#steve tried so damn hard to protect the kids

[fanficsformyfaves]

I Can See You

Loki Laufeyson x Fem Avenger!Reader

WARNING: SMUT 18+, Semi-Public Sex, Oral Sex (R Receiving), P in V Sex, No Protection (This is fiction, you are not, WRAP IT UP), Choking (R Receiving), Fraternizing Between Co-Worker, Mentions of Loki Being Able To Read Minds, Secret Relationship, Mentions of Hickeys, Jealous!Loki, Mentions of Masturbation (Reader), Mentions of Loki getting slapped, Mentions of Alcohol, Drunken Confessions, Reader has Dark Humor

PREFACE: Loki and Reader were the newly recruited Avengers, who everyone thought just hated each other, but unbeknownst to them, they were a lot friendlier when no one was watching

A/N: Flashbacks In Italics!

Earpiece Monologue In Bold and Colored!

Loki changed after the events of Avengers 1 and gets recruited in this A/U!

"So sweet", he groaned against my cunt,

Pounding his fingers into me, as his free arm wrapped around my leg to hold me in place. How we ended up in the janitor's closet was actually quite the story.

"Don't stop, please!", I whined,

"Oh, I don't plan on it", he grinned.

Loki and I met a few months ago, when we were both recruited into the Avengers and at the beginning, we actually didn't get along.

All I'd heard about the God of Mischief prior to meeting him was that he invaded and nearly destroyed the city of New York, so to say I wasn't his biggest fan would've been an understatement.

"Welcome to the team, kid", Steve nods,

"Thank you", I smiled,

"This is great! Now we have two extra sets of hands to help with the work load!", Thor roared,

Causing me to look back at him in confusion.

"Two?"

That's when the original six turn to each other, awkwardly.

"Well, go ahead, Captain Thunderpants, it was your idea", Tony snipped.

My eyes meet Thor's, curiously.

"Well...there may be...a new recruit"

"Really? Who?", I questioned,

"Uh...", he looks to his friends for help,

"Don't look at me", Nat refused,

"Not a chance in hell", Tony also declined,

"Steve? Banner? Barton?"

"We're good", Bruce answered on behalf of the other men.

"Oh, come on, how bad could it be?", I asked.

Just then, the door slides open, revealing the devil himself.

"Team", he greeted,

Letting himself in, before his eyes fell upon me. My head snaps back in Thor's direction, who had already taken three steps back.

"Loki?!"

"Yes?", he answered.

After letting out a deep exhale, I began walking up to him.

"I don't think we've officially met-"

Unable to control my anger, I slap him hard across the face, bringing shock to all parties in the room.

"That was for New York!"

Smirking, he turns back to me, before looking over at his brother.

"I like her", he teased,

Making me groan in disgust.

For the next following weeks, I tried my best to avoid him at all costs and my plan was going according to how it should...till that the damned mission.

I was fighting off one of the Ultron bots and failed to see one charging up at me. Just as I was about to be blasted by the ray of its laser, I was pushed out of the way and pinned to the wall, left to watch another building collapse from it's lethal impact.

I turn to see who it was and there stood Loki, holding me in place by the small of me waist.

"You alright?", he questioned.

His eyes pouring into mine with such concern. All I could focus on was how little distance there was between us. My lips barely an inch away from his.

Once I realized what was happening, I snapped out of it.

"I'm fine", I said dismissively,

Before getting back to work.

Tony: Pretty cozy lookin', you sure we didn't interrupt something?

(Y/N): Shut up, Tony

Later that night, I found myself restless and unable to fall asleep. All I could think about was him and how his body felt...right against mine. How his lips were just right at my own, almost brushing against them.

I knew it was wrong, but the more I thought about how intense that moment was and how willing he was to risk his life for mine, the less I grew to despise him.

I touched myself all night to the image, till I was all tuckered out and able to drift peacefully off to sleep.

A day later, during the blowout celebration for destroying Ultron, I decided the only way I could ever face Loki again was to drink.

Sure, one or two shots would've sufficed, but alas, I got carried away and ended up somewhere near ten. Don't ask.

"Okay, you're cut off", Steve says,

Trying to take the shot glass away from me.

"Boooo, what are you my dad?"

That's when the captain's eyes widen.

"Oh shit, he's dead", I say,

Right before bursting into laughter.

"That calls for another shot!", I sing cartoonishly,

"No-"

"I've got this", a low voice says from behind me.

I look over my shoulder and roll my eyes, groaning. This man was just always somehow at the right place, at the right time.

"You sure?"

"I am, thanks", Loki reassured,

Steve nods and walks off.

"A water, please", he asked the bartender,

"I don't need you to babysit me", I slurred,

"Well, stop acting like child and I will"

"Pffft, you're lucky you're as hot as you are. I wouldn't take this shit from anyone else", I accidentally confessed.

The moment I saw his eyes widen and his fine lips curl up into a grin, I felt the realization of what I'd just done hit me.

"Don't you dare tell anyone I said that!", I warn,

Leaning forward to point, when my elbow slips off the table. Luckily, he caught me before I met the hard floor.

"Alright, let's get you to bed", he struggled,

Before throwing me over his shoulder and using his free hand to keep my dress from rising.

If it hadn't been for the loud music and crowd of people dancing, the team would've seen us and gods knew, they'd never let me live it down.

I wake up being greeted with a splitting headache and the sun shinning impossibly bright through the gap in my curtains. I was beyond relieved to remember that it was Saturday and I could take my time recovering from this hangover.

Pulling the comforter off me, I noticed that I hadn't taken off the dress I wore the night prior. As a matter of fact, I couldn't even remember how I made it to my room.

I groan to myself, eventually getting up and heading to the kitchen, but as I did, I find Loki making himself a cup of coffee. He turns to face me and grins at my less-than-stellar state.

"Morning. Care for a cup of coffee?"

"No, thanks", I snipped,

Making him scoff to himself.

I grab a bowl and began pouring in my cereal, before adding the milk and taking a seat at the dining table.

Once Loki's was done stirring his coffee, he takes the chair, right across from me. As inappropriate as it was for me to shamelessly stare at his toned arms, I couldn't seem to stop myself.

"Enjoying the view?", he remarked sarcastically,

Snapping me out of my daze.

"Bold of you to assume I was enjoying it"

He shakes his head, smiling to himself.

Curiously, my brows knit together, as my eyes narrowed at his reaction.

"What?"

"Nothing", he coyly replied.

Something was off. His once-passing glances were now longer and focused on places I'd never seen them on before. My lips, my collarbones...my chest. I couldn't help but blush at the sudden attention.

Not wanting to delve too deeply into it, I brush it off and avert my attention back to the breakfast before me.

"So?"

I look up from my bowl of cereal.

"Are we going to talk about it?", he questioned,

"Talk about what?"

"The delicious little confession you made last night"

"What are you-"

Fuck, I thought to myself.

"Ah...so you do remember?"

"I don't know what you're talking about", I rushed,

As I got up and abandoned the bowl, trying to escape the awkward encounter.

"Oh, I think you know plenty", he challenged,

Trailing behind me.

"I was drunk, obviously what I said didn't mean anything"

"Oh, darling, try as you might, I know it to be true"

I turn to tell him off, when I was met with him being closer than I anticipated. He brushes a stray hair from my face, causing a breath to hitch in the back of my throat.

"You've thought about it. You've thought about all the dirty little things you wish I'd do to you. The only person denying it...is you"

I was at a loss for words. All I could do was focus on keeping my knees from buckling, as he spoke to the deepest parts of my longing. He leans forward, now holding the side of my face and pouring his baby blue eyes into mine.

"These walls may be soundproof, but your thoughts...they're just so loud", he brushes his fingers down my arm,

"I couldn't help myself from taking a little glimpse into that pretty head of yours...do not get in the way of your own pleasure", he whispers.

My skin was on fire and my heart was threatening to give out. Any sense of reason disappeared the moment his hands abandoned my warm cheeks and trailed down to the sides of my waist. With no reservations left in mind, I grab him by the back of his neck and crashed my lips onto him.

I was then thrown into the air and my legs instinctively wrap over his hips. My tongue darting out, meeting his in a heated exchange.

"Just this once", I pulled away.

Well...lets just say that was a blatant lie.

We met almost every night since that day and neither side had any complaints. In each other's rooms, the showers, the kitchen island and couches when no one was in.

It felt almost impossible to keep our hands off of each other. He was a god after all and he sure did fuck like one.

But not all was fair in love and war.

He always felt the need to mark his territory. For instance, the Hickey incident, when Loki left one the size of an orange on the side of my neck.

"Steve was on my ass for this today", I say,

Trying to conceal the mark with makeup.

"He could only ever dream of it"

I playfully rolled my eyes, continuing to cover it up.

So, it should've come as no surprise to me, when I was yanked into the closet, after being overheard playfully flirting with Thor by Loki. Unbeknownst to him, that was my plan all along. To get him so frustrated, that he was left with no choice but to screw me out of my mind as a lesson.

He was always so possessive. Not that I minded.

As a matter of fact, it turned me on more than anything, knowing that it drove him up the wall, seeing me receive attention from anyone, other than him. Call it evil, but I liked the power I had over the god and it seemed like he was more than okay with giving it to me. Even MORE okay with taking out his frustrations on me during our intimate moments.

After effortlessly making me come undone on his skilled tongue, I was immediately flipped onto my stomach with no chance of catching a breath. I hear the sound of his belt being unbuckled and his pants hitting the ground around his feet.

"You just love how riled up I get over you, don't you? Purposefully throwing yourself at my brother of all people, simply to get a reaction out of me? Not a smart move, pet", he groaned,

Before finally impaling me in one thrust. I gasp at the sudden fullness and his hand reaches from behind me, using my throat to hold me taut against his expensive white button up shirt.

"Now now, we wouldn't want anyone to find you in this compromising position, now do we? With your hair a mess, your lipstick smeared and my cock buried deep inside you?"

He pulls away slightly, only to thrust back inside me with a newfound harshness. Not that I minded, but this time felt...different.

His pace was brutal and desperate, like he had something to prove. The angle allowing him to fill me to the hilt.

I could feel the tip of his cock repeatedly hitting me right where I needed it to.

"Loki", I quietly moaned into the air,

"Such a sweet girl. Letting me ruin her right next to our co-workers", he groaned against the skin of my neck.

The coil in the pit of my stomach began to heat up and tighten. The closer I was to my next climax, the more wanton cries of pleasure began escaping my lips.

"I feel you pulsing around me, darling. Let go for me. I'm close", he grunted against my ear.

With his hips faltering and going faster and faster, I was left at the mercy of my climax overwhelming my senses and rendering me weak and limp.

Within the next few seconds, Loki paints my clenching walls with hot ropes of white, moaning into the shell of my ear.

Once I had somewhat come down from high, I caught my breath.

"They definitely heard us", I exhaled,

Causing him to chuckle tiredly.

"Good. At least now they'll know who you belong to"

[everydaymanafterdark]

I finished reading the original Sam and Max comics by Steve Purcell, so I'm going to share some of my favourite panels from it! Let's goooo!!!

He won him a stuffed horsey TuT Also I find it very interesting how Max's proportions are a bit more chonky here at the start, you can later see how they become more streamlined and intensified into the shapes we recognize from the games.

Sam being protective of Max. 👌

He's biking up a freaking volcano to save him. Call it what you want but that requires some immense devotion (Also, nice patoot there Sam)

Loved this reminder that Sam, too, is a dork.

Pretty sure that this is the first instance of "Max, you don't even like girls"

They sleep in a bunk bed, and apparently Sam is on top. Also, those Western jammies.

I'm just finding it very cute that their families celebrate the holidays together okay

This one just made me laugh...

... same with this one!

Cute phone scenes! Always love the way Steve illustrated these.

Speaking of illustration, the art in this comic goes HARD when it wants to.

They're snoozing together. <3

Just a very cute panel. I would be tempted to use one of these faces as an avatar.

Also, let's talk about this gesture real quick. They legit do this a lot (see this post)

And I would just like to add that we even see in Beyond Time and Space when Satan tries to do the same head-pat on Max and he very visibly hates it. He genuinely only allows Sam to do it. I am deceased.

Another panel that made me laugh.

Here it's sweet that Sam keeps Max from smoking, but also the dialogue cracks me up.

The implication that Sam wears his suit because he doesn't want to unsettle humans?

They got a Congeniality Award right under a framed photo of them hitting a KKK member. Goals.

EDIT: Also I forgot to mention this adorable picture wall from the beginning!! This confirms that Sam and Max took baths together when they were kids, as was implied in Beyond Time And Space. Cuuuute

Again!! Kickass inking!!

This page... honestly caught me off-guard for how somber and serious it is all of the sudden. Like, damn. The realization that Steve could emotionally destroy me with his comicking skills, huh

And they still manage to cope. I think I saved this one because Sam calls Max "lovable and cuddly".

That's all I got, thank you and goodnight!! 🙇‍♂️ ❤️

[artaxlivs]

Even Flowers Have Their Dangers

“Henderson! Why, pray tell, is your douchebag babysitter getting out of his douchemobile and coming this way?” 

Fucking Harrington, man. Eddie felt conflicted every time the kids even said his name. His heartbeat always went a little haywire and he wasn’t sure if it was because his flight response always activated around the guy or because Harrington was so fucking hot it was unreal. Considering that Eddie had a type and that type was “dangerous and pretty,” it was probably both.

“Is he?” Dustin looks over his shoulder, grinning his goofy grin. “Hey Steve!” The kid’s hand lifts in a wave as Steve makes his way toward them.

“Henderson. Go get in the car with the other gremlins, I want to have a word with your dragon master.” Steve smiles fondly, nudging the kid toward his waiting car. Guy just screams preppy. Collar popped, jeans so damn tight that Eddie's getting a sympathy wedgie. No boxer line on his thigh which means that Harrington is a brief guy. Not that Eddie is thinking about his underwear, it’s just an observation.

“Dungeon Master, Steve. I swear you’re getting it wrong on purpose.” Dustin sighs, rolling his eyes but starts toward the car.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Steve calls back over his shoulder before turning to Eddie who hopes he wasn’t caught staring. His heartbeat does something funny before he gets a handle on himself and leans into his usual false bravado.

Swinging away from the auditorium door, Eddie throws his arms out in a full extension, lowering himself into a bow, “To what do I owe this illustrious visit, your royal highness?”

Harrington looks uncomfortable now, the ease that he’d approached with, gone, his shoulders hunched up, face looking pained as he tucks his hands into his pockets - well, he tries to - there’s not a lot of extra room in those 501s. “Cut it out. I just wanted to tell you not to leave the kids here alone if you guys get out early. Nothing that you have to do is important enough to leave them in the dark without protection.” His voice is clipped, jaw set, and Eddie realizes that he’s annoyed, maybe even angry.

What the fuck is that about? He’s all chummy when Henderson is watching but now that the kid’s gone, he’s slid back into asshole mode? Eddie knew it. He knew the kids couldn’t possibly be getting the real Steve Harrington if they actually thought he was a good guy. Wonder why he was putting on an act though - was he trying to get Nancy Wheeler back through her brother?

“Maybe I didn’t hear you right?” Eddie says with a hard edge, all flamboyance dropped. “You’re telling me? Not asking me?”

Fuck that. Who the fuck is this prep to tell him that he needs to watch over a bunch of high school kids? They’re like fourteen and fifteen. Eddie was selling drugs at fourteen, some kids have jobs, they walk home, not all of us were born with a silver spoon and a Bimmer - where the fuck does Harrington think they live that its too dangerous for three teenage boys to not stand outside for five minutes?

“Yeah.” He snaps, “I’m telling you. Don’t leave them outside without an adult.”

“Fuck you, Harrington. I’m not their babysitter. They were fine. If you’re that worried, you should be here earlier. I had shit to do.” He didn’t. Not really. He’d just had a shit day, shit week really, and wanted to go home to smoke a joint. He should have waited. He knew he should have but Harrington calling him out on it just pisses him off.

“Seriously, Munson?” Steve scoffs, shaking his head. “I knew you’d be a dick. You know their best friend is Will Byers, right?” Fuck. Eddie did not know that. Just that Mike’s best friend Will lived in California. Not that it was the Byers kid who went missing years ago. Damn. Eddie feels even worse now but fuck if he’s telling Harrington that. Steve’s voice softens though, “Just, please. If you know it’s gonna be an early night, let the kids know so they can radio me to be here earlier. I’m asking, okay?”

“Radio you? Like - you guys have walkie talkies or something?” Were they for real? What is this Cloak and Dagger?

Across the parking lot, Steve’s horn blares and they both look up to see Mike leaning over the driver seat to press on it.

“Keep your fucking shirt on!” Steve yells then grumbles under his breath, “Fucking Wheeler.”

Eddie should just agree and be done with it, he’s not gonna leave them alone after learning about Byers anyway but damn if Harrington and his pompous attitude don’t get under his skin. Instead, he says flippantly, “How ‘bout the King worries about his own court and leaves me the fuck out of it, yeah?”

He doesn’t wait around to see Steve’s reaction, just skips over to his van and climbs in. He’s got her started and is pulling out of the parking lot before he glances back at Harrington. It looks like Steve is already lecturing the kids about something. Eddie just shakes his head and drives off, leaving them to it.

