#the way only dustin and eddies uncle cared about his death

[metalhoops]

People debate if Eddie or Steve would say ‘I love you’ first, but I propose an alternative perspective where they both say it long before they start dating and confuse the hell out of everyone, including themselves. 

Almost dying could put your life into perspective. 

When Eddie awoke in his hospital bed with his uncle at his side and the late afternoon light shining through the window blinds, he was struck with the kind of death-bed revelation reserved for men sentenced to dangle from gallows or grit worn teeth down the muzzle of guns. He was alive, despite the assumed certainty of his death hours or days before. 

Eddie let Wayne hold him, despite how much it hurt because the pain reminded him he was alive, that he’d made it out on the other side. Without thought, Eddie told Wayne he loved him. It wasn’t the first time he’d said it, but he couldn’t remember the last time it’d happened. 

They were long past the first few tumultuous years when Eddie had moved in with Wayne. Where they’d tiptoed around each other and waited with bated breath for their shared peace to go wrong. Eddie hadn’t been used to living in a household where he didn’t have to walk on eggshells to get by and Wayne wasn’t used to looking after himself, let alone a kid. 

They’d since found their rhythm, but it wasn’t often either man voiced their affections. Wayne showed his love. He didn’t speak it. That was just the way he was. Eddie didn’t share the man’s reservations, not anymore. His adolescents was a wave that had long since crested, and all care for others’ opinions had been thrown out the window. He wasn’t shy with his love, but his proximity to death made him reckless with it. 

When Dustin appeared at his bedside not long after, looking as though he were staring down a spectre, Eddie knew he had to do something. He leaned over, ruffled Dustin’s hair and told the kid everything was going to be okay, that he loved him. 

When the whole mess had died down and Eddie was able to come out of hiding, he showed up in Gareth’s garage at the usual time for band rehearsal. He was bombarded by a mess of limbs and an earful of questions. He told them his well-practised lie then muttered how glad he was to be back, how much he loved those stupid sons of bitches, because he did and they should know it. He’d never told them that before. 

What Eddie hadn’t expected was to fall fast and hard for Steve Harrington. Eddie wasn’t one for fast affection or grand romantic ideals. He had his head firmly attached to his shoulders, thank you very much. He knew fast love was just infatuation. You were falling for the idea of a person, not the real deal.

He knew it was stupid and yet at seeing Steve sprawled out on the floor of his trailer, in front of their shitty Philips Color TV, his usually styled hair mussed, Eddie thought he loved him, which was a terrible thought because it meant Eddie had to tell him. 

Steve was straight, and Eddie had only known him for two months. Sure, they’d floated past each other in high school, but that wasn’t this Steve. The Steve he loved. It was pathetic. Eddie was well aware. All the same, when he caught Steve’s curious brown eyes, he knew he’d have to tell him. Nothing good would come of it, but he was sick of leaving things unsaid. After all, he could die tomorrow. 

“What are you thinking about?” Steve asked, appearing blissfully ignorant of Eddie’s inner turmoil. 

“Nothing, I’m just glad you’re here. I love you, man.” 

Eddie spoke before his brain had the time to think through his actions. He tacked on a haphazard ‘man’, as though it lessened the severity of the statement. Eddie had never called anyone ‘man’ in his life- who the hell was he? 

“Oh, yeah. Me too,” Steve mumbled absentmindedly, laying back down and looking at the TV as the commercials came to an end. He was so cool and unbothered. 

Eddie was sure he’d taken his confession as a platonic one, which was what he’d hoped for. He’d got it off his chest, but it wasn’t going to screw up the good thing they had going. What he didn’t know was the meaning behind Steve’s response, ‘me too’ what? Was he glad he was with Eddie or...? 

“I love you too, Munson. I can hear the cogs ticking from over here and I want to watch the movie. You got me invested now,” Steve grumbled, returning his attention to the fantasy film Steve had no right to be as emotionally invested in as he was. 

“Have I got you invested or has Tom Cruse in chain mail got you invested?” Eddie joked, pushing his luck as he felt Steve lean over to smack his shoulder, mumbling ‘asshole’, under his breath. 

What Eddie hadn’t expected was for it to become a habit. Sure, he made a point of telling Wayne, Corroded Coffin and his band of misfit children he loved them when the mood struck, but with Steve, it somehow became a daily occurrence, what floored him most was that Steve was the one who started it. 

The next time they saw each other was when Eddie went to grab a movie from the Family Video store. At least that was the excuse he’d given to see Steve again. He chatted with Steve and Buckley before grabbing whatever caught his eye in the horror section and was about to head out with an overdramatised bow and salute when Steve smirked and mumbled, ‘love you, Munson,’ before his eyes widened in alarm. He caught Robin’s hawklike gaze shifting between them as she choked on a days-expired potato chip. 

“I meant... see you, Munson,” Steve amended awkwardly. Eddie shrugged his shoulders, practically preening at the slip of the tongue. He liked how Steve said it. Something about it felt special. 

“Love you too, Stevie,” he called as he turned to retreat to the safety of his van, not wanting to witness whatever can of worms he’d opened between Steve and Buckley. 

That was all it took to form a habit. He would spend the night at Steve’s place since the guy's parents had been MIA for months, and as the two went to part ways Steve would take one look at Eddie’s beaten-up van and mumble, ‘drive safe you idiot, love you,’ and a smile would threaten to split Eddie’s face in two. ‘love you too, jerk’. For a while, it was a tradition reserved for the two of them. Robin had to bear witness to the brunt of the love confessions, as Eddie would visit them at work, but in many ways, Steve saw Robin as an extension of himself, so for the most part, it was just between them. 

That was until Steve showed up to band practice. Eddie had offhandedly mentioned the time and location of their rehearsals in the hopes that one day Steve would show up. When he did Eddie was over the moon. He was halfway through a killer guitar solo when the familiar BMW Beamer pulled up the drive. With the rest of his bandmates promptly forgotten, Eddie lay his Warlock gently in his case (because no matter how absentminded the guy was he still cared about that damn guitar like a kid) then ploughed forward to meet Steve at the mouth of the garage. 

“Stevie, you came.” 

Eddie was too excited at the prospect of Steve watching him play. Music, along with D&D, was his creative outlet. It said everything his tongue couldn’t articulate and he had a lot he wanted to say to Steve.

Anyone who knew Eddie knew he was excitable and theatrical. He didn’t know how to do things in half measures. His bandmates shouldn’t have been surprised when Eddie wrapped his arms around Steve’s midsection, picked him up and spun him in several dizzy circles, only setting him down when they almost tumbled ass backwards over Gareth’s drum set. 

Eddie may have witnessed Steve try that move on Wheeler years before, but he’d deny it if anyone asked. Steve made the act seem easy and graceful. With Eddie at the helm, it was a chaotic jumble of limbs. While Steve gripped onto the man’s arm for dear life, not used to being manhandled, though by the fitful gasps of laughter that escaped his lips at the motion, Eddie noted he wasn’t opposed to it. When the two broke apart, Eddie felt his bandmates' watchful eyes on them, all sharing twin looks of confusion. 

“You’re going to break something, dumbass,” Steve grumbled as he smoothed over his hair and bowed his head to hide the blush from his cheeks.

Eddie tried to carry on with the rehearsal as usual, but he’d admit he added some peacocking for Steve’s benefit, not that the boy seemed to mind. Steve watched from one of Gareth’s bean bag chairs. It wasn’t his type of music, Eddie knew that, but the guy still watched enamoured. 

When the band was finished for the day, Steve managed to make small talk with the other boys when a thought struck Eddie. 

“What are you doing after this, Steve? The boys and I are having a movie marathon at my place. Want to hang out?” Steve blinked owlishly, surprised to be invited to what appeared to be a ‘band-only deal’. That wasn’t exactly true. Sometimes Jeff’s girlfriend or Grant’s brother would join them, once Gareth had even invited a guy over. Eddie had never done it, but there was a first time for everything. 

“I could do a movie night. I’ve gotta pick up Dustin from the Byers first, though, so I’ll meet you there,” Steve reasoned, and Eddie nodded, knowing Dustin came first. The little guy had weaselled his way into Steve’s heart and there was no way Eddie would ask him to forget the kid. Dustin had Eddie wrapped around his little finger as well, the brat.  

“Alright, meet you there. Love you, Stevie.” 

“Love you too.” The words rolled off Steve’s tongue easily as breathing. 

Left in Steve’s wake was utter chaos from the rest of the Corroded Coffin members. 

“Dude, why didn’t you tell us you were dating Steve Harrington?” Gareth berated, knocking Eddie’s shoulder roughly. 

“Seriously? What the hell, man? I never would’ve called that,” Jeff added before Eddie could get a word in edge-wise. 

“Wait, I’m lost, Harrington’s gay now?” Grant muttered, looking between the other boys. His bandmates knew Eddie was gay, but they’d definitely pulled the rest out of their asses. 

“I didn’t tell you because we’re not, and he’s not. Far as I’m aware. Can you guys drop it before we get back to mine? Steve doesn’t know I am and I’m planning on keeping it that way, thanks.” All three boys looked at Eddie as though he’d grown a third head. 

“But you guys were aggressively flirting,” Gareth argued. 

“You said you loved each other,” Jeff added. 

“Yeah, but I tell you guys I love you,” Eddie argued. 

“Definitely not like that and if you did, I’d be trying to work out how to let you down gently because Eds you’re firmly in the brother zone,” Gareth reasoned, playing with his drum kit. 

After that day, Eddie thought he should use his ‘I love yous’ more sparingly with Steve. Sooner or later, the guy was going to work out that the intent was anything but platonic. He’d gotten to know Steve well since the incident with The Upside Down. Nine months had passed and Eddie was still sickeningly sure he loved Steve. It’d gone past any form of infatuation. 

He knew who Steve Harrington was and what he wanted. Steve wanted his future to be a gaggle of kids, crammed into an R.V. heading out on family vacations. If they were to do it, it would be anything but the conventional nuclear family of Steve’s dreams but Eddie couldn’t help but fantasise about ways they could make it work. He wanted it. He was beyond screwed. 

When he and Steve were parting ways after the band’s movie night. This time Eddie uttered a lame,

“See you later, Stevie.’ 

To his surprise, he caught a look of confusion flash across Steve’s face. He opened and shut his mouth, looking as though he were weighing up his options. Unlike Eddie, the guy was good with social interactions. He knew how to read a room. 

��See you,” Steve replied, awkwardly smoothing down his hair in what Eddie knew to be a self-soothing gesture. Weird. 

Eddie kept this new, more formal, stilted form of goodbye going for a week, hating every second of it. He could feel Steve pulling away from him. Suddenly when he wanted to spend time with the guy, he was busy. The one time he hadn’t said ‘I love you’ back to Steve in front of Robin she shot him a look like he’d just kicked a wounded puppy. Eddie was understandably confused. 

It took the passing of another week for Steve to call him out on it. Eddie showed up on Steve’s doorstep unannounced, insisting they hang out because Steve had been avoiding him and he damn well wanted to know why. Steve let him in, much to Eddie’s surprise. 

“Did I do something wrong?’ Steve asked out of the blue as the two sat hunched over at the Harrington’s dining room table, looking over Eddie’s Dark Tower board game. Steve had picked it up surprisingly fast when he’d first brought the game to his place. 

Eddie’s eyes swept over the board before shaking his head. 

“No, that was a safe move. You’re fine.” Steve’s brows drew together, and he shook his head. 

“I’m not talking about the game,” He grumbled, still not meeting Eddie’s eyes. Alright, what had Eddie done wrong now? 

“What? No. Stevie. Why would you think that?” 

Eddie had been asking himself the same question: what had he done to push Steve away? Now that Eddie was focusing on Steve, he noticed how the boy had hunched over himself, his shoulders up around his ears. His body tucked into itself. Usually, Steve was confident and unbothered, but he looked so small. Eddie knew something was very wrong.  

“You stopped saying...” Steve’s voice trailed off. He rolled his eyes, looking pissed off. Not with Eddie, but with himself. 

“Doesn’t matter. It’s stupid. My knight guy is going to the ruins,” Steve amended before Eddie could get a word in edge-wise. He leaned over, pushing the keypad on the tower, obnoxious electronic music filling the silence between them.

Eddie finally understood what Steve was worried about. Instead of taking his next turn he twisted a strand of hair around his finger and inhaled. Screw what other people thought. Since when did he care, anyway? 

“Steve,” Eddie breathed. Full name. Serious business. Steve looked up. 

“I love you. Sorry I haven’t said it in a while. I was getting in my head about... stuff.” Steve nodded, trying to look uncaring, but he failed miserably, his face scrunched and contorted. 

“Stevie, I can hear the cogs ticking from here. Whatever you want to say, say it,” Eddie breathed, nudging Steve’s socked foot with his. 

“I just- you were acting like... Christ. Forget it. It’s bullshit,” Steve stammered, standing up from the table, suddenly a bundle of energy, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but there. 

“What was I acting like?” Eddie asked, staying rooted to his seat, though his fingers drummed on the table nervously. 

“Like we were in love,” Steve spoke at last, scrubbing a hand over his face. 

