#steddie ficlets

[thefreakandthehair]

a little fluff for @starrystevie's birthday! hope it's the absolute best day! ✨

Eddie misses Steve.

It's equal parts cute, and maybe a little pitiful because it's only three days in Chicago for his friend's Bachelor Party, but it's already been two days and he misses Steve. Bandit digs his claws into Eddie's thigh as he makes biscuits and begs for pets, curling up comfortably next to Eddie's lap and leaving Steve's side of the couch overwhelmingly cold and empty.

"I know, kid. I know," Eddie coos, scratching their cat behind the left ear as he purrs.

He's glad that Steve had been able to get the time off from work to go, and he's glad that Steve's made friends on his recreational basketball league, and he's not jealous. At all. Not even a little bit.

... Okay, maybe he is a little bit jealous that Brandon gets to see him sweaty and gross in the June heat, running around doing whatever jock-activity they've planned in the backyard of their rented house all weekend, but who can blame him? Steve never gives him a reason to feel insecure so he knows this isn't about Steve. It's not rooted in anything even remotely related to him or their relationship— it's all about Eddie and the nasty voice in the back of his head that pulls out a bullhorn and screams not good enough on a loop.

Condensation from the beer in his free hand drips down his wrist as he rests his elbow on the arm of the couch. It's not the first time he's felt this way, and Steve himself has admitted to feeling the same way from time to time, so he knows that it'll pass. He just needs to focus on something else: DND campaign planning, sketching, writing, cracking out the ol' guitar. He could rewatch Howard the Duck for the hundredth time, or maybe even Labyrinth—

Buzz, buzz, buzz.

Eddie's phone buzzes on the coffee table and he fully expects it to be Gareth or Jeff, or maybe Robin. They have plans later that night, both of them missing Steve and all. What he doesn't expect is a series of text messages and 19 photos from Steve.

How funny. It's been five years since they'd become EddieandSteve but seeing Steve's name and smiling photo on his phone sets his little hummingbird heart aflutter even still.

steve 👑: it's so goddamn hot here steve 👑: we're playing cornhole now and just threw a football around steve 👑: sweating all the beer and vodka out as a I go, that's healthy, right? don't worry, I'm drinking a shit ton of water.

Steve includes a selfie of himself, smiling closed-lipped with a baseball cap on backwards and the neck of his tee-shirt drenched in sweat. Eddie wants to lick him dry and that's a thought he'll never tell a living soul, probably not even Steve. No, no definitely not Steve. He'll never live that one down.

steve 👑: oh, and fishing was good! we made some bets on who could catch the most and then who could catch the biggest. I tied for first place for the biggest and I caught 17. brandon got 20 so he won that bet. I'm only letting it go because it's his bachelor party lmao

Eddie swipes to the next photo, one of Steve and Brandon holding their two biggest catches. Steve's sunglasses are sliding down his nose, no doubt from the sun warming his glistening skin, and he's smiling wide against the railing of a boat. As much as he misses him, Eddie can't help but mirror his smile. Call him lovesick or 'down bad', as Robin says, but seeing Steve happy makes him happy.

He continues swiping and reading the little blurb attached to each photo, some of which don't even include Steve but Eddie appreciates them all the same. They don't include Steve, but it feels a lot like Steve trying include Eddie in the weekend. The last picture is one of the entire group, all dozen or so guys lined up on the ship. Brandon stands in the center surrounded by the rest of the group with Steve shuffled in no meaningful spot but to Eddie, Steve is the center of every photo, every moment, everything.

Eddie starts to type a response when his phone dings again. This time, Steve sends a voice message and Eddie presses play so quickly, he nearly knocks poor Bandit off his lap.

Hey, takin' a break from cornhole. I won, by the way, had to make up for losing to Brandon in the fishing bet.

Steve laughs and Eddie's stomach flips. Robin's right. He's down very, very bad for this man.

But I just uh, I miss you, and I know maybe that's sorta lame but I do. The party's great and all, but I can't wait to get back home tomorrow. Tell the kid I said hi. I love you, Ed.

He replays it a few times and shamelessly taps Keep so it doesn't disappear before sending his own voice message.

It's no more lame than me sitting here with Bandit sharing how much we miss you, so you get a pass. I mean, you get a pass on everything all the time, but don't let that go to your pretty head, okay? I'm so fucking glad you're having fun and sowing your jocky oats, but selfishly, I can't wait for you to get home. I'll make it worth your while.

He huffs air through his nose and laughs low in his throat.

Oh, and Robin's coming by in a little bit so I'm gonna grab a bottle of wine. Don't be surprised if you get a FaceTime call later. I love you too, Stevie. So goddamn much.

Eddie sure does miss Steve, but it stings a little less knowing that Steve misses him, too.

[eldritch-thrumming]

watched that new jennifer lawrence comedy on netflix and like. should we make it steddie?

steve’s a rich kid who grew up having to be self sufficient because of his parents traveling constantly for work. he’s basically a mini adult, but because of that, he sees himself as a lot more mature than the rest of the people his age and by the time he’s ready for college, he’s missed out on a lot of the social milestones that young men his age are experiencing. instead of going to prom, he’d hung out around the house with his weird nerdy band geek best friend having marshmallow eating contests and watching bad rom coms. instead of going to graduation parties, the two of them had built a tent in the harringtons massive backyard and gone night swimming before camping out.

enter his parents, who are less worried abt steve coming out of his shell for his own independence and comfort and more worried that he’ll embarrass them at his ivy league in the fall. there’s been a long line of harrington men attending yale and they’ve paid a lot of money to even get steve a spot there, so if he fucks this up, if he doesn’t join the right clubs and make the right friends, they’re worried it’ll all be a waste.

so they put an ad on craig’s list. eddie and his bandmates are trolling the boards, looking for any odd jobs they can find to try and raise the cash they need to record a demo at the local studio. jeff points it out as a joke and, after laughing at the poor pathetic dweeb whose parents think he’s such a dud they’re trying to set him up with a stranger, they scroll on. but later that night, eddie pulls up the page on his own phone while he’s lying in bed. the offered amount is more than enough to pay for their studio time and then some. eddie calls them and sets a meeting.

when he gets to the harringtons beach house, he’s nervous. he’s a townie and townies are rarely invited into the massive homes that line the shoreline. he knows what he looks like and he knows that the rich tourists who infest the beachside towns every summer tend to steer clear of him when they see him around.

but he needs the money and after meeting with the couple, he thinks this kid probably needs all the help he can get and so he decides to meet their son steve.

