#steddie headcanons

[steddielations]

I need Steve to hotwire something in season 5 because he’s actually so much more Observant than people give him credit for and he learned just from watching over Eddie’s shoulder and I need him to have his moment please

Also I love that Steve was genuinely interested in watching Eddie hotwire. He’s like “I’ve been hunting monsters and screwing around with government operations for years, how come I don’t know how to hotwire?? And I love cars, I’m a car guy, why don’t I know how to steal one?? This is a skill I need, show me now.”

[biboomerangboi]

Eddie standing in Steve’s kitchen being mid conversation with Robin and just in general being in Steve’s way. Now normally Steve would just budge past him but with Eddie especially he’s worried about being a jock/bully and react like Steve’s shoving him. So Steve just puts his hands on Eddies waist and picks him up then plops him to side because that seems nicer, then just goes about getting stuff from the fridge. Meanwhile Eddie is bright red and having an error 404 message blaring in his brain.

[strawberryspence]

I will never not be OBSESSED with the Famous trope + Found Family trope with the Party 😭 The headlines would be so chaotic? Like:

Famous Rockstar Eddie Munson is seen eating lunch with two time Pulitzer winner Nancy Wheeler, Highest Paid Photographer Jonathan Byers and Successful Entrepreneur Argyle Alvez. How does he know these people???

Three time Grammy Winner Eddie Munson seen in a McDonald's with World Renowned Astronaut Dustin Henderson and New York Times Best Seller Will Byers-Wheeler and Mike Byers-Wheeler. What the actual fuck???

Eddie Munson, seen in a Chicago Bulls game looking confused as hell, mere seconds after finding out his second album just went Multi-platinum, with his husband, Steve Munson. Also seen in pictures, Eddie Munson hugging point guard Lucas Sinclair and his wife, Max Sinclair. How???

MSG Sold Out Performer Eddie Munson seen in Chicago Medical Center with World Renowned Surgeon Dr. Erica Sinclair. Our insiders say that the rockstar is FINE and was only having lunch with the doctor. What in the multiverse is happening???

Eddie Munson and his husband seen in line at the book signing of rising Linguistics Author Robin Buckley. They ended up laughing so hard when they reached the author, they almost got kicked out. Turns out they all knew each other???

Rock Star Eddie Munson bringing packed lunch in pajamas to a small Chicago preschool where husband, Steve Munson and known friend, Jane Hopper works. Why??? How??? What???

Third most followed person on Instagram Eddie Munson, just broke the internet by posting a group picture with Nancy Wheeler, Robin Buckley, Jonathan Byers, Argyle Alvez, Dustin Henderson, Lucas, Max and Erica Sinclair, Mike and Will Byers-Wheeler, his husband Steve Munson and family friend Jane Hopper. HOW DO THEY ALL KNOW EACH OTHER?! WHAT A WEIRD GROUP?!

The more people speculate, the more they say shit. Like people ask them how they know each other and they all just throw out the weirdest answers.

Nancy gets asked in a press conference how she knows Rock Star Eddie Munson? Nancy answers with, "I was driving myself to California when I was 19 and I picked him up as a hitch hiker along the way. We’ve been friends since then."

Robin gets asked in a lecture how she knows the Sinclair Clan? Robin answers with, "I go way back with Dr. Erica. She once saved me from Russian Doctors trying to cut my toe nails."

Eddie goes on an interview in National TV and the host asks how he's friends with Argyle and Jon? Eddie answers with, "I got kidnapped by a killer clown when I was 17. They saved me by crushing the clown's still beating heart with their own bare hands."

Steve gets bombarded with questions online of how he knows Nancy, Robin, Jon, Argyle and even Eddie (his husband)? Steve answers with, "We were stuck in detention every Saturday when we were in senior year. We all became friends when Eddie Munson started singing Don't You (Forget About Me)."

Will and Mike gets asked in an interview about their friendship with Basketball Star, Lucas Sinclair? Will says, “Lucas once gave my dog CPR, ultimately, saving it’s life and we’ve been friends since then.” and Mike just goes, “Who???”