“Like we were in love?” Eddie echoed, unable to believe what Steve was implying.  He watched Steve recoil as the words escaped his lips.

‘In love’ wasn’t a description someone used for friendship. Friends weren’t ‘in love’ with each other. Jesus Christ. 

Eddie stood, cringing at the scraping sound his chair made against the tile floor. He really hoped he wasn’t reading this wrong. 

“Please don’t punch me in the face,” Eddie grumbled under his breath as he crossed the space between them. 

Steve remained rooted to the spot as Eddie hesitantly placed a hand on his cheek. He remained still. His brown eyes swelled wide and locked on Eddie’s. He waited for a beat, just long enough for Steve to pull away if that’s not what he wanted. When he didn’t, Eddie pulled him closer, crashing their lips together, his fingers snaking their way to the back of Steve’s neck. Holy shit, Steve was kissing him back. 

Eddie lost the capacity for logical thought somewhere between Steve’s hand finding his ass, and his tongue slipping into his mouth. When they did pull apart, Eddie felt breathless and boneless. 

“Wait, you actually love me?” Eddie asked when his brain finally came back online. Steve nodded, looking equally as shocked. 

“I told you that months ago,” Steve confirmed. 

“I didn’t know you meant it like that... you were so damn unbothered I thought you...” Eddie’s voice trailed off, a vague memory spiking of a story Dustin had told him a lifetime before. It was something to do with Steve’s dating advice. From what Eddie remembered, he’d stressed the importance of acting aloof, as if that actually worked for anyone. 

“I didn’t want to come on too strong,” Steve argued, sounding equally exasperated. 

“You, Steve Harrington, are a dumbass,” Eddie scoffed disbelievingly. 

“How the hell am I in love with you?” 

[steddieas-shegoes]

frankie

for @corrodedcoffinfest prompt 'freak'

rated t | 930 words | cw: temporary character death | tags: canon-adjacent events, frankie pov, eddie munson lives

🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴

Frankie doesn't think he's a freak. He knows he's not the typical teenager, but he definitely knows there's weirder dudes out there.

Take Eddie Munson, for example. He's fuckin' weird.

He knows people call him a freak for a lot of reasons: he's got long hair, likes heavy metal, plays DnD, and is allegedly queer.

Frankie stays under the radar as much as possible, but he ends up at Eddie's table, sitting next to his one and only friend, Jeff. Eddie's starting a DnD club, needs people who are serious about playing long campaigns. He's a senior and "wants to leave a legacy."

Jeff convinces him to try it out.

He tries it out.

He has fun.

He becomes a freak, too.

And, actually, Eddie isn't really a freak. He's eccentric, sure, but he's definitely not what everyone implies when they call him that.

He's kind in his own way, inviting to people where most other kids at school have their cliques and don't let anyone else in. He's funny, too, sometimes completely unintentionally.

His Uncle is nice enough to let them use their trailer for campaigns, at least until Eddie is able to convince the school to let them use the storage room in the auditorium. They have to fight for space, especially when it comes time for the end of year drama club performance.

Frankie doesn't think much about what will happen when Eddie graduates. He assumed Jeff will run the club since he's Eddie's right hand man.

But Eddie doesn't graduate.

Frankie starts to get into the same music as him, no longer worried about wearing his Black Sabbath shirt to school. It's just music.

He doesn't worry about shaving his head, letting his natural curls grow out a little.

Maybe he's more of a freak than he thought, but it doesn't bother him when he hears others whisper it under their breath. Eddie wears it like a badge of honor, and now he does too.

****

When the news reports that Eddie is the suspect in the murder of Chrissy Cunningham, Frankie knows they've got it wrong.

Eddie is a lot of things, he's a freak, he's different. But he's not a murderer.

He's also gay as fuck, and while very few people know that, Frankie knows he had no intentions with that girl other than to sell to her. Maybe he should have been more careful, but he's gotten away with it this long. Eddie never pushes anything on anyone, only sells to those who seek him out, so there's no way she wasn't the one who wanted drugs.

It seemed to Frankie like a wrong place, wrong time situation for all involved.

Eddie was missing, which means he got scared and ran, and Frankie isn't sure what that means for any of them.

Everything is hanging in a weird balance for days.

Gareth swears he saw him in an RV when his parents dragged him to The War Zone, but no one believed him. Frankie didn't not believe him, he just figured Eddie was probably already out of the state.

Guilty people may run, but so do innocent people with a bounty on their head.

***

Frankie doesn't think Eddie is coming back.

He sees Dustin crying and handing Wayne something. He sees Steve Harrington of all people in Eddie's vest, a vest that now has some suspicious stains on it.

No one mentions him for a while.

Gareth is a mess, and Jeff keeps saying that he'll come back, but the news spreads that he's dead and Frankie feels like he's the only one who is taking that seriously. He doesn't realize how much he's hurting until they're standing in Jeff's garage with no idea how to fill the space Eddie left in the band.

"I think we should have auditions," Jeff says quietly.

"I think you should fuck yourself," Gareth bites back.

Jeff sighs. Gareth crosses his arms.

"I think you guys should come with me," Lucas interrupts from the driveway.

They go with him because Frankie is sure he wouldn't have even spoken to them if it wasn't important. They barely talked since everything happened over Spring Break, but now that school's starting up again, they'll need to figure out Hellfire Club.

He leads them out of the neighborhood and towards the neighborhood at the bottom of the hill: Loch Nora. The nice neighborhood.

It's hot and Frankie and Gareth are both sweating by the time they make it to their destination: Steve Harrington's house.

"You guys can't say shit to anyone, got it? You'll put us all at risk." Lucas is glaring at all of them as he knocks in a very specific pattern on the front door.

"Are you leading us to our deaths?" Frankie asks, only half-joking.

"Despite what Mayfield thinks, I'm not gonna kill anyone."

"Eddie!" Gareth yells as he runs past Frankie and Jeff into the house.

"Alright, keep it down." Steve says from the couch. "Neighbors don't need to know he's hiding out here."

"Holy shit, it's good to see you," Jeff finally says as it registers that Eddie is actually in front of them.

"You know, I was prepared to take on the role of freak," Frankie said quietly. "Just to protect all your sheepies."

Eddie smiled at him. "Yeah?"

Frankie nodded.

"Well, you still can. I'm not gonna go back to school anyway."

"So what will you do?" Frankie asked.

"Not sure," Eddie shrugged. "Teach you my ways, I guess."

Frankie smiled at him. "First lesson: how'd you come back from the dead, dude?"

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

Steve sniffled as he cleaned off Eddie's gravestone once again. The town had been saved, the crack closed, and somehow Vecna had been defeated. No one really knew what happened. Only that a mysterious figure with wings had saved their asses. El was still trying to find them, but they were hiding themselves pretty well. Hopper believed he slunk back into the Upside Down before it closed, but no one else believed that, especially Dustin. He didn't say it outloud, but he knew the kid believed that it had somehow been Eddie. Steve didn't want to discourage him or get his hopes up. He didn't know what to do.

All he could do now was to keep cleaning Eddie's headstone. Edward Munson: Now At Peace. Yeah, right. People keep spray painting "burn in hell" across the headstone. He didn't deserve this. . . Even in death, they were still fucking with him. Steve let out a strangled yell and threw the rag.

"It's not fucking fair!" Steve snapped.

Steve breathed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. He stared at the headstone and did some breathing exercises to help calm him down. Now would be the perfect time to tell him everything, at least, Robin said it would help.

"I never got to really know you, man," Steve said. "And I really wish that I did, though. I wish I could see you play that guitar even at the Hideout. . .to see you up on that stage. I kind of wanted to see you graduate, too. I would have loved to see you give Higgins the finger. I always hated that guy. Fucking asshole. I would have loved to see you DM up on your throne. I'm not sure I would be able to play, I honestly would have gotten distracted. I wish I knew more than that, though. Like, what's your favorite song? Your favorite movie? Your favorite color, man? I don't know. . .anything. I wish you were here to tell me. I just wish. . ."

He stood there for a moment as though he were expecting an answer. Steve sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He went to reach for the rag, but someone beat him to it. A man with a hat over his head and sunglasses on his face was kneeling in front of Eddie's grave. Steve had no clue who it was.

"Let me help, son," the man said in a deep southern accent.

Steve had been spending enough time with Wayne and Dustin to realize that this man sounded an awful lot like Wayne with his accent. He knew it wasn't Wayne, though, because this man was too young and he knew that Wayne was working.

"You didn't do this, did you?" Steve asked.

"I just want to help, boy," the man said. "A handsome man like Eddie Munson doesn't deserve this. Although, I guess you could say he is hot as hell."

"That's a weird thing to say about a dead guy," Steve said, scrunching up his nose. "Did you know him?"

"You could say that. You could also say that I knew him a little too well," he said. "I kind of overheard your speech there, son. I can answer some of those questions for you, ya know?"

"I - would like that," Steve said softly as he grabbed the extra rag and knelt down to clean up the headstone.

"Well, most people would think differently about his favorite song. He loved the song Rolling Stone by Muddy Waters. His mama would teach him how to dance to that song. Sometimes, she would place him on her feet. He loves red, but he also loves the color blue," the man said. "He loves Conan the Barbarian. He used to sneak into the theater with his best friend, Ronnie."

"Ronnie?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, she was the first friend he ever made, and she was never more than his best friend despite him making an embarrassing move on her," he chuckled.

"That sounds familiar," Steve laughed. "He told you all this?"

"In a way," he said. "Ronnie showed him the way into leading lost sheep. His uncle gave him the kick in the ass he needed into not giving a fuck what other people thought of him. He still had some learning to do. He was kind of queer in the head, though, despite all of that."

"What? Who cares what he was into?" Steve scoffed. "Are you seriously judging him on that? I'm queer in the head myself."

"Wait, hold on, son. I ain't judging him for that, and you do know that queer also means weird, right?" The man asked.

"Yeah. . .I mean, I forgot," Steve stuttered.

"Should I just forget that you came out to a complete stranger, son? Doesn't matter, I didn't have a problem with Eddie being like that," he said, and then he dropped the accent. "I can't believe you did that!"

He dropped the hat and the sunglasses, slapping his knees as he stood up. Steve gaped up at him. His hair was cut short, but he would recognize those dimples anywhere. He was grinning wildly down at Steve.

"Eddie?!" Steve choked and he stood up.

"Hey, Stevie," Eddie said.

It was the first time he had called him that, and it made his stomach flutter. His brain tried so hard to comprehend that it was Eddie, but he looked so drastically different without his hair that he couldn't really focus. He noticed that he was also wearing a hoodie and a polo that looked awfully familiar.

"Hey, that's my polo," Steve said.

"Yeah, I broke into your house," Eddie said. "I wanted to look the least like myself."

"Why?" Steve asked.

"So, that people won't try to murder me, Steven," Eddie said.

"No, I mean, I get that. Why the deception?" He asked.

"Hi, I'm Eddie Munson. I like to be dramatic," he said, and he held out his hand. "Go ahead, take it."

Steve wrapped his hand around Eddie's like he was shaking his hand. His skin was cool to the touch, and Steve couldn't help but stare at it.

"You're real," he whispered.

"Very," he grinned.

"Why is your hand so cold?" Steve asked.

"I'm vampire now so. . . ," Eddie said, shaking his head from side to side.

"You were the mysterious figure that destroyed Vecna," Steve said in realization.

"He tried to make me his little bitch. Wanted me to do all his dirty work and kill of you," Eddie scoffed and rolled his eyes. "No thanks. I can't even clean my room when my uncle asks, and I love the man. Do you think I'm going to kill people I care about for someone I hate? Yeah, no."

"You saved us. You saved this town despite the fact that they hate you for no goddamn reason," Steve said.

"Well, my dad conned half the town, so yeah," Eddie shrugged, and then his eyes lit up. "Oh, I saved Higgins! You should have seen the egg on his face. He does know I'm alive, but he probably feels guilty about blackmailing me into dropping out in '84 now."

"He did what?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, crazy story. I should tell you all about it over dinner," Eddie said.

"That was smooth," Steve smirked.

Eddie ran his hand over the vest Steve was wearing and smirked.

"My vest looks good on top of a polo," Eddie said and paused, looking at him softly. "I'm not going to waste my chance this time. Hey, Steve?"

Suddenly, Steve was brought back to the Upside Down, and Eddie had looked at him with meaningful eyes before they parted ways. The memory was soon gone.

"Yeah?"

Eddie grabbed him by the vest and pulled him in, crashing their lips together. Eddie wrapped his arms around Steve’s neck, pulling him in closer as he deepened the kiss as Steve gripped his hips. Eddie broke the kiss, allowing Steve to breathe.

"We're kissing over your grave," Steve said.

"Better than walking over it," Eddie cackled.

Steve suddenly began pushing him backward until Eddie's back hit the tree that was next to his grave. He pressed his body up against Eddie's and covered his mouth with his own. He really should care that he was making out in a cemetery, but all he was aware of was Eddie. Eddie's mouth against his, Eddie's tongue making its way back in, and Eddie's hands quickly pulling his polo out of his pants so his hands could press themselves against his skin. All that mattered was how alive Eddie was and how much Steve could feel it. It was like all the lights were turning on inside of him, and it was Eddie that was flipping them on. Steve quickly broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against his, breathing heavily.