turns out steve’s a lot more attractive than he’d imagined and he’s only a couple of years younger than eddie is. he’s also a lot more flirty and charismatic than eddie had assumed. turns out, steve doesn’t lack the ability to make friends or get dates, he just really hasn’t been interested in anyone… at least, not until now.

they hit it off almost immediately. eddie’s never had this much fun with anyone he’s ever tried to date before. steve is funny and smart in very specific ways and his best friend, robin, is a riot. eddie’s not sure how steve’s parents don’t see any of that, but then steve tells him all about how he’d grown up basically alone, how he’d had to make a lot of his own fun growing up, how he’d rarely ever even seen his parents between the ages of 11 and 18. they hadn’t even made it to his high school graduation. steve reveals to eddie that he’s not even sure he wants to go to yale at all, that he only agreed because he’s not sure what else to do.

and eddie tells steve about his dad, abt how he’d gone to jail when eddie was 13, on a job with eddie in tow. he tells steve abt how his mom was heartbroken afterwards, would barely get out of bed to even pick him up from school. he tells steve abt the car accident, the flashing lights of the police car that had picked him up one day and taken him to a foster home before wayne had been called down from upstate to come collect him. wayne had moved out onto the island, trying not to disrupt eddie’s life more than he had to, but prices down here were so much higher and he’d had to work all the time. he’d done so much for eddie and eddie is so grateful… he just wants to pay him back anyway he can.

they reveal things to each other no one else knows and suddenly, as the summers coming to a close, eddie realizes that he’s been falling in love this whole time. but before he can tell steve abt the deal, before he can apologize and come clean and confess his feelings, steve has some kind of massive blowout with his dad. and his dad—in all his anger—tells steve the truth. he tells steve how steve is so pathetic that he and his mom had had to buy him a boyfriend.

steve is, obviously and understandably, beyond devastated. he confronts eddie with tears in his eyes, begging eddie to tell him it isn’t true, that his dad was a liar and he’d just known where to hit him hardest. but eddie can’t deny it. that is how all this started.

eddie doesn’t see steve again, not around town, not at any of their usual haunts, and soon the school year is starting. steve, eddie assumes, has moved into his dorm at yale and is, hopefully, making new friends. by the time thanksgiving break comes around, eddie can finally think about steve with only a tiny ache in his chest. he and the band have recorded their first demo, thanks to that harrington money, complete with the saddest love song eddie’s ever written.

and suddenly steve is there in the bar eddie works at, where he’d been taking steve on their nights out all summer. his brown hair looks extra soft and he’s wearing a quarter zip with the yale logo emblazoned over his heart. they stand there and stare at each other for a moment too long before they both try to speak at the same time.

“no, me first,” steve says, and eddie really can’t deny him this. he’s the one who ruined everything, after all. “what you did to me was terrible.” it’s straightforward and factual, but eddie’s face burns. “you hurt me. a lot.” eddie watches as steve swallows. “i told you things i’ve never said out loud.” eddie opens his mouth to speak, but steve powers through. “but now i’m up in connecticut and i’m meeting all these new people. and some of them are great. but i can’t help but compare them to you. everyone i meet, i think of you. and no one is as fun as you, and no one makes me feel as good. no one sees me like you did.”

eddie’s speechless for a moment, mouth dry. he swallows. steve’s looking at him expectantly. “i was always honest abt how i felt about you, stevie. i really was falling in love with you. or… i mean…” eddie pauses, runs a hand through his hair. “i mean, i love you. i am in love you, like, currently. ongoing. probably in perpetuity which, uh, you know. is like, forever or whatever.”

“yeah?” steve asks softly, a small smile curving on his lips. “forever or whatever?”

eddie can feel himself returning that small smile, nodding. “yeah,” he responds, “ no biggie, though.”

steve laughs. “i kind of disagree. cause i don’t know abt you, but i’ve never been loved in perpetuity before. seems pretty big to me.” eddie shrugs as he watches steve close the distance, smiles widening. “i’m pretty sure i love you too, you know.”

“pretty sure?”

“i’m trying to be a little aloof abt it. not reveal my whole hand too soon.” they’re standing chest to chest now, eddie can feel steve’s breath on his face, they’re so close.

“right. makes sense,” eddie murmurs, staring steve’s wet pink mouth. and then they’re kissing.

and they kiss until gareth comes into the bar for the start of his and eddie’s shared shift and turns the club soda spout on them.

they have a lot to talk abt. but thanksgiving break is a whole week long and after that it’s only two weeks until winter break. eddie has a lot of time to make it all up to steve, in any way he can, in perpetuity.

[steviesbicrisis]

No matter what they do, Steve is always mistaken for a straight guy.

Eddie doesn’t mind, he was the first one to assume Steve was straight before he had taken Eddie by his shoulders and kissed him until he had proven his convictions wrong.

He will admit it’s a little annoying when they’re out on a date and there’s the occasional waitress interrupting them to give Steve her number or the random dude who calls him “the Hawkins ladykiller”.

For sure, Eddie doesn’t mind as much as Steve does.

Whenever something like that happens, he gets stiff, then gloomy, then looks at Eddie with big sad eyes -Eddie is so weak for that look- and finally gets as close to him as he possibly can, wrapping both of his arms around his, resting his head on his shoulder, pressing on his side… yeah, Eddie doesn’t really mind that Steve gets mistaken for a straight guy one too many times, especially when they can pretty much cuddle in public and there will be still people who think they’re doing it in a totally platonic way.

Eddie understand how much Steve hates to be mistaken as his straight friend only when they go out to a gay club for the first time.

They were both exited to go out and have fun in a gay friendly environment, but not being fully used to it they were still leaving some space between them as they got in.

They were in line for drinks when some guy had approached Eddie, completely ignoring Steve’s existence.

«Sorry dude, I’m taken» Eddie had told him, pointing at a very pissed Steve glaring at him over his boyfriend’s shoulder.

When this happened with two other guys, Steve had enough.

«are you fucking serious? I’m sitting right here!» Steve explodes at the third guy of the night.

«Oh sorry dude, I thought you were just a supportive friend» to give him credit, he looks mortified as he walks away from them.

Eddie recognizes all the signs, except that Steve seems stuck in his gloomy/sad face stage, so he decides to initiate the touchy one himself by pressing all of his body to Steve’s side and wrapping him in his arms.

«Are you jealous, pretty boy?» Eddie teases him, not thinking Steve actually is. He has to reconsider when Steve’s faces gets redder and doesn’t reply.

«what are you jealous of?» Eddie asks, a little incredulous.