Erica once got asked how she knew Genius Astronaut, Dustin Henderson. Erica rolls her eyes, “That boy owes me his life. Ask him, not me.”

Dustin gets asked how he knows Eddie Munson. Dustin goes with, “Eddie once saved me from a feral army of bats and almost died. I’ve never let go of him since then.” The fans think this one might actually be true, they’ve seen the scars on Eddie, they’ve got theories and Dustin just gave them a puzzle piece.

Argyle got asked in a Business Magazine how he knows this weird, interconnected group. Argyle says, “Oh dude! Those are my life long friends! It started with a pizza van, a dead man, and a road trip to Utah. There was also a bald girl involved. In the end, the real treasure really is the friends we make along the way.”

Jonathan gets asked how he knows Eddie Munson. Jon gives the softest, sweetest smile and says, “We were in a satanic cult together.”

Jane Hopper gets asked once in public (how she knows all these famous people), someone filmed it and it went viral on Twitter. El says, verbatim, “Oh. It all started when I was kidnapped by an evil scientist who tested stuff on me like I was a lab rat. Long story short, they saved my life and they are my family.” By then people already don’t believe any of them because they all give out the most ridiculous answers. Hopper still grounds her for that even though she doesn’t live with him anymore. (Owens, who hasn't called them in 15 years, reached out with a warning).

→ Current Additions: Lucas Lie Detector & Max's Future (Scroll down the link)

[infinite-orangepeel]

[pizzaqueen]

Steve gets one of those 'I'm not gay but my boyfriend is' shirts and he's like 'but, see, it's not even a joke because I'm NOT gay' and he thinks it's so funny and Eddie's like 'I'm getting an "I'm not a dork but my boyfriend is" shirt printed' and Steve says 'Well, that one would be *wrong*...unless I was also wearing it' and Eddie just sighs, long suffering, while Steve grins roguishly, still proudly wearing his shirt

[steddiesupportgroup]

In the between time of Starcourt and Vecna, Steve stopped putting his usual effort for dates. Sure, his hair looks good and he’s a gentleman, but it’s been a while since he’s fretted over what he’s gonna wear or which cologne he’s going for. In 4x1 he’s wearing the same shirt he wore when he dropped Robin off at school and at work. Maybe he thought, “Eh, it’s a fine shirt and I don’t need another shower.”

He can’t put his finger on when exactly he stopped trying to impress, or maybe he’s not even fully aware of it. Just…none of these girls excite him, give him that spark that he’s been looking for ever since breaking up with Nancy. He doesn’t have the energy to scrub his skin raw or make time to shave. He’s jaded, and what’s the point of cleaning his Nikes with a toothbrush when he’s not going to call them back anyway?

Then Eddie happens. He wears Eddie’s vest through the depths of hell and even though he’s bleeding and grimy, it makes him feel something. He buys those cargo pants that he tucks into combat boots and a brown leather jacket that reminds him of Eddie, and even though they have bigger fish to fry, he keeps thinking about what Eddie will think when he gets back into the RV, all earth tones and a skintight shirt underneath.

He saw Eddie looking in the boat, felt Eddie’s breath against his face when he smiled and purred, “Big boy,” and it awakens something that’s been sleeping in the depths of Steve’s gut for a long time.

Eddie thinks Steve looks good, and for the first time in what feels like forever, Steve wants to put in the effort.

When it’s all said and done and Vecna is defeated, something clicks back into place. Steve wears jeans that he knows makes his ass look amazing and shirts that are tight around his biceps. He digs out his favorite cologne that’s been collecting dust in the cabinet, the mere idea that Eddie might look at him for a little longer than necessary spurring on that thing Steve’s been missing so much.

And sure, Eddie pokes fun at his polo shirts and lack of graphic tees, but he’s still looking, right? Rakes his gorgeous eyes up and down Steve’s body when Steve picks up the kids from DnD, leans so close over the counter of Family Video that he knows Eddie can smell his mouthwash. Eddie starts staring at his hands, so Steve makes a point to keep his nails clean and trim, tries to stop picking at them when he’s nervous.