"We better stop before we do something else in cemetery that we're not supposed to," Steve said.

"Probably a good idea," Eddie said. "I think we just gave a granny quite a shock."

Steve looked over his shoulder and saw an older woman standing a few yards away, looking appalled.

"My God. She's literally clutching her pearls," Steve said.

"What do you think it is? That we're two men or that we're making out in a graveyard?" Eddie asked.

"Young man, my hearing is just fine! I don't care if you two have dicks! I mind that you two are fooling around in the place where the dead sleep!" She scowled.

Eddie and Steve looked at her in shock for a moment.

"I was not expecting her to say that," Steve said with wide eyes.

"Who would?" Eddie asked and glanced at the old woman. "Alright, time to adopt a grandmother."

"No, Eddie, we have to tell everyone you're alive, especially Wayne and Dustin," Steve said.

"Right. . .Dustin. Shit, I died in front of him. I know this is a stupid question, but how is he?" Eddie winced.

"Devestated but also hopeful that the mysterious figure who saved us all was you," Steve said and took Eddie's hand. "Let's get you home."

They laced their fingers together and walked out of the cemetery, apologizing to the granny as they left. They didn't care if anyone saw them, but after the town nearly went apocalyptic, how could anything else matter? The only thing that mattered was that they were both very much alive.

[shares-a-vest]

@steddieangstyaugust Day 19: Careless Whisper by George Michael

wc: 458 | Rated: T | cw: Major Character Death, Some Mild Reckless Driving, Mention of someone almost drowning.

Tags: Major Character Death, Hurt/No Comfort, Funeral/Wake, Grief, Post Season 4 (Canon Divergence)

'Never Gonna Dance Again'

Eddie white-knuckles the steering wheel of his Uncle's pick-up and steps on the gas. He figures that there won't be many cops around – not that he'd care all that much about a ticket. Not today.

He just needs to get home.

Well, not home. 'Home' being his and Wayne's temporary digs, which is still Room 4 at the motel on the outskirts of Hawkins, where they are staying with the rest of the Forest Hills residents who don't have homes.

They are all waiting on a government stimulus, or payout, or whatever the fuck those Suits have long promised but still not delivered on.

Eddie pulls at his tie a little more. He thinks he must have only had it all prim and proper at the beginning of the service, when what looked like the entire goddamn town was filing in to Crescent Hills Funeral Home. Wayne had tied it for him, completing the musty, donated ensemble. Then it was soon adjusted when Eddie and his uncle were greeted by a blubbering Claudia Henderson.

He whimpers at the thought of the woman and bites his bottom lip as tears well up, blurring his vision.

Blinking hard, Eddie fumbles for the volume dial. He knows his uncle listens to the local station, keeps up with the local news and traffic. Not that Hawkins has traffic – or that the local station plays anything other than pop.

Though, getting out of Town Hall's parking lot might prove difficult later today – or whenever it might be that everyone decides to stop with the courteous nods and feigned small smiles, scrunch up their Orders of Service and head on home after one too many mini-sandwiches on Mr Harrington's dime.

Richard Harrington, Eddie had come to learn today.

He learned far too many things today.

Like how Steve played the piano when he was a kid.

That his Grandpa was his hero. That he went to Summer Camp every year before becoming a Councillor.

Steve held records on the swim team. He even saved a lady from drowning out by Lover's Lake one time – before he became a lifeguard.

Eddie also got stories from Nancy, all of which were kind, if a little reserved. And of course, Robin – when she wasn't sobbing with her arm linked in his. Dustin, the brave kid, talked about movie nights and Steve's favorite candy as Claudia nodded along knowingly and Julie Harrington looked on surprised by such anecdotes.

He guesses he was surprised by some of it too.

But he wasn't supposed to learn it all this way.

None of this was supposed to happen at all.

Eddie steps on the gas as George Michael laments how he will, "never dance again".

Eddie never even got to, with Steve.

[stevieharringtonwifeguy]

Trans Femme-Stevie where she transitions after graduating, so when Eddie holds the broken bottle in her face in the boathouse, he doesn’t recognise her right away…

oh my god!!! thanks for the prompt- this is a great idea!!!!! behold:

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Eddie isn't thinking when someone enters the boathouse he's hiding in. He isn't listening to what they're saying to each other, can't even hear over the pounding of his own heart and his shallow breaths that sound about twenty times louder than they actually are. And when something digs into his side, prodding at him under the tarp he's hid himself under, he definitely doesn't think as he leaps out of his hiding spot, pinning his attacker to the wall with a broken bottle to their throat.

Her throat. His attacker is a girl, apparently, with soft shoulder-length brown waves and pink lip gloss and big, scared-looking doe eyes. Great, he's on the run from people who will definitely think he murdered one sweet, defenceless girl (she was so sweet, and she didn't deserve to go like that), and the first thing he does is threaten another one.

He's still not thinking, really, when he vaguely registers someone else talking, a familiar voice- Henderson? The kid is saying something, something about trusting them, about how they're not here to hurt him- "I swear on my mother, Eddie."

The girl under his hands nods as best as she can with the bottle still pressed to her throat. "Yeah, swear on- swear on Dustin's mom," she says, voice strained and slightly familiar in a way Eddie doesn't have the brainspace to figure out right now.

Eddie looks to Dustin (and is that Band Buckley behind him? And his neighbour? He didn't even know they knew each other), his eyes wide and sincere. And he backs up from the girl. She immediately doubles over, clutching at her neck with a gasp of relief that has Eddie feeling even worse than he already did.

He sends an apologetic look to the girl as he curls back up into himself, mutters a sorry that has the girl waving him off. She shoots him a reassuring smile and a shrug like hey, been there. It would probably work better if she wasn't still rubbing her neck, and if Buckley wasn't patting her shoulder and sending Eddie a death glare over it.

"You're okay, Eddie, it's just me, it's Dustin- and you remember Max, right? Lucas's girlfriend? And that's Robin and Stevie, remember I told you about them? They're my babysitters. Well, Stevie is, Robin's just like, her... I don't know, helper?"

Buckley- Robin rolls her eyes at Dustin, which Eddie can sympathise with. Like, what the fuck, Henderson, he has literally never cared less about who is or isn't his babysitter. Eddie has no idea who Stevie even is, which is weird now that he thinks about it. She's got to be around Eddie's age, and there's only one high school in Hawkins, so he must have seen her at some point. And she is kind of familiar, but Eddie feels like he'd definitely remember seeing this girl around. She's really pretty, soft golden skin dotted with moles, and her shoulders had been firm with muscle when he'd felt them, like she did softball or something.

Actually. Eddie squinted at her a moment. Golden skin. Moles. Droopy, hazel eyes. Muscles. Stevie.

"Wait, Harrington???"

Stevie freezes up again, the same fear returning to her eyes that she'd had when he held a bottle to her throat. Robin glares at him even harder, Max joining in, and even Henderson seems a little defensive.

"Stevie, yeah," she says, voice cool. "Problem?"

Holy shit. "No! I mean- me too! But, uh, opposite."

Stevie's eyes light up, and everyone's jaws drop. "What, really? But- you've always been-"

Eddie nods. "Yeah, since middle school. Remember? I'd just moved to town and I had that buzzcut? My uncle was letting me, like, be a dude and I kind of overcompensated. Worst haircut of my life."

"Holy shit," Stevie whispers, voice full of awe. Eddie can relate.

They both sit for a moment, revelling in the mutual wonder of finally meeting someone even a little bit like them.

And then Dustin ruins it.

"So what happened with Chrissy, Eddie?"

Oh, yeah. He'd almost forgotten this was the worst day of his life.

[runninriot]

Always Meant To Be

written for @steddieangstyaugust day 18

prompt: right person, wrong time | rated: T | wc: 4.398 | cw: minor character death (it's Wayne, I'm sorry!!!), grief | tags: they're in their 30s, break-up (past), lovers to strangers, missed opportunities, second chances, strangers to lovers, angst with happy ending | complete fic on ao3

15 years have passed since life tore them apart. Since the love that never had a chance to fully bloom had withered and crumbled because they had been too young, to too dumb, too caught up in finding themselves to give whatever flame had flickered between them the attention and care it needed to become something real.

Something, that was more than just a few stolen kisses in the dark of the night, huddled up together under a shared cover. More than just tentative touches under table tops, fingers entwined, grasping, searching for halt in each other’s closeness. More than a few beautiful mornings spent cuddling, whispering secrets against each other's skin.

Something that would've lasted for more than just one summer.

But they were two young people with plans for the future that simply, sadly, didn’t align. Wrong place, wrong time; maybe it just wasn’t meant to be – that’s what Steve told himself when Eddie announced that he was going away.

    ‘There’s a whole world out there, Stevie. And I’m going to find my place somewhere far away from this suffocating town.’

Eddie had always been destined for more, something bigger, something Hawkins couldn’t offer. So, Steve understood why he took the chance he was given, when he packed up his van and left to New York.

Still, Steve often wondered what could have been if they’d given it more time. Because he never really stopped thinking about the boy that might have been... no, that was his first true love.

And maybe, secretly, he always hoped their paths would cross again.

What he didn’t expect, was how painful it would be.

---

Steve’s back in Hawkins for his annually family gathering with the Henderson’s when Dustin gets the call.

   “It’s- it’s Wayne. He’s-“

He doesn’t have to say the words for them to know.

Steve hasn’t seen the man in years but he remembers him fondly. Remembers the morning after he’d spent the night with Eddie for the first time, remembers how scared he had been when Wayne caught him trying to sneak out when he came home early from his night shift.

Remembers the knowing look on his face and the smile.

Remembers how he offered him coffee, called him son when they sat and talked until Eddie finally woke up and joined them in their little kitchenette.

How welcoming and kind Eddie’s uncle had been, never complaining about Steve’s constant presence in their home from that day on.

Wayne must’ve known what went on behind Eddie’s closed bedroom door, of that Steve is sure, but not once did he make them feel like they were doing something wrong. That their love was something to be ashamed of.

And for that, Steve realises now, he will forever be grateful for.

It hurts to know he’ll never be able to thank him for it. To have missed the opportunity to show his gratitude to the man whose simple act of kindness, whose acceptance shaped him in ways he only now fully understands.

Steve remembers the day he came to say goodbye to Eddie and how Wayne pulled him into a hug after they had watched Eddie’s van leave the driveway – hugged him like he knew how much it hurt, told him to come by whenever.

    ‘I’m sorry it didn’t work out.’

Those were the last words Steve heard him say. Because he never went by the Munson home after that, despite the offer.

He saw Wayne every now and then, sure, but always from a distance, only nodding hello and waving goodbye from other ends of the aisle in the grocery store or when driving past each other.

Back then, he didn’t think it was okay to show up at his... friend’s uncle’s doorstep, no matter the bond they had formed over the course of the summer.

Right now, he regrets it.

Hates himself for every single decision his past self has made, if he’s being honest.

Because- leaving his home and his friends just to prove a point to himself, running away from Hawkins to Chicago where he’d thought he would get to pursue his dreams never turned out to be what he’d hoped it would be.

He hates his job, hates the noise of the city, hates the meaningless flings, the failed relationships, and the superficial friendships – nothing feels right.

What he had here, back home, was so much more. Or it could’ve been, had he not chosen to leave the broken pieces of his heart behind – out of sight, out of mind – chasing dreams that seem so useless and unimportant now.

Now that there’s suddenly an empty space that can never be filled again. Now that the world has lost one of the good ones, everything feels inane, worthless, wrong.

And while Dustin and Claudia share fond memories of the man that had always been known for his readiness to help others, Steve feels like someone has pulled the rug from beneath his feet.

Because it hits him now.

That must’ve been Eddie on the other end of the line telling Dustin about–

    God, Steve can’t even begin to imagine what he's going through and it breaks his heart just to think about how sad Eddie must be.

And not for the first time, Steve wishes he could hold him again.

continue reading here

[aphrogeneias]

𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰 — 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞

summary: at his hiding place, eddie "the banished" receives some bad news about the person he cares the most about, and because of that, he reminisces.

pairing: eddie munson x fem!reader

warnings: eddie's pov, no use of y/n. just some flirty flirting for now. she's an acoustic guitar girl, he's an electric guitar boy, what more can i say?

author's note: only minor changes have been made in this one, mostly added some lines. original version was posted on june 14, 2022. <3

series masterlist

It was the third time they'd almost scared him to death.

The first was when they found him, hiding at Reefer Rick’s boathouse, clinging to a piece of broken glass to dear life, like a cornered paladin clung to their sword - but with none of the honor, righteousness and lawful good bullshit, only a wanted man trying to make it through the night. The second was when they brought him supplies, and he was still too on edge to not be suspicious of anything that got too close.

This time, Eddie wasn’t expecting anybody, which made him even more worried. They were not supposed to be there that day.

He sat back as he watched Dustin make his way into the living room, followed by a distraught looking Robin Buckley and an equally upset Steve Harrington. They were all quiet, too quiet, and that could only mean bad news. More bad news.