«you, of course!» he responds, quickly. He has some afterthought that makes him pout, look down at his feet and kick some abandoned plastic cup on the floor «like, I’m right here, we’re together, we’re in a gay bar and people still think I can’t possibly be your boyfriend? I’m right here! What am I then? Chopped liver?»

Eddie doesn’t know if Steve would’ve admitted all of it without a little amount of alcohol in his body but he’s glad he did.

«Then,» Eddie licks his lips «how about you show them that I’m very much taken and that you’re my boyfriend?»

Eddie doesn’t remember much else from the night, but while he’s making out with Steve, caged against the wall, no one comes to question their relationship.

[infinite-orangepeel]

once again thinking about early high school steddie.

steddie before the supernatural.

steddie before vecna.

steddie before bat bites and untimely ends.

steve who’s painfully lost within a life of parties, social hierarchy, and girls who never stick around for more than a couple of dates. steve who aches, yearns to be loved—truly loved—more than anything else. wears his heart on his sleeve despite it all. would give up the crown, the entourage, the notoriety to feel genuinely seen and heard for just a second.

eddie who’s gotten used to being the outcast, keeps his heart guarded, and does his best to let the cruelties roll off his back. eddie who buries his hurt in daydreams, fantasy realms, the occasional distraction of drugs. wants nothing more than a friend to call his own. to share secrets, learn scars, run through the woods with laughter shaking the leaves above.

steve and eddie who collide at precisely the right or wrong moment (depends on how you look at it).

steve and eddie who meet up past midnight amongst the trees. steve and eddie who breathe in smoke, air, desire. steve and eddie who don’t quite know how to fall in love, but do it anyways—they don’t have a choice in the game.

steve and eddie who leave lasting impact. steve and eddie who create fallout. steve and eddie who demolish each other’s prior understanding of what it means to care for someone.

afraid, so deeply afraid.

steve and eddie who float on almost’s and maybe’s for as long as possible until immaturity, fear, and panic inevitably drive them apart. lonelier than ever before.

steve and eddie who meet again. years later.

steve and eddie who reach out for each other’s familiar jagged edges.

steve and eddie who find comfort, hope, something that finally lasts.

[stevesbipanic]

After the third run in with the Upside Down Steve wanted to get away from everything. His house was far too quiet with his parents gone and so he'd taken to driving around town, sometimes Robin would join him, but not tonight.

Tonight he was sick of everything, sick of the nightmares and the blindspot in his left eye and his fucked ears and the stress of not amounting to anything. So he drove and drove and drove until he had not petrol. Lucky for him his car broke down close to what appeared to be a shitty bar, he supposed he could call Hopper for help from there.

The bar was loud, really loud, some band was playing and a handful of drinks seemed to be enjoying them. Steve decided he could stay a bit before caring Hopper. If he wasn't going to be driving he might as well drink away his problems. Twenty minutes later and Steve was drunk.

Eddie was pissed, his first week back at his third senior year and he wanted to run away. His teachers were shit to him, that dickhead Carver thought he was old enough to start causing problems for Eddie and the PTA were trying to shut down Hellfire right when they got a whole bunch of new members.

He needed to let out his frustrations, luckily it was Tuesday and Tuesday meant playing with Corroded Coffin at the Hideout. A few songs in and he was already feeling better, screaming out your anger really did help. He was thinking he could finally leave his high school problems in the back of his mind when one Steve Harrington caught his eye.

Steve had been a bit of an obsession for Eddie in high school first having a crush on him then hating him then having a crush on him again when he came back to senior year and was nice for some reason. He certainly never thought he'd see him again after Steve graduated much less at the Hideout which looked the other way at certain other activities Eddie enjoyed. Eddie kept playing and by the end of the night Steve was actually enjoying himself in the "crowd" of drunks.

Steve was wasted and the noise from the stage actually didn't sound like noise once you paid attention and it was loud enough Steve could hear it properly. Plus the singer was kind of absolutely hot looking a fact that Steve of before Robin never would've admitted. Steve even forgot about calling Hopper a fact he kind of regretted once the band finished and the bar closed. Steve was hanging out outside with a cigarette when the pretty singer joined him.

"Didn't expect to see you in a place like this Harrington, thought pretty boys like you preferred house parties in their mansions."

"Munson? Damn didn't recognise you with the lights, didn't know you played even. So you think I'm pretty?"

Eddie was completely shocked, was Steve Harrington...flirting with him?

Well Eddie wasn't going to pass up this opportunity, maybe the possibility of a broken nose was worth it.

"I'm sure all those girls of yours tell you the same thing, sweetheart."

"Yeah well, maybe I like hearing it from you instead."

Eddie smirked, ok maybe not a prank, "Don't see that beemer of yours, Stevie, need a ride?"

"Back to yours or mine?"

So yeah there were other ways the boys could release their frustrations from now on.

[bmodiwrites]

I got a request for single dad!steve & I'm so here for it! I think this little ficlet is going to be the first part in a little series. I have so many ideas, so let me know what you think!

It’s a rare Thursday off that changes Eddie’s life forever.

He’s sitting on his favorite bench in the park when a high pitched yell catches his attention. Looking up from the drawing he’s been zoned into for the past hour, Eddie glances left and then right over his shoulder to see a small girl trying not to cry on the ground.

As a children’s librarian, Eddie is more than familiar with the little lip wobble that’s happening and the usual tears that follow. If he were back at work, his arsenal of book references and character impressions would be the perfect fix. Out in the wild, Eddie isn’t as well equipped.

It doesn’t take a genius to comfort a hurt person, however.

Setting aside his pencil and sketch book, Eddie gets up from the bench and walks quietly over to the little girl. He’s impressed she’s not screaming with agony – the scrape on her knee is worse than most and more than worth a wail or two. Instead of questioning this little girl’s integrity as he approaches, Eddie slowly kneels down in front of her.

“Everything okay over here? I was halfway through my drawing of a goblin when I thought I heard one squealing in the grass.”

It only takes a second of sniffing for the girl to look up at him with a wet attempt at a smile. “I’m not a goblin. I’m a girl. A human girl.” Said girl tries to sound defiant and strong, despite the tears still welling up in her eyes. She’s so close to forgetting her pain, it’s almost comical.

“Are you sure? Some of the goblins I’ve seen sort of look like little girls. They even have pigtails like you,” Eddie says, pointing at the two long braids thrown over either shoulder. The pink helmet she’s wearing does nothing to hide them.  

Just like that, the little girl’s mind is no longer on the injury to her knee – instead, her ire is pointed right at Eddie and his theory on goblins. It’s both sharp and adorable. Especially when the little girl says “I’m absolutely positive. My name is Judy and I’m a human girl, not a goblin.”