And that brown leather jacket turns out to be a great investment, because when the four of them meet at the movies on a Friday night, Eddie saunters up close, looks at Steve like he’s a five star meal, and reaches out to finger the collar.

“Lookin’ good, Harrington.”

Eddie says it with sparkling eyes and a sly grin that says this is all for fun because he still thinks Steve’s straight, but Steve got over that crisis a while ago. It’s summer and he’s beginning to sweat but it’s so worth it, because all he wants is for Eddie to tell him he looks good with his hands, run them under the jacket and call him “big boy” quiet enough for only Steve to hear.

It’s all for you, Steve wants to say, and the truth of it makes his heart burst into flames in the best way.

It feels like a breath of fresh air to have Eddie’s attention on him like this, to be told that his effort was worth it by someone who excites him so much. For the first time Steve’s reputation can’t speak for him, he has to work for what he wants.

He rediscovers the joy of getting all done up for someone, dizzy with the knowledge that it’s for Eddie.

[jonathanbiers]

thinking thoughts about avoidant attachment steve (because try and tell me he isn't, with THOSE parents? get out) getting scared when he realizes he's in love with eddie because being in love is scary and hasn't gone well for him in the past. he's always been the one who loves harder, he's always been the one who puts others first, and never had someone do the same for him. now that he and eddie feel like they're on equal footing, he's fucking terrified of having that ripped out from under him. so, subconsciously he starts pulling away because when he's gonna get hurt he might as well be prepared for it, try and at least put up some walls so that when eddie breaks his heart he won't just be standing there obviously crushed like, y'know, the last time.

cut to eddie thinking he's done something terribly wrong because his previously sweet and warm and cuddly bordering on clingy steve is suddenly being so quiet and so distant, not really initiating any of the touches he usually does. he's not pulling away but he's definitely not doing that (annoying, but insufferably adorable) thing where he pointedly removes eddie's guitar from his lap to sit there himself and demand attention anymore. and yeah, eddie would always roll his eyes and sigh loudly at first, but he loves giving steve his undivided attention. he misses those moments already and it's only been like this for a week.

so, he confronts him about it. he tries to do so carefully, because he doesn't know what he did wrong and he thinks maybe it should be obvious or whatever. he's preparing for an, "are you serious, i really have to tell you?" but maybe he's a bit too vague about it because steve just looks like a deer caught in headlights for a second before his face goes cold, blank.

and steve's thinking this is it, this is eddie about to rip off the bandaid, and he's obviously trying to go about it gently and there's a tilt to his eyebrows that says he feels bad about it, so steve might as well just go and do it for him, y'know? says it's fine, he'll leave if eddie wants him to, and he's got his hand on the doorknob before eddie can say anything. completely misses the confused look on his face.

and eddie has to just about chase him out the door before he can reach his car because steve doesn't seem to be hearing when he's calling after him that what the fuck, no he doesn't want steve to leave, he's in– but he stops himself from saying that, because something is clearly upsetting steve and it's got to be his fault and now's not the fucking time. but he does manage to get his hand on the window of steve's car door before he can get in, hold it closed so that steve will finally look at him. so he can ask steve to please talk to him.

and you can imagine eddie's confusion and then shock when steve just starts mumbling (actually mumbling which is so out of place for him because he hates when others mumble to him, because he can't fucking hear) and he keeps cutting himself off mid-sentence and starting over and he won't look at eddie at all and this is all so out of character for steve, until eddie finally manages to piece together some of the abandoned sentence fragments into something that's starting to sound a lot like steve thinking eddie's going to get sick of him sooner or later, or sick of his bullshit (the look steve gets on his face on this word suggests there is more under the surface here, but again now is not the time) so eddie should just get it over with and that it's okay. but steve isn't looking like he actually thinks it's okay, in fact he's looking like he's trying so hard not to cry.

so, speechless for maybe the first time in his life, eddie just pulls steve into the tightest hug he can. hugs him until he stops his rambling, keeps hugging him until he feels steve's arms wrap loosely around his waist. only when he finds the words again does he pull back, doesn't even let go really, just moves one of his hands to steve's chin, makes him look at him.