“Please, don’t tell me I’m being charged for another uncanny murder case.” Making light of a bad situation had always been one of his strong points, but none of his jokes seemed to land right now that his life has turned upside down.

Literally, it seemed.

"No, no! There haven't been any other uncanny murders, but, uh…" Dustin started, "we kind of need your help now."

"You're friends with Nancy's neighbor, aren't you?" This time, Robin was the one to speak. She remembered your name and last name, then. "Senior, works at the record store downtown… We talked to your friends and they told us you're kind of close."

Kind of close. He thought. That's one way to put it.

"I'm offended you never mentioned her to us, by the way." intervened Dustin, but Eddie didn't have it in him to sass the boy back.

The mention of your name made his heart beat faster. He had grown used to the uneasiness in his chest, an anxious feeling that never really went away, but when it came to you, a new wave of almost overwhelming restlessness crashed through him.

There hadn't been a minute where Eddie hadn't thought about you. Alone and scared, hiding under a tarp while the silence of the woods and the soft waves of the lake below him lulled him to sleep, he thought about what you were doing, where you were, if you were safe. Whether or not the police had gotten to you, to interrogate you about him, just as they've probably done to his uncle, and if so, did you think he was capable of doing what he was being accused of?

He tried not to think much about that, though. Mostly, Eddie thought about your kind eyes and your warm laughter, smiling at him from behind the counter, the smell of your hair as he sat beside you, sharing a set of headphones as you tried to convince him to listen to something new. He'd give anything to see you again.

Nodding frantically, he stood up, stomach dropping at the same time. "Is she alright? Where is she?"

"She's fine, she's alone but she's home," Harrington intervened, raising one hand forward, "we just need to know… if you know… what her favorite song is?"

Eddie watched Steve wince uncomfortably as he tried to sound casual, and tilted his head at him, squinting. "What does that have to do anything?"

"It's a long story, but basically, um… me and Nancy came up with this theory that music can…"

Robin started fumbling with her words, but was promptly stopped by Dustin. "We just need to know what her favorite song is. She won't talk to anyone and we're worried, we can explain it on the way."

He didn't need to be a genius to understand what was going on there. Suddenly, images of Chrissy Cunningham's floating body flashed behind his eyes, her lifeless form dropping to the floor of his trailer, torn from the inside out — but, then, instead of her, it was you, your body, in her place.

The image alone almost paralyzed him.

"I know what her favorite song is. I know all of her favorite songs."

His voice trembled, just as his hands did slightly as he gathered his jacket from where it lied scattered on the couch, but still, he followed the trio as they rushed through the door.

1.

“No fucking way!”

“Shhh!” You snatched the record from his hands, but Eddie could see you were holding back a smile, “You’re scaring the customers.”

“He’s always scaring the customers.” Claire, the girl who worked the afternoon shifts with you, and who wasn't too fond of his behavior, rolled her eyes from where she stood, checking through a couple of boxes of new releases. 

“He’s always scaring the customers.”  He repeated her words mockingly, his face twisting in a sneer. Eddie knew he sounded childish, but it was worth it to see you biting your lip to hold back on laughing again, asking Claire to take those boxes to the back of the store and sort them out by artist, saying you would organize them later. He, on the other hand, didn’t hide his own grin as he watched the redhead leave through the staff door.

"You," pointing at him, you faked a glare, and Eddie would be lying if he said it wasn’t adorable, "are the most embarrassing human I've ever met."

Part of the fun of driving all the way downtown to buy new records and tapes wasn't just in getting to get his hands on new music, it had also a lot to do with you. The shy girl who mostly kept busy with stacking vinyl in alphabetical order and, for some reason, always seemed to know exactly what he was looking for. Eddie couldn’t seem to remember a time where you weren’t there, though he knew you must have started working at Mullberry's Records only recently, but you fit in there in a way that felt like you belonged. Not in the physical space between the rows and rows of records, and the colorful walls filled with cassette tapes, but in Eddie’s life.

He could spend hours there, and sometimes that happened quite literally, talking to you about music, though your opinions diverged quite a lot. On other days, when he just wanted an escape, he’d keep you silent company - as silent as he could manage - browsing through the sections and wandering behind the counter, controlling the record player only the staff had access to. You were easy to talk to, and that was something that was hard to find for him.

Maybe it was also because he liked the way you looked at him when he pushed your buttons.

"Are you listening to yourself? You're the embarrassing one!" He crossed his arms, leaning back at one of the shelves behind him. "Who doesn't like KISS?”

"They're just a bunch of clowns in high heels trying to make music. Also, who the hell names their band "kiss"? That's, like, the cheesiest shit ever."

“Unbelievable.” He shook his head, placing his hands on his hips. “What do you like, then, Your Highness?”

“I dunno…” You trailed off. As you did, Eddie watched you work, your delicate fingers counting through the new tapes scattered around the counter, silver rings glinting under the sunlight that filtered through the glass storefront, the way your mouth contorted as you seemed deep in thought, “I’ve been listening to a lot of Bob Dylan lately, some Joni Mitchell, she’s true magic, you know…”

“God, you’re so boring!” Your shocked face made him laugh openly, “didn’t anybody tell you this isn’t the Summer of Love anymore?”

“This isn’t the Summer of ten minute guitar solos, either, Munson. No matter how much you try to make it happen.”

“That’s because you haven’t seen me play yet. You’ll ask for ten more minutes when I’m through with it.”

Accidentally, that sounded a little more suggestive than he intended, and he knew that. He was almost apologizing, laughing it off with another joke, but he noticed the way you stopped on your tracks, slowly looking up at him, clearly trying to mask the way your breath hitched as you felt yourself fluster under his gaze. 

Eddie noticed, then, that he liked that a lot more than he liked pissing you off.

“You wish.”

[shichey97]

Meet Me At Our Spot

Older!Steddie, Mentions of homophobia, mental abuse, and arranged marriage. Death of Uncle Wayne.

Eddie hadn't seen Steve since the younger man turned 21. That was 20 years ago and he hadn't looked back after the guy called him in tears saying they couldn't see each other anymore. Eddie had been hurt and had reacted to the news the only way he new how to. He ran away from Hawkins and Steve. Now he's back in Hawkins for his uncle's funeral and he finds the kids still there and Dustin hands him a polaroid that says "meet me at our spot" on it. That's how he ends up sitting in the bed of his uncle wayne's truck with none other than the man who broke his heart. Neither had said anything for a little bit, but Eddie sighs, "What do you want, Steve? Last I heard you were married with a daughter."

"I was married and I do have a daughter." he confirms, "My father forced me to marry Ashley. He was told about us by a friend who saw us together and he flew home." he looks down at his hands. "He made me break up with you...I didn't want to, but I do want to explain to you why I left. Why I broke your heart."

"Forced you? How'd he force you to do anything when I told you we could leave." Eddie asks pulling off his tie and setting it beside him.He was exhausted and just wanted peace and quiet. He doesn't even know why he showed up here in the first place. He chose to ignore the voice that said it's cause he missed Steve.

"He would hit me when he thought I was doing something to disgrace the Harrington name. Which was most of the time. He found out about us and he hit and hit and hit and it didn't stop until I agreed to break up with you. Eddie...I never wanted to leave you. I love you why would I leave unless I had to?" he asks looking at him. "We could've ran away. I told you I wanted out of here. I would've had no problem leaving here." He mutters and watches the ground. He could feel Steve staring at him. Drinking in the 43 years he had on him. The slightly greying hair at his temples, the still messy curls that were down past his shoulders now. He had a gene in his family that made them go grey prematurely so that's what he was dealing with.

"He threatened to hurt you guys too, Eddie." Steve says shaking his head, "I wouldn't do that to you and Wayne...I tried to find you, but Wayne said he didn't know where you were so I dropped it." he says softly.

"I could've taken care of myself, Steve." He sighs. "I appreciate you explaining yourself to me. I...hope you're happy in life, Stevie." He says softly as he looks at his shoes and sighs. He feels an overwhelming sense of loss. More than he should for an uncle. Maybe he should've called more of came home to visit. He felt guilty that he hadn't seen Wayne as much as he should have and now this, knowing why Steve broke up with him, made it worse.

"I am. Alexis is going to college soon, I'm by myself again, life is...good." he says softly though his tone said he wanted to say something else, but chose not to.

"Sounds...empty now." Eddie says still looking down at the ground. He couldn't bring himself to look at Steve right then. He just couldn't look at him because if he did he'd lose the tight grip on the ache in his chest.

"Yeah...It's been empty for 20 years though." he says softly looking up at the sky, "I'm really sorry about Wayne." "It's not your fault. He lived a good life..he was happy." he says as leans back on his hand to pull a cigarette out of the pocket of the suit he wore. Something he only wore on sad occasions. He wouldn't wear a suit to happy occasions because of it.

"I know. He was there for Alexis and me after Ashley took off." he says softly and sighed. "Eddie I..." he starts before he sighs. "I want another chance to love you. If you can't I understand, but please give me one chance." he says looking at him again. Eddie bristled under the weight of his eyes and hangs his head, "Steve...I'm only here for week." he says quietly.

"Let me take you out for dinner in that weer. Just once and if there's no spark then I'll let you go again." He says looking at him. Eddie finally looks at him and searches his face before he nods, "ok. One date." he agrees and has to fight back a smile when Steve smiles really wide and hugs him. He gets a one armed hug back before Eddie is pulling away. He wants to say he knows the spark is gone, but the hug felt like coming home so there's no way it was.

Both men were hopeful for their future

[acewritesfics]

His Father’s Son | EDDIE MUNSON

⚠️⚠️ THIS IS A REPOST FROM MY MAIN BLOG @/DLMLUFICS. UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE TO DO IT THIS WAY. MORE INFO IN MY PINNED POST. ⚠️⚠️

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Reader

Request: From Anon.

Warnings: angst, death, fluff, unexpected pregnancy, grief, parenthood. It’s an emotional rollercoaster. Italics are flashbacks

Word Count: 4,020 - this is the longest imagine I've ever written and I wish they could all be this long.

Tag List: Open - acewritesfics taglist sign up

Stranger Things Masterlist

“What shall we do today?” Y/N asks her 2-year-old son, James, as she finishes dressing him for the day. “Should we paint some new pictures for Uncle Dustin?”  

When the thought of painting and his honorary uncle makes the small boy’s huge doe-brown eyes light up, she smiles. Painting is currently the toddler’s favorite activity. He painted on any paper she could provide him with, frequently himself and even the walls of the trailer they resided in. After the second time he painted on the walls, she made sure it would be an outdoor activity. 

“You stay right here,” she tells him, putting him in his play pen. “Mommy is going to go set up your paint, okay?”  

“Paits!” Although using the incorrect word, the toddler clapped.  

She smiles, tenderly correcting him, “Paints."  

"Pants.”  He cheers again, this time with a completely different word. 

“Close enough,” she shrugs and takes out the container filled with all the painting supplies James would ever need.   

When Y/N revealed that James’ new favorite activity is painting, Dustin, Steve, Robin, and Will, had gathered all the materials they could locate. When Steve and Dustin dropped it all to Y/N, James was beyond excited while she was in tears thanking them all. After most of the town turned their backs on her, the support she received from the Upside-Down crew occasionally became overwhelming for her. 

Because her son, James Edward Munson, was the child of supposed cult leader and serial murderer, Eddie Munson, the residents of Hawkins immediately despised the small child and believed he was the devil’s spawn. As soon as it was revealed that she was pregnant, the rumors surrounding Eddie got much worse. He was accused of sacrificing Chrissy, Fred, and Patrick in order for Y/N to become pregnant with Satan’s offspring, ignoring the fact that she became pregnant three months before the murders took place, with Y/N and Eddie finding out just one month earlier. 

Y/N made numerous attempts to escape Hawkins, but she was unable to do so. The only parent Eddie had who cared about him, his uncle, is still in Hawkins along with her parents. Despite Wayne and her parents’ best efforts to persuade her to leave and their offers of help, she was unable to go. The people she cared about most remained in this town. She wanted her and Eddie’s son to be raised surrounded by their families and friends, not people who didn’t know them. 

Over the past year, the animosity had gradually subsided, but every now and again, someone would say something snarky to remind her of their true feelings about her son. They treated her like a victim for some reason while treating her son the same way they had treated his father. The only difference was that James didn’t have an angry mob of hicks hunting him down and falsely accusing him of murder. 

She was setting up the paint table outside when she saw Wayne’s car parked outside his trailer, letting her know he was at home. She decides to take him some dinner before he returns to work later, knowing he will have just gotten home from his night shift at the plant.  

After returning inside, she lifts James out from the playpen and takes him outside. “Poppa is at home. Should we visit him later?” She asks the young child as she sets him down in front of the table. 

“Poppa home,” he says, his hands automatically going into the paint and making a mess. Fortunately for her, she had dressed him in an old outfit that he was outgrowing.  

“We can cook him dinner and bring it to him. I’m sure Poppa would appreciate it.” She smiles as she sits across from him on a flimsy metal and fabric outdoor chair.  

Wayne is now known as Grandpa, or Poppa, as James refers to him, rather than Uncle Wayne. 