As he’s pulling up to the trailer an hour later with a little more cash and a little less weed, Eddie almost expects to find a fancy rich boy car waiting for him. He doesn’t. He’s going to pretend that he���s disappointed about that because he wanted to argue with Harrington, not for any other reason. 

What he does find though, is a big motherfucking dog. It’s just sitting next to the trailer steps and Eddie’s seen Cujo so fuck if he’s getting out of the safety of this metal box. Hell no. He can wait.

After five minutes of waiting, they’re still in a stand off and Eddie’s thinking about starting his van and just leaving to sleep some place else. What? He’s a coward and that dog in Cujo put him off petting dogs for weeks afterward. No way is he getting out, alone, in the fucking dark to that behemoth of a dog. No one would even come if he screamed. This is a trailer park, ignoring screams is part of the lease agreement.

Just as he puts his keys back into the ignition, the dog tilts his head to the side, tongue lolling out for a few breaths before it gets up and trots over to Eddie’s driver side door. This close, it’s not quite as big as he thought but it’s still the biggest dog he’s ever seen. Some kind of Husky mix or something. He doesn’t know shit about dogs but it looks like a really fluffy sled dog. Poofy tail and everything. It tilts it’s head again and Eddie rolls his window down slowly.

It’s ears perk up and it looks happy. Which is maybe a thing dogs do? He wouldn’t know, honestly. He’s never had a dog. 

Eddie slides one hand out, curled into a fist because he doesn’t want to lose a finger to Cujo here. He needs those fingers for various reasons. Like guitar playing, dice rolling and other non sexual things.

The dog leans in, sniffs the hand, bumps it with his cold wet nose and then nuzzles it so Eddie’s knuckles graze into the soft gray fur on his forehead. Eddie’s barely breathing, his heart is racing and his legs are all clenched like he would run if he wasn’t sitting in his car. Extending his trembling fingers, he scratches the top of the dog’s head. The dog swear-to-god sighs. 

“Hey there, big boy. Whatcha doing?” Eddie whispers softly, opening his door to step out. The dog shuffles back just enough for Eddie to slide out from behind the door. His fur is soft and silky between Eddie’s fingers. “Oh look at you, so pretty. You know you are, too, don’t you?” The dog seems to preen with the praise so Eddie lays it on thicker, “Yeah you do. What are you doing out here? No collar but you must belong to someone, you’re too pretty to be running wild in Hawkins.”

After a few more runs through the fur on his back, Eddie reaches back into the van, rolls the window back up and grabs his bag. He can’t stay out here all night so he heads toward the front door. The dog follows. “Uncle Wayne’s gonna kill me.” Eddie sighs, knowing he’s a sucker and he’s 100% going to let this dog into the trailer.

Keep Reading on AO3

[batty4steddie]

Can I Keep It?

Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and on AO3 see full cw's there. Written with @spicycinnabun ❤️️ We have a playlist. 🦇

Chapter 8: The Prince of Demons’ Offspring

Once the car was parked in a shaded area beside the fence, Eddie grabbed the walkie from the glove box and practically jumped out of the car, shaking his limbs out and rolling his neck with a groan. He put the walkie on the hood so he could shrug out of his jacket, holding it out to Steve. “For your head.” 

He’d need as much sun protection as possible and could use it like an umbrella. It was a bit of a chilly morning to wear just a Ghostbusters t-shirt, but Eddie was a bit hot under the collar anyway, and the cold air was doing wonders for his fragile self-control.

“Who’s got the partner to that walkie?” he asked. He spat his gum out in the trashcan and opened the wrought iron gate for them, which was rusty from poor maintenance and squeaked on its hinges. Was it one of the kids? Dustin? 

“Dustin. It’s his perpetual lifeline to me,” Steve said. It was convenient when they needed to get in touch, like now. 

Steve wasn’t afraid of the sun, but he wore Eddie’s jacket over his head until they got to the shade tree, then gave it back. Eddie looked visibly cold. Steve could totally see his nips poking through the thin fabric of his shirt. 

Steve snatched the walkie-talkie back from him, sat down under the tree and extended the antenna. He pushed the sunglasses up to rest in his hair while he looked at which button to press to get it to work. “Dustin, it’s Steve. Are you there?” 

When Eddie’s butt hit the soft grass, which was dewy and cold, all his energy seemed to zap out of him. The tree bark at his back wasn’t even uncomfortable. He huddled under his jacket and tried hard to focus, but every part of his body felt heavy. It was impossible to keep his eyes open anymore. They fluttered closed as he and Steve waited for Dustin to come through.

Dustin’s voice came over the line. “Steve! Where are you? How’s Eddie?”  

Steve laughed. Of course, Dustin was still concerned about Eddie.

Eddie smiled a bit. He didn’t understand why Dustin idolized him. That starry-eyed worship would wear off pretty damn soon when he realized who Eddie really was, but it was nice to have a little brother from another mother for now. Eddie had always wanted a sibling. If he made it out of this, he hoped he got to see the little squirt graduate and go on to do great things.

Steve shook his head but pressed the button down to answer. “In his own words… He’s just dandy.” Eddie had said that about Larry last night, so surely, he was doing about the same as Larry right now. 

"Not dandy, just peachy fucking keen," Eddie mumbled as he slumped tiredly, unheard by both.

Steve continued, “In case you’re curious about me, though…”

Since they were talking over the walkie, he couldn’t get into everything that had happened—just the basics, like they didn’t have to worry about Jason anymore—without elaborating on why. He told Dustin where they were and asked if he could get Nancy to bring the whole gang there. Dustin agreed since he was determined to come and help. 

Steve ended the conversation by saying, “Watch out for zombie vampires,” and tossed the walkie in the grass.

Eddie was asleep. During Steve’s conversation, his head had slowly fallen sideways until his cheek met Steve’s shoulder. He looked so peaceful. Steve didn’t want to disturb him, but he could make him more comfortable.

Carefully lifting his arm, Steve let Eddie slide down and pillow himself against Steve’s chest. Steve wrapped his arm around him securely, and Eddie snuggled right in and immediately started snoring. Steve wished that he could sleep, too. He didn’t feel tired, but he missed being able to turn off his mind and body. All his senses were on high alert.

While he could hear Eddie’s heart beating and blood flowing strong and steady, he could also hear leaves rustling and animals scurrying around them. He hadn’t felt this peaceful in so long. He couldn’t even remember the last time.

Steve looked down at Eddie, who looked equally at peace. He hadn’t seen Eddie without a worried brow since their encounter at the video store. From this angle, he looked so pretty. Steve’s gaze lingered over his features, and he felt a tiny ache in his chest. 

He stopped and rested his head back against the tree trunk. Steve looked out over the cemetery and thought about how actually fucked he was over Eddie. Then, he thought about how glad he would be for some backup for whatever was coming for them next.

Eddie suddenly moaned. Steve looked down, concerned, but Eddie was smiling. He looked ridiculously happy for someone who had been completely traumatized. Maybe Eddie was having the kind of fun in his dream that Steve had wanted to have in the car. He was mid-huff, wanting to continue his pouty party, when his ears picked up on a noise. 

Someone was coming. 

*

Robin was the first to arrive. Nancy Wheeler had called her, of all people, to tell her that Steve and Eddie were at the cemetery and they needed to meet them there now. Which, okay , was not alarming in the slightest. And the fact that she could hear Nancy’s heartbeat over the phone, and it kind of sounded like it was playing her a little song? That was not alarming either.

Robin had gotten over all the alarming things hours ago. She was so ready for whatever had happened to Steve and Eddie. (Yeah, right.)

Carrying her mother’s floral umbrella like a parasol since, apparently, the sun was out to get her now, she shot from street to street. Then she jumped the cemetery gates, already well-acquainted with her new abilities. She actually would have enjoyed them if they didn’t come with murderous blood-sucking urges.

She heard the boys’ heartbeats long before she physically found them.

“Hey, dingus,” Robin said, appearing at their feet. Her nose twitched, and her eyes flared red, the bite mark on her shoulder where the bat fangs were lodged pulsing with hunger.

She’d never wanted to eat a guy before, but Eddie smelled kinda good. Steve, on the other hand, did not. He smelled like… Her nose wrinkled. God, he smelled terrible.

Her eyebrows shot up at their intimate position, but she couldn’t say she was too surprised.

Steve felt caught and probably would’ve blushed if he could’ve. He discretely loosened his grip on Eddie when Robin gave him judgy eyebrows but then tightened it again when he got a whiff of her scent. 

She was a vampire, too. Paler than usual, veins dark and dilated. She stank badly. Part of him wanted to bury his nose in Eddie’s hair because he already knew it smelled good. Their collective vampire stench was probably so pungent to let them know that they shouldn’t fuck with each other. 

“Hey,” he said.

“Man, what a cuddle monster.” Eddie really was clinging onto Steve like a limpet. Robin tilted her head, watching him nuzzle into Steve’s chest with a dreamy little smile. He looked so happy.

“So, uh, something happened last night, and I’m kinda a gross bloodsucker now?” she said in a rush. She followed the direction of Steve’s gaze. There was a red stain on the collar of her shirt. “Oh, this? Not human, no, just a mess from a chipmunk.” She grimaced. “God, poor little Alvin. You’re not gonna believe this, but a bat flew into my bedroom…”

Steve had to laugh. He pulled his collar to the side and showed her where he’d gotten bitten, then flashed her his fangs, eyes going red briefly, too, before the fangs retracted and his eyes went back to normal. “The same thing that bit me must’ve come and bit you. Last night, the Upside Down opened a gate at my house, in my parents' bedroom. My dad got wrapped up in vines, and it swallowed him whole. I don’t even know if he’s still alive.” 

“Fuck. I’m sorry, Steve,” Robin said. She knew Steve wasn’t that big of a fan of his dad, but still, he probably hadn’t wanted him to be killed . 

“My mom's safe, but all these… bat things came into the room from the gate. Me and Eddie tried to fight them off, but one bit me. It died, but the rest of them flew out the window before the gate closed.”

“Great. So, there must be a lot more of us now. At least it only seems like they make one vampire per bite. The one that bit me died, too. Like a bumblebee.” Robin snorted. “A really fucking ugly bumblebee.” 

*

Eddie was dreaming of being on the beach. He was lying on a warm towel decorated with bats, and Steve was sitting in a red lounger, his skin smoking.

“I think you’re burning,” Eddie said, sitting up.

Steve didn’t seem concerned. “What are you talking about, Eds? You’re protecting me.” He lifted his hand, and Eddie’s ring caught the sunlight, showering them in ruby glitter that danced around the sand.

“Oh yeah,” Eddie replied. He gulped. “ You’re just smoking… hot.”

Steve smirked, his fangs extending. He grabbed something from beside the lounger—a coconut. He pierced the coconut with his right fang and used it like a can opener. It smelled so good that Eddie swayed forward. Once Steve was done, he held the coconut out to Eddie and poured the water down his throat until he got his fill.

Eddie licked his lips and knocked the coconut away, feeling intense desire.

The world shifted, and he had Steve underneath him, arching up from his touches and panting as Eddie moved inside him. Steve’s legs locked around his hips with supernatural strength and drove him in harder, forcing his hips to move faster. His eyes were bright and focused on Eddie.

“ I want you.”

“Fuck, Stevie,” Eddie moaned, “is this real?”

“No.”

The world shifted again, and they were at prom. Class of 1986 was written on a banner hanging up. In the real world, Eddie knew Steve had graduated, and there was no way this was possible, but in the dream, Eddie didn’t question it.

Steve and Nancy were spinning around the gym floor, a crown on Steve’s head and a tiara on Nancy’s.

Eddie was part of the crowd surrounding them. Everybody was cheering them on except him.

Something didn’t feel right about this. Neither looked as happy as they should have for being Prom King and Prom Queen.

The truth was that Steve should have been dancing with him .

Eddie parted the crowd and walked over to them with purpose. His dress shoes were pinching his toes, and his tie was too tight around his neck, but this was important.

Steve and Nancy stopped spinning and broke apart. Steve looked at him wide-eyed, and the crowd stopped cheering.

Eddie offered him his hand, heart pounding.

Then he opened his eyes.

“Hey, Edwardo,” said Robin, saluting him. She was hanging upside down from a thick tree branch, watching him with amusement. Her smile looked like a frown.

Eddie lifted his head from its comfy resting place and froze in horror when he realized his position, who he was on top of, and whom he was holding. He scrambled away from Steve, who looked way too calm for someone who had just been treated like a human teddy bear. “Sorry, sorry, man. I fell asleep.”

And Eddie’s dream. Jesus Christ, had he done anything? He knew he talked in his sleep sometimes. He sleepwalked fairly regularly, and Wayne told him he’d had full-on conversations with him multiple times.

There went his cuddly Eddie bear. Steve sighed, “I know. It’s alright, man. Nothing to apologize for.” Steve got up and dusted himself off.

Robin cracked up, and Eddie shot her a look before he noticed her fangs. Well, and she was hanging like a fucking bat, all casual-like. “You got turned too?”

She nodded. “‘Fraid so.”

Eddie was saved from the continuation of his flusterfuck when they heard car doors slamming. He stood up, too.

Dustin ran up to them first. He had a few cuts on his face, but apart from that, he looked no worse for wear. “Man, am I glad to see you guys.” He panted. “A Demovambat attacked us and got Max! She’s a vampire!”

“Demovambat?” asked Eddie, taking in the news.

“Yeah, we believe this bat is a mutant descendant of the Demogorgon, so I named it a Demovambat.” Dustin looked incredibly proud of this name.

It sparked Eddie’s attention. “The Prince of Demons’ offspring?”

Dustin nodded excitedly.

“Interesting.”

Suddenly, Steve didn’t feel so alone. Robin and Max were vampires, too. He felt bad that they had been attacked. As badly as he wanted to contain it, the whole situation was out of his control. Both of Steve’s bites had created vampire zombies. He didn’t want that for the others. Steve only wanted to nom on Eddie because he was horny and Eddie was cute, not because he wanted to kill him and turn him. Together, maybe they could defeat Vecna, especially if they agreed not to bite their friends.

When Nancy approached them, she had a clear effect on both vampires. Steve and Robin both breathed in deeply, like her smell was intoxicating. Eddie tried not to feel jealous, but he failed.

“Thank God you’re okay,” Nancy said, wrapping her arms around Steve in a rush.

Evidently, they were still on good terms. Eddie averted his gaze, smoothing some invisible lint from his jacket until they let go of each other.

Nancy’s familiar scent was amplified ten times by Steve’s new senses. He wasn’t expecting her to be happy that he was okay. He thought she didn’t care about him anymore. When he returned the hug, Robin looked at him with daggers in her eyes. Steve knew that Robin had a massive crush on Nancy, and he was sure that she wanted to bite her as badly as he wanted to bite Eddie. They’re off-limits, he mouthed to her over Nancy’s shoulder. 

They stepped back from each other, and she gave Steve a stern look, all softness gone as quickly as it had come. “Dustin said you took care of Jason. What the hell does that mean?”

Steve didn’t want to answer. He was feeling bashful about it. He ran his hand through his hair and looked down. “He was out looking for Eddie and found us. He was going to hurt him. I had to protect… us. I bit him.” 

Steve still wasn’t comfortable saying that he’d killed someone. Technically, he had killed twice , but he had to stop Jason and had done it the only way he could as a vampire.  When he looked up, afraid of what he would find on her face, Nancy didn’t seem that troubled by the news. She just nodded and said, “Good, one less thing to worry about.” 

A question from Dustin tore Eddie’s attention away from Steve and Nancy.

“What happened to your hair, man?” Dustin’s nose wrinkled. He made a shrinking motion with his hands. “It’s all… tamed and stuff. And shiny. ” He leaned closer to inspect it, thoroughly invading Eddie’s personal space.

“Hey,” Eddie said, pulling Dustin into a rough noogie that made him cry in both complaint and laughter. “What happened to your hair, Dusty?”

“Ah, stop!”

Eddie released him once his hair was thoroughly disheveled, stepping back with an eyebrow lift and a grin.

“That was rude,” Dustin said.

“No, that was called for.”

Max shuffled forward. She was wearing a baggy hoodie with the Hawkins High emblem that looked like it belonged to Sinclair, hood pulled over her head, and hands shoved deep in the kangaroo pouch. She didn’t say a word to them, keeping her gaze on the ground as she went to sit in front of a headstone a few feet away.

It was William Hargrove’s grave. Billy’s grave.

She pulled out a piece of notebook paper, unfolding it. The skin of her fingers started to burn in the sunlight, crackling pops of smoke trailing up into the sky. She shot Lucas a hot glare when he made like he wanted to stop her.

 “Back off ,” she said, fangs piercing her lower lip.

He backed off.

Max leaned forward, pressing her forehead to the top of the stone as she read the letter in a soft murmur, ignoring them all. Her hair was loose and cascaded down the side of her face, hiding it.

They moved away to give her some space, except for Lucas, who stayed closer by but still at a respectful distance, sitting on a bench while he waited her out.

“Dude, can you show me your fangs?” Dustin said, cutting the tension and laughing in delight when Steve rolled his eyes and extended them, letting out a half-hearted hiss. “You’re really getting the fang of those, aren’t you?” Dustin quipped. “Awesome.” He backpedalled, “I mean, not awesome because we gotta get you turned back, but do you think you’ll get to keep them?”