"i'm not going to get tired of you, steve," he says, "i love you. i'm in love with you."

but steve doesn't look relieved or happy to hear it, not at first. no, he looks like he doesn't believe it, which is confirmed when he says, "don't say it if you don't mean it. i can't- i can't do that again."

and doesn't that just break eddie's heart into a bunch of little pieces, because here's possibly the best, most caring, bravest person he's ever met and yeah, maybe he acts a little bitchy sometimes but he's got a heart full of love for those around him. here he is, seeming utterly convinced that he's not going to receive that love in return. seeming like he's been shown time and time again he's never going to receive in return the level of love he puts out.

eddie's determined to show him otherwise, though, and he starts by repeating himself; in between soft, slow kisses at first (thankfully it's night time, and no nosy neighbors in sight) but the kisses get lighter and start to travel all over steve's face and by the time eddie's kissing the little space between his eyebrows, steve's smiling, he's actually kind of laughing. it's a nervous, i'm-not-convinced-this-is-real laugh, but it's there and eddie wants to hear more of that laugh and less of the sad, defeated mumbling he was doing earlier so he brings steve back inside where it's warm and he takes his time pressing kisses all over steve and telling him every single reason he loves him. he knows off the top of his head because he actually made a list of them all, he was trying to write a song about it, was planning on dropping the big L word with a grandiose gesture of flowers and candles and his acoustic guitar before steve started pulling away from him. oh well, he thinks he has some candles stashed away somewhere anyway.

[very-feral-lesbian]

in love with the idea that eddie takes steve’s letterman jacket from him. he starts wearing it but you know, because he’s eddie, he customizes it.

if one thing is clear, steve is decidedly not the same person he was in high school. he’s practically done a 180. eddie recognizes this and he asks steve if he can do something with the jacket since he never wears it anymore and eddie is the only one who does, “go for it, eds”

with that, he fills up the empty spaces with badges and pins and patches and makes it a mix of eddie and steve. walking around with this jacket that is such a mix of them, eddies personality splattered across a jacket that reads harrington across the back

edit: there is now a full fic about this, read here

[beep-beep-robin]

eddie just scratches off his nailpolish instead of taking it off properly because he‘s too impatient. the first time nancy witnesses this she berates him about how bad that is for his nails and takes it off for him while going on and on about how it makes his nails break easier.

steve just watches the exchange, confused look on his face (and trying not to let his eyes linger on eddie’s hands) while robin shamefully looks at her own nails that she occasionally does the same thing to.

[spectrum-spectre]

Ok I've seen a recent rise in Soft Tummy Steve fics and I love them with all my heart, seriously they're all fantastic, but can we get some love for Soft Tummy Eddie?

He's already a bit on the thinner side, and I imagine he'd probably lose more than a few pounds after being trapped in the Upside Down with little to no food for a while. Once he's back though, and his body realizes it can finally rest? Boy's deffo gonna gain some weight back with interest. The human body is literally designed to hold onto weight for as long as it possibly can in case of starvation/a famine, and it is Ridiculously easy to gain it if you're not actively trying to keep it as is.

Plus, he's gonna be bedridden for a while, whilst the bat bites and other various ailments get sorted out. Less physical activity + a steady (no pun intended) diet of hospital food and whatever snacky stuff the kids can sneak into his room = good rounding out.

All this is to say, once he's fully recovered and a bit more healthily plump, Steve is gonna be all over him.

[writer-in-theory]

Eddie hates Steve Harrington because they used to be friends. Best friends forever, if the friendship bracelets Steve made when they were 6 were anything to go by.

Eddie hates Steve Harrington for all of the good memories he has of him.

He hates the day they met—when both of them lost recess privileges and spent the entire half hour trying to figure out how to count money, because nickels were hard, okay? He hates knowing that Steve started to sit with him in art class, laughing joyously when Eddie took it upon himself to start finger painting instead of doing the assignment. He hates when Steve picked him first for kickball in gym class, because despite all of the groans from the rest of the class Steve had wrapped his arm around Eddie's shoulder and loudly declared they'd be the winning team (they were). He hates the day that Steve tied the bracelet around his wrist in the first place, saying they had to keep the bracelets forever.