After Eddie died, Wayne continued to let her live with him as they moved into a trailer near their old one.  While still grieving for his nephew, he made sure she had all she needed and along with her parents, he helped her in any way that he could. For her, Wayne had become a second father. She also knew it was what Eddie would have wanted. He had repeatedly stated to her that Wayne had been more of a father figure to him than his own father. Wayne was the one who most deserved to be called grandpa. 

As Y/N watches her son, she is struck by how much he resembles his dad, right down to his captivating big brown eyes, dark curly hair, and adorable button nose. He even had some of the same mannerisms. His small tongue poked out as he concentrated intently on his painting, just like Eddie’s did when he was contemplating or concentrating on whatever he was doing. The way he stood, and even the way he threw tantrums, reminded her of Eddie. Though it didn’t bother her, she had started to question if James had inherited anything from her or if it was just a joke God was pulling. James was his father’s twin in every way, which she loved because, in a way, it reminded her that Eddie was still with her. 

She remembers the moment she learned she was pregnant with James as she dipped her finger in paint to paint a picture of her own.  

A month prior to Eddie’s death, Y/N received a call from her doctor confirming that all the symptoms she had been experiencing were caused by her pregnancy.  

Eddie found her outside the trailer rather than inside, crying and looking terrified when he arrived home after school.  

“Hey, sweetheart,” he says as he takes a seat next to her, throwing his arm around her shoulder and drawing her closer. “What’s going on?”  

She sniffles, placing her hand on his knee and her head on his shoulder, “I got some news from the doctor today. They found out why I’ve been sick the last couple week.”  

She notices Eddie tensing up a little. She was aware that he would be considering the worst-case scenario. He frequently tended to do that. 

After a brief pause, she announces, “I’m pregnant."  

He starts to relax a little and gives her a head kiss. The news didn’t really surprise them. She had visited the doctor because of their suspicions about an unexpected pregnancy. However, neither of them stopped considering the possibility that it might be a false alarm and something entirely different. And even so, the young couple was still absolutely frightened. 

Eddie was still in school, selling drugs on the side, and Y/N was working at Family Video alongside Steve Harrington and Robin Buckley, having put her college plans on hold because she didn’t know what she wanted to do just yet. In order to save money for their own trailer after Eddie finally graduates in two months, they lived in his uncle’s trailer, occupying the one available bedroom. And now they need to prepare and start providing for a baby. 

"We’ll figure it out,” Eddie promises. Since they found out he wouldn’t be graduating with her in his first senior year, it had become his go-to line.  

She responds as she always does, “I know we will, we always do."  

She had no reason to doubt it because it was true. No matter how great or little the challenge, she and Eddie always managed to overcome it. That is how Y/N knew that he was the  man she would eventually marry and have a family with. It turned out that they would be beginning a family sooner than either of them had anticipated. 

She leaned in closer to him as he lifted her hand from his knee into the one that wasn’t over her shoulder and brought it to his lips, kissing her palm before kissing her head again. ” You are aware that I’ll be teaching our kid how to play D&D, right?“  

She can’t help but grin at what he says. "And guitar, and metal bands, and-”  

He lifts her head and gives her a soft kiss, cutting her off. His huge brown eyes pierce her own Y/E/C eyes as he ends the kiss. “I love you.”  

She kisses him again and whispers, “I love you, too.” 

“Mommy, look!” James exclaims as he holds up his latest masterpiece. The yellow, blue, and red colors blended to create a purplish brown hue in a painting of his handprints.  

“That’s incredible, my beautiful boy!” She praised the toddler. “Uncle Dusty will love it, I think. Should we go give it to him when he gets out of school tomorrow?” She continues, thinking about the kid she watched grow into a fine young man. 

Along with Mike, Lucas, Max, El, and Will, who returned to Hawkin’s after beating Vecna, Dustin was a senior in high school. She had remained close to them, but Dustin, like he had with Eddie, had a special place in her heart.  She had chosen the teenage boy as James’ godfather despite his age. As she observed Dustin with her son, she was confident that she had made the right choice. Just like he had with Eddie, Dustin also shared a deep bond James.  

She wasn’t surprised when she walked into the living room one day to find Dustin teaching James about all the Dungeons and Dragons characters, telling him about all the campaigns Eddie had thought up, and explaining to him that he was a Hellfire Club legacy and would one day lead the club and serve as a dungeon master like his father had. Despite the fact that James was oblivious to anything Dustin was saying, she could tell that she was raising a future dungeon master because he was listening intently and was fascinated in the figurines. 

James nods his little head, his eyes sparkling with delight at the possibility of seeing his favorite person. She smiles and puts another sheet of paper in front of him before going to hang the painting he had finished on the clothes line to dry since she doesn’t want grass or dirt to get on it.  

“How about painting something for Poppa?” She makes the suggestion after returning to him and seeing him gazing at the white sheet of paper as if he were deciding what to paint next. 

“Maxie?” he asks, referring to the redhead girl who lives two trailers down from them and Dustin’s friend. She believes her two-year-old son has a little crush on her. Most nights when she had work, Max or her mother Susan would watch him until she arrived home.  

“Would you like to paint a picture for Max as well?” she asks, even though she already knows the answer. He nods his head once more. “You could do one for Poppa and another one for Maxie,” she suggests. James appears to agree as he begins to paint with his hands again, creating an even bigger mess.  

She sits back down in the chair across from him and resumes her painting, losing herself once more in her memories. 

“We’re not naming our child Ozzy,” she protests as she sits on their bed, back against the headboard, a large jar of peanut butter and a spoon on her lap, staring at him as if he’s gone insane. She had no idea why they were having this conversation right away. They would not be able to learn the gender of their baby for a few more months. She was just two days short of being 12 weeks pregnant. 

“You like Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath!” he exclaims, his voice rising to a high, raspy tone it gets when he’s frustrated.  

“Not enough to name the baby Ozzy,” she responds, before shovelling another enormous scoop of peanut butter into her mouth. Her ability to consume peanut butter in that manner makes him feel a little repulsed as he watches her. 

“So, what do you suggest we should name him?” He asks with a little more composure and a dash of sarcasm. Eddie was adamant that the baby is a boy. “Dio?”  

She glares at him and slams his words back in his face, “You love Dio!”  

“I do,” he scoffs also using her words agains her, “but not enough to name the baby Dio.”  

“Dio is unique!”  

“And so is Ozzy!”  

“Jesus fucking Christ! Could you two please shut up?” Wayne can be heard yelling at them both from his spot in the living room. 

For a moment, it is silence between the couple until Y/N speaks up again as she moves the jar of peanut butter to the bedside table. “How about James?” 

“From Metallica?” he asks as he takes a seat next to her on their bed.  

She sits on his lap facing him and nods. As he placed his hands on her hips, sliding them up beneath his Hellfire Club shirt that she was wearing, she attempted to ignore the sudden heat that was building up in her lower regions. His rough hands brushed against her delicate skin as he traced his fingertips along her lower back until he reached the tiny, hardly noticeable baby bump. Her voice became huskier as she talks. 

“I know you love their new song. You’ve been learning to pla-”  She pauses to bite her lip to hold back a gasp when he lowers his hand a little. “Play it non-stop sinc-” she moaned softly as his hand slid into the waistband of her underwear. “Jesus Christ,” she exhales, losing all her thought process as Eddie continues to pleasure her with his wonderful, hard-working hands.  

“Nope, only Eddie,” he smirks, pleased that he is the only one capable of making her feel this way. He certainly knew how to take advantage of her pregnancy hormones.  

“Asshole,” she mumbles before crushing her lips against his in a heated kiss to muffle her moans of pleasure. 

Her memory rapidly shifts to a less pleasant one as she recalls what had transpired within the next week and how they confirmed that their son’s name would be James. 

It all began when Chrissy Cunningham, the good girl cheerleader and queen of Hawkins High, went to Eddie to buy drugs from him. Apparently, the weed wasn’t strong enough for her, and she required something stronger than what Eddie would carry his black lunchbox to school. After the basketball game and the conclusion of his latest Dungeons and Dragons campaign, Chrissy had returned to the trailer with him, surprising Y/N who was skimming through a baby book her mother had given her. He asked his girlfriend to help him in finding the Special K that he had somehow misplaced. She scolded him for even thinking to sell the ketamine to the teenage girl who had clearly never done any kind of drug in her life. He made an effort to reassure her that everything would be alright and that he would make sure Chrissy understood how to take it without accidentally overdosing herself.  

When they had emerged from their bedroom after finding the ketamine,  Chrissy had been in a trance-like state, her body was trembling, and her eyes were rolling back as if she were having a seizure. The young couple was horrified by what happened next. Chrissy’s body began to levitate off the ground, her legs and arms snapped in all directions, her jaw was completely dislocated from her skull, and her eyes had been pulled back inside her head as the all the lights around them flickered intensely. Neither of them could fathom what was happening. 

Eddie eventually regained some composure as he grasped Y/N’s hand and rushed outside, ushering her into his van, and sped off into the night, heading to the only location he believed they would be safe. 

After learning that Eddie was wanted for suspicion of murder and kidnapping—his kidnapping victim being his own girlfriend—they managed to stay hidden over the next few days with the aid of Dustin and Lucas, two of the younger members of the Hellfire Club, as well as their friends Max, Steve, Robin, and Nancy. The situation deteriorated even further when they had learned Max had been marked with Vecna’s curse, and survived an attempt to take her life on top of  two other teens being murdered in the same way Chrissy was. They had witnessed the third one while trying to escape Jason and his goon squad.  Ultimately, Eddie had a larger bullseye on his back. He was being pursued by more than just the police. 

Soon, a strategy was developed and put into action. Even if her sole responsibility was to hold a flash light, she was not going to let them or Eddie handle this without her. Eddie had tried to persuade her to sit it out but he eventually caved after Robin and Nancy pleaded for her help. However, he made it clear he wasn’t pleased about it and vowed to ruin everyone’s lives if anything happened to her and their unborn baby. 

She’d been assigned to team up with Eddie and Dustin to distract the demobats. Eddie insisted that she remain inside the upside-down version of the trailer, keeping her near to the sheet-made rope that hung between the two dimensions in case she needed a quick escape if everything went south. 

Up until the demobats began to attack the trailer, everything was going according to plan. Before she realized what was going on, Eddie had left them to go play the hero, and by the time she and Dustin had found him, it was too late. Demobats were surrounding Eddie on the road as he lay bleeding and struggling to stay alive. Dustin attempted to help her in lifting him up, but it was harder to due to his own injuries from coming back through the gate. She couldn’t make out what Eddie and Dustin as she focused on trying to move him. 

It wasn’t until she felt Eddie’s palm cup her face that she became more focused on him than on getting him to stand up. She looks directly into Eddie’s eyes as tears fall down her face.  

“I agree with you,” he tells her.  

“About what?” she wonders.  

“James. It’s a great name” He informs her, wincing slightly from the pain he’s in. “James the Remarkable. He’ll be as courageous and resilient as his mother and as metal as his father.”  

Her chest aches as she lets out a loud sob. “Then he’ll be known as James the Remarkable.” 

“You’re not going to argue with me on this?”  

“Not this time.”  

“I fucking love you so much, sweetheart,” he says, barely above a whisper as he becomes weaker. “And the kid too.” His hand moves to her belly as he looks Dustin. “Look after them for me, yeah?”  

Dustin nods, his own tears streaming down his face as he cries for his friend. 

“Stay with me, alright? We love you too,” she tells him. “You’re leaving this place with us, okay? We’re going to get you out of here and get you help and-”  

“Kiss me,” he says softly cutting her off. She gives him a gentle kiss as he takes his last breath. 

That had been, by far, her worst day ever. The pain she experienced when Eddie passed away in her arms was worse than the actual physical pain she had gone through with childbirth. Due to the overwhelming grief, guilt, and anger she was feeling, everyone had helped in ensuring that she was caring for both herself and the unborn baby. She frequently struggled to get herself to leave her bed. She would lay there crying while wearing Eddie’s Hellfire Club shirt and clutching his pillow, they were the two things that smelt most like him. She had to deal with the death of the person she loved more than anyone else, and the accusations against him only made everything worse. 

She had been interrogated by the police numerous times and attempted to convince them that Eddie was innocent of the killings and that he didn’t abduct and abuse her in order to get her pregnant. She made an effort to convey Eddie’s love for her and their child, and of the fact that they found out she was pregnant a month prior to the murders, and that he would never harm or kill anyone. But no one paid her any attention. A few hours after the questioning, s he found spotting on her underwear and had gotten Wayne to take her to the hospital to get checked over. Everything seemed okay aside from the baby becoming stressed because she was stressed, she was put on immediate bedrest until she got better. Wayne, her parents and her friends wouldn’t allow her to spend a day alone, someone was with her at all times of the day.  James was born a month earlier than his due date, but he was in good health and had very few complications. Two weeks after his birth, she was able to bring him home to the new trailer she shared with Eddie’s uncle. She was grateful to the others who stuck around to help her with him. Without them, she didn’t know if she would have made it through those first few months after having him. 