This time, Eddie can’t help himself, a chuckle is let loose.

“Okay, okay. You’re a human girl. I just needed to make sure. Goblins are very tricky and I like to know what I’m getting myself into.” Eddie pauses for a second to watch Judy’s eyes grow as interest in his words settle in. It’s still astounding to see wonder light up a person’s world.

Instead of lingering on that thought, Eddie puts a hand between them, intent on introducing himself the proper way now that her goblin status is ironed out. “It’s very nice to meet you, Judy. I’m Eddie.”

Judy doesn’t hesitate to slip her little hand into Eddie’s. Her grip is firm and so is the look she gives him as they shake hands. “There’s a man at the library that’s named Eddie. My daddy talks about him all the time.”

For a second, Eddie is stumped by the girl’s ability to be so candid and loose with her words. He always forgets that children have no filter; it’s both gloriously refreshing and shocking as all hell. Once he’s past the initial rock of his world, Eddie tries to push past his befuddlement. “Huh, it’s kind of a small world. I’m the children’s librarian at the library in town.”

Judy’s adorable hazel eyes lit up as Eddie spoke, realization colors her expression. “That’s why you look so familiar! You’re Mr. Munson, who does all the voices when you read.” She crosses her arms then, trying to look petulant. “No wonder you thought I was a goblin!”

After that, it’s easy to check over Judy’s wounds while they talk about the book he’s going to be reading at story time this week. She’s a fast learner that immediately catches onto the runaround that Eddie is trying to subtly give her. By the third attempt at asking him for the book’s title, Judy gives up with a loud sigh. “You grownups and your secrets. Don’t tell me, then!”

Eddie believes he might cave into the cutest little pout he’s ever seen, but his willpower comes back just in time. “You’ll have to come to story time to find out. The surprise is half the fun.”

Before Judy can agree with him, another loud voice registers in Eddie’s ears. This time, it’s very deep and masculine, more than likely belonging to the dad that Judy’s been mumbling about. He’s proven right a second later when she pipes up “I’m over here, daddy!”

Eddie is not prepared at all for the sight of Judy’s dad running towards them. Everything from the moment Eddie heard Judy’s voice to the familiarity of talking to her makes sense now – Judy’s father is the man Eddie’s been checking out behind the counter for months. The strong thighs and wide shoulders are strong players in Eddie’s fantasies. To be perfectly honest, it’s all a bit too much.

He’s thinking about how small the world really is when that deep voice cuts in –

“Judy, oh my god – I thought you got lost on the path again. What happened to you? Are you okay?”

It’s almost like Eddie isn’t standing right there with a couple of his lunch napkins pressed to Judy’s leg. Even Judy seems to think so.

“Daddy, I’m fine. Eddie is taking care of me. He’s the man from the library, daddy. That does the voices!”

Like he’s been shocked, Judy’s dad jolts to the present where Eddie is there next to him, where their shoulders are brushing and a little girl is watching the whole thing unfold. Eddie lets him come back to himself before using his free hand to wave. “Hi, Judy’s Dad!”

The worried look that’s been on the man’s face since he walked drops down to the ground with Judy’s bike, only to be replaced with a soft smile, sort of like the one Judy first flashed him a few minutes ago. Eddie’s taken aback by how beautiful the man is – despite him being kind of a jerk for a quick second, Eddie is absolutely still on board the hot dad train. Especially now that he knows the little girl the dad belongs to.

They share a look that’s way too long in the presence of such a young person, so Eddie clears his throat. Only then does Judy’s dad start acting like a human again. “I’m Steve. Steve Harrington. Not uh – not just Judy’s dad.”

“Steve Harrington. You’re the middle school guidance counselor, right? I supply a lot of books to Nancy in the library and she’s always talking about you. I had no idea this little one was the kid she’s forever going on about.”

“Yeah, yeah that’s me. I – you know Nancy? It’s crazy to think we’ve been running in the same circles and never met before.” Steve’s cheeks turn a little red then, almost as if he’s admitting to something more than just curiosity.

It’s a gorgeous sight, one that Eddie hopes he gets to see more often.

“She’s been trying to get me to meet her friend Steve for a while. I never thought much about being set up but now I’m kind of sorry I never took her up on the offer.” He stops for a second and looks between a dad and his daughter. “Maybe this way is better, though. More raw – organic.”

The blush brightens on Steve’s cheeks and Eddie knows he’s got him.

“Are you up for it now? I hear the ice cream sundaes at Hop’s are the perfect treatment for a scraped up knee.”

The gasp he gets from Judy is almost as telling as the large smile on Steve’s lips. There’s no hesitation in the way Steve nods eagerly.

“I think that’s exactly what the doctor ordered.”

[silversoulstardust]

modern ghost hunter au where Steve is a reluctant ghost hunter who is being dragged around by the party to visit haunted houses and murder sites as their chaperone pass to their parents. Their main star is El. But El can't see ghosts, she can only sense psychic energy, and they never find anything conclusive except for static noises and vague orbs in videos. anyway while the party is investigating a haunted trailer at an abandoned trailer park near the state line, Steve roamed around the area while waiting for them to be done inside. He picks up a red pick necklace off the ground, thinking it's kinda neat, rubbing the dirt off on his jeans before pocketing it as a souvenir. Then they head back home.

The next morning, Steve wakes up to a curious face hovering inches above his face, and it freaks the fuck outta him because he recognizes the face of Eddie Munson, the unsolved murder victim that died a gruesome death in 1986, the one from their latest ghost hunting trip.

Steve is scared at first, of course, and tried to get rid of Eddie by leaving the pick necklace back where he found it. But he's stuck with him. Eddie's unsettled soul has attached himself to Steve, and he has to help Eddie so he can pass on.

Over the course of time, as they try to solve Eddie's case together, Eddie's presence grows on Steve. While annoying at times, he can't believe people would think Eddie's malicious enough to cause harm to other people, enough for his murderer to kill him when Eddie's actually a big softie and a huge nerd. It takes a while for Steve to realize he's having a crush on a ghost. :)

[tangerinesteve]

I need some motivation!!!

If you guys have an steddie halloween things you'd like to see, or haven't seen, or even tropes that have been done a million times (i love a good trope).

If you wanna send them my way that could be cool! I'll try and write some small little ficlets for them!!! I can't promise I'll write them all, but i have no motivation right now and am hoping some cute ideas might get my brain going again!!!

(Sending them on anon is 100% okay!)

[steddiemas]

FAQ

What is this?