Eddie hates that he knows how kind Steve Harrington can be. He hates the day Steve came over to the trailer the first time, because he was the first person Eddie ever told that he spent more time with his Uncle Wayne than his own parents. Eddie hates that Steve used to make them ants on a log because his babysitter taught him how, and he hates that he knows how lonely Steve had been in that big house. He hates the day Steve convinced Chrissy Cunningham to clip bows in their hair and show them how to use the sparkly lip gloss she got for her birthday. Eddie thought the lip gloss was weirdly sticky on his lips and the bows were itchy, but Steve had lit up like the stars in the sky when he saw himself in the mirror—and he hates that he knows what Steve looks like so brilliantly happy. He hates that he's wondered if Steve's allowed himself to look so pretty again, or if that's a secret kept between them.

Eddie hates that Steve Harrington was his first heartbreak. He'd felt it shatter in his chest when Robert Harrington marched up to the trailer, grabbing Steve's arm roughly and dragging him to the car kicking and screaming. He hates that Uncle Wayne had to defend Eddie, that Mr. Harrington had been the one to teach him about the class system and pure unfairness. He hates that he knows what heartbreak looks like on Steve Harrington, captured in an image of him crying in the backseat of the Harrington car. He hates that it was that day Steve Harrington stopped smiling at him.

Eddie especially hates that it took him being accused of murdering the girl who used to braid flowers in their hair for Steve to smile at him again. The fact that he knows how it feels to have Steve Harrington shaking, terrified, under his hands will haunt him. Watching Steve traipse around the Upside Down in his vest felt like pure torture because he'd remembered the days when that wouldn't have been a big deal at all. It left him wondering what could have been if he'd have fought harder, if Steve had rebelled against his parents sooner.

He hates that it was Steve who carried him out of the Upside Down, and that he was too delirious from the blood loss to properly enjoy it. He hates that it was Steve who stayed at the hospital every day, bringing him and Wayne anything they could possibly need. The pit in his stomach that had settled the moment Steve took off his shirt in the boat hadn't yet eased, and Eddie's not sure if it ever would. He hates that Steve Harrington brought him a book to keep him busy in the hospital, and that he noticed the wince when Eddie had tried to make a joke out of it. He hates that he'd nearly forgotten that his old best friend hated jokes about his smarts.

He hates the small length of braided string he found placed in the first quarter of the book, holding Steve's place for whenever he found it ready to continue the story. He hates that the friendship bracelet looked so worn and old, like Steve really had worn it until it fell off. Eddie hates the blush on Steve Harrington's face when he notices it, and he hates the admission that Eddie wasn't the only one who'd lost a best friend that day, either. He hates the gentle press of a kiss on his cheek, and the blush that warmed Steve Harrington's face once he realized what he'd done. He hates that Steve Harrington had maybe been his first love, hates that he thinks he might've been Steve's, too.

But mostly, Eddie hates the way he can't really hate Steve Harrington at all.

--

thanks as always to @serenity-lattes for convincing me to write this out fully after dumping it in discord

TAGLIST: @alessiamargaux @minispice-1 @shadetea @emily19990 @alexxavicry @raven2008 @whoringrove @strangerleaves @blackpanzy @goodproofingwater @greetings-and-salutations @doralovesit @lesbianpinkhairedjughead @kerlypride @singmeyoursimpsong @im-sam-fucking-winchester @angel_wings_and_tattoos @itch-my-b0nez @Sirrrsnakes @largechaos @NeloteGreitic

[steddielations]

Eddie talks about his mom’s Tennessee side of the family like, “yeah my peepaw could play the banjo and my great grand pappy was real good with a fiddle” and Steve’s like “your Who and What”

Eddie: I have to take you to visit, you’re gonna love meemaw’s fried chicken gizzards

Steve: no I don’t think I will

Also I can't decide if southern grandmas would fawn over Steve and pamper him, or if they’d see his Arms and immediately put him to work in the kitchen kneading dough and rolling pie crusts, while he soaks up the best small town gossip. Eddie’s supposed to be helping but he only sits on the counter Watching until he gets swatted back to work with a dish towel