She took James inside after another hour of painting, washed him up, and then put him back with his toys. In order to keep him entertained as she organized the painting supplies, she switched on the TV and played one of his favorite Sesame Street videos. When she was finished, she put them away and went to get James a snack, only to see him sleeping on the couch. She gives her son a tender smile before heading inside their bedroom to get his favorite blankie, that he always uses when it’s nap time. She kisses his head as she leans in and brushes some of his locks away from his eyes. “I love you, kiddo.” 

She gathers his toys and puts them in his toy basket before going into their bedroom to clean that space as well. Her gaze is drawn to a polariod picture of her and Eddie that was placed on her dresser next to a photo of her holding James in the hospital shortly after his birth. She smiles to herself as she picks up the polaroid. It was captured at The Hideout following a performance by Corroded Coffin. Eddie was holding her close to him with his arm around her shoulders. Eddie had a huge grin on his face as Y/N’s was leaned back, laughing at whatever they were looking at off to the side of Gareth who had taken it and given it to them the following day. 

She is still holding the picture as she sits on her bed. She hated that Eddie wasn’t able to be at the birth of their son. She hated that he wasn’t there for Jame’s important first milestones. She hated that he wasn’t around to watch James grow up and teach him how to play the guitar and to play Dungeons & Dragons. She hated that he wasn’t there to help her raise their son. She hated they weren’t able to leave town, get married, and have more kids. She hated that he had died well before his time. She had no clue how she had made it this far without him.  

But James, who reminded her so much of Eddie, was her entire universe and the reason she kept going. From the moment she felt James kick inside her belly, he had become her guiding light in the darkness, reminding her that he was now her main purpose in life and her reason to keep living. In that moment, she made a promise to Eddie that she would love James deeply enough for the both of them, and that he would know just how metal his dad truly was, as well as the sacrifice he made for a town that hated him. 

[sidekick-hero]

(steddie | mature | 2.1k | tags: outlaw!eddie, future fic, starcrossed lovers finding each other, happy ending, the happy ending to he's all that I've got (don’t take that sinner from me) we deserve | @steddielovemonth prompt Love is the only thing we can take with us by @thefreakandthehair | AO3)

Sometimes Eddie wondered how many times you could lose everything and be forced to start over before you just...gave up.

The first time the world as he knew it fell apart, he had only been ten, too young to really understand what it meant as his mom grew weaker and weaker until the doctors took her away. He had been allowed to visit her one last time to say goodbye, and even at ten he had understood that from that day on things would be different.

There would always be a before and an after.

Sitting on a cliff in Maine, overlooking the sea with a crumpled photograph in his hand, he remembers the last time he spoke to his ma, curled up against her on the too-small bed in the too-white room.

"I miss you, Mama," he had whispered, his voice hoarse from crying so much lately. He didn't want to cry now, because he knew it always made his mommy sad when he cried, but he couldn't help the little sniffle.

His mom had stroked his hair. "Oh baby, I know. I missed you too, my sweet little boy."

"I asked Daddy when you were coming home to us, but he didn't say. He just said I had to stay with Uncle Wayne for a few days." The hand in his hair had felt good, soothing. His mom was soft and warm under his cheek, and even though she didn't smell like the perfume she usually wore, it almost felt like they were just cuddling in her bed after one of his nightmares.

"You're not coming home." Eddie added, not really a question because he might only be ten and sometimes school was hard because he was so bored and distracted, but he wasn't stupid. No matter what some of the kids on the school bus said, or his dad when Eddie could smell the bitter stench of whiskey on his breath.

His mom had pressed a kiss to the top of his head and sighed. "No, baby. I'm not." And then, in an even softer voice, "I have to go, even though I don't want to leave you."

"Then take me with you!" He had blurted out, scared and sad and angry at the world for taking his mommy away when she didn't even want to go.

"Baby."

"I don't want you to be alone, Mama." Because even though Eddie didn't really know much about death, he didn't want to think about his mama going somewhere dark and scary and being all alone without him to take care of her.

She had held him as tightly to her body as her dwindling strength would allow. "I won't be alone, baby. I will have you and Daddy and Uncle Wayne with me. Your love for me and my love for you. That's the only thing we can take with us, Eddie. That's why it's so important that you find people that you can love and that love you back, so that you're never alone. You will always have them with you."

His mom died the next day, taking all his love with her.

It was a long time before Eddie found that love in his heart again. Wayne helped a lot by teaching him that love came with no strings attached. Love was just because. Gareth and Jeff and Grant helped too, sharing his passions, looking up to him and giving him a place to be whoever he wanted to be, no matter how nerdy or loud or brash.

But it wasn't until Dustin, oddly enough, that he found that selfless love in his heart again. He gladly sacrificed himself for the kid who always believed in him, who looked past his masks and antics and shields and saw him, and embraced the man he found underneath it all with all his might.

And then Steve Harrington stumbled into his life and turned it upside down. Well, even more upside down than the actual Upside Down, which in a strange, roundabout way meant that Steve made his life feel right again.

Falling in love with him was both inevitable and almost an afterthought.

He was accused of murder. He ran away. He met Steve. He found out that monsters were real and fought them with a bunch of teenagers. He got to know Steve and liked what he found, a lot. He almost died. He woke up from a coma to find Steve at his bedside. He kissed a boy for the first time and liked it, a lot. He liked the boy, he liked Steve, a lot. He had to run from the law before he could even tell him he loved him.

His mama had been right, though.

Eddie had to leave everything behind, his guitar, his books, the only family he had left, his friends, hell, even his name.

He had to leave Steve behind, hopes and dreams turned into an almost.

The only thing he took with him was his love for Steve.

It made him reckless and stupid, selfless and brave. It made him seek Steve out, over and over again, and he found that he was taking Steve's love with him as well.

He risked getting caught again and again, and that would not only mean prison or, more likely, the death penalty. It would mean they might get the idea that Steve had helped him escape. Or Wayne. Dustin and the other kids. That's why Eddie stayed away from them, because it was safer for them.

He couldn't stay away from Steve, not until Steve asked him to.

At first, Steve never would; he would only ask Eddie to stay or to take Steve with him. He couldn't do either of those things because he knew what kind of life Steve would face if he came with Eddie. A life that was cold and bleak, hunger and loneliness, homesickness and the struggle to survive that ate at you every day.

No, Eddie couldn't, wouldn't ask that of Steve. All he ever wanted for Steve was a safe and comfortable life. Some nights, when he couldn't sleep, he thought about what he would have wanted for their future. A small house, a dog. Waking up in Steve's arms under warm covers. Eating breakfast in their sunny kitchen. Laughing and dancing barefoot to old songs on the radio like he had seen his parents do. Coming home to the smell of freshly cooked food and someone waiting for him. Kissing and touching and loving Steve as the sun set in the west, only to do it all over again the next day. And the next.

It took Steve eight years, five months and fifteen days to ask Eddie to stay away. He was so sad, so heartbroken when he told Eddie, "I love you and I can't keep waiting for a future that will never come. I want to be with you so bad, Eddie. You have no idea. But I can't keep doing what we're doing. I can't just have pieces of you twice a year."

They had made love that day, even if it had been on their knees on the dirty ground in a dark alley, and then Eddie had walked away.

Now, in the middle of nowhere in northern Maine, he thinks about those words. Playing them over and over again. Hoping the pain will kill him, thinking it might. Steve's love was what kept him warm, kept him going, even if he didn't really know where. At least he had Steve, so it didn't matter that he had nothing else.

Eddie had thought that his love was enough for Steve as well, but he should have known better. Steve deserved so much more than waiting for a future that would never come.

He plays the scene again, twisting the knife deeper, hearing Steve say, "I can't - Eddie, I can't do this anymore. It's killing me, never knowing when you'll be back, if you'll be back."

A large fishing boat honks in the distance, the sound barely registering as he thinks of the future he had always dreamed of with Steve. Coming home to him every day because they had a life together, whatever that looked like.

It wouldn't matter because they'd have each other.

The fishing boat honks again as it approaches Cutler's harbor. Maybe he could get a job on a ship again, he thinks distantly, it had been surprisingly good work. Busy and smelly, but good. It's nice here, secluded, so far from the hustle and bustle of the big cities. No one knows who he is, most people don't really care about national news, because what do they care? It's more important to keep up with local events.

Looking back at the one and only picture of him and Steve, an idea begins to form in his mind.

Eddie feels lighter as he slides the postcard into the mailbox before walking back up the driveway to his house. The mailman would be here in two days, but Eddie couldn't wait any longer, afraid he'd chicken out and wait another six months before working up the courage to actually send the damn thing. It's been 730 days since he last saw Steve and he feels every one of them etched in his heart like a prisoner marking the passing of days with scratches on his prison wall.

It's a risk to reveal his whereabouts like this, especially considering he doesn't even know if Steve is still in Indy or has finally moved on, moved to be with his friends instead of waiting for Eddie's ghost to haunt him. Eddie didn't give his address or even the town he lives near. Just that he's in Alaska and a hidden clue he hopes Steve will be able to understand. Just a little line tucked away at the bottom of the card, far less obvious than the Hey, Big Boy that says, "I took the road less traveled, I see you at the end of it."

Now all Eddie could do was hope, his love wrapped around him like a blanket as he continued to build a life here, at the end of the road.

Opening his front door while holding back an excited puppy is a feast he's still trying to master. Cerberus is an Alaskan Malamute destined to be big and strong, and the fact that even as a puppy Eddie has little chance against the bundle of excited energy doesn't bode well for him.

"Bear, come on, go to your place," he commands as he pulls the door open, his foot holding back the ball of fur that is trying to get to whoever is on the other side first.

"I'm sorry, he's not really trained yet and he's stubborn to boot," Eddie apologizes, not even looking up at his visitor as he continues to wrestle with Cerberus. It's probably the mailman or Mrs. Jenkins, the closest thing to a neighbor 'James Smith' has, since she lives only five miles from him. She likes to check on him from time to time, saying that a young man like him shouldn't be alone. He strongly suspects that she wants to set him up with her daughter.

"I guess it's true what they say, like owner, like dog, huh?" a warm voice chuckles and Eddie freezes. Cerberus takes the opportunity to leap over his leg and into Steve's arms as he bends down to greet the little traitor.

The puppy immediately begins to lick Steve's face with enthusiasm and wriggles in his arms to get even closer, making Steve laugh with his whole face. Eddie makes a mental note to give Bear some extra treats.

"I think he really likes me," Steve delights, and Eddie manages a weak chuckle of his own, still reeling from finding the man he loves and thought he had lost on his doorstep.

"Like owner, like dog, I guess."

That gives Steve pause, finally looking up from the bundle of enthusiastic puppy love in his arms.

"Eddie," he breathes out in wonder, his eyes taking in Eddie's body from head to toe, and Eddie wonders if he still likes what he finds. His body has changed, bulkier from all the physical labor he does, but also older. More scars, a beard against the cold, his hair cut shorter to look less distinctive.

"Hey, Stevie. It's James, actually."

"Yeah, they told me when I asked around and gave your description. Wasn't easy finding you." Steve adds, not angry, just a fact. Like he doesn't mind. As if he didn't travel thousands of miles to find Eddie.

"But you did."

"I did. You wanted me to, right? That's what your card was for?"

Reaching for Steve to pull him inside, Eddie closes the door behind him and takes a step toward him. Steve puts the puppy down and Bear, bless his heart, goes to his place without being told.

"Steve," Eddie says as he slides his fingers between Steve's, "I always wanted to take you with me, but I never felt I could. Not until I could offer you something. Well, it's not much, just a small house and an untrained, stubborn puppy, but it's something. If you want it."

Pulling Eddie in with their joined hand, Steve wraps his arm around him.

"It's you, that's all I ever wanted."

[courtingchaos]

Death and Affection

Kas/Eddie Munson x Fem Reader

Series Master List

A/N: Oh dang, a part three? Chapter 3? What are my conventions around here for this? It’s literally whatever at this point. The story has some meat on its bones now. I’m excited.

18+ NSFW No Minors

“My parents are moving.”

“How’d you find out?”

“Last night.” You look at him over your shoulder. “I snuck into the backyard.”

“That was stupid.”

“I know.”

There’s no heat in his words because you could say the same to him and his weekly wanderings out to the Henderson abode. A watchful eye on his Uncle being shown hospitality and the opportunity to hear all about his nephews exploits through Dustin.

In fact it was him telling you this secret one morning while the sun crept across the sky that gave you the idea to check in. Nearly three months of living in ruins with Eddie and you’d managed to stay away, to give your parents time to mourn. Apparently that wasn’t an option while still living in Hawkins though and you’d caught the conversation through an open window while they spoke to an agent and filled out paperwork.

They were moving clear to Michigan, somewhere on a lake and with a check stamped by these faceless officials. They could move on in the quiet solitude of a pier off of an A frame and the buzzing woods around them.

“I don’t think they’re taking anything with them.” Both of you traipse through the bare underbrush on another hunt for a tear in the earth. Bellies full for the night off of a ten pointer that you’d joked your father would have raged over you bagging.

“Your parents?”

“Yeah, clean break. It’s what the agent said.” You shove your hands into your coat pockets, new clothes that you’d stolen out of abandoned homes for the two of you. The look on Eddie’s face had been priceless when you’d handed over a bundle and he said the thought had never crossed his mind. “I was thinking, which I already know what you’re gonna say, but maybe we could hide out there sometimes.”