“I don’t know, Dust,” Steve answered, exasperated. He attempted to retract his fangs, but they stayed put when he heard what Max was saying. His head whipped in her direction. 

She was trying to communicate with Billy, and fuck no. He didn’t want Billy to come back and take over his body again. He would hurt everyone around them and use him to do it. Not again. 

“ No ,” Steve growled.

One second, Steve was showing them his fangs –

– and by the next, he was halfway across the yard in front of Max.

Dustin gaped. “So cool. He was just a blur!”

“Shh,” Eddie said distractedly, watching the exchange between Steve and Max. Alarm bells went off in his head as he took in their expressions.

Steve ripped the paper away from Max, and that stopped her mumbling. It was some sort of spell she was reciting. He started to tear up the paper, but it was too late. 

The ground began to shake. 

Eddie and the rest of the group ran over to them. Eddie almost lost his balance on the way, grabbing Steve’s shoulder to stay upright. He had to yell to be heard over the rumbling noise. “Please tell me this is a regular fucking earthquake!”

Not that that was any better than something else making the world shake.

Steve’s eyes were glowing blood red. If Dustin hadn’t distracted him, he could’ve stopped Max sooner. “No such luck,” he responded. 

What was happening wasn’t a natural disaster, although it sure seemed that way. Steve looked reassuringly at Eddie as they all braced themselves. 

“What did you do?” Lucas asked Max, panicked.

Max stood up, hands balled into fists at her sides. Her eyes were flaming, fangs out. “I did what I had to do to bring Billy back. I can get him to reverse this. I need to talk to him.”

Lucas shook his head. “He’s not Billy anymore, Max!”

Max gave them all a furious look just as the sky clouded over and Billy’s headstone broke in half. The weather seemed to be going in fast-forward. Thunder boomed, and then rain pelted from above, soaking them all.

The earth shook hard, and they all held on to different things to keep their footing. A deep crack formed right where Billy had been laid to rest, opening wider and wider with each tremor. When it finally seemed to stop, there was a deep, crater-sized hole.

They all stepped backward as a giant, dark red tentacle slithered out of the darkness. It looked exactly like the tentacles on the Demovambats but about thirty times the size. Seven more followed the first, gripping themselves on each side as the creature ascended from the hole.

“Ugh,” Robin said. “ Disgusting .”

It said something about her character: she didn’t seem too phased, just grossed out. This group had really gone through some shit. 

Billy rose so slowly that Steve had time to get the sword out of the car. He returned like the wind, nearly knocking Eddie over from the breeze he’d created. Steve handed it to Eddie since he was confident he could handle Billy without it. Eddie needed something since he didn’t have vampire powers. 

Billy emerged. Despite the oozing spaghetti-like appendages, the creature looked like Billy Hargrove from the waist up. A bit on the demonic side, what with the pulsating black veins and the black eyes, but still half-humanoid. Two gigantic bat wings emerged from his back, their span so wide it plunged the group into shadows. Steve couldn’t have dreamt up a more repulsive form.

While they all stared in shock, Billy’s black lips curled into a smirk. His tentacles rippled, moving like they each had a mind of their own. “Thanks for the lift, Maxine.”

His voice made them all shudder. It sounded staticky, like a damaged recording.

Due to how he’d reacted the first five times something terrifying had happened, Eddie should have been scared this time, too. This wasn’t just a nightmare or a hallucination. This was a real, live monster right before his eyes. And while his heart was pounding like a jackhammer again, his feet didn’t immediately turn in the opposite direction and start running for the hills as he stared at Billy.

He felt a stab of vindictiveness, instead, because this pile of haunted spaghetti had mind-raped Steve, God damn it.

Steve, who had handed him the sword. Eddie wrapped his fingers around the hilt and gripped it tightly. He wasn’t going to drop it. He wasn’t going to cower this time.

“Billy, you can stop this! Put Hawkins back the way it was,” Max pleaded. “Turn me, Steve and Robin back and defeat Vecna. He’s the one who killed you and turned you into this. You and everyone can regain their lives if you decide to make everything right again. I know you want to!”

Billy stared at her. “Max, don’t you get it? There’s nothing I can do.” One of his tentacles betrayed his emotions, flicking erratically, the movement reminding Eddie of an upset cat. “The plan is already in motion.”

Max’s intentions were understandable. Pure. Steve would even go as far as to say noble. She missed her step-brother and wanted his help—for him to use the good she knew he had deep inside—the good that had made him sacrifice himself at the mall. Steve had just escaped Billy’s control at Skull Rock, but deep down, he’d known Billy would be back. 

“Billy,” Max repeated. She stepped closer, right up to him, and his tentacles thrashed warningly. “You can do it. I know you can. I know this isn’t what you really want. Come back to our side. Please .”

Her eyes were shining with tears of blood, her expression open, desperate, and painfully hopeful.

Billy’s face froze for a moment before it suddenly crumpled, and he turned away fast, tentacles coming up and enshrouding his upper body from view. He convulsed a few times before his tentacles slammed down on the ground, and he let out a huge, staticky roar.

“It’s too fucking LATE for that! I belong to him. I can’t come back.”

Before Max could say anything more, one of the tentacles lashed out, lifting her and pinning her to the tree. Leaves and branches rained down from the force. She screamed, fangs extending and eyes turning red as she struggled.

“Max!” Lucas yelled. Eddie held Dustin back when he made like he was going to pounce over there, too.

Eddie guessed this was his moment to intervene. He was the one with the sword. Fuck.

Taking a deep breath and not considering the consequences, Eddie charged forward with the sword above his head. With all his might, he axed the blade down onto the tentacle holding Max.

Billy let out a pained growl that was mostly static as the tentacle sliced in half, but as Max fell to the ground, he started laughing again. His wings, huge, dripping masses of blackness, lifted and spread even higher into the sky. Each wing had to be about as big as Eddie’s van. “You think that’s enough to defeat me, cafeteria food?”

Again, Eddie was reduced to cafeteria food. Steve disagreed. He thought Eddie was a damn good snack and was offended on his behalf. 

Two more tentacles shot out, whip quick. One wrapped around Eddie’s neck and started dragging him forward. The grip was so tight he couldn’t scream, and his breath was lost. He choked, free hand scrabbling at the slippery appendage and his other hand still determinedly gripping the sword. The tips of his toes dragged along the ground until Billy lifted him in the air. He kept fighting, black spots dancing in front of his eyes.

To the group’s horror, the same thing was happening to Nancy a few feet away. 

Steve quickly looked from Eddie to Nancy, his heart nearly beating out of his chest. 

Robin gave Steve a look, one that told him Chillax, I got her and also, Go save your metalhead, dingus.

Steve nodded at her, then he ran and leapt, latching onto the slimy tentacle choking Eddie. Steve locked his arms and legs around the tentacle, but it was so slimy and slippery that he had to use his nails to climb up it. “ Harrington, I can’t believe you’re risking your life for this freak! What about your one true love, Nancy Wheeler? You’re really making me think I would’ve had a chance. Maybe after all this, I still will .” 

Steve cringed as Billy taunted him. “Shut up ,” he growled, continuing the climb. 

Billy cackled and swung the tentacle they were dangling from, making Eddie gag harder, and Steve nearly fall.

*

Robin may have had a huge lesbian crush on Nancy that prevented her from talking to the woman like a normal, sane human being, but thankfully, it didn’t stop her from coming to Nancy’s aid when Billy was strangling her half to death.

Being into her best friend’s ex was a very guilty pleasure, but they had been broken up for a while now, and it seemed like Steve was moving on to geekier pastures with Eddie Munson, of all people.

Using her vampiric agility, Robin took a running start and jumped, grabbing onto one of Billy’s appendages and swinging from tentacle to tentacle like she was Jane of the Slimy Jungle. When she reached the one where her dream girl was hanging, somehow Nance (was Robin allowed to call her that yet?) looked pissed as hell, even partly unconscious.

God, she was beautiful. And Robin had to save her, stat.

“Don’t worry, I’m gonna get you down,” Robin told her while Billy was busy goading Steve.

Hanging upside down from the end of one tentacle, Robin tried not to vomit when it whipped her around a few times. When it whipped to the left, Robin managed to grab hold of the tentacle that had Nancy.

Letting out a roar of her own, Robin wrapped both hands around the thing and extended her claws to their full lengths, gouging them deeply through the tentacle until it began to break apart. Nancy started falling to the ground as the tentacle snapped from the weight.

“Crap!” Robin panicked—but then remembered she had fucking super speed and dove to the ground first.

She was impressed at her own reflexes as she landed on her feet like a cat and caught Nancy in her arms. Robin gently lowered her to the grass and unwound the tentacle from her neck. It was already greying up and turning into dust.

Nancy was frighteningly silent for a few seconds as she caught her bearings, and Robin could hear her heartbeat palpitating as blood flow returned to all the necessary places.

Finally, Nancy groaned, eyelashes fluttering. Robin sighed deeply in relief.

*

Eddie was going to free himself, get back to fighting, and protect the kids and everyone.

The likelihood of that happening was dwindling by the second. His grip on the sword was weakening, and whenever he thought he had the strength to lift it up, his fingers went slack.

Eddie was just about to drop it when Steve—Sir Harrington, knight in shining armor—appeared and grabbed it from him. With mixed emotions and little air in his lungs, he returned Steve’s gaze.

Eddie braced himself for impact when he was cut free, but Steve caught him by the hand first, stopping him from plummeting to the ground. Eddie looked up at him and let go. 

He didn’t land very hard, but since he was barely conscious, as soon as he landed on his feet, he was on his ass. Dustin ran over to him and crouched down beside him. “Eddie! Dude, shit, you’re okay. You’re okay.”

He sounded panicked and scared. Eddie tried to reach out and ruffle his hair. He wanted to reassure Dustin that of course he was okay, but he could only keep sitting on the ground for a full minute while his body recovered.

Tentacle pieces were falling all around them. Steve was going full-on monster barber with Billy until he had the tentacle equivalent of a bowl cut. He couldn’t use them anymore, but Eddie knew it was probably just a matter of time before Billy regenerated them.

Eddie forced himself to stand, with Dustin’s help, as Steve came over. Somehow, he’d lost his jacket and ripped his shirt. His hair was mussed from fighting, his cheeks were flushed with (Jason’s) blood, and the muscles in his arms were standing out from being flexed so hard with the sword. He was also covered in monster slime.

“Sorry… you have to… keep… saving… me…” Eddie said, struggling through each word. His voice was barely more than a wheeze.

He was the most useless hero. Well, he wasn’t a hero at all. Just the sidekick who kept fucking things up and getting himself into trouble. Steve was the real hero.

Steve started to shake his head. He went over to hook his free arm under Eddie’s since he still seemed weak and hadn’t caught his breath yet. He didn’t understand why Eddie was apologizing. “You saved Max,” he pointed out. He was proud of Eddie. He didn’t know why he was beating himself up.

Loud music started blaring from the gates. It was coming from Steve’s beemer. 

Had Eddie left the keys in there? Jesus Christ. Steve looked up at the dark sky so he didn’t give Eddie the dirtiest look he could muster. While he was doing that, the song's lyrics hit him right in his heart. 

“Max, what are you doing?!”

They all turned their heads at Lucas's yell. Max was standing in front of Billy again. She ignored Lucas, which Eddie noticed seemed to be a trend with them.

“Do you remember this, Billy? This cassette. You used to play it in your room when you thought nobody was listening to you, especially track number seven. Over and over again.”

Billy looked furious but also like he was about to cry. His wings shuddered, beating behind him. “I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about. Turn that off!”

Max moved closer to him, imploring. “Your mom used to listen to this, didn’t she? Remember who you were before, Billy. I know you can.” 

Billy let out a roar, black tears streaming down his face. It nearly broke all their eardrums. He turned ashen grey and then exploded. Viscera flew everywhere, and black smoke blanketed them. 

The song continued to play, the only noise in the ensuing silence. 

Steve took that as a sign that they needed to get the fuck out of there, “Let’s fucking go. Now .” 

He handed Dustin the sword and was about to help Eddie to the car when Max cried Billy’s name and dove into a large pile of ash that had formed once the smoke had cleared. She came out of it, pulling a coughing, very human form of Billy out of the rubble. He was covered from head to toe with ash. 

Billy pawed at his face, and Max dusted off his clothes before embracing him in a tight hug. “Billy, you’re back! I can’t believe it, it worked!” 

Steve looked at Eddie. He felt queasy; all his vampire energy had gotten zapped. He felt his knees buckle. 

Everyone was in shock over Billy's reappearance. Billy looked like he’d just been used as a chimney sweep, but other than that, he looked like his typical self. His eyes were no longer a demonic black, and he seemed almost small, at least in comparison to what he was before.

Eddie was so distracted by the transformation—Billy was like a literal phoenix who had risen from the ashes—that he didn’t notice Steve looking at him until he was collapsing against him.

“What’s wrong?” Eddie asked him sharply. He wrapped his arms around Steve. By now, he had regained enough strength to be relatively steady.

“Thirsty,” Steve groaned.

Of course he would be, after all that hero-ing he’d been doing.

“Okay,” Eddie said, feeling his heart thud. “I can fix that.”

Even if it meant turning himself into a blood buffet, he owed it to Steve, especially after he had saved his life not once or twice but three goddamn times.

Steve wasn’t stable enough to walk on his own. He probably wouldn’t appreciate being carried like a bride, so Eddie half-turned, bent his knees and leaned forward. “C’mon, you’re about to topple over.”

When Steve relented and climbed onto him for a piggyback, Eddie straightened and secured his arms under Steve’s legs, taking him to the beemer. Steve held onto his shoulders. Eddie could feel the poke of his claws through his jacket and Steve’s nose pressing against his neck. He told himself the noise he made was because Steve had touched his bruises.

He let Steve down and opened the passenger side door for him, holding his clawed hand so he didn’t fall. The song ended right then, much to their relief. The volume was probably killer on a vamp’s eardrums. Eddie waited until Steve was settled. “Be right back, okay? I’m going to go talk to the others,” Eddie said. 

After one last look at Steve, he shut the door gently and returned to the scene.

Most of the dust and ash had cleared from that epic explosion, but there was still a light coating all over the grass, giving the already bleak graveyard an even more depressing ambiance.

Billy wasn’t looking at any of them, his head hung low and his eyes on the ground. Eddie guessed he had a lot of feelings going on inside right now after everything he’d done.

“He needs to be taken to the hospital for observation,” Nancy was saying, diplomatic towards the situation even after the guy had tried to kill her. “Or at least somewhere safe where he won’t be able to hurt anyone.” Her eyes flashed, and Billy flinched. “We don’t know if he’s really human. This could be another trick. We need to make sure he’s not dangerous.”

There was a murmur of agreement from the group.

“Billy’s room has a lock on the outside,” Max piped up. When widened eyes followed her statement, she squirmed a little. “I know where the key is. Neil set up all the bedrooms that way so he could…”

She didn’t finish her sentence, but everyone had a similar, uncomfortable reaction to it. Especially Billy.

“Max,” Lucas said softly.

Max shook her head, but she let Lucas hold her hand. “Neil isn’t there. He’s been staying with us at the trailer park, trying to win my mom back.” Her expression darkened, showing just how happy she was about that. “We can take him there.”

“Fine,” Nancy said.

Some of the others nodded.

“Is Steve alright?” Dustin asked, brows pinched in concern as he looked at the beemer.

“He will be soon,” Eddie answered. He didn’t know if that was true, but he was optimistic that giving the guy a good feed would perk him up again. I know we were all hoping this would reverse the curse,” this being destroying Billy, “but it looks like it didn’t.”

Robin rubbed one of her fangs, sighing. “Unfortunately, no. I don’t feel cured. I am starving .”

“Same,” Max said.

“Right,” Eddie agreed. “So, I’m going to help Steve out, and once he’s feeling better, we’ll meet you guys at Hargrove’s.”

“How are you going to help?” Dustin asked before a lightbulb went off in his shrimpy little head. “Oh, gross , dude. Don’t tell me you’re going to let him—”

“Time to go!” Robin interrupted. She herded them towards Nancy’s car, casting a glance at Eddie that told him she knew exactly why he was going to let Steve slurp him up like a juice box.

Nancy gave him a shrewd look of her own that made him feel like a bug under a microscope but didn’t comment, turning on her heel and heading directly for her car.

Eddie bristled a little bit as Billy walked past him, but Billy didn’t do anything, shoulders hunched like he was trying to disappear. He didn’t even jostle Eddie or shove him like he did with everyone he considered beneath him.

Frowning slightly, Eddie returned to the beemer. 

[bmodiwrites]

Because Your Kiss (It's On My List)

Hi friends! Here's my contribution to day three of @steddie-week! The prompts I used are discover, first kiss, and Kiss On My List by Hall & Oates. I enjoyed getting to write something pure and innocent - there's nothing like naive Eddie. You can read it down below or over on AO3! Here's hoping you enjoy!

There’s something to be said about teenage stupidity, Eddie obviously knows that as he approaches the front door of a known enemy’s house. After years of being on the outside, happily so until recently, suddenly getting invited to a cool kid party sets off so many warning bells in Eddie’s head that his ears are ringing… loudly. All of his protective mechanisms are in place and working, yet Eddie is walking into a live and waiting to spring trap.