"Steddiemas" is a winter/holiday-themed fanworks challenge that will feature different prompts each day that fit the day-of-the-week theme to get everyone into the winter/holiday spirit. Prompts range from winter activities, holiday (Christmas, Hanukkah) activities, and more general topics.

What are the prompt themes?

The themes can be found here.

When does the event begin?

Posting will begin on December 1st, with the final prompt releasing on December 31st.

When will prompts be posted?

Prompts will be released in weekly batches starting in November to give everyone time to work on their creative works! The first prompt batch will be released on November 1st.

Who can participate?

Anyone is open to participating. However, for NSFW content, I ask that those creating and interacting with pieces be 18+.

What can I create?

Anything goes! Fanfiction, artwork, gifs, mood boards, playlists, reader inserts, physical pieces of art. Get creative and go wild!

Is NSFW allowed?

Yes, so long as all characters involved are over 18 and you (the creator) are also over 18. Sundays are catered to smut prompts. However, smut can be included in any and all prompts if you wish. Please tag it with #steddiemasnaughtylist, put any explicit content under a read more, and clearly state that it is an explicit piece somewhere in the post. Given Tumblr's community guidelines, you can also link out to NSFW content.

How do I make sure you see my work?

Make sure to @steddiemas somewhere in your post and use #steddiemas in the tags. For NSFW content, also include #steddiemasnaughtylist.

Will there be a have an AO3 Collection?

Yes, it can be found here. The collection name is Steddiemas 2023 (steddiemas2023). To add your work to the collection, type the collection name in the "P0st to Collections/Challenges" section on ao3 when posting your fic.

Do I have to participate every day?

Absolutely not, though you're more than welcome to! You can pick and choose which prompts inspire you and can even combine a few! This is a low-stakes, no-pressure challenge, so participate as much or as little as you want!

Can I include other characters/ships/etc.?

Yes! The more the merrier! However, since this is a "steddie" challenge, they should be featured somehow. How you choose to incorporate them is up to you!

Are late works accepted?

Absolutely! No need to stress about deadlines, here!

For any other questions, don't hesitate to ask!

[acasualcrossfade]

Keep Coming to My Door (I’ll Eventually Answer)

Sicktember Day 12: Old Wives Tale

Stranger Things: Steve Harrington/ Eddie Munson

Words: 500 | Rating: T | CW: nightmares, mentions of restraints and torture

@sicktember

Summary: Steve’s nightmares have gotten worse and handles it on his own before briefly opening up to Eddie about it.

Find me on Ao3!

--

Steve slowly glanced up at the sound of Eddie’s soft footsteps coming into the kitchen; the sound was familiar to him by now. They’d barely spoken since Eddie had moved in after his trailer was destroyed, and usually stayed on the opposite sides of the house during the day. 

The nights brought nightmares for both of them, but Steve’s had grown steadily worse. What had started out as nightmares had ramped up into something worse, ones where he’d wake up screaming, soaked in searing sweat, his mind flashing with images of stainless steel needles, tightly tied restraints, cold pliers…

Steve had heard quiet knocks on his bedroom door after particularly bad episodes and assumed Eddie, but never answered the door to find out.

So Steve fought the nightmares and midnight screaming sessions the only way he knew how: evading sleep altogether. 

“Thought you had a campaign today,” Steve said in a pseudo-greeting as Eddie entered.

“No campaign,” Eddie answered simply. “Just doing some planning for one.”

Eddie reached in the cabinet for a cup and filled it. The man looked worn out, almost as if he wasn’t sleeping much more than Steve was. 

Eddie glimpsed at Steve. “You look like shit, Harrington.”

“Thanks,” Steve deadpanned, but he felt his ears heat red. He wondered why he suddenly felt so…exposed. Then again, it’d been two days since he slept..

“For nightmares,” Eddie started. “They say to avoid eating cheese before bed. Supposed to keep ‘em away.”

Steve’s brain struggled to make sense of what he’d just heard. “Wait, what? Cheese for nightmares?”

“Yeah, some old wives tale. Don’t think it’s true, though. Tried it a few times with no luck,” Eddie admitted. 

“Not sure avoiding cheese is enough to keep everything away.”

“Some pretty fucked up shit we saw.” Eddie blew out a breath as he leaned against the fridge.

“Is it…” Steve paused, almost abandoning his question, but asked it anyway. “Do you knock on my door sometimes? At night?”

Eddie swallowed and then nodded a few times. “Mainly just wanted to make sure you’re okay.” He winced. “The screams are pretty…”

Steve felt his face flush. He probably sounded like a banshee whose sole mission was to wake up the neighborhood. “I’m–I don’t mean…”

“No, it’s not that, Harrington,” Eddie quickly corrected. “It’s just…you sound terrified. Almost scared to death.”

“It’s more exhausting than anything. I’m alright.” Steve’s voice sounded hollow and empty in his own ears. Suddenly, all he wanted to do was lay down.

“Steve…” 

Steve looked up at the sound of his name. Eddie never used his name.

 “Can I help?” Eddie’s voice was softer, more concerned.

Steve blew out a short laugh as he slipped off the bar stool. “Keep knocking, I guess. Might actually answer one of these nights.” He paused before heading upstairs. “There’s extra chamomile tea in the cabinet. Sometimes it helps me sleep.” 

Eddie met his eyes with gratitude. “Thanks, Harrington.”

“Night, Munson.”

And Steve turned and headed up the stairs.

[judasofsuburbia]

YET ANOTHER snippet of my spicy six zombie au, this time it's steddie's fic, the one that started it all<3 i'm hoping to start posting this series by the end of the week!! tw: mild sexual content

March 10th, 1986. Excerpt from the Hawkins Post. 

Reports in Los Angeles of cannibalistic, brain-dead individuals attacking innocent civilians and transferring their unknown disease. Individuals look like they’re actively decaying and they’re typically sluggish but incredibly dangerous. Medical professionals do not understand how they are surviving with massive blood loss and in worse cases, missing organs. So far, it only seems to be in California and troops are being sent to handle them. No one knows how large these groups are or the most effective way to stabilize the threat. 

Steve Harrington is a decently rational person. He wasn’t before the apocalypse. Definitely loved to jump to conclusions and make a huge mess of things before knowing all the details. Spoke and acted before thinking. But now, he’s learned to be more level-headed. He had to be in this environment.

He is one of six adults with a hoard of teenagers and one pre-teen that are all under their care. Having five other adults, (if you could even truly call them that seeing as Eddie is the only one actually in his twenties), is a relief sometimes. If one of them is panicking, there is at least another person who can jump in and be the voice of reason. Steve keeps his freakouts to a minimum nowadays. He’s private about them and there are only two people who ever see him crack. Robin and Eddie. 