“In a neighborhood.” He says, not speeding up to be level with you. You’ve become attuned to his moods now, that tether between you two an almost corporeal thing. You can feel his irritation at your suggestion but that means he can feel yours at the idea of a continued existence in the boathouse.

“We wouldn’t have to sleep under a tarp anymore.”

“I wouldn’t call it sleep.”

“If they leave my stuff we can sleep in my bed and if you’re that attached to it we can bring the tarp along.” You shoot him a placating grin and feel that new feeling slither down your back. It’s a small undercurrent that you’ve noticed recently and it feels like how you’d felt on first dates. A nervousness that dances along your shoulders and makes the hairs on your neck stand up. The connection goes both ways so it’s one of those ‘you know that he knows’ things. He stamps it down as soon as it surfaces most days but tonight it seems to linger with you like the scent of blood still stuck in your nose.

“What if the neighbors see us?”

“We’ll be careful.”

“I don’t like it.”

You stop abruptly and turn to face him. “Please Eddie.”

He’s grumbling on the back of his sigh and almost unwilling to meet your eyes. “When they leave we can go check it out.”

“Thank you.”

“I’m not saying we can stay.” He’s trying to be stern but your smile throws him off a bit.

“I know.” A warmth between you, a peace offering he extends to keep you happy. The moment only last for a beat before he starts walking again.

“We still gotta cover this stretch, I saw one of those dogs the other night out here.”

Whatever sleep it is that you fall into during daybreak is fitful. Red cracked skies and a swirling black mass storm through your dreams and wake you with a jolt, Eddie already alert and watching. You tell him what you’ve seen like you always do and he files it away for later. It concerns him, especially when he falls into that other space. Any mentions of that towering hand makes those black eyes turn to slits, a hiss on the back of his tongue directed at you.

You’ve been lucky so far with no more incidents like that last time. No more feral feeding off of innocents in the woods and tearing at Eddie for blood. You can barely grasp onto the memory of it just the feelings of rage and his skin under your tongue, fresh human blood and how soft the ridge of his lip was.

Another night of fruitless search but Eddie swears he can feel the bats closer now. Says it feels like the earth is ready to shake apart further and unleash hell.

“If we find an opening, are we going in?”

“Yes.”

“Oh.”

He doesn’t try to comfort you even though you don’t think you really would need it. It’s more an empty feeling of acceptance. A new thing on top of the blood drinking that you need to do and that’s apparently walking through the earth into a blackened dimension full of monsters that haunt your twilights of sleep.

Another walk through the woods, this time with you trailing behind him silently. Lost in your own thoughts you don’t pay attention to that tug at the back of your brain that tells you he’s trying to say something without opening his mouth. Studiously staring at the ground and his feet, stepping where he steps, and paying no mind to him trying to will your attention upwards at the fence line.

What would a fall through the ground even feel like? You think about the vague idea you have about cave diving and try to imagine the way it must feel to have air rushing past you into an abyss of foreign fauna that’s-

“Would you listen to me?”

“What?” You snap your head up at his tone, both chastising and full of laughter.

“I’ve been trying to get you to look.”

Past him looms your darkened previous home, only partially covered in overgrown weeds in the backyard. The sliding door to the backyard has had a single thing thrown through it but everything else seems to be intact. You slide your gaze to Eddie who looks frankly a little too proud of himself but before you can even ask he’s walking again and climbing the fence quietly.

“Are you serious?” You ask when you drop soundlessly into the grass.

“It’s supposed to rain tonight. Thought we could have an intact roof over our heads.” He gives you a smile before pausing at the broken glass, head tilted to listen. It’s quiet except for the distant hum of generators and the occasional car that passes through. Eddie deems it safe with a nod and pulls the door open, motioning you in first.

You think it’s funny that they’ve left up curtains when everything is bare. The kitchen that you walk into is stripped of everything but the eyelet lace curtains your mother made. Through the doorway that leads into the living room you see that they left the couch your father always hated but definitely took the tv and the stereo system along with the recliners. Again the curtains hang still in the windows to give the illusion of some kind of life, however faded and haunted it may be. It almost makes you laugh while you step silently through the house, a pantomime of a ghost but not really.

You breathe in the stagnant air. You stand on the carpeting your father had installed last year. You look at the sun bleached corners of picture frames seared into the walls. You taste the melancholy of a family only partially disappeared from their home.

“You okay?” Eddie asks from the doorway, jacket folded over his arm while he looks at those same bleached and blank spaces.

“Surprisingly?” You turn to face him, a small smile on your lips. “Yeah. I’m sad for them.”

Eddie nods and you know he understands. Can feel it through the tether and knows what it means to watch family from afar move on. You inspect the front hall closet and find an old winter coat of yours. In the background you hear Eddie twist the tap on the sink and the sudden rushing of water.

“Did they leave that on?” You round the corner into the kitchen amazed that utilities exist here.

“Maybe they’re trying to sell it?” He shrugs.

“To who, your friend Henry?”

He laughs at that, his fingers hovering over the switch on the vent above the stove like he wants to try the lights. For a moment you think he might but he pulls his hand away and shakes his head at you. “Last thing we need is a kid thinking this place is haunted.”

“I mean, it kind of is, isn’t it?” A joke as you turn the corner to head up the stairs but Eddie just shoots you look. He doesn’t follow immediately, you can hear him moving around in the basement, so you check the bedrooms. Parent’s room also stripped of everything but the curtains, the en suite bathroom a stark powder blue even in the little bit of moonlight that streams in. The spare room that held your mother’s crafts is empty save for a desk and lastly your door. It’s closed against the night in the hallway that also bears scars of years of family pictures hung there. This wooden door with its scuff marks along the bottom from you kicking it open gives you pause though. The grief you feel for your parents grief is momentarily gone and replaced with your hesitance to see.

What did they take of you with them? Did they take you or did they take the facsimile of you? The pieces they approved of and nothing of the rest. The turning of the doorknob scrapes loudly in your ears, almost like you’re opening a tomb for the first time in a millennia. The door swings out of your grip slowly to bump into the wallpaper where it always has, the lock on the inside bumping directly center on the purple blooming flower wallpaper behind it.

The furniture remains. A bedroom set bought for you when you’d turned 16 and still thought you’d have your life together after high school. Pink accents on cream colored wood; a dresser, a floor length mirror, a nightstand and a four poster bed. A hamper that sits empty and your shoes still lined up next to it. Clothes in the dresser and bedding on the mattress but you are gone.

Pictures you’d taped to your mirror and pinned to a cork board have been plucked from their homes. Your old clarinet case gone along with the stack of books you’d had on your nightstand. The scrunchies you’d left stacked on one poster of your bed have been stolen and the stuffed leopard you’d had since infancy taken away with your trace. An empty room full of wood and cotton like someone might come home at any moment and flop on the bed. Kick their shoes at their hamper and take their hair down just to roll over and switch on their lamp.

The shudder in your chest coincides with Eddie’s appearance at the top of the stairs but maybe it isn’t a coincidence. He glides into your room and throws his jacket on your bed and wordlessly moves into your space to pull your forehead into his.

“I’m sorry.”

“I didn’t think it’d matter.”

“I know.”

“It’s just stuff.”

“When Wayne went through everything in the trailer he only took the important things.” His voice drops to a hush like a secret between you two in your childhood room. “He only took the things that felt right.” He raises a hand to the back of your neck, a grounding touch that keeps you anchored not only to the present but to him. His skin is hot against yours with new blood running through you both and you have an inkling this might be where your rush of emotion is coming from.

“I’m just happy they saw me.” That’s what breaks the dam and the tears stream silently to drip off your cheeks. He brushes at them with his knuckles but doesn’t say anything. Stays still and keeps your head pressed to his to until your sniffles begin to lessen and your deep breaths steady you.

“Good news for the night.” He smiles at you. “There’s running water.”

“That is good news.”

“You can finally rinse the lake out of your hair.” His finger gets caught in a tangle as he runs in through your strands and your laughter breaks the sadness.

“You could too.”

“What if I like smelling like a midnight swim? Ever think of that?” Color sits high on his cheeks before he turns away from you and throws himself on your bed. “Oh my god this shit is comfortable.” He moans into the bedding and you laugh harder at him. You’ve been granted a peek behind that dense curtain a lot more recently. His humor is wholly him, his reactions full of grandeur and flourish, and not for the first or last time do you wish you could have known him outside of all of this.

“You like it?” You ask while pulling off dirty clothes. “It’s an old mattress.”

Eddie flips over and makes himself comfortable. Kicks off his shoes and folds his hands under his head, eyebrows raised up his forehead. “Oh so it’s got some miles on it. I get it.”

“Uh, not like that.” You’re left standing in underwear that you wish, and then suddenly realize, you could wash. You tell him as much and his face lights up while he furiously works at his jeans and toes his socks off.

“Throw it all in a pile, I’ll take it down after my shower.” You say over your shoulder and make your way across the hallway to the bathroom to find out what else was left. In the linen closet is all the undesirables, frayed sheets and thin towels pocked with holes, but it’s better than nothing. Funny enough there’s no curtain left for the tub but a dried out bar of ivory soap sits in the shower and you don’t know if you’ve seen anything half as beautiful. When you turn the knob the water spits from the shower head at a pitiful rate but you watch it fall like a natural wonder before you finally decide to get in. Tepid temperature that you can’t fix but the way it hits your scalp and runs down your back makes you moan from the ecstasy of it all.

You get lost in the rushing water and the smell of powdery soap that you lather through your hair against your better judgement.

Beggars can’t be choosers. Your mother says in the back of your mind while another strand pulls faintly in your haze. It’s that red rope that moors you to Eddie being reeled in with short tugs. He isn’t grasping for your attention or calling you to him, it almost feels like those moments of desire he tries to keep to himself but this feels unintentional.

You run your fingers through your hair to help squeeze out the soapy water and you can feel a third set of fingers running solid down the back of your neck. There’s nothing there but you can feel the drag of a thick finger along your spine between your shoulder blades and down until it hits your lower back. Gone like it wasn’t ever there until you feel it press into the soft part under your jaw, right against your juglar. Another drag of this invisible digit and another tug of that tether before you begin putting it all together. If you strain to listen through the running water and the closed doors you can hear Eddie moving around. A shuffle on top of your comforter followed by a shallow whisper, sounds of skin moving along skin and another invisible hand splays along the back of your thigh and runs up slow.

Does he know he can do this? In your confusion you stand still in the bare shower with the water beating over your shoulders. His imagined hand roves down to glide over the back of your knee and it coincides with a sharp breath from behind two doors.

There’s been a closeness since that first night in the alleyway. The way he’d held you to himself and fed you from himself had continued into the care he’d taken to make sure you slept soundly. Always shoulder to shoulder with his head tucked into you. Small glancing touches to direct you and a finger pressed to your lips to silence you when people got too close to the waters edge. As the bond formed underneath the care you’d panicked and worried he’d find your fondness for him; recoil from it. Instead you’d found his own feelings and those had since tripled after your little mistake in the woods.

A graze of a tongue tracing your lips pulls you from your daze and your fingertips light over the fading feeling. Ghostly touches in your hair and down your sternum leave you with a deep wanting. Are these the places his eyes linger or where he longs to touch?

Invisible fingers trail over your navel, light touch that skips the lower it goes. Hesitance where before there was defined curiosity, especially when you turn the water off suddenly. The bathroom is dark but you could still see your reflection if you’d just look up. Maybe you’d catch an after image of him standing behind you. Could he see you then? Clearer than the thoughts he races through? That tentative touch suddenly disappears just before they venture to the point of no return and like a snap you find your senses again.

With a towel wrapped tightly around your chest you open the door and grab the pile of laundry left on the landing. For a moment you linger and contemplate inching your bedroom door open but you’re still not sure if he even meant for you to know. All the way down to the basement where you walk and wait on cold concrete while the washer fills, only the dusty dregs of detergent left for you to get your clothes to a semblance of clean. When you tire of pacing you perch on the dryer until the buzzer sounds and you start your worrying all over again. The what ifs.

He’d said that night at the lake that he didn’t know the end of you or him. If there was a reversal or if you’d drop dead with all the other monsters. You chew on a nail while you fret three floors down in the earth, a fitting place for you now. Those dogs he’d found in the woods had been extraordinary with their petaled faces and chittering but you still worried. Would you become like them? Would that black shadow creep into your life and split your face, pulling your limbs to new lengths just to hunt better?

This time when the buzzer goes off you jump. It’s just the small arm full of clothes but you make the act of unloading the dryer last longer than it should. You begin picturing Eddie’s face split into a blossoming grin full of teeth but a heavy shudder runs through you, instead pivoting to picturing Eddie in your room. That gives you a shallow feeling in the pit of your stomach almost like hunger with those ghostly touches sitting along your skin like a sheen of sweat, raising goosebumps along your bared skin. Above you, two floors up, you can hear movement and finally you bring yourself back to the basement and out of your own head.

Alone time in your room like in the before when you’d get home from work and decompress on the edge of your bed. Freshly showered and changed into old, soft t-shirts and shorts with a similar pile next to you on the bed.