To truly understand what he means, Eddie’s got a few things to clear up first.

In all honesty, Eddie can only trace this new bout of insanity to one thing, or well, person. Like most boys of the teenage persuasion, Eddie has a crush. Though, it’s not just any crush. Eddie’s heart has decided that the up and coming freshman king of Hawkins is the only person it’ll settle for.

The fateful day takes place back in September. They were a few days into the school year when Eddie first sees him. Unlike the rest of his freshman counterparts, Steve Harrington is already starting to mature. The boyish charm of being a kid is morphing into something stunning and beautiful, yet manly and rugged all the same. At least, that’s what Eddie feels in his chest seconds before they collide.

It’s like something out of a movie, the exchange that follows. Both Eddie and Steve apologize, stumbling over words and laughing at the joint attempts to speak at the same time. To the rest of the world it’s just a moment in time, one that blinks passed without anyone else taking notice. To Eddie, the interaction is life changing.

From then on, no matter how hard Eddie fights or tries to change the truth, his mind is stuck on Steve Harrington. Not only is Eddie obsessive about it, he’s pretty damn obvious in that fixation, too. It’s not his fault – first crushes are hard and Steve is the sort of boy worth fawning over to the millionth degree. All of the girls in his class and the ones above and below him agree with Eddie. And though it’s frustrating to hear others talk about him, Eddie can’t ever not nod along with what they’re saying.

So, Eddie has a little trouble containing his feelings. That’s okay in most situations but high school is brutal, and made harder still by jocks that are always looking for something to humiliate anyone and everyone with. Secrets are currency in a world where power is king.

Eddie, as it turns out, is an easy target. His crush is out there beyond Eddie’s control and they often make fun of both Eddie and Steve for it. Unlike Eddie, who’s face heats up as embarrassment takes over, Steve doesn’t even blink. He doesn’t shrug the guys off or make sick jokes. It’s almost like Steve likes hearing all the heckling directed towards them. Or, he’s just a brick wall that’s not effected by anything at all. Tommy’s words roll off of him effortlessly.

Whatever the case truly is, Eddie and Steve are often thrust into situations together that otherwise would never happen. Eddie is always too nervous to take advantage of his bully’s unknowing favor. Instead of  making the most of those stolen moments, Eddie slams headphones over his ears to ignore Steve completely. Unfortunately, it’s his only move and Eddie’s sticking to it.

The situation is sticky and Eddie is no closer to understanding it than he’s been since the heartache started so many months ago. That’s why he finds himself outside of Carol’s fancy house, waiting for the door to open upon the future humiliation waiting for him. He’s inviting it, even. Steve Harrington, at this very moment, still seems worth it.

It only takes Eddie a few minutes to realize his gut feeling is absolutely on point once he’s inside and surrounded on all sides. His usual group of tormentors are talking behind their hands, the nefarious quiet of the rude gesture drawing more attention to them, not less like they’re expecting. And though it’s obviously a party, everyone’s direct attention is in the kitchen where Eddie is led right away. Everything is still screaming danger, yet Eddie still stays. He’s eager to be there, even.

His reason to be so eventually walks in through the back door, instantly making Eddie’s previous anxiety worth it. The second Steve appears, all the whispering stops and eyes shift back and forth between Eddie and their newest arrival. Tommy is the first to grin menacingly and start the game.

“Let’s play seven minutes in heaven,” Tommy says, his long arm already reaching to open the pantry door. Eddie doesn’t even need to hear them shout his name - he’s already walking into the dark space before the chanting begins. This is the reason he’s here. It’s nice to finally understand.

The finality of the door slamming shut on him is jarring as Eddie moves to the farthest part of the pantry’s open space. Whoever they send in (though it’s extremely obvious exactly who’s going to be taking up space with him) is going to be practically pressed up against the door. During the summer, Eddie’s growth spurt hit and he’s actually coming into his own. Wide shoulders take up space Eddie didn’t occupy before. He’ll give Steve a run for his money. Him and his new height will leave a lasting memory.

His thoughts are interrupted by the door opening a minute or two later, it’s creaking flashes light into the previously dark pantry and Eddie is blind. He blinks to reorient himself and is met with a most beautiful sight. The single most beautiful sight, even. Steve stands there, a smirk on his face.

“You realize they’re doing this on purpose, right? They’re making fun of you as we speak.” Steve speaks softly, despite the words being slightly scathing. He is quick to close the door, to leave the rest of the world behind. It’s almost enough to make Steve’s uttered truth a little more palatable. Though, humiliation still washes over Eddie and he fails to reply

The silence invites Steve further into the pantry, however. He leans against the door now, further proving they’re locked together regardless of his previous warning. Eddie expects him to slide down to the floor, to keep lots of space between them in hopes of holding Eddie’s crush at arm’s distance. It has to be a weird, almost awkward thing to be stuck in a room with the boy who’s feelings have been clear and upfront for a long time. Eddie isn’t going to blame Steve for a little awkwardness – the situation absolutely calls for it.

Yet, Steve does none of those things.

Instead, Steve acts the opposite of all Eddie’s expectations. He’s in Eddie’s bubble within seconds, their chests practically butted up against each other. His hands, which are as big as Eddie always thought they’d be, grab both shoulders and grip them hard, long fingers probably leaving bruises in their wake.

All Eddie’s brain registers is the touch but Steve is speaking, so he struggles to grasp onto the words ringing in his ears, to actually pay attention instead of oddly daydreaming about things never meant to happen.

Eddie is abundantly happy that he eventually tunes back in – Steve is talking about how dumb his friends are, how he’s tired of how they use other’s feelings to gain advantage and manipulate. If only Eddie remembered to bring some sort of recording device.

Then, Steve’s grip tightens on Eddie’s arms as he speaks a magical, yet all to unbelievable phrase. “Let’s show them. Make each of those assholes feel really stupid when they realize their plan backfire right in their faces.” Before Eddie can comprehend the words, Steve is leaning in and Eddie’s heart is about to jump out of his chest. They’re about to kiss. Steve Harrington is going to take Eddie’s very first kiss. The one known and remembered for the rest of all time.

Against his better judgement, Eddie stops Steve’s momentum.

“Steve, wait,” Eddie says, cursing his rationality as Steve draws back ever so slightly. In an attempt to keep him near, Eddie’s hands scramble to grip at Steve’s yellow polo. Now, Eddie is certain the shirt will forever be his favorite.

 “I’ve never –“

The soft press of fingers against Eddie’s lips stops the confession of this being his first kiss just behind Eddie’s teeth – the gesture stifles his embarrassment, too. The obvious truth doesn’t need to be said as Steve looks at him with knowing eyes. And as he lowers his face to try and kiss Eddie again, Steve whispers his own confession – “me either.”

In the midst of that revelation, Eddie finally lets nature have its way. Their lips meet… finally.

Kissing Steve Harrington is nothing like Eddie expects. It’s a revelation to realize that Steve is just as inexperienced as Eddie is – a novice, unlike the rest of those assholes waiting for them just outside the door. They bump noses for a second until Eddie tilts his head slightly. In the new position, all bets are off. Eddie presses in to take and receive and learn everything there is to know about Steve’s lips – hell, Eddie hopes to learn more about the rest of him, too.

Eventually tongues come into play and Eddie is beyond understanding what in the hell is actually going on. Steve is real under his hands but Eddie’s mind can’t comprehend the idea of genuinely getting to experience a good moment in time. The rarity of such occurrences slightly colors the situation, though not enough for Eddie not to enjoy himself.

In fact, he pulls away with the silliest smile just seconds before the door is open and several eager faces are staring at them. For once, Eddie doesn’t feel like a squished bug under a microscope. Whatever karmic madness just went on is something Eddie knows he’ll never forget. Those seven minutes are the best of his life and will tide him over for years to come. He’ll wish upon stars, hoping for the chance again

Still hazy and stuck in the high of Steve Harrington’s magic kisses, Eddie ignores everyone who’s looking at him expectantly, they won’t get their details this time. He refuses to be the science experiment when his pants are tented and the best masturbatory material to date has just fallen into Eddie’s lap. He’s unwilling to drop the very obvious butter ball thrown to him and linger amongst a crowd waiting to tear him apart over matters of the heart. Thankfully, he’s got much better things to do.

Eddie’s just about our the door when a now familiar hand stops him from leaving. “You can’t just run off without this,” Steve says, pushing a folded up piece of paper into Eddie’s fist. “I’ve got Friday’s off until swim season starts. Don’t forget.” The words are said with a cheeky wink before Steve disappears as quickly and stealthily as he came.

Still unwilling to share his good fortune with anyone but himself, Eddie waits until he’s back home to open up the folded notebook paper. Though, he keeps it in his hand as he walks back to the trailer park. By the time he gets there, Wayne is already gone for work, so Eddie is truly alone. There’s no one there to ask questions or rob him of the magic. He can flush and stutter with happiness in the peace of his bedroom. It’s the perfect setting for whatever’s waiting for him on that folded up piece of paper.

Later, with his door shut up tight, Eddie sits on the bed and desperately undoes the note. His fingers tremble and slip as it’s unfolded and then straightened out over the bend of his knee until no wrinkles remain. Eddie gulps in a breath, then takes the plunge.

A soft sigh eventually leaves his lips.

Forever, it seems, is sloppily written out before him.

——

Want to keep proving them wrong?

Ice cream at Scoops. Friday.

The first ones on me.

XO, Steve

tag list (message if you’d like to be added): @infinite-orangepeel, @thefreakandthehair, @corrodedcoughin, @prettyboisteveharrington, 

[anonymouslyel]

pre-slash steddie post-season 4

eddie's now scared of lover's lake, it turns out.

it doesn't make any sense, he thought, but every time he even gets a glimpse of the lake that night plays like a music in his head. no matter if the sun is shining so bright, eddie can see the four of them in a boat in the middle of the lake. steve diving, followed by nancy and then robin. then he dove right in and suddenly everything isn't as simple as some fantasy story dustin told him at the shed.

it doesn't make sense, he thought. the whole him nearly dying thing happened when they entered at gate at their old trailer.

but everything started there, he realized. everything they said is now real.

so he's scared of lover's lake. it's no big deal though except he can't seem to stop himself from going there. he needed to see, monitor, look at the now peaceful lake and know there aren't anymore people that'll try to open the gate just like dustin and robin said.

steve somehow caught him on the way to the lake one night. "you're going to lover's lake, right? i'll come with you."

eddie didn't have time to deny it or even make an excuse why he's going to the lake because now steve's on the passenger seat. he's tense and on the edge, fingers tap tap tapping rhythmically on the window as if he wants to hurry there too.

steve didn't wait for eddie to kill the car and marched on towards the lake. eddie followed suit, now more worried about why is steve acting like this since it's making him think of all the worst possible scenarios.

what if he didn't hear dustin's warning on the walkie and that something is happening again? what if nancy found out the gate is open again?

steve stops at the lake and stares at it hard. as if willing something to happen but the lake stays calm, serene, the moonlight bright on it's miniscule waves. steve sighed, relieved, then sat down by it's shore.

eddie did the same, looked in the middle of the lake, hoping nothing will disturb the calm lake, and sat beside steve.

"how'd you knew i'm going here?" eddie asked.

"i know so," steve replied cryptically.

"seriously, man." eddie elbowed steve gently. "it looks like you were waiting for me by the road."

steve didn't answer and eddie knows how to read the room so he kept quiet. eyes back to the lake until he's satisfied nothing won't happen.

"i used to sit by our pool too after barb," steve said after a while. "i still visit the old mall sometimes too. there're times i'd go to the old junkyard too."

eddie knows about barbara holland and what happened at starcourt, so the one with the junkyard must also be connected with all these upside down shit.

"i'm scared of this lake, by the way, but i just can't stop going here." eddie figured he might as well share things.

"at least it's far from you house. i'm scared of our pool too to the point i fought with my mom when she wanted to use and fill it with water again." steve chuckled but it's hollow.

"damn, can't win with you on that one." eddie tried to lighten up the mood. "you don't need to spend on gas just to make sure nothing is gonn happen at your pool. unlike me."

the laugh steve let out is genuine and eddie joins him. "just tell me and i'll drive you here, munson. i know how it feels, okay?"

several weeks after everything happened and eddie's previous impression about steve has already changed. new slate and new impressions, all that. he's still a rich kid, not a spoiled brat, he's a good dude. even better as a babysitter. he's protective and kind to a fault. he's sweet and has his silly moments sometimes.

those are easy to accept but the new addition to those realizations is not so easy to swallow.

the moonlight casts a healthy shade on steve and for a minute, eddie forgets where he is and why's he at lover's lake. steve's gaze is soft and understanding. his words are kind and genuine and eddie feels his heart skip a beat or two.

"i know, steve. thank you," he replies.

maybe this memory with steve will overwrite the previous memory eddie have on this lake. he hopes so.

[allthingsfangirl101]

*Perfect Night–Joe Keery

Wattpad Request by Snackycake1975

Warnings: lots of fluff, protective sex, language

I've known Joe for four years. We met on the set of Stranger Things. He played Steve Harrington while I worked in the costume trailer. Two years ago, he finally asked me out. We've been together ever since.

Joe and I decided to move in together on our one-year anniversary. We found a small house on the outskirts of LA. It was close enough to Netflix's set while still giving me the small-town experience.

Every day I've spent with Joe has been one of my favorite days. He means the world to me. I used to think that the only time I'd been in love was in high school. Until I met Joe. I've never felt love like this.

But lately, things have felt a little off. Joe's been gone a lot more than just work. He's been on his phone more, constantly texting someone. Whenever I've asked, he's shrugged it off and told me it was something to do with work.

It almost felt like he's been keeping something from me. I didn't let myself spend time thinking about it because when I did, it made my stomach turn sour. I tried talking to some of my friends about him and what was going on but they instantly accused him of cheating on me.

I had just finished the laundry when I heard the front door open and shut. I heard Joe kick off his shoes and hang his keys by the door. I waited for him to call out to me or come find me but he didn't.

"Joe?" I called out as I carried the laundry basket out of the laundry room. "Is that you or a burglar?"

"If I was a burglar, you should call the police," Joe said, sounding weird, "not call out to them."

I stopped when I saw him still standing in the doorway. I put the laundry basket down before walking over to him. I reached up and gently cupped his face.

"What's wrong?" I asked under my breath. He started to say he was fine, but I cut him off. "What happened at work today?"

"Maya, Joseph, Natalie, Charlie, and I were supposed to go to lunch," he started to explain. "We got cornered by the damn paparazzi. Again."

"I'm sorry," I sighed, pulling him into my chest and wrapping my arms around his neck. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No," he said, slowly going back to his regular self. "Just being with you is enough."

Joe leaned in and pressed his lips delicately to mine. He started to try and deepen the kiss but I broke it before he could. I smirked up at his pout.

"Cheesball," I teased before turning on my heel.

Joe stopped me before I could walk away. He pulled me back into his chest, a different look in his eyes.

"I had an idea about dinner tonight," he said.

"Okay," I shrugged. "What's your idea? I went grocery shopping today so I could make. . ."

"Let's go out," he interrupted. "And I don't mean our usual places."

"Did you have a specific place you wanted to go to?"

"Antonios."

"What?" I asked, slightly laughing. "Baby, that place is extremely hard to get reservations. You have to call like six months in advance."

"Not unless you know the host," Joe said with a teasing smirk, "which I do."

"You're kidding," I said slowly. "No, you're not."

He pulled me closer, pressing his forehead to mine. He chuckled as he rubbed our noses together.

"I'm not," he whispered. "Here's what I want you to do, baby. Go upstairs and take a nice, hot shower. I want you to get dressed in your favorite dress, the one that makes you feel the sexiest. Do your hair, makeup, the whole nine yards. And then I am going to take you to dinner."

"That sounds amazing," I sighed. I stood on my toes and pressed my lips to his.

We instantly started moving our lips messily in sync. We broke the kiss, laughing as he picked me up and started carrying me upstairs. He dropped me on the bed, instantly crawling over me.

"As much as I would love to do this," he moaned, "we should start getting ready. Mikey made our dinner reservations for 7."

"I can shower and get ready in an hour," I teased, dragging my hands up his chest.

"Baby," he moaned, pressing his lips to mine. I giggled against his lips as he started undressing me. He broke the kiss long enough to add, "You're the reason I'm always late for work."

I pushed on his chest, making him break the kiss. I couldn't help but smirk as Joe looked at my body which was partially revealed to him.

"You're the one who loves spending time together in the morning."

"Waking up next to your gorgeous body," he teased, "can you blame me?"

                                * * * * *

After we finished, I started to shower but Joe joined me. My shower was longer than normal with Joe behind me. Eventually, we finally finished showering and got ready for dinner. As we pulled into the valet parking at the restaurant, a sick feeling flooded me.

What if all of this was to make him feel better about cheating?

I shook my head, forcing myself to push that aside. I knew Joe. He would never do that to me.

A valet was about to open my door but Joe stopped him. He nodded to the guy in appreciation before opening my door. He grabbed my hand, helping me out of the car. The butterflies went crazy, trying to tell me something, but I instantly ignored them.