Steve Harrington’s libido, however, is not rational in the slightest. It’s no secret that Steve is head over heels for his boyfriend and Eddie shares the sentiment right back. They keep their PDA pretty PG around the others because the last thing someone wants to see when they’re actively fighting the end of the world is the two of them playing tonsil hockey. The two of them are rarely alone so they have to be creative with their sex life.

It’s not ideal. Steve longs for the days he spent with Eddie in bed in his suburban home, living off of kisses and sweet nothings. But it’s certainly not the worst thing happening to them on a day-to-day basis. 

The issue is that Steve’s horny brain loves to kickstart at the absolute worst moments. And today, he only has one thing to blame: Eddie’s southern upbringing. 

Eddie Munson grew up in various towns throughout the south, the longest being a small town in Texas from ages ten to fourteen. He started living with his Uncle Wayne full time his freshman year of high school and even Wayne had an Appalachian drawl to his voice despite being in Indiana.

It was safe to say that there was a certain way Eddie’s voice formulated from those environments. A decently thick Southern accent coated every word he spoke for a long time. After being teased for it in his teens, Eddie got better at hiding it. Learned to speak slower so he could hear what he was saying and tried to be more articulate. The accent would return whenever he was stressed, angry, or drunk. 

Today, Eddie Munson is stressed. They’re all stressed. The party split up in the middle of the night because the abandoned shed that they found after a long day of migrating did not have enough room for everybody. Instead of continuing to hunt into the pitch-black night, Nancy suggested that she and Robin take the kids who were still awake enough to keep going while Eddie, Steve, Jonathan, and Argyle took care of the ones that wanted to go to sleep. Those ended up being Dustin, Will, and Erica.  It’s something they’ve done before with no problem.

The only promise is that they keep their walkies on and charged throughout the night in case something happens. 

The other group’s walkies were not picking up. All of them split into the woods a few feet away from each other to try to page again and again but nothing came through. The adults shared a look that said “Don’t panic, don’t freak the kids out”. Eddie silently volunteered to gather them and gently tell them that they were out of range and just need to find which way they went. The kids looked a little freaked anyway but they agreed and started looking around the property for clues. Eddie headed back over to the other adult men and sighed loudly once they were out of earshot. 

“Robin didn’t take the extra pack of batteries,” Jonathan said. “I fucking told her to‒”

“She must have forgotten them,” Steve said. “She wouldn’t just leave those behind.”

“Shit,” Eddie muttered. “Who knows how fucking far they could have gone?”

“Even though they were swearing up and down last night that they were fine, those other kiddos looked worn out too,” Argyle said. “They can’t be too far.”

“Alright,” Eddie clapped his hands together. “There’s a path in these woods that they probably took. I reckon we just follow that until one of those sons a bitches turns around for us. Steve and I will lead, rugrats in the middle, Argyle and Jon, y’all are the caboose. Capiche?”

“Caposh,” Argyle and Jonathan chorused. 

“Great,” Eddie sighed. “C’mon Stevie.”

Steve blinked out of his little haze and took Eddie’s offered hand. He stumbled a bit as Eddie dragged him along, causing Eddie to look back at him with mild concern. Steve gave him a soft smile and a nod of his head, doing his best not to show the vile things popping into his head right now. Eddie raised his eyebrow and rolled his eyes but did crack a small smile despite the tension of the situation. 

“We’re gonna find our pack and then discuss whatever the hell is knockin' around in that pretty head of yours, sugar,” Eddie whispered harshly into his ear. Did not help the problem at all, elevated it, in fact, but Steve kept himself steady with big draws of breath.

[steddiecameraroll]

ao3 (includes pt2)

Eddie knows he’s gonna lose it one day. Every single time he watches Steve put his hands on his hips and reprimands the feral teens, he wants to jump the man’s bones.

He ends up pinching whatever exposed skin he has when the urge hits him, leaving itty bitty bruises behind.

It works for months until one evening when Eddie lets his guard down and is 3 beers deep. Steve is leaning against the wall with his shoulder holding himself up. Eddie is telling him about how he had to haul Mike off Dustin the day before and Steve out of habit slides his hand up onto his hip.

Eddie stops midsentence and lets his eyes follow the long lean line of Steve’s body to his fingers.

“What?” Steve asks in confusion.

“Huh?” Eddie’s mouth is open when he looks back up.

“You stopped talking.”

“Well fuck, man.” Eddie sighs and flops against the wall near Steve, his back hitting flat and puffing out a huff of air. “You-you do that bitchy fucking stance and it drives me crazy. I wanna…UGH!” He covers his face, the beer can he’s holding presses against his cheek.

“You wanna what?” Steve sounds nervous.

Eddie whines and stomps his feet a little, trying to hold back his answer. It’s so close to falling out, resting on the tip of his tongue.

“You wanna what, man?” Steve’s voice coming out stronger like he’s daring Eddie to be honest.

Eddie drops his hands and pouts over at Steve. “Don’t make me say it.” He shifts from one foot to the other.

“Say what? You’re acting weird.” Steve stands up straight and crosses his arms over his chest.

“Oh goooood, then you do that.” Eddie whines. “You don’t even know, look at you.” He sighs and flops his arms in defeat.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Steve stares like he’s watching a car crash.

“I WANT TO FUCK YOU! You stand like that and-and I can’t think. It makes me crazy. Like-like feral animal crazy. I want to rip your clothes off and scratch my nails down your chest and watch you tell those little shits off. I can’t fucking take it!” Eddie groans, spins on his heels, and stomps away.

Steve stands in shock, letting Eddie’s words sink in. After a brief moment he shrugs to himself and murmurs, “ok.”

Robin’s head pops around the corner. “What’d you say?”

Pt 2-ish

coffee? ☕️🍩💕

[steddiealltheway]

Eddie chronically leaves his rings at Steve’s place to the point that Steve checks the bathroom and kitchen sink every time after he leaves, only to find one of them there every time.

Not that Steve is entirely complaining since this means he gets to call him and Eddie gets to stop by on his own to pick them up.

But when they’re at the Wheeler’s place, and Eddie says he’s going to the bathroom, Steve says, “Be careful not to leave one of your rings behind,” with a wink that has the kids exchanging confused looks. But Steve doesn’t notice because he’s too distracted by the light blush coloring Eddie’s cheeks.

“Why would Eddie leave one of his rings behind?” Dustin asks Steve when Eddie’s out of earshot.

Steve laughs. “He leaves one behind every time he washes his hands I swear. I don’t know how he hasn’t lost one at this point.” But his amusement is quick to die down when he realizes the kids are staring at him as if he’s absolutely insane. “What?”

