his life.

Sub-Culture by Pamviolet, 60.7 k, teens and up “Is he whining about Eddie being mean to him again?” Robin is leaning in the doorway, eating a leftover slice that’s probably cold by now. “You talk about him more than you talk about girls, Steve, it’s getting concerning. Anyone would think you had a crush.” Or, steve is pretty convinced eddie now hates him. turns out eddie has the opposite problem.

Put To Death, Therefore, Whatever Belongs to Your Earthly Nature by Judasofsuburbia, 8.5 k, explicit Preacher's Son! Steve Harrington is Eddie Munson's newest obsession. Steve thinks God has some sick jokes.

Falling Off The Edge Of The World by Coeurdeleo92, 7.3 k, explicit Steve is rapidly discovering that Eddie Munson has zero concept of personal space. He isn’t exactly complaining though.

The Lathe by Pamviolet, 82.5 k, Mature "This time, do it right. This time Eddie won’t bleed out in his arms, in anyone’s arms. This time, Steve will do it right." — or, steve relives the day they try to kill vecna over and over, and eddie just can't seem to stop dying. steve finds this totally unacceptable.

Hold Me Now, I Need Relief by ToEdenandBackAgain, 25.8 k, mature It’s probably going to go down in history as the worst kiss Steve Harrington ever got, but Eddie doesn’t give a fuck. He isn’t going to get another chance so he’s working with what he’s got. It’s less of a kiss, and more of a slide of lips, wet with blood and tears but he feels Harrington’s grip tighten on the back of his shirt and he pulls back. He reaches up with the hand he can still feel and pushes back a strand of hair that had fallen in Steve’s face, smearing blood along his temple as he does.

“Sorry. Couldn’t die without knowing what that felt like.”

To A World Where Madness Craves, by Judasofsuburbia, 7.1 k, explicit Steve decides to go back into the Upside Down to look for Eddie two days after his death. He doesn't find Eddie where they left his body. Instead, he finds something much scarier

The Most Remarkable Thing About You Standing in the Doorway Is That It’s You by Greatunironic, 34.9 k, explicit Sixteen years after the world didn't end for the last time, Max Mayfield showed up on Steve’s doorstep and said, “You gonna walk me down the aisle in May or what?” Or, it’s 2002 and Steve Harrington attends a wedding, a funeral, and a birth.

Are You Flagging? by Soidade, 40.9 k, explicit “Look, I’m just asking, okay? Not– I don't mean anything by it. But, uh.” His eyes darted back and forth, then he leaned in close to Steve. Steve had gotten used to that, kind of. The guy had no concept of personal space. “Are you flagging?” Eddie finally finished. Steve shook his head slowly, eyes narrowed. He had no idea what that meant. He had no answer. “What?” Eddie leaned away from Steve, facing forward again and nodding. “Okay, got it. That answers my question. Carry on.”

Whole Lotta Love by Stereobone, 9.6 k, explicit Steve scoffs. "I think if I was dating someone, Robin, I would be the first to know about it." "Would you, though?" Robin says.