We walked into the restaurant and didn't have to say anything to the host. Joe's friend Mikey nodded at him and grabbed two menus. He led us through the restaurant to a private room in the back. I tried to ignore the look that Joe and Mikey shared before Mikey walked away.

Throughout dinner, Joe was his normal, charismatic, charming self. I tried to go back to my normal self but I couldn't ignore the pit in my stomach.

"You alright?"

I looked up to see Joe scanning my face. He reached over and grabbed my hand.

"I'm fine," I said quickly. "I'm just. . . I think the wine is giving me a headache."

"You only had two glasses," Joe said, clearly overthinking things. I smiled when he reached up and gently felt my face. "You're a little flushed. I hope you're not coming down with anything."

"I'm fine," I tried to reassure.

"How about a walk on the beach?" Joe suggested, sounding a little strange. "Maybe the fresh sea air will help."

"That's a great idea."

After leaving the restaurant, Joe and I walked around the park by our house that we liked to go to. We started getting close to our favorite gazebo and I noticed he started to slow our pace.

"Do you remember the day we first met?" Joe asked.

"Of course I do," I chuckled. "It was my first day at my new job. They needed me to fix a zipper on one of the outfits that Nancy wears. I was running late because I couldn't find a needle or the thread the first costume designer used."

"You were swearing up a storm," he teased. "I walked into the costume trailer because they told me I needed different sneakers and all I hear is a girl swearing like a sailor."

"To be fair, I had no idea you were there," I defended myself.

"No need to be embarrassed," Joe chuckled. "That first time we met, I fell head over heels in love with you. I had to get to know you better. I figured it out extremely fast that those days I didn't see you, were some of the worst. So, I made sure to stop by every day."

"Even if it meant ripping off one of your shirt buttons?"

"It seemed like a small price to pay," he shrugged. Suddenly, the look in his eyes changed. He led me over to our gazebo. We got to the middle of it when he finally let go of me. I wrapped my arms around myself as he walked away.

"Joe." I was about to tell him to hurry up and end things but he flipped something on. I gasped as the whole gazebo lit up.

"What is all of this?" I stuttered as I looked around. There were lights strung up around the gazebo and flowers that added to the lights but felt slightly out of place. "Did you. . . Did you do all of this?"

I turned around, my breath getting stuck in my throat when I saw him down on one knee. I tried to catch my breath but it was useless.

"To answer your question," he chuckled as he grabbed a dark red velvet box out of his pocket, "I may have had some help, but yes I did all of this. And before you ask, you're worth it."

"Joe," I whispered his name. I was going to say more but decided against it. Whatever he was doing, I doubt he wanted me to interrupt.

"I'm gonna keep this as simple as I can. I love you, Y/N. I have loved you since the very first moment I met you. I knew an actor dating a crew member was against Matt and Ross's rules, but I was willing to break any rule I had to to get near you. After weeks of flirting back and forth, before I asked you out, I begged Matt to let me. I had to sign a bunch of agreements that I wouldn't sue Netflix if something happened between us but when he told me I could. . . One date and I knew. I knew that I was going to spend the rest of my life with you."

Joe paused as he looked down at the velvet box in his hand and slowly opened it, showing me the ring he bought for me.

"So let's start that now," he said, his voice dropping. "I love you with everything I have. I promise that I will spend every day making you happy. I will spend every ounce of energy I have to give you the life you deserve. You'll want for nothing. As long as you have me. As long as I have you, I won't need anything else. I love you, Y/N, and I have been dying to ask you a very special question."

"Please," I whispered, "ask me, Joe. I've been dying for you to ask me."

Joe smiled up at me, happy tears building in his eyes. "Y/F/N LY/L/N, will you marry me?"

"Yes," I said, the second after he asked me.

Joe smiled as he slipped the ring on my finger. He jumped to his feet and pulled me into his chest. He leaned down and kissed me. I instantly ran my fingers through his hair as our lips moved in sync. We would've gotten carried away if it wasn't for the applause.

We broke apart and looked toward the parking lot to see our friends and family running toward us. I looked at Joe to see him smirking at me.

"What?" He teased. "You really think I would propose to you and not have our closest friends and family nearby to celebrate with us?"

"I love you," I said, my voice breaking.

"I love you too, baby."

After the proposal, we all went to a nearby restaurant that Joe had rented out for our engagement party. The entire night, through all the congratulations and stories, I couldn't keep my eyes off of my fiancé. Every time he caught me looking at him, he'd send me a wink that made my stomach flip.

I went to the bathroom and when I was done, Joe was waiting for me in the hallway outside the bathroom. He grabbed my hand and pulled me into his chest.

"Finally," he sighed, slightly moaning, "we're alone."

We were about to lean in and kiss but my sister came running toward us. "There you two are!" She giggled. "They just ordered more champagne."

Joe and I sent each other looks before following Y/S/N back to the party. A little while later, I couldn't handle it anymore. I walked over to him, smiling at an old coworker he was talking to. I think his name was Jason. He excused himself, freeing Joe so he was all mine. I grabbed his hand, pulling him closer to me. I stood on my toes, pressing my lips to his ear. I felt him shiver as I whispered into his ear.

"Let's go home."

                                * * * * *

We were barely inside the house before Joe's lips were on me. He grabbed me from behind and started kissing my neck. I giggled as his hands started rubbing my hips. I closed my eyes and leaned my head to the side, giving him more room to explore my neck. I shivered in delight as he started nibbling on my earlobe.

"Baby," he groaned into my ear, "let's go upstairs and celebrate."

"We've been celebrating all night," I teased. Joe grunted before grabbing my hips and spinning me around.

"Not the way I want to," he said through his teeth. I gasped as he roughly pressed his lips to mine. Without breaking apart, Joe backed us more into the house. We laughed into the kiss when we hit the wall.

Joe tore his lips away from mine and attached his lips to my neck. He knew I loved when he spent time exploring my body. He grunted as he pushed me further up against the wall.

I ran my fingers through his hair, tugging on as many pieces as I could. Joe pulled away, grunting as he grabbed my hands, pulling them out of his hair. He started moaning my name but his moan got stuck in his throat when he looked down at the ring he put on my finger a few hours ago.

I smirked when Joe got back down on one knee. He looked up at me, not breaking eye contact as he took my left hand and brought it up to his lips. He started delicately kissing the back of my hand. I bit my lip when he kissed my ring finger, directly above my ring. I finally let the moan out I was holding back as he took my ring finger and put it into his mouth, all the way up to my ring.

Joe slowly pulled my finger out of his mouth. I let out a shaky breath as he grabbed my thighs, rubbing his hands up and down them. Joe smirked up at me before tucking his head under my dress. I let out a shaky breath as he started kissing my thigh.

I leaned my head back against the wall and closed my eyes as he went up my thigh before switching to the other one. I gripped his shoulders tightly, not sure what else to do with my hands.

"Joe," I said, his name getting stuck in my throat.

I threw my head back when Joe started using his tongue to push into me through my underwear. I whined when he pulled his head out from under my dress just as I was starting to get into what he was doing. He slid his hands up my body as he stood up.

Joe gently grabbed my hands and placed them on his shoulders. Without breaking eye contact, he leaned down and grabbed my thighs. I jumped, helping him pick me up. I leaned in and started kissing his neck as he carried me to our room.

When we got to our room, he dropped me, catching me so I wouldn't fall. I slid my hands down, playing with the buttons of his shirt. Joe leaned down and kissed me again as I started unbuttoning his shirt. I slowly slid his shirt off his shoulders, letting it fall behind him.

I danced my hands across his abs, smirking when I felt the goosebumps form under my fingers. Joe moaned against my lips as I started undoing his jeans. He bit my lip when his pants hit the floor. He broke the kiss and scanned my still-dressed body.

"Keep the ring on," Joe said as he breathed heavily. "Take everything else off."

"Yes, sir."

Joe let out a shaky breath, a shutter going down his spine at what I called him. I smirked as I reached up and slowly slid my dress straps off my shoulders. Joe bit his bottom lip as my dress fell to my ankles.

I gasped, turning into a giggle, when Joe gently pushed on my shoulders, making me take a step back. My knees hit the edge of our bed and I fell back onto the mattress. He smirked as he slowly climbed over me, not looking away.

He stopped when he got to my hips. Without breaking eye contact, Joe slipped my underwear off. Once they were discarded, he straddled my hips. He finally broke our eye contact long enough to glance down at the only piece of clothing I was still wearing.

He groaned, his boxers tightening, as I reached up and unclasped my bra from the front. I smirked as I tossed it aside. Joe quickly closed the gap between us and smashed his lips to mine. The momentum from the kiss made us fall back onto the mattress.

Our lips moved messily in sync as our bodies grinded against each other. I pulled on his hair as he massaged my hips. Our tongues were in the middle of an intense wrestling match when Joe grabbed my leg and wrapped it around his waist.

Joe slightly pulled away from the kiss to grab a condom out of his bedside table. He pressed his lips back to mine as he opened it. He was about to slip on the condom but stopped. He broke the kiss and looked at me, something in his eyes changing.

"You know," Joe whispered as he hovered over me, "we could get a head start on our family."

"No," I said, my breath getting caught in my throat. "Not yet, I mean. I want to focus on just us for a little while. Enjoy marriage and then build our family."

"You got it," he said before smashing his lips back onto mine.

As our lips moved in sync, Joe finished slipping the condom on. I bit his lip when I felt him push into me. I started chewing on his lip as he pulsed in and out of me. I arched my back, breaking the kiss. I struggled to catch my breath as Joe started kissing between my breasts.

I grabbed his waist, pushing him deeper into me. Everything about us fell in sync; our kisses, our thrusts, our moans. Our orgasms. We knew exactly what the other wanted in bed. We knew where the buttons were and how to push them.

It's just one of the reasons Joe and I worked as well as we did. In as long as we've been together, we've never had any issues with communication. I understood that sometimes his work schedule was crazy and he'd miss our weekly date night. He understood that I often saw other guys shirtless when they came in for a fitting. We understood each other.

We were perfect for each other.

                                * * * * *

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," Joe whispered. He reached over, moving some hair out of my face. "What's on your mind, gorgeous?"

"I feel like I should apologize to you."

"What for, sweetheart?"

"I thought. . . This is going to sound ridiculous," I said, glancing at the ring on my finger, "but the last couple of weeks I thought you were cheating on me."

"What?" Joe asked, not an ounce of anger in his voice. He actually let out a small laugh.

"I don't know," I shrugged. "I was confused and insecure. I felt like you've been jumpy lately. Checking your phone a lot more. I thought you were even checking my phone a couple of times. Talking to our friends."

"Let me explain," Joe whispered, pulling me so I was laying on his chest. He started rubbing his fingers up and down my back. "The time you caught me with your phone, I was getting your father's number so I could call and ask his permission. I was talking to your friends to get your ring size and your preferred diamond shape. The times you caught me on the phone and I ended the call quickly when you walked in the room, I was talking to your family and our friends so they could help me plan the surprise party after I asked you."

"I'm sorry," I sighed. I looked up at him, overcome with guilt. "I can't believe I would think that you would cheat on me. You'd never. . . I'm so sorry, baby."

"It's okay," he chuckled. He grabbed my chin and leaned down, pressing his lips to mine in a soft kiss. When he broke it, he looked into my eyes and nowhere else.

"I love you, Mrs. Future Keery," he whispered.

"I love you too, Mr. Future Husband."

[setaflow]

10 Characters, 10 Fandoms, 10 Tags

Good morning!

Tagged by @ghostoffuturespast on my main blog and both @seeker-of-truth and @ouroboros-hideout on my sideblog-- for the sake of keeping everything jointed I'll post this on my main lol.

Buckle in folks this one's a doozy.

Connor Kenway/Ratonhnhaké:ton (Assassin's Creed III)

Even as the years go by, Connor was the character I made a Tumblr account for and pretty much the only reason I bother still paying attention to Assassin's Creed as a franchise anymore. I was there, man. I was there when everyone in the fandom and their mothers hated this guy, but I will still defend him even with my goddamn life. Characters that go through intense tragedy after intense tragedy and still come out the other side gentle and optimistic are my lifeblood.

2. Johnny Silverhand (Cyberpunk 2077)

(People who follow me for my sideblog make a Surprised Pikachu Face at this placement) My gross rat bastard man I love you I hate you I love you. An intensely tortured character with arguably more negative personality traits than positive ones, but who he is and even why he is is so engaging and tragic that you almost forget he's supposed to be getting on your nerves for most of the game's runtime. Damn you Keanu Reeves and your effortless dorky charisma.

3. Arthur Morgan (Red Dead Redemption 2)

Arthur baby you deserved the world. An insanely complex character with gray morals and a jaded worldview who could never do right no matter how hard he tried until the one moment where it mattered most. I loved John in RDR1 and didn't really expect to get so attached to Arthur, but R* truly did grab me by the shoulders and said "Bet, bitch". To this day, the fact that I never finished that 200k+ word OC fic disguised as an Arthur character study still haunts me.

4. Korra (Avatar: The Legend of Korra)

As someone who'd watched the original Last Airbender series as it aired when I was a kid, I was super excited for a female Avatar when the series was announced back in...god, was I in high school? The point being-- when the show started really hitting it's stride with Korra's character in season 3 I was beyond hooked, and I loved season 4 probably a lot more than I think I should've, but MAN, was it a fun ride. Korra is a character and a show that both got severely panned and honestly I think once you get out of the mindset that you aren't watching Aang 2.0 you'll have a much funner time.

5. Steve Harrington (Stranger Things)

Maybe not as much in later seasons when they really leaned off his popularity + Joe Keery's charisma, but lemme tell y'all season 2 Steve had me in a bonafide stranglehold for two years. "Character stepping up to a leadership role and then getting forcibly adopted by the people they're leading" is one of my favorite tropes and the reason that it worked so well in S2 is partly because the concern of Steve still kinda/sorta had the potential to swing back towards being the bully archetype he showed shades of in S1, so you got to see his relationship with the kids start off as kinda selfish but grow into a genuine protectiveness. GOD this was a top tier man y'all! We had it so good!

6. Rosa Diaz (Brooklyn 99)

Maybe this is coming off the fact that my roommate and I literally just finished binge watching B99 for like the fifth time? But I forgot how much I actually really liked Rosa. One of the best sitcom deadpan snarkers of recent years and I personally liked that they affirmed that she didn't need to see herself settling down to be happy. I'm glad this role basically launched Stephanie Beatriz's career because she truly is the unsung hero of this show's comedy and heart and never really gets enough credit for it imho.

7. Melissa Schemmenti (Abbott Elementary)

Every single time I watch Abbott Elementary. Every. Single. Time. Someone looks at me when Schemmenti appears on screen and goes "Wow, she acts a lot like you do!". And I have to sigh and nod and pretend I don't see it lol. Though unfortunately our differing football opinions means we would probably end up in a fistfight.

8. Takashi "Shiro" Shirogane (Voltron: Legendary Defender)

I will never forgive the VLD showrunners for dropping a nuke on Shiro's character development. Seasons 1-2 Shiro was some of most fun I've ever had following a protagionist's journey to conquer his inner struggles and solely for that, I still have a massive soft spot for him. Dreamworks think about how you massacred my boy and feel bad for it.

9. Benjamin "Benji" Ovich (Beartown Series)

This gif is from the HBO Nordic series (haven't watched it, desperately still want to, don't know if I even can at this point lol), but I'm specifically talking about Benji from the Beartown book trilogy. He evolves into the series deuteragonist alongside Maya and god, he is just such a tragic character who deserves all the world and more. Go read Beartown and scream at me for it.

10. Joey Tribbiani (Friends)

"Characters I See a Lot of Myself In 2: Electric Boogaloo". Joey is the best friend in the entire cast there I said it. Honestly my ideal relationship is a funny overly-assured man who loves the New York Rangers, loves his friends intensely, and has dumb himbo energy. The loud Italian family is just an added bonus.

Uhhhhh who hasn't been tagged yet sorry guys I was late to the party on this one lmao.

[threewaywithdelusion]

Steve Loves Robin, Pre Capital P

When Steve works at Scoops Ahoy, he asks out damn near every girl who walks into the place. 

He asks out the girls who just graduated alongside him, the girls who are a year older than him, the girls who are old enough to never have gone to school with him and not remember King Steve or his quick and shameful fall from grace. 

Every single one of them says no. They all know they’re too good for him, a lowlife with a dead-end job who once ruled Hawkins High. 

Robin draws tally after tally on the “you suck” side of the whiteboard and Steve can’t help but feel that she’s more right than she knows. 

~~~

Steve’s confession of love to Robin is in an unglamorous, unromantic public bathroom after they’ve both vomited the drugs mostly out of their system. After they’ve been tortured together. After Steve realizes that Robin is the type of person who will stay behind and hold the door with Steve to allow two kids she hardly knows the chance to escape.

She’s the type of girl to laugh while tied to a chair in a torture chamber. The type of girl to spit in a Russian soldier’s face. The type of girl to give up information, not because she’s being threatened, but because Steve is.

She tries to protect Steve.

No one ever tries to protect Steve. Steve is the shield. He’s the one who puts himself between Nancy and the demogorgon, between Lucas and Billy, between Dustin and the demodogs. 

It feels weird to be the one being protected for once. 

It feels almost like being loved. 

At least he thinks so. What would Steve know about love? His parents have never loved him, Nancy never loved him, certainly none of the girls he’s dated have ever loved him. The kids like him, like how he drives them places, like the free ice cream he gives them and how he lets them sneak through the back into the movie theater. 

But Steve thinks Robin — brave, sarcastic, beautiful Robin — might love him. 

Someday. Maybe. If he’s good enough. 

She turns him down. Of course she does. But it’s actually kind of nice, knowing it’s not about him. Robin doesn’t like him because Robin likes girls and Steve isn’t a girl. Not because Steve is too cool or not cool enough, because he’s stupid, because he’s fake, because he’s bullshit. 

Robin says she likes him. 

She doesn’t mean it that way, but she doesn’t have to. 

Robin Buckley, one of the best people Steve has ever met, likes him. 

He’s never letting her go.