[biboomerangboi]

There’s not enough Rockstar Eddie fics with Soccer Dad Steve. Like I just know he’s dying to be a househusband. He genuinely wants enough kids to be half the soccer team. Let him live his nice peaceful life in a home with Eddie and the kids. Where he has beef with PTA moms and spend his day driving around a group of rowdy children. Have him come home to Rockstar Eddie as they swap insane gossip notes about all the mundane scandal they are surrounded by, drinking wine in their matching husband and husband glasses. I’m begging you!!

[strawberryspence]

It's weird, Eddie thinks. When Eddie and Steve holds hands, they intertwine it together. However, almost always, Steve ends up untangling it, his hand creeping up and holding him on his wrist instead. It makes Eddie feel like a child, with a mother holding on to him.

He thinks it might be his rings, thinks it might be annoying Steve. But then, he remembers Steve telling him how much he loves them.

He thinks it might be because he sweats when they hold hands for too long. But then, he remembers Steve trying to hug him after work and telling him he couldn't care less if Eddie's sweating or smells like oil.

He thinks it might be— no. He doesn't— Steve might be ashamed of him? And doesn't want to be seen with him, their hands slot together so perfectly the whole world may crumble? No. That's definitely not right. Steve is open to the people who matter, tells Dustin of their last endeavor, tells Robin about how good Eddie is to him, tells Hop that Eddie is good and kind and everything to him. He kisses him in the Wheeler basement, slots his head on his shoulders in between the empty aisles of Family Video, takes Eddie in his arms in the trailer in front of Wayne. That can't be it.

Eddie finds out in the middle of a campaign. Steve, Robin, Max and El hanging out on the sides while the boys busy themselves with defense and strategy. He didn't mean to look Steve’s way, but like a boat, his eyes will always find his lighthouse, bright and guiding in the dark.

Steve is holding Max's wrist, just like he always does with him. At first, it's weird because Max doesn't really like prolonged physical touch. They stay like that for half of the game, whenever Eddie looks back, Steve's hand is still wrapped around Max's wrist.

When Eddie calls for a break, and Steve rushes upstairs to help the boys get a snack, Eddie sits beside Max.

"Hey, Red." Max gives him a nod of acknowledgment as she reads the latest comics.

"Can I ask you a question?" Max hums in agreement, eyes still glued on the page.

"Why was Steve holding your wrist like that?" Max freezes, eyes looking up to meet Eddie's. Eddie is aware of how it sounds like, so he word vomits, "I— I am just curious. He does the same for me and I've never understood why."

Max squints at him behind her thick glasses, "It helps him calm."

Eddie tilts his head in confusion, "Calm?"

Max takes his hands, wrapping a hand around his wrist, just directly above where his pulse is, "When he found us after the Upside Down, we were barely alive. Now, he feels our pulse and it's a reminder that we're alive, we're okay. It calms him down, helps him stay in the moment."

It hits him like a bucket of cold water. How Steve makes it his mission to burrow his head on Eddie's chest, directly above his beating heart, his hand always wrapped just above his pulse, Steve staring at his eyes first thing in the morning like he's looking for something in it.

It's a reminder that Eddie's alive, that Max's alive, that they're all alive and that they get to live and breathe in peace without the impending doom looming over the edge.

Eddie never brings it up. He lets Steve hold his pulse, splay a hand on his chest to feel his heart, lets Steve fall asleep to the sound of Eddie breathing.

Eddie's never gonna bring it up. Steve can do it for the rest of their life for all he cares.

It's the least he can do.

[infinite-orangepeel]

[pizzaqueen]

Eddie likes making Steve alphabet soup so he can spell out cute (and sometimes saucy) messages for him. Except, a lot of the time, he gets hungry while he’s pasta-writing so Steve ends up with a bowl that tells him “I ove ou” or “yo ave ice ass” but, honestly, as much as Steve might gently tease Eddie for not being able to wait to eat his own food, he always looks forward to ‘decoding’ the messages