They all glance at each other, and Steve is surprised when Mike is the first to pipe in, “He never leaves them anywhere. They’re like his prized possession. I’ve never even seen him take them off.”

Steve frowns and glances around at everyone, sensing that there’s definitely something he’s missing, so he’s quick to lie, “Well, I guess it was only once or twice that it happened. Maybe it was my fancy soap. Made things too… slippery.”

He gets a few eye rolls at the comment, but the group is quick to move on especially when Eddie comes back a few moments later with all his rings on his hands.

Steve gives him a quick smile, and Eddie is quick to return it, eyes lingering on him for a few seconds longer than necessary and the same blush from earlier returning.

It hits Steve very suddenly.

The rings are an excuse to come back.

And with this knowledge, Steve’s let’s his own gaze linger on Eddie longer than he usually allows, moving into his space more often than not, and carefully keeping track of time, waiting for the hang out to end.

When it finally comes to a halt, Steve is quick to say his goodbyes, hoping that Eddie will join and let the kids have their unnecessarily prolonged goodbyes in private. And luckily, Eddie is quick to move out of the basement, following after Steve in a way that’s supposed to look causal but is anything but casual now that Steve knows to look for the signs.

When he and Eddie silently go out the front door, Steve is quick to turn to him and hold out his hand. Eddie gives him a confused look but offers his hand which Steve takes and slides one of the rings off of.

Eddie stares at it for a moment, looking slightly frightened, as if he’s been caught doing something he isn’t supposed to.

Steve is quick to soothe the fear as he pockets the ring and says, “Just so you’ll have an excuse to stop by later tonight.”

Eddie’s cheeks flush bright red and he runs a hand over his face. “Shit.”

Steve laughs, “So it has been on purpose?”

“No,” Eddie clearly lies, pulling a strand of hair in front of his face.

“And what if I told you I wanted it to be on purpose?” Steve asks.

Eddie freezes for a moment as if he’s waiting for Steve to tell him that he’s joking, but Steve sits in the silence, letting the question settle between them.

“Then,” Eddie starts, taking a small step forward into Steve’s space, “I would-”

The door behind them bursts open and Dustin yells, “Hurry up I have a curfew!” as he races off to Steve’s car.

Steve rolls his eyes at the kid and takes a step back as everyone else makes their way out the door to the cars or their bikes.

Steve and Eddie linger behind for a moment, which Steve uses to quietly ask, “I’ll see you tonight?”

Eddie gives him a bashful smile in return and nods. “Yeah, I’ll see you tonight.”

Steve resists the urge to celebrate in any way in front of the kids and instead puts his hand in his pocket, fingers curling around Eddie’s ring.

As he gets into his car, ignoring Dustin bitching and complaining, he slips the ring over his finger and smiles at it.

He notices the car go quiet and he nearly groans at his mistake.

“Is that Eddie’s ring?” Dustin screeches.

It’s going to be a long drive home, but Steve doesn’t mind when he has Eddie to look forward to.

[steviesbicrisis]

Dialogue in literature is meant to be surrounded by quotation marks. Also, you are supposed to add a paragraph break every time a different character speaks.

So if you’re to have Eddie and Steve talking, it should look like this, instead of with those weird arrows. (It makes it difficult to read).

“Hey Eddie,” Said Steve. He looked at Eddie’s weird rings and thought about how unbearable it would be to wear so many.

“Hi Steve. Why do you own so many pairs of Nike shoes?” Eddie asked, seeing yet another pair on Steve’s feet that he’d had yet to see before.

Hello! First of all thank you for comparing my silly little work to literature, really!! As for the things you pointed out, those “weird arrows” are actually quotation marks too! ;)

I was talking to an American friend and we noticed this difference already, I am Italian therefore I’ve always used our "standard" punctuation, as you can see it changes from country to country (might not be accurate, just as an example):

As far as I know, it’s okay to use whatever as long as you’re consistent with it - which I always am - but please, let me know if it’s confusing because I write differently compared to others here.

As for the paragraph break, you have to understand that, at best, my longest pieces are ficlets. Since I prefer to write something quick and fast, constant paragraph breaks would be pointless and ruin the tempo IMO. My goal is to write something fast, easy to read, and with description when necessary, also the reason why I write here instead of making longer work and posting it on AO3.

I could do something along the lines of:

«Hey,» Eddie says. «Hi» Steve replies. «How are you?» Eddie asks.

But I find it boring and repetitive. What I usually do, when two characters are speaking to each other, is to make clear who started talking and who's replying without having o specify it every time in between quotations.

All this being said, thank you for giving me your input and I wanna kindly ask people who usually read what I post if they had difficulties reading my work because of what the anon pointed out, or for any other reasons!! If so, please reach out, I enjoy sharing my Ideas and I want to be as understandable as possible!

[infinite-orangepeel]

So consider this… It’s two weeks after the end of S4, Poor Steve is trying to unwind at home as best he can so he’s taken to jerking off regularly and letting himself be as loud as he wants ‘cause who the fuck still lives in Hawkins these days? And then the lights start flickering, the camera does a full 360 sideways and there is a very much alive very red-faced Eddie Munson in the upside-down version of Steve’s house, rapidly flickering the lights and shouting “I CAN HEAR YOU HARRINGTON, GODDAMN IT!”

ANON ! i'm in love with you and kissing you on the forehead for this one. 1) because it made me cackle out loud and i was in need of a good laugh, so thank you my angel 😇 and 2) because i'm now convinced that this has to be a scene in s5 or i'll simply pass away ! too good !!

!! PLEASE READ BELOW BEFORE CLICKING THE READ MORE !!

before we continue and get onto the prompt, this post is very much scandalous/nsft (minors close your eyes and scroll away).

ficlet contains: monsterfucking, breeding, masturbation, accidental voyeurism, kas!eddie/steve harrington, and general filth. if that’s not your thing, no problem, i’d just suggest skipping this one :)

now, i'm imagining eddie's in kind of a clusterfuck, here. he's trapped in the UD. and he's scared out of his mind, hungry, exhausted, drained of all hope, losing it, etc. steve's UD house was the closest place he could find to take shelter after waking up from the whole demobat attack (and let's face it, subconsciously or not, eddie takes comfort in the fact that the house obviously reminds him of steve).

and the first few times he hears steve jerking off, eddie thinks he's genuinely imaging it. because, like, there's just no way steve 'the hair' harrington--former king steve of hawkins high--is making noises that breathy, sinful, and sweet. there's just no way ! what with the high pitched whines, bratty little moans, and out of character babbling about wanting his pussy fucked hard--there's just NO FUCKING WAY.