~~~

Three nights after Starcourt, Robin shows up at Steve’s front door at two in the morning. 

“I can’t sleep,” she says. 

Steve doesn’t think he’s slept since 1983. 

He invites Robin in and leads her up to his room, where she hesitates by the bed. 

I have a girl in my room, says the part of Steve’s brain that’s used to registering these things. She’s only in her pajamas, ratty shorts and a t-shirt so big it falls off one shoulder, revealing freckled collarbones. She looks so pretty, and part of Steve still wants to kiss her, wants to belong to this girl who followed him into hell and held his hand when he was scared. 

But she looks nervous, watching Steve like she isn’t quite sure she trusts him. Like after all they’ve been through — after Russians and monsters from another dimension — what scares her is being a girl, wanted by a boy. 

Steve wrenches his eyes away from her. “I can sleep on the floor.”

This is going to hurt like hell. Steve’s head hasn’t stopped hurting for a single second, no matter how many painkillers he’s taken, and he’s pretty sure his broken ribs won’t do well on the hard ground. 

But he’ll do anything to keep her from being scared. He’ll do anything to keep her here. To not have to be alone.

Robin’s shoulders drop a little with relief, but she still says “I didn’t come to your house to kick you out of your own bed.”

Steve watches from the corner of his eyes as she climbs into his bed, under the covers on the side he never uses. 

It was Nancy’s side, once upon a time. 

“C’mon, Dingus,” Robin says, chin tilted a little like she’s trying to be brave. “I trust you to be a gentleman.”

He climbs into bed carefully, staying a foot away from her, not crossing any lines. He can hear her breathing in the dark, steady and even, and it’s enough to lull him to sleep. 

When he wakes in the morning, he’s wrapped around her. Her head is on his shoulder and she looks peaceful. The sun is up, and Steve can’t remember the last time he slept for so many hours in a row. 

Steve makes extra sure his hands haven’t come to rest anywhere Robin wouldn’t want him touching. He needs to keep her, this girl who teases him and trusts him and helps him sleep through the night. 

Robin sleeps over every night after that.

[acciotherapists]

Far From Home (Chapter 47: Nightmares and Reality)

Loki x Reader

Y/n Y/l/n never thought her past would come back to find her. After all who would look for her on Midgard? But one day in the small town of Puento Antiguo her world is turned upside down when an old friend turns up, threatening everything she has built and the people she’d fought so hard to protect. What happens when the life she left behind finally catches up with her? What happens when the old flame she thought had burned out reignites within her?

Warnings: language (sorry, Steve), eventual smut (slow burn), angst, some mentions of torture (most things won’t be detailed but anything that gets a bit more specific will be warned at the beginning of the chapter)

Yesterday

Bucky held an unconscious Y/n in his arms as he fought his way through the building, trying to reach the outside. As they had slowly tried to unthaw him he could hear Y/n’s voice as she ran through the base. He had fought off several guards to get to her but one of them sounded the alarm before he could stop them. Bucky looked down at Y/n, her skin slick with sweat as her heart raced erratically in her chest.

When he finally reached the outside of the base there were several more guards waiting for him. He carefully set Y/n down as he began to take them on, channeling the Winter Soldier, his anger fuelling every time Y/n stirred and groaned in pain. They had hurt her and he intended to kill every one of them.

As he knocked the last one unconscious, he heard Y/n stir once more and carefully picked her up before placing her in a nearby vehicle and speeding away. He had no idea where he was going but he knew he had to get far away from here.

By the time Bucky reached the outskirts of town Y/n was coughing up blood and his heart was racing.

“Hang on, doll,” he muttered, pressing his foot harder on the gas.

Bucky knew he couldn’t bring her to a hospital. His only hope was to get her far enough outside of town that they wouldn’t be caught and make contact with one of her friends.

When they finally reached an abandoned town Bucky began searching her pockets, muttering a soft apology as his cheeks turned pink.

Damn it! Her phone was locked.

“Doll,” Bucky began, gently trying to wake her. “I need your phone pin.”

She muttered a few numbers and he quickly typed them in, breathing a sigh of relief as her home screen came into view. Bucky quickly began searching her contacts, though most of them were letters or things only she would understand. Eventually he found a contact called Capsicle and chuckled to himself. That had to be Steve as it would be just like Y/n to save that name in her contact list after she learned he’d spent almost 70 years as a popsicle. He dialed the number, hoping he was right about the name and that Steve would be able to save her.

*** Present Time (A few days after the mission) ***

My eyes opened slowly as I cleared my throat, trying to get rid of the uncomfortable sensation left by the breathing tube that they had only removed a few hours earlier. Some of the team sat around my bed while others stood as the nurse began explaining the current state of my lungs and what had happened to them.

“It’s miraculous!” she exclaimed, holding the scans in front of me. “It appears you have no residual damage from the drug. Your lungs seem to have healed themselves.”

Loki let out a breath I didn’t realize he’d been holding, pressing his lips to my hand as he fought back tears. The nurse smiled, telling me I should be released in a few days, before leaving the room.

“Welcome back, kid!” Tony exclaimed, gently touching my shoulder.

“Welcome back, сестра (sister),” Nat said, smiling at me, before turning to the rest of the team. “We should probably give them some space,” she murmured softly, to which the team nodded and slowly made their way out of the room.

“I-is Bucky okay?” I asked, my voice coming out hoarse.

Loki nodded, squeezing my hand. “Stark thought it might not be a good idea for him to be here with Hydra looking for him. He’s at the tower waiting for us.”

I breathed a sigh of relief before opening my arms, scooching to the edge of the bed to make room for Loki. He smiled and climbed into the bed next to me, being careful not to tangle the IV line as he pressed himself close to me.

“I was so scared for you,” he murmured, pressing his lips against my hair.

“I’m sorry, baby… I just didn’t want him to be alone… I didn’t want him to go through that again.”

“I know, baby. It’s okay.”

“Please don’t hate me.”

“Oh, my love, no. I could never hate you. I’m not angry with you, my darling. My perfect, precious girl.” His hands gently moved up and down my arms, his touch soothing my anxiety and sending warmth running along my skin. I whimpered at his touch and he chuckled, moving his fingers under my chin. “Not to worry, my love. I will attend to your every need once you are healed. There will be no part of your body untouched by me.” 

“Loki,” I whined as his words sent arousal flooding to my core. “You can’t say things like that and then not touch me.”

“But I am touching you, my darling.”

“Lokiii!”

He chuckled in response, pressing his lips to my forehead. “Not to worry, darling. You’ll be out of here soon and you’ll have everything you need. I’ll make sure of it.”

****

I was running through a dark corridor, unsure of where I was going but knowing I had to keep moving. I could hear Bucky screaming in pain as I tried to get to him, my lungs burning as I ran. A man and woman stood at the end of the hall, the woman’s hand glowing red as she watched me carefully. I turned a corner, trying to get away from them. Loki stood at the end of the corridor, blocking my path. Tears were streaming down his face but his eyes were hardened, his face contorted with anger.

“You lied to me!” he hissed.

As I tried to reach him to explain, several hands grabbed me from behind, pulling me down. I screamed, thrashing around as voices surrounded me.

“Y/n, hey, wake up!” Tony.

“Give her space! Someone get Loki!” Nat.

Footsteps thundered around me as the dream slowly pulled me back in, Loki’s angry face staring back at me, laughing as Hydra pulled me away from him and toward the extraction machine.

Suddenly I felt a hand grasp mine and another hand on my face. “Shh… it’s okay, baby. I’m here.”

Hydra agents were surrounding me, pulling at my limbs as they strapped me to a chair.

“It’s not real, my love. Come back to me.”

I opened my eyes, taking in the room around me, as Loki’s face came into view.

“It’s not real,” he assured as I stared at him in horror.

I moved the blanket to the side, allowing him to climb into bed next to me. I sobbed against his chest as he held me.

“You’re safe, my love. It wasn’t real.”

His warmth surrounded me, pushing aside the memories of Loki in the dream.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here,” he murmured. “They insisted I eat something and I- I thought you were sleeping. I’m so sorry.”

I pulled away, looking up at him as I took his face in my hands. “No, Loki. This is not your fault. I need you to take care of yourself too. I’m okay, baby.”

He nodded, pressing his lips to my forehead as I snuggled against him once more, feeling safe and at home for the first time in a long time. If only that feeling could last.

*********

Taglist: @purplekitten30@lokisprettygirl22@midnights-ramblings @huntress-artemiss@lokis-little-love@lokis-tigress @the-archangel-in-asgard @crimson25 @thedistractedagglomeration

A/N: I'm having difficulties tagging some of you. If you are not being notified and would like to be please check your settings.

[withacapitalp]

For the send me a character thing: Steve Harrington of course :3

favorite thing about them

OH MY GOD THIS BOYS CAPACITY TO LOVE. Like Steve's ability to open up his heart and the way he cares SO FUCKING MUCH. Like he stays in the hospital in s1 after the house scene, he loves Nancy enough to absolve her of guilt before she even has any, S3 he sacrifices himself so easily s4??? I'm just so. He really just opens up to everyone and isn't afraid to be open, which in a show full of repressed nerds is so refreshing. Steve has so many emotions!!!! (That's why he and Eddie work together lol)

ALSO THE NAIL BAT AND THE WAY HE RUNS BACK IN SEASON ONE STEVE DEFENDERS RISE THIS BOY WAS ALWAYS GOOD HE JSUT TRIED TO HIDE THAT GOLD HEART BUT ONCE HE WAS DONE HIDING IT IT WAS ALL OVER

least favorite thing about them

Steve's a liiiiittle bit of a pushover (okay a lotta bit) I think that after all of the things he's been through the fact that he still kind of stays pushovery and still thinks he needs to want to achieve normal....baby c'mon!!!! You can let yourself continue to grow!! The crazy thing is he wants to grow, but he holds himself back

favorite line

" I may be a pretty shitty boyfriend, but turns out I’m actually a pretty damn good babysitter."

I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THEY MADE HIM HATE BEING THE BABYSITTER IN SEASON FOUR It makes no sense!!!! Steve loves his kids and MAX WAS CURSED AT THIS POINT like it was so out of character. Anyway Not only did those kids packbond to him, but he packbonded to them immediately too. They're his family, they're his, and having him not want to protect them was confusing.

brOTP

Steve and Robin OBVI They're literally soulmates but!!! I also really love Stonathan as besties. I think that they have a ton that they could sympathize/empathize with and I will never forgive the duffers for stealing Monster Hunting Trio from us!!!!!

OTP

Steddie obvi, but I also really love stoncy? I think individually none of them work, but all three together they have this special thing that just hits so riiiiight. Also Stargyle is my crack OTP they would be SO CUTE and the hair in that relationship.......chefs kiss

nOTP

Steve and Tammy Thompson LMAO

Harringrove tho haha not my thing (even tho I have them being toxic af exes in one of my fic series)

random headcanon

Steve's Italian heritage!!!! Steve's Nonna helped to raise him (part of why he's such an absolute sweetheart) and she taught him all her recipes! He still has her recipe book with her hard to read cursive. He can't really read it (because dyslexia makes it hard enough to read regular print) but Eddie knows about it and he reads the recipes out loud for Steve

unpopular opinion

I think that Steve in season one was not that bad. People treat him live he was like the devil and he said some really unforgivable things but he also immediately regretted it and bought Jonathan a new camera and did so much to try and make up for the things he did that he knew were wrong!!! Eh I just season one Steve was not a villain he was just a guy!!!

song i associate with them

Landslide by Fleetwood Mac This is the Steve SONG like please guys listen to this song and think about Steve it is PAINFUL. Matilda by Harry Styles is another good Steve Song and Desperado by the Eagles

favorite picture of them

0-0......O-O HES SO P R E T T Y

[aliea82]

Okay, so umm, this happened.

What if...

Steve’s sacrifice.

Warning, Character death.

Eddie hesitated, his hands gripping the hilt of the sword, a god damn freaking sword, that was sharp as hell and was already covered in blood and gore.

Before him stood Steve, held by Vecna, vines twisting around them both, holding Steve in place making him a human shield as Vecna fought with El, their psychic battle causing extreme winds that whipped at Eddie’s hair.

Steve was looking at Eddie, his face covered in blood and dirt, but his eyes clear and determined.

Eddie had fought to get before them both, his clothes shredded at his arms and across his chest, deep wounds bleeding sluggishly, but he was still on his feet and now as he held Steve’s eyes he hesitated.

“Do it.” Steve’s voice rang clear through the harsh winds and violent thunder.

Breathing hard, Eddie lifted the sword, his hands steady, sure, a contrast to his racing heart and turbulent mind that was searching, begging for another way.

But he was the closest.

He had the only opportunity as the others fought for their lives against monsters that shouldn’t exist.

He knew what he had to do, what Steve would do, to protect the kids, to save them all, and as he lifted the sword up, the tip forward he screamed.

Running forward, his eyes never left Steve’s, even as the blade plunged straight into him, and also into Vecna.

The world stilled, his hands still gripped the hilt, but his face was now just centimetres away from Steve’s, his breathing still harsh, the sound of it loud in the sudden silence.

Steve was blinking rapidly, his breathing stuttered, almost gasping, and then blood started to fall from his mouth, and Eddies actions hit full force.

“No.” The vines dropped from around Steve and Vecna, but the two of them were joined by the sword, the sword that was all the way through Steve.

Suddenly, Vecna went flying back, and Steve fell forward into Eddie, who wrapped his arms around him as the two of them fell to their knees, Steve’s head falling to Eddie’s shoulder.

“No, no, Steve, baby...” Eddie pulled at Steve’s head, making him look at him. “I...please, baby.”

Steve blinked at him, then smiled, all bloody lips, as he tried to breathe.

“It...s...o...k”

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” Eddie felt tears streaming down his face as he just looked at the boy he loved.

A hand came up, cupping his face a moment before it dropped, and Steve’s eyes went dark, his body collapsing against Eddie once again.

Wrapping his arms around Steve, Eddie screamed into the others’ hair as he felt the life leave Steve’s body.

[cheerbears]

here's some stuff about chrissy i've spewed to just about everyone a bunch of times except for tumblr.

chrissy was obviously enduring verbal abuse from her mother. she was degraded and made to feel like she was fat to the point where she developed an eating disorder. these facts are presented pretty damn clearly for you in the show, it's canon. my headcanon is that laura cunningham projects a lot of her own stuff onto her daughter, too. like she was once the perfect daughter, but then she got pregnant right after high school and had to be the perfect wife instead. i think she's trying to set chrissy up for that life. jason and his family are rich and respected and she thinks chrissy needs to lock that down so she's taken care of after school like she was.

i think her relationship with her father was more complicated. they show him with his mouth sewn shut in her nightmare/encounter with vecna, which makes me think it symbolizes he turned a blind eye or never spoke up against her mother's abuse. i headcanon that he works a lot so he's not around much, too. he's the more religious one and turned laura on to that life when they got together, which added to that pressure of her being perfect for him. now she's running the whole household, forces everyone to go to church and be all "holy" and shit.

last in the family is chrissy's little brother. he's only ever shown in that family portrait that comes up, so i think their relationship was either a typical sibling dynamic or they they protected each other. my headcanon is that their parents are FAR more lenient with him. he's never given them any real problems and therefore he's the perfect little boy. i think he's the same age or a year younger than the core group of kids so he's grown to understand by now that his mother is a real bitch to chrissy and tries not to give her a hard time.

and then we come to jason. you can tell by how uncomfortable chrissy looked at the pep rally that he's probably got some boundary issues or just does NOT know his girlfriend. mason dye has said jason never really saw chrissy. she was there to prop up his popularity/image. i one hundred percent think he's right. the boy had some pretty obvious control and anger issues too. he was a religious nut and lead a witch hunt to take down eddie without knowing what actually happened. then he pulled a gun on lucas, his friend and teammate, and refused to listen to him. he didn't even know something was going on with his own girlfriend.

my headcanon is that he and chrissy vaguely knew each other at school but they met through their parents at church. then when it got to be their sophomore year in high school and they were both climbing that social hierarchy, jason asked chrissy out as some power move. i think he totally wanted to be steve harrington and he took that "king" title as soon as the opportunity presented itself. chrissy thought jason was handsome and probably got egged on by the cheerleaders to go out with him, so she agreed cause it felt like the right thing to do. he was probably the perfect gentleman at first, but quickly just slipped back into only caring about his friends and basketball. that shout out at the pep rally? he might have thought it was some romantic gesture, but subconsciously he did it because it made him look good. he should have known it would make her uncomfortable but he never really paid attention to her to really know what she did and didn't like. i think despite all the religious aspects that he totally would have pressured her into having sex with him too. he was absolutely a self serving, one pump chump.

[lostmyhufflepuffstatus]

Death by Peanut Allergy

Word Count: 1306

Summary: While on a quest Dave, the Son of Demeter comes into contact with an abandoned peanut packaging warehouse with some friends. Little does he know that this is the final quest.

Warnings: Named Character Death

A/N: Not going to lie this was supposed to be a comedy piece but I did the thing that writers do where we black out and then suddenly it gets weirdly sad. Also, I know this is different from my usual Criminal Minds fics, don't worry I still have plenty of those! I had this idea a few days ago and needed to write it. I hope you enjoy it, again my inbox is open for ships, requests, and questions!

The year was 1992. This was supposed to be my final year of Camp Half-Blood. Being a half-blood is probably the most dangerous job in the world, and worse there is no pay and no benefits. But regardless someone had to do it so the gods went around mating with mortals and these demigods were born to do their bidding. There had been little to no missing or dying campers in at least 5 years, which was a huge deal considering how many were lost in the past. It isn’t uncommon for campers to go missing or die. As I said being a half-blood is a dangerous job. If they went missing it was somewhere near Zeus’ Fist, and death was common, especially for those who were dumb enough to go into the woods unarmed to fight the monsters in hand-to-hand combat, RIP Trevor you will be missed. Hopefully, there will never be such a significant loss again, but it’s Camp Half-Blood so who knows for sure? 

Anyway, everyone knows that being a demigod can kill you because of gods and monsters, and you have to be careful about who you piss off, but most people don’t assume the mundane will kill them, especially not allergies. Sure there was the occasional camper who was allergic to hay or horses or goats, those can be really awkward to explain especially since a lot of the staff here is half barnyard animal, oh and pollen allergies are pretty common too, friendly reminder that the Dryads do NOT like to be sneezed on, again, sorry about that Juniper. There have even been stories of demigods having lactose intolerance. But no sane demigod believes that their allergies are going to kill them. Death by a monster? Yeah everyday concern, but not something as dumb as a nut allergy, which is exactly what happened to me. My name is Dave Gardner. I was a demigod, a son of Demeter, and I died…because of my peanut allergy. 

The quest was going normally. We had a lot of close encounters with death, which nobody was a stranger to. That’s just a typical Tuesday for a camper. On this quest I had Steve and Greg as my group, a son of Hephaestus and a son of Apollo, yes I know how ironic that is; me dying on a quest with the son of the god of medicine. I have to give him credit though, he tried hard to save me. Everything was fine until the Canadians attacked. Technically not Canadians they’re Listerine giants or something like that. I can never remember their proper names though, that was for the kids of Athena. 

We had gotten pretty damn far, finally getting to Fairbanks Alaska in order to get some weird herb that Chiron needed for some kind of protection thing for the camp's borders. You see, there was something really weird going on, there were way more monsters out and about than usual. To make a long story short the giants caught up with us because I had made a wrong turn and gotten us lost and we were forced to leave our supplies behind, including my bag which had my epi-pen and my emergency stash of nectar and ambrosia, the food and drink of the gods that was able to heal demigods, but not too much or you’d spontaneously combust. I figured that we’d be able to circle back and grab our gear before moving on, but boy was I wrong. 

We were forced into an old warehouse to hide, immediately I thought it was a bad idea, and started having an anxiety attack and everything, well I thought that it was an anxiety attack. All of the symptoms were there for a panic attack, I had clammy skin, uncontrollable sweating, lightheadedness, and of course breathing problems. Still, my choices were either becoming a toothpick for giants or forcing myself to hide in an old abandoned warehouse. I chose the latter. 

There were old crates and boxes everywhere with faded writing, nobody would be able to read that even if they didn’t have dyslexia. Greg had managed to confuse the giants with some weird arrow that was given to him by an older camper from the Hermes cabin, I couldn’t remember his name though, but it managed to give us time so we had a few seconds to hide and pray to whoever would be listening that they wouldn’t find us. 

We found an old storage closet with even more barrels and crates and decided to hide in the largest one, all three of us fit in there okay, it was a little cramped. As we were hiding I felt that panic attack getting worse, my throat had started to swell big time and it was getting hard to see, not just because it was dark, but because my vision had become very blurry. And that is when it hit me, I was having a very bad allergic reaction. I had never had one this horrible and painful before. I hate to admit it, but I was absolutely terrified. Not being able to breathe and knowing that I am actively dying was worse than staring down any monster. 

I couldn’t help but think about my baby sister Katie, she was barely 9 years old, and I had only been able to see her a handful of times. I thought about my Dad, I don’t know where my mom was or if she could even hear me but I was still praying to her. Not for my life but for the protection of Katie, I wish I could see her one last time. 

The rest of my death felt like an out-of-body experience, it was like I was watching a movie, where some random side character that people still loved for whatever reason, died. I saw my body collapse to the floor, my friends turned quickly. Thankfully Steve managed to catch my body before I fell too hard, which would give away our position. The giants were in the warehouse now, I could still hear them throwing things around yelling about how much they wanted to destroy me and my friends. I don’t know how I knew but I knew that they were getting closer, the guys couldn’t hear me as I was screaming at them to run. 

Greg was looking around the box and the storage room for something, anything that could be used to save my life. My voice was silent as I begged them to run, to leave me behind and save themselves. If they died too I would never be able to forgive myself, they had brothers and sisters back at camp. I tried banging on the walls, banging on the crates, the barrels, and even the guys themselves but nothing worked. I tried everything I could but I knew that I couldn’t do anything. I could see Steve crying, he never ever cried. 

I closed my eyes and turned away but when I opened them again, I didn’t see my friends or the storage room, I saw a line, a line of people standing in front of a gate, and a large dog with three heads. I knew where I was, I was in Hades, the underworld, the afterlife, whatever you want to call it. I had accepted my death towards the end, but what I couldn’t accept, was not knowing if my friends made it or not. I had no idea if they made it out of the warehouse in one piece. I have no idea if they survived the giants. I hoped that they did. People say that the worst part of dying is that you never know what happens to those around you. But the worst part for me is not having a chance to say goodbye.

[kurokoros]

actually really messed up over the way that Steve Harrington is a character that's desperate to be wanted by someone and the narrative repeatedly punishes him for it. he's a very metaphorical and literal punching bag each season, but it's Steve so it's always a haha funny in hindsight moment or whatever trauma he goes through simply isn’t addressed afterwards.

like, it's implied that his parents aren't around much and/or they have an unhappy and unhealthy marriage (his mom has to follow his dad on business trips to make sure he isn't cheating, which happens often enough that his friends can joke about it). his friends sucked and he obviously didn't agree with or like some of the things they did, but at least they paid attention to him so it was something. he has a reputation for serial dating (or at the very least sleeping around) by the beginning of his junior year in high school. S1 has Nancy blow him off, lie to him, and then spend the night with Jonathan Byers in her bedroom, leading him to believe she’s cheating on him (and despite the audience knowing that’s not technically the case, there’s no denying that the scenes between Nancy and Jonathan were meant to imply romantic chemistry between them). in S2, drunk or not, Nancy is extremely cruel in the way she blames him in part for the death of her friend and calls their entire roughly year long relationship bullshit (which she never really apologizes for), after which she disappears for several days, leaving their relationship ambiguously over, only to show up again a few days later with the new boyfriend she spent over a year pining for. S3 he pours his heart out to Robin just to be rejected when there were totally different ways to work her coming out scene into the plot that didn’t involve spending x number of episodes hinting towards them as a couple just to pull a bait and switch for the audience. and then in S4 Steve is both insecure about his friendship with Dustin, who has more in common with Eddie than he does with Steve, and he has several different people telling him that he's still interested in Nancy and that she's also interested in him (Dustin, Robin, Eddie), only to have his heart kind of broken all over again when she goes right back to Jonathan. 

and that's emotional pain on top of getting beaten or otherwise attacked every season. though arguably justified, in S1 Steve is slapped, punched, and shoved around. during his fight with Billy in S2, Steve is beaten to the point of being knocked out cold for an undetermined amount of time between roughly 10-30 minutes. this is treated like a joke in S3, but considering the number of blows he took to the head there should have been a very serious concern over him having a concussion at best and trauma to the brain at worst. S3 is the same, but the focus on him feeling “like [his] eye is about to pop out” implies ocular trauma. he’s then drugged and nearly has his fingernails ripped off as a form of torture. finally in S4 his bare back is dragged across the ground, he’s strangled, and he has chunks of flesh ripped out of his sides, which I can’t remember being addressed at all after the group returns from the upside down. 

that’s a lot to go through in the ~2.5 years that Stranger things covers. and what’s worse is that I can’t remember a single time where a character asks if he’s okay

[headkiss]

upside down

pairing: steve harrington x fem!reader

summary: using the (many) requested prompts: “how do we get out?” “if you die i’m gonna kill you” “i almost lost you” “you need to wake up because i cant do this without you” “do you want me to stay?” being trapped—and injured—in the upside down with steve leads to a new development in your relationship.

word count: 5.7k

warnings: some s4 spoilers, blood?, it’s angsty and fluffy

a/n: hiiii this one took a while to write so i hope u guys enjoy it!!! i also hope the anons don’t mind i combined the requests buuut they fit together so here u go :)

༄

You didn’t think being friends with Steve Harrington would lead you to feel so fond, so protective, over a group of misfit kids. You didn’t think you’d end up tangled with another dimension called the upside down. You definitely didn’t think it would bring you here, at Lover’s Lake, waiting for Steve to resurface after diving in to find a gate.

You didn’t think you’d be in yet another battle with the upside down, but you were. You cared about the people around you, about the kids, Robin, Nancy, even Eddie who you’d only recently met, and you cared the most about Steve. So, in a way, you were glad you were here, glad you could help. You just wished it was over.

You and Steve became close in freshman year of high school, even though you’d known each other for most of your lives. You’d always been civil, kind to each other, but in freshman year, you became friends. You were put together as lab partners in chemistry, forcing you two to be around each other for a period every single day for a year, and you just clicked.

You stuck by each other through it all. Through the angst of growing up and feeling awkward, through random crushes and relationships, through his time with Nancy and the fallout afterwards, through his ‘King Steve’ era. It was like nothing could push you apart, a friendship made to last.

You couldn’t help falling in love with him, really. When he was with Nancy, and your stomach would drop at their displays of affection, you brushed it off. But, when they broke up, and he really leaned on you to get him through it, you just felt him getting deeper under your skin. He cuddled with you and placed kisses on your head like a boyfriend would, but you were only friends.

Watching him dive down into the dark water of the lake in search of a gate to a deadly dimension was not fun for you. No, it had your hands shaking and your mind reeling with worst-case scenarios. You couldn’t take your eyes off of the spot where he dove in, even after the ripples had gone away. You thought maybe if you looked hard enough, he’d float up to the top, back where it was safer. Back with you.

It felt like ages before he finally surfaced, breathing in deeply before reporting back to everyone in the boat.

“I found it. It’s sort of like a baby gate, but still pretty damn big.”

“That’s good, now get back in the boat please.” You tugged on his arm, wanting to get him in the boat before anything bad could happen.

He smiled that Steve Harrington smile at you, “worried about me?”

“Yes actually, so can you get in?”

He pushed himself up, but before he could get in the boat, he felt a tug on his ankle, then he was being pulled. He tried to kick whatever was pulling him down away, but it was useless. He was through the gate, landing hard on his back and groaning in pain. Then, he was being attacked by some bat-looking monsters. Biting and scratching, even choking him and he was panicking.

All he could think about was that if he died, he’d never get to see you again, and he’d leave you behind. Something he promised he’d never do.

You audibly gasped when Steve was pulled away from you, back into the water. Your immediate reaction was to stand up and jump in after him, so that’s what you did. Despite everyone’s protests, you dove right in, no second thoughts. You swam as fast as you could, trying to get to Steve before he was pulled through, but you weren’t quick enough. So, you followed him through the gate.

You pushed yourself through the gate, barely noticing the others coming in after you because of how focused on Steve you were.

Once you got your footing on the other side, you searched around you for Steve. For your best friend. Your stomach dropped when you saw him, laying on the ground with bats attacking him. He was fighting for his life, pulling at the tail wrapped around his throat to try and get air into his lungs. You ran over to him, not even registering everyone else starting to swat at the bats with oars and other weapons.

“Oh my god, Steve.” You were panicking, trying to find something to help get the bats off of him. When that came up fruitless, you decided to just use your hands. You pulled at the bats biting his stomach, ripping them off of him and turning their attention onto you. They were scratching and biting at you as you moved onto the one around Steve’s neck.

Nancy ran over when she was able, using the oar to hit the creature enough to get it to loosen its grip on Steve. Once he could suck in a breath, Steve grabbed the tail of the bat, repeatedly smashing it against the ground before ripping it in half. He was panting hard and he spit a glob of blood out of his mouth.

You noticed his balance failing him, rushing to his side to steady him. “Hey, hey. Talk to me. Are you okay?”

Your voice was what brought him out of his daze, searching for your eyes before responding, “never better.”

You were staring into each other’s eyes then, not thinking about the three onlookers or the deadly things all around. You were so glad he was alive, but he wasn’t in a good state, and you were worried beyond belief.

Robin snapped the both of you out of it when she saw more bats coming your way, “uh, guys. I hate to ruin the moment but we should probably hide.”

Eddie was mumbling to himself before yelling out in frustration, “Jesus H Christ!”

Nancy, ever the responsible one, directed you all towards the forest, “Come on!”

You held onto Steve’s hand as you ran, not wanting to leave him behind. His pace was slower because of his injuries, and you weren’t going to let him stray from the group. You had to keep him right by your side, where you could see and feel him beside you.

After way too much running for your liking, the group had reached skull rock, or, the upside down version of it. The adrenaline seemed to wear off once you were all done running, especially for Steve. He was swaying on his feet, leaning against the rock for purchase as you held onto his shoulders trying to keep him upright. His hands were covering his stomach wounds, like if nobody could see them they weren’t really there.

You weren’t having that, though, so you maneuvered him so his back was against the rock, leaning on it with more stability. You then grasped his wrists in your shaky hands, pulling them away from his body so you could see the damage done. Everyone else was silent, trying to let the two of you have a moment because they knew the kind of connection you had.

You sucked in a breath at the sight of Steve’s injuries, “shit, Stevie. How bad does it hurt?”

“Oh this? It’s nothing, really.” He was trying to cheer you up, even though he was the one in pain. His eyes heavy, but focused on you and your face.

Robin decided to speak up, to try and break the tension in the atmosphere, because it wasn’t a good one. It was fear and pain. “Still as cocky as ever, Harrington. I’m amazed.”

He smiled at Robin, but you were still panicking over him, “does anyone have anything to wrap it with?”

Luckily, Nancy was levelheaded and a quick thinker, and she stepped up to you and Steve, ripping the bottom part of her shirt off to use as a makeshift bandage.

“Think this will work,” she looked towards you, “can you help him lean forward so I can wrap it around his back?”

Nancy had noticed how shaky your hands were, how you wouldn’t be able to be the one to do the wrapping that would cause more discomfort to Steve. She knew you loved him and she wanted to help you. She couldn’t imagine what she’d do if Johnathan was in this position.

You nodded, blinking hard to get rid of the tears you didn’t realize had gathered in your eyes. “Yeah. Of course.”

Your mind was going wild, you couldn’t lose Steve. You’d lose a huge part of yourself if that happened, and you almost did. All you wanted to do was help him but you couldn’t. You couldn’t take his pain away, hell you couldn’t even get your hands steady enough to wrap a piece of fabric around him.

You put your hands back on his shoulders, pulling him off the rock and towards you. His hands were on your shoulders, too. Finding purchase on you not only physically, but mentally. He thinks if you weren’t here with him, he’d have passed out already. From the pain, from the exhaustion. But he forced himself to stay conscious for you, to be able to watch over you and make sure you’re okay.

Nancy spoke up as she knelt down, “this is probably gonna hurt, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah. Just do it.” Steve was taking deep breaths, trying to stay solid and still so she could wrap him up and help the bleeding stop.

You squeezed your eyes shut when Nancy pulled the fabric around him, not wanting to see the pain on his features or the blood seeping through. Though the bleeding had slowed a great deal, you knew it still wasn’t good.

Steve hissed when the piece of the shirt was tied around his waist, throwing his head back to deal with the pain in some way. His hands holding onto you tighter to let some of the pressure go.

“Too tight?”

“No, it’s good. Thanks.”

“Yeah, of course.” Then, Nancy was walking away, leaving you and Steve alone for another moment, motioning with her head for Robin and Eddie to do the same.

As they walked away, Eddie shot the pair of you a confused look, “I thought they were both single.”

Robin and Nancy shared a look; boys were so oblivious. The former spoke up, “they are. But they’re in love with each other, so we’ll give them a minute.”

You let Steve catch his breath, hoping he’d become more steady on his own if you did. You were so worried about him, and you wanted to let him know. Only, you didn’t know how to do that without confessing how you felt about him, and this wasn’t the time for that.