however, it does do something to eddie's dick (which has grown considerably, btw, since he started transforming into...well...he's not entirely sure what he is anymore, but he's definitely something other than human...he knows that).

his cock aches and throbs obscenely as he tries to drown out steve's cries of pleasure from above.

but he can't help it. eddie really, really can't. he's got it bad. he feels absolutely sick with want. and he's simply overtaken by the glorious sounds of this beautiful boy. newly sensitive ears burning from listening to steve's wet, sloppy, cock fucking into his veiny hand or against the sheets (which eddie can tell he's doing because he can smell the waft of linen and hear the painful drag of skin on fabric).

and the thing is, the more it happens, the more possessive eddie's hind brain gets about steve harrington.

the more he finds himself taking out his own enormous, barbed dick and milking himself over steve's UD bed. closing his eyes as he does so, he imagines mounting the boy, shoving his face into the pillows, taking him from behind and stuffing him full with load after load of cum.

eddie wants steve to carry his babies--even though it's not technically biologically possible (to his knowledge, shhh). he wants to watch his belly bulge and stretch; on the verge of bursting from how huge eddie's cock is inside him. he wants to use steve as his own personal cock warmer, employ the barbs, and lock himself into place. he wants to brush up against steve's untouched prostate relentlessly, draw moan after moan out of him, make steve scream out those sweet sounds just for him. draining ever last ounce of his cum into this perfect boy as he makes him writhe and undulate from the magnitude of his pleasure. pleasure only eddie munson--this new version of himself, enhanced and engorged with desire--can give him.

then the day comes where eddie's convinced he's going to bite his own arm off if he doesn't get his hands on steve soon. steve, who, can't seem to stop jacking off. constantly moaning and whining and crying out eddie's name as he cums so sweetly. never brining another human into the room. always by himself, always touching his cock so carefully. treating it like something delicate, teasing himself, and taking his time.

and eddie's hind brain is growing irritable. he's frigid, desperate, and heart-broken over the fact that he can't protect and serve his human directly. that he can't be the one to give steve comfort. he's constantly growling, rutting against anything that smells even faintly of steve in the UD version of his house, and builds a proper nest for him (despite knowing they're in two separate worlds, he can dream. just in case).

as eddie puts the finishing touches on the nest and groans in satisfaction, he hears steve performing his daily ritual up above. and as usual, he sounds heavenly. eddie can smell the boy's precum, can practically taste his skin, pictures the angelic slide of his measly human hand on that pretty pink cock (it's what he imagines, he's never seen it). he's certain this will finally send his monster over the edge, make him spontaneously combust if he has to hear steve sucking on his own fingers and crying about eddie one more time; so without thinking his hind brain starts flickering all of the lights in steve's house and he shouts:

"“I CAN HEAR YOU HARRINGTON, GODDAMN IT! YOU'RE GOING TO DRIVE ME INSANE! JESUS CHRIST! YOU HAVE TO STOP!"

steve pauses. there are tears in his eyes, a huge smile on his face, and he’s laughing like it's the funniest thing in the world. and god, that's a beautiful sound, too. the sound of his happy chirping human.

"munson? munson, is that really you? oh my god, oh my god! you're alive?" he smells of salty cheeks and lavender; soft and pleasant.

"yeah, it's me," eddie fights to sound normal--doesn't want to accidentally growl and scare him away, "and i've been listening to your 24-hour cum fest for the past three weeks straight. you got something to say for yourself, pretty boy? or just 'oh eddie, oh eddie, right there! feels so good'?" he mimics in a nasaly interpretation of steve’s voice.

steve's laughter rings out through the darkness of the upside down, blows back the tattered curtains on the warped bedroom window, and travels back to eddie's perked ears in a gorgeous tune. sonorous hymn written just for his bleak, forlorn heart. giving it every reason to keep beating.

"okay, okay. quit it. give a guy a damn break," he says, "grief looks different for everyone and mine just happens to look particularly horny when it comes to you."

eddie feels more human than he has in a long time. despite the changes to his body, despite his uncontrollable urges, despite the fucking breeding nest sitting in the corner--steve makes him whole, steve makes him alive, steve makes him feel safe and that's all that matters.

"so you gonna come pick me up from the upside down or what, big boy?" he gazes up at the roof, as if he can actually meet eyes with steve, because maybe--just maybe--some day soon he will, again.

thanks for reading and supporting ! lmk what you think of this one in the comments and feel free to send in a scandalous steddie thought/prompt for me to respond to, of your own.

my inbox is always open and anon asks are more than welcome if that's more comfortable for you :) xoxo !!

oh and if you'd like to be added or removed from the taglist at any time for any reason, i'm happy to do so ! just send me a dm or toss it in the comments <3

taglist: @estrellami-1, @disastardly, @ilovecupcakesandtea, @the-redthread, @asbealthgn, @bestofbucky, @vampireinthesun, @carlyv, @shrimply-a-menace, @lordrrascal, @jjoesjonas, @malachitedevil, @anxiouseds

[stevesbipanic]

Steve knew it was his fault Eddie was dead.

Steve was always the protector. He had been a protector since 1983 when he turned around and ran back into the Byers' house, facing off against what would not be his last interdimensional creature.

He had been a protector in 1984. He looked after those kids, he put them behind him, he protected them against demodogs and a much worse threat on Billy. He took bearings for them, kept them safe, kept them alive. He'd do anything for those kids, even now, he would try protecting them forever.

In 1985 he kept protecting. He made sure Dustin and Erica escaped. He made sure Robin stayed in that room while he was dragged out. He drove a car into another human being to save his friends. He went home alone knowing that even though Max had lost a brother, she was safe and alive.

Then 1986 happened.

When Dustin had come crashing into Family Video he tried to hide it but he was in protection mode. Code Red meant Code Red. But then he met Eddie. Steve wanted to protect Eddie. Eddie who treated him like an equal. Eddie who didn't think Steve was stupid. Eddie who smiled at him so brightly. Eddie who jumped into the lake for him. Eddie who gave him his vest. Eddie who cared about his kids. Eddie who went back into the Upside Down for them. Eddie who teased and flirted and laughed.

Eddie who was a distraction.

Eddie who pulled Steve's focus.

Steve couldn't be distracted and be a protector. He had to be focussed. He had to leave Eddie behind. Eddie would be fine. Steve would go towards the danger and Steve would protect everyone. Eddie was just a decoy, he'd be ok.

He'd see Eddie's smile again soon.

Steve had just wished it wasn't bloodstained.