“Why do you always have to be the hero, Steve?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You just had to volunteer to go in. You idiot. I thought you were gonna die, Stevie.”

He cradled your face in his hands, leaning his forehead on yours before talking softly, “I’m alive. You can't get rid of me that easily, honey.”

Honey. It’s a nickname you’re used to. He’d been using it ever since your first year of friendship. It started off as something to tease you with, to remind you of one of the first things you said to him as his lab partner. You had looked at him, and it seemed like your thoughts just flew out of your mouth before you could control them.

‘Your eyes remind me of honey.’

He played it off then, teasing you for saying something with romantic undertones, when in reality he reveled in that comment. He had started calling you ‘honey’ to remind the both of you of that moment, but it’s a memory that's thought of fondly now. You were embarrassed at first, but as he continued to use it, you couldn’t deny its effect on you. It was sweet and you loved it.

“I know. Good, because if you die, I’m gonna kill you.”

It was quiet after that, just the two of you breathing in the comfort of the other. Foreheads still pressed together, his hands now on your waist, yours still resting on his shoulders. He was standing on his own now, though, which was a good sign.

You wished you could stay that way forever, but you were in the upside down and you weren’t safe, no matter how you felt in Steve’s embrace. So, you pulled back from him, looking him over and grabbing one of his hands to guide him towards the others.

As soon as you exited the shelter of the rock, Eddie threw his vest at Steve, who caught it easily. “For your modesty, dude.”

“Uh, thanks.”

Steve put on the vest, moving slowly and carefully to try and avoid aggravating his wrapped injuries. You watched as he did, eyeing his chest and his arms and the way they moved. You were so consumed by him, you couldn’t look away. Consumed by wanting to make sure he was still there, still alive. Consumed by his essence and how pretty you found him, even now. Just completely consumed.

You snapped yourself out of it, though, remembering where you were and that you weren’t alone. That you weren’t safe in his house in his room like usual. Far from it.

“So, how do we get out? We can’t go back there. ‘Cause, bats.”

You asked the question everyone was already thinking about. You were all on the same page: wanting to go home. But, that wasn’t going to happen without really thinking about what to do, and you were so concerned about getting Steve back home. Not yourself, not the others, no matter how much you cared about them. Steve would always take the top spot in your mind.

Robin spoke up next, “maybe we can go to the police station. Get some guns and grenades and stuff. Blow them up and we’re home free.”

“Yeah, Robin, I don’t know about grenades but guns, yes.” Steve spoke to her in his usual sarcastic way, in the way they always spoke to each other. You couldn’t help but smile at their banter and friendship.

“We don’t have to go all the way down town for guns.. I have some in my room.”

Eddie was shocked, but the rest of you had known, having had your share of upside down problems and seeing Nancy wield weapons like the badass she was. “Let me get this straight. You, Nancy Wheeler, have guns, plural, in your bedroom.”

She shrugged, like it was no big deal, “yeah. Let’s go.”

She was a natural leader, and so, everyone followed her when she started moving in the direction of her home.

With a reminder not to touch the vines, because ‘hive mind’ and all that, you were off.

You were all moving together, though the group had split off into pairs. Everyone was still within view, and that was how it would stay in a place like this. You decided to walk on your own, to try and clear your head and focus on getting out. You didn’t want to drag everyone down while you were stuck overthinking about Steve. The boy you were in love with. You just wanted to help, with your full attention.

Nancy and Robin were walking together, talking softly amongst themselves, heads bent slightly to hear each other. They’d become good friends, you thought. There was a balance between the two. Robin was super bubbly and talkative and that forced Nancy to relax a little bit. She was often an intense person, and it was nice to see her let go from time to time.

Steve and Eddie were treading along behind everyone else, watching over the girls and following Nancy’s directions. Steve’s eyes were focused on you, only flickering away to make sure he wasn’t about to step on any vines. He didn’t like seeing you by yourself, completely lost in thought and muttering to yourself frustratedly. He felt awful.

Of course, it wasn’t his fault that he got dragged down, or that he got attacked, but he hated to worry you. You were someone who cared about others so deeply, so completely, that seeing anyone else hurt messed with you for a long time. He wished he could pull you aside, to tell you he’s alive and his heart is still beating and he’s right here.

He just wishes you would talk to him about your fears and feelings. Ever since the Fourth of July at the mall, you’d been different. Slightly closed off compared to before. He couldn’t blame you for that, he only wished you knew that he would listen to anything you had to say. Anything.

Eddie noticed the look on Steve’s face as he watched you, and decided to give him a verbal shove to tell you how he felt. It was clear as day that you loved each other, Eddie couldn’t believe you guys weren’t dating already.

“You know, the only reason I came in here was because of those ladies.”

Steve furrowed his brows in confusion. The idea that people cared enough about him to put themselves at risk was so foreign to him. His parents didn’t even care enough to be at home for more than a couple days a month, let alone try to help him.

“What do you mean?”

“They came in straight after you. But y/n.. she didn’t even hesitate. She just dove in, not a second wasted.”

“She would’ve done that for anyone. That’s who she is.” He was looking at you in a softer way, now. Because it was true, you would risk yourself for anyone in the group. He hated you for it. But he loved you even more because of it.

“I don’t know what’s going on between you two, but if I were you, I’d tell her the truth.”

“The truth..?”

“You know.. that you love her. ‘Cause she feels the same. That was as unambiguous a sign of true love as these cynical eyes have ever seen.”

Eddie gave Steve a lot to think about in that conversation, and he had a way of speaking that was very persuasive, believable. Now wasn’t the time for mushy feelings and love confessions, though. He wasn’t going to tell you something so memorable in a place so horrid. It had to be perfect.

The rest of the way to Nancy’s place was quiet, everyone lost in thought and focus to make it there in one piece. It was overwhelming to think that one wrong step could harm any one of you. It was terrifying.

The sight of the Wheeler house—well, it’s upside down twin—had everyone breathing a sigh of relief. You were all one step closer to getting home, that’s what matters. It was a collective feeling of hope, that maybe this plan would work out.

When you got inside, you walked over to Steve and forced him to sit down on one of the couches in the living room. He gave you a questioning look at that action, his eyes searching yours. Worried and soft and sticky sweet. Like honey, you’d always thought so.

“You’re still hurt. You need all the rest you can get, okay?”

“Aw, y/n, come on. I'm fine!”

“You’re not fine, Steve!” It was louder than you intended, and you softened your tone before continuing, “you’re not fine, and I don’t want you to hurt yourself more. We’re just gonna go upstairs, get the guns, and come back. Can you please stay here?”

As much as he wanted to help, he could see the pleading look on your face. He decided that for you, he’d sit his ass down for a few minutes. Anything to make you less worried.

“Okay. Fine.”

“Thank you,” you pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, which was something you’d done before, but never like this. Never with the added emotion behind it, the lingering of your lips on his skin before moving away.

The others were already in Nancy's room when you got there, the atmosphere shifted. The hope you had before was gone.

Apparently, the house was frozen in time, the day Will Byers had gone missing, to be exact. A time before Nancy had her guns here. So, you were stuck. Once they’d caught you up on the lack of weapons, the room was silent. Nobody knew what to do next or what to say. That silence was broken when you heard Steve yelling from downstairs.

Your stomach dropped, because you thought he was in trouble again. Once you got down the flight of stairs, though, you discovered him walking around yelling for none other than Dustin. What?

“Steve?”

He shushed you, continuing to walk around yelling after his younger friend.

“Listen! Dustin!”

Eddie was the next to speak up, “What are you doing?”

“You guys don’t hear him? Henderson he’s here, like in the walls or some shit.”

You were all trying to listen, to hear what Steve was hearing. Then, you did. Dustin’s voice, sounding out in the room. Only, you had no idea where it was coming from.

The next thing you knew, all of you were yelling for Dustin, for help of any kind. You stopped when you noticed the soft glow, almost glitter, surrounding the light fixture in the dining room. You were all entranced by it, running your hands through it making it glow stronger.

Nancy pulled away, and you all followed, “does anyone know morse code?”

An echo of ‘No’s sounded out, until Eddie rethought his answer.

“Does SOS count? Is that- is that good?”

It all escalated after that. You had to communicate through a Lite-Brite, that was definitely Holly’s, and you had to deal with the classic Dustin attitude. That was a point for Steve and Eddie to bond over.

Now, you were all biking to Eddie’s trailer, where there was another gate that could be your escape. Nancy’s house only had four bikes, which left you sharing one with Steve. Despite all of your protests, he was the one pedaling, you seated on the handlebars.

Everyone was pushing hard on the pedals, trying to go as fast as possible towards the gate to avoid drawing the attention of the bats once more. You were surprised to see that the road was free of vines, when the forest was completely covered in them.

Or so you’d thought.

You and Steve both felt it when the bike hit a small bump, but you’d assumed it was a pebble or something of the sort. You’d been wrong. Terribly so.

Without realizing it, you ran over the tail end of a vine on the end of the road, and it was not happy about it. You felt something slimy wrap around your ankle, tug at it hard enough to pull you off the bike. You didn’t have time to react, to protect yourself, before you were hitting the pavement with a thud. Head hitting the hard ground, and then darkness.

Steve saw it all happen in slow motion. He felt the tiny jump of the bike but shrugged it off. He saw the vine reach out in his peripheral vision and felt the panic begin to set in. He saw it get its grasp on you and he saw you tumble to the ground. He saw your head making impact and he saw you fall unconscious. He saw you hurt. He saw his worst fear right in front of him.

Everyone stopped their bikes when they heard his yell of your name, scared and broken. Steve threw himself off the bike as quick as possible and rushed to get the vine off of your ankle, his hands trembling and vision blurred with tears.

The first person to run over to help was Nancy, but soon after, everyone was working together to get you free. They could all see Eddie’s trailer, you had been so close to being home.

Once your ankle was free, Steve lifted you into his arms bridal style, cradling your head to his chest trying to keep you as steady as possible. Everyone ran the rest of the way to the trailer, and Steve was holding you as tight as possible. He could feel your breaths puffing out against his bare chest under the vest, soft and small, but there. That’s what kept him going: knowing you were still breathing.

When they set eyes on the gate, they saw Dustin, Erica, Lucas, and Max looking back at them, excited that they found you all a way out. Their faces all dropped when Steve came into view holding you, though.

It was a rush from there, to get you through in the safest way possible. Eddie decided to go first, hoping to help catch you on the other side while Steve boosted you up. Once you were through and in Eddie’s grasp, Steve climbed through, needing to be beside you, making sure you’d be okay.

He couldn’t help but feel responsible for what happened to you. If he hadn’t been pulled under, you wouldn’t have swam through the gate. If he had been better at paying attention to the road on the bike, you wouldn’t have hit that vine. You wouldn’t have been pulled off and rendered unconscious.

He was so scared, more than he ever had been in his life. He couldn’t bear the idea that you might not wake up from this, that you would have permanent damage. And it was all his fault. He hated that he never told you he loved you, that he never took the chance. He supposes he should’ve listened to Eddie in the upside down.

When Steve landed on the other side, he rushed over to where you were being laid down gently on the carpeted floor by Eddie. Steve sat himself by your head, facing the same direction as your body. He pulled you up so your head was sitting in his lap.

He was pushing your hair off your face, noticing the cut on the side of your forehead that was still bleeding from your fall. He was full on panicking now. You were bleeding and unconscious and he couldn’t think straight.

Steve completely forgot about everyone else in the room, only focused on you and your condition.

“Hey, come on. Wake up.”

He didn’t know when the tears started running down his face, but they weren’t stopping anytime soon. He was in love with you and you were the only person who knew the extent of his pain and he had no idea what he’d do without you.

“Please. You need to wake up. I can’t do this without you. Please.”

Robin spoke quietly to Eddie, “tell me you have a first aid kit.”

Eddie cursed himself for not having one. He emptied it to use for storage for other items of his and he felt awful. “I don't.”

Nancy ran to the kitchen and grabbed a small towel, something to at least apply pressure to your wound until they could properly clean it up. She walked over to you and Steve, talking quietly, calmly to not freak Steve out.

“Here, to stop the bleeding. Your house isn’t far from here, right? And you have a first aid kit?”

Steve’s hand was sweaty and shaky when he reached out and grabbed the towel from Nancy, pressing it to your forehead right away. “Yeah. Yes I- I have one. I can’t-”

“Okay, come on. She’s gonna be fine, Steve. Let’s go help her.”

Eddie ushered everyone out to his van while he grabbed the keys, making sure there was plenty of room for you in the back seat. Nancy helped Steve carry you out, her hands around your legs and his under your armpits.

They settled you on the seat, with your head on Steve’s lap once again. He continued to press the towel to your head while Nancy sat in the front giving Eddie instructions on how to get to Steve’s house. The rest of the car was silent.

The kids were scared, they looked up to you and cared for you like they would an older sister, especially Max. Seeing you this vulnerable, this delicate, it really put into perspective the amount of danger they were in. Lucas and Max were gripping each other’s hands tightly, silently supporting one another in this moment.

At Steve’s house, he carried you into his room, knowing he had his first aid kit in his bathroom. Nancy went with him, deciding she’d be the one to tend to your head wound because Steve was too unstable to do it. Everyone else took seats in the living room. Heads bent, legs bouncing, nerves and fear surrounding them.

Nancy went straight into the bathroom to grab the kit, while Steve settled you on his bed. He was kneeling next to it, one hand still holding the towel to your head, the other gripping your limp hand.

“Steve? I’m gonna bandage it, okay?”

“Okay. Okay. Thanks.”

He moved the towel away, wincing at the sight of your blood on it. Nancy got right to work, cleaning and then dressing the wound the way she now knew how. Steve thought she was great, but she wasn’t you.

When Nancy was done, she walked out of the room, letting Steve have his time with you by himself, the tears still falling down his face.

He stood and grasped your face in his palms, pressing a kiss to the center of your forehead and breathing you in. Reminding himself that, yes, you were hurt, but you were also alive.

“Please wake up, I love you. I’m sorry. Please.”

Your face scrunched in pain, and Steve felt it under his lips that were still against your head. He pulled back, looking at your face for more movement.

You blinked your eyes open slowly, managing to utter Steve’s name breathily to let him know you were awake. “Ouch.”

“Hi, honey. I know it hurts. I’m sorry.”

He was still crying, but a lot of it was relief now that you’re awake. You regained consciousness steadily, gathering your surroundings and having your thoughts come back to you. What pulled you back the most was Steve, and the fact that he was crying.

“Stevie? Why are you crying?”

“I thought you weren’t gonna wake up. I was so scared.”

You sat up on the bed, moving to press your back against the headboard and patting the spot next to you so Steve would climb in. When he did, you turned to look at him, using one of your hands to cup his cheek softly, thumb swiping away the fallen tears.

“Steve, look at me. I’m alive,” you used your other hand to grab one of his, bringing it to your chest so he could feel your heart beating. “I’m okay.”

“You weren’t, though. I- I thought-”

“Shhh. I know. Breathe with me.”

You took a deep breath, his hand still pressed to your chest, and he did it with you. He was calming down now, but he was still reeling from what had happened.

“It’s all my fault.”

“Don’t you dare blame this on yourself, Steve. Don’t do that. I’m right here, if anything, you’re the reason I made it. Got it?”

He nodded, not finding any words to form a response. He was looking at you so intently now, eyes running all over your face before looking directly in your eyes. He loved you, he’d been sure of that before, but he felt it so deeply now. He’d almost lost you and the fear that shook him to his core wasn’t a platonic kind.

But he couldn’t tell you that. So, he went to get up and let you sleep, but you squeezed his hand hard. He turned to look at you again when you did, and you shook your head at him, signaling that you didn’t want him to leave.

“Do you want me to stay?”

“Yes, please.”

“Okay, honey.”

The two of you sat closer now, shoulders brushing and hands still intertwined. Nancy had come back up to check on you, and saw you in that position. She turned around before either of you noticed her presence and told the others you were okay. They all took their spots on the couches to sleep.

You wanted to tell Steve everything, and you decided you would. You don’t know if the head injury gave you extra courage, or if survival just pushed you to be open, but you started talking.

“Steve?”

He hummed in response.

“Today, being in the upside down and everything, it’s made me think a lot. I want to tell you something, okay?”

“Okay.” He was facing you now, closer together than before, ready and willing to listen to whatever you had to say.

“I love you. I’m in love with you.”

He was not expecting that. But he couldn’t help the smile that spread over his beautiful face at your words.

“I love you, honey. Today, I almost lost you. I’ve never been more scared in my life. I’m sorry I couldn’t say it first.”

You kissed him after that, gentle and soft. He kissed you back, shy with his movements because he didn’t want to hurt you or cause you any more pain. It was lazy, a slide of tired lips on tired lips. But it was perfect because it was you and Steve. It was a long time coming and now that the door was open, it was never going to shut again.

“You did.”

“What?”

“You did say it first. I heard you.”

“I thought you were still passed out. I didn't think you were listening.”

“I’m glad I was. I love you, Steve.”

“I can't believe this. I love you so much, honey.”

You knew you weren’t safe, that Vecna was still out there, and that there was still so much to do. More fighting, more danger, more fear.

But, there, in Steve’s room, finally having shared your feelings, you felt like everything was going to be okay.