When you’d come up with the laundry Eddie had been in the bathroom with the shower running and you’d taken it as a moment to catch your breath. Slowly folding stiff clothes to sit on your dresser while you thought about him alone in here with the impressions of your former life.

The door opening makes you start, eyes snapping to him moving quietly into your former space in just a towel. You avert your gaze quick but you know he’s caught you with the warmth that pulses off the him in your head.

“Those for me?” He points at the pile next to you and you nod. “I haven’t had pajamas in…months. Well actually years, but that’s because I’m lazy.”

“You’re not lazy.”

“You didn’t know me before all this.” He laughs and snatches the shirt and before he has a chance to drop his towel you turn your back to him. “Oh what, I thought we were past this?” His smile bleeds through his tone. “Since the whole biting thing.”

You turn your chin to catch him in the furthest corner of your eye, a pale thigh covered quickly by his one pair of boxers. “You can still have privacy.”

“Yeah I don’t know how much of that we have.” He shrugs at you when you turn back to face him.

“Did you…” You speak before you fully form your thought. Maybe he had known what he was doing earlier and that sends you down a different path while Eddie waves his hand at you to continue.

“Did I what?”

“Earlier.” You stand and open your closet to dig around for the spare quilt and comforter that’s usually in there, using the task to hide your face. “When I was in the shower.”

Eddie stops fidgeting behind you. His breathing sounds shallower while you dig around the bottom of your closet and clear your throat to speak clearer.

“I’m not upset but I just wanted to know if…if you knew.”

“What happened in the shower?”

“I could feel your…touch.” You speak this into the stack of old blankets you clutch to your chest now, edging along to your bed to keep his eyes off of your face until absolutely necessary. “Like on my neck and-and my leg.” You drop the blankets before facing him again, hands tucked behind your back so he doesn’t see your own nervous habits. He looks through you with an unfocused gaze and a worried crease between his brows. You have that instinct to sooth, to reach a hand out for his forehead and take that notch away. Fingers twitch behind you while you fight the urge and Eddie refocuses on your face with a slow roll of his eyes. His mouth opens before he thinks better of it and clicks his tongue.

“Thought I had a better handle on that.”

“It’s okay.”

“You don’t have to reassure me.”

The swooping in your stomach assures you it isn’t just him you’re trying to placate. “I’m not.” A small step forward to put you closer to him. “Well I’m not just reassuring you.”

His knuckle brushes the underside of your jaw and you almost flinch from the contact, surprised by his boldness.

“I’m sorry for making this weirder.”

“Oh, outside of the blood sucking and the monsters?” You joke and he laughs and that hand still stays under your chin. “It’s okay Eddie.” Your own hand snakes up to grab his. “We’ve got a weird thing going anyways.”

“That’s one way to put it.” His eyes are soft when they dart across your features and you have the deep feeling of home suddenly in your chest.

“Do you want to go to bed?”

In another lifetime he might have made a joke and wiggled his eyebrows down at you while you giggled and slapped his chest for being stupid. It might have been a one off or maybe a few hook ups but it would have been for fun, him following you into your bed. Now though wings beat unendingly in the edges of your perception and all you want is a few hours of peace with your nightly companion.

Wordlessly he grabs for the blankets you unearthed and starts layering them, turning your bed into a fortress of cotton. He does his usual of getting you situated first, holding up the edge of the sheets to gesture you in, making sure you’re tucked up against the wall before he slots himself next to you. With the blankets tucked in around your bodies to ward off the oncoming sunrise he settles down and casts a glance at you, an invitation to move in closer. This morning it’s your head tucked into the crook of his neck, your lips on the sluggish pulse that ticks up when you press fully against him, your arm thrown over his middle while you quickly fall into sleep.

It’s fitful for only a few moments, or maybe a few hours, with that hand reaching for you. Even in your slumber you can feel Eddie under you, an anchor against this predator that searches for you. Every morning you hide in ruins from it but there’s almost a peacefulness that comes when it seems to grasp you finally.

An immersion into rushing cold water that makes you gasp and turns oddly quiet the deeper you go. Black and wet and unending in its pull.

He wakes slowly with a long stretch, relishing the feeling of lying down in a real bed for the first time in a long time. It smells like you when he rolls towards the wall in search of your shoulder, his nose pressed into the pillow for a deep inhale. He’s half aware of his surroundings but he’s sure his hand should have found you by now in the full size bed but he pats along the soft sheets until his knuckles hit wall. Finally peeling an eye open to gaze to his side and you’re gone. The sheets and comforter are still firmly over his head, the nest you two made before turning in still blocking the waning sunset, but your side is barely dented. He lifts a corner of the bedding to stare at the wall and gauge the light, deeming it tolerable enough to get up and look for you.

There’s no water running and he can definitely feel you near but there’s no feedback like normal, just the shape of you in his minds eye like you’d been stamped out around the edges. His feet hit the ground before he fully turns the sheets down in his hunt for you but he’s stalled on the edge of the bed when he sees you sitting in front of the window.

“Hey.” It comes out in an almost whisper, his hesitance to break the still of your evening. You don’t seem to hear him, unmoving in your desk chair, shoulders slumped forward and head tilted downward at the backyard.

“Is someone out there?” Eddie creeps forward slowly to stay as far out of view in case of intruders but he’s stopped when he notices your forearms draped over your lap.

“Can you get me back?”

There’s a chill that runs through him with the creak of your voice. It touches something deep in him, something with black beetle eyes and sharp talons. This voice is from the same place as that other thing that lives in him.

“What?”

“You’re looking for a way in.” Your head turns back towards him slightly and he can make out more of the black lines that mark up your arms on your neck. “I can help you.”

When Eddie had been dying on that foreign soil he’d had many things shown to him. Broken bodies and long shadows, a possessed child and raging man covered in the traces of that swirling black. The monster that dwelt inside him had hissed at those images and fled with Eddie, pulling him topside and eventually to you.

“I don’t want your help.” Him and his alter answer this creature that’s taken your voice and when it hears his disgust you turn to him, eyes black like they shouldn’t be. Veins close to the surface and deep hued where they run up and down your neck.

“You brought me here. You listened to me and you followed my aim and you found her.” Your teeth glint in the dimming light. “You want to find a way in just like I do.”

Eddie watches your fingers grip the seat of the chair, nails digging into the wood like it was dirt. Teeth clenched at him and a scowl directed at his still form.

“Get me back where I belong and I’ll leave her be.” You lean in towards him and he can smell you like you were here hours ago. Still just an outline in his mind and that tether seems to float into nothing now like it was trapped in black water. He panics with nothing of you to grab onto. For months now he’s had you as a constant, even when you were hungry and started to slip but this? This thing had never been present in you, just in your dreams. He thought it hung at the edges like it did in his but he’d been wrong. The creature inside coils in tight like it’s been struck, a hiss that Eddie can’t help but let out slowly as he watches you being puppeted by that towering hand.

Your voice scratches and catches like a swarm of insects and you lean in closer to make your point heard, eyes shining dully up at him. “Help me find Henry and I’ll let her go.”

[bibbityboppitybillyharvgrove]

The Five Senses- E.Munson

Summary: As Eddie begins to wake up from the incident in the upside down, he senses come back to him one at a time.

Pairings: Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Female reader, use of Y/N, hospital stays, demobats, talks of death, the upside down, (let me know if I missed any!)

Author's note: So I never finished my 25 fics leading up to Christmas, I was in a bit of a writing slump but I am back and adding Eddie Munson to my list of characters I write for. I hope everyone who celebrates the holidays had a wonderful time!

My asks are open for questions, suggestions or feedback on my writing.

My full Masterlist

Word Count: 1.2K

Feedback is welcomed and encouraged!

Enjoy!

The last thing Eddie expected was to survive the Upside Down, he was convinced that he was as good as dead. So imagine his surprise when he woke up in the hospital, his newfound friends, girlfriend and Uncle Wayne sitting around him.

The first sense that came back to him was his hearing, he could hear the quiet conversation that Robin and Steve were having in the corner of the room, a few unfamiliar voices that mixed in with Mike’s and Dustin’s, then he heard her. His wonderful girlfriend whom he probably scared the shit out of. She was talking with Wayne, saying that when Eddie woke up, he didn’t have to worry about taking care of his nephew and losing shifts at the plant, that she was more than willing to do it.

The next sense that came back was his smell. It was overwhelming at first, the smell of bleach and an overall sterile environment. He smelled his Uncle’s distinct scent, woody and musky but one of the most comforting smells to him. He smelled her, she always had the smells of lavender and vanilla clinging to her no matter what she did. Even if she had showered at the trailer and used Eddie’s soap and shampoo, she still had those smells attached to her. They had grown to comfort him.

Then his taste came back. The only thing he could taste was her chapstick. She had been applying her chapstick to his lips every few hours so they wouldn’t dry out or crack. She didn’t want him to feel any more pain than she thought he already would. She also knew that he was a giant baby when it came to having a cracked or split lip so she wanted to prevent the inevitable whining.

His sense of touch was the next thing to return to him. He felt a few hands on his shins, they were smaller hands so he assumed that they belonged to Mike, Dustin and maybe Lucas. He knew that someone was sitting on his bed by his feet, he couldn’t tell who it was. He also knew that there were two people holding his hands, he felt the rough hand of his Uncle in his right and the soft, delicate hand of his girlfriend in his left. He felt a strand of his hair tickling his face, it was uncomfortable but he couldn’t move to swipe it out of the way. As if reading his mind, she had swiped the strand of hair out of his face, tucking it behind his ear, gently stroking his cheek once his hair was in place.

He heard her quietly ask Steve a question, her voice sounded so broken, she sounded so tired. Eddie pushed himself, gathering up enough strength to squeeze the two hands that were holding his. “Holy shit, Eds? Can you hear me, baby?” Her sweet voice asked him, the room fell silent. The only sound being the heart monitor.

The last and final sense Eddie got back was his sight. He had mustered up enough strength to open his eyes. The light was bright for a minute, someone rushing to turn them off. He didn’t recognize who it was, but he was grateful. The first thing he noticed, other than the sheer amount of people in the room and a sleepy Robin sitting on his bed, was the wilting flowers and deflating balloons.

“Welcome back to the land of the living, Munson,” Steve was the first person to break the silence.

He managed a smile and let out a chuckle despite his dry throat, “Thanks Harrington.”

“Never do that to me again!” She cried, resting her forehead on his shoulder.

“You scared me, son,” Wayne said, a single tear falling from his eye. The man never cried but when it came to the boy he considered a son, he bawled like a baby when he found out Eddie was alive and in the hospital.

“You can’t get rid of me that easy.” Y/N and Wayne both let out a tearful chuckle at his joke. “Can I have some water?” Multiple people scrambled to get him water, eventually settling on letting Dustin pour the water. She had grabbed the water from Dustin’s outstretched hand, helping her boyfriend drink from the cup.

“I don’t think you’ve met a few people in this room before, you up for some introductions?” Max chimed in, she had been hiding in one of the other corners with Lucas. Eddie just nodded as Y/N pulled the cup away from his lips.

“This is Will, his brother Jonathan, their mom Joyce, my girlfriend Eleven, and Argyle,” Mike had gone down the line to introduce everyone to Eddie.

Hopper went on to explain that they were able to clear Eddie’s name, pinning it on the now dead Jason Carver. They filled Eddie in on everything he missed, how Hopper was still alive, how Max had survived Vecna, how Nancy managed to kill Vecna, how he managed to save Hawkins by buying the other group more time. Everyone was there for hours, Eddie and Will bonded over their love for D&D, him and Argyle bonding over their love for some good weed, and then falling quiet and observing everyone around him, mostly his uncle and his girlfriend. Wayne was the first one to notice that Eddie had started to doze off, “Let’s give these two some space. I’m gonna head back to the trailer, call me if you need anything. I’ll bring you clothes in the morning, sweetheart.” She had nodded at the man, who had made his way to her side, dropping a kiss on the top of her head.

The nurse, Dot, had walked into Eddie’s room and announced that visiting hours were over and that they were to all leave the hospital and go home. “You can all come back at 8 a.m tomorrow. Y/N, do you want a cot, honey?”

“I’m okay, Dot. Thank you.”

The group had bid their goodbyes, exiting the room, Wayne lingering for a minute. The man, who very rarely showed affection with the boy, kissed his nephew on the crown of his head, savoring their moment together before he turned and left. Eddie was in and out of sleep a majority of the night, every time he turned to the left, he found his girl, asleep in the uncomfortable hospital chair. As she slept, he finally took a look at his stomach, where he was attacked by the bats. He was mostly healed, the only thing left behind was scarring which he knew would be permanent.

“Eds? What are you doing awake?” Her sleepy voice asked him, his eyes tearing away from the scarred flesh of his abdomen and at the face of his girlfriend. One of the few people he sought out for comfort.

“They just came in to take more blood. Do you want a cot? That chair doesn’t look comfy,” Eddie replied, his concern for her deep in his voice.

“Don’t worry about me, baby. I’m okay, this chair has molded to the shape of my ass at this point. Go back to sleep, I’ll be here if you need me, okay?”

“Can you lay with me? I can’t sleep without you.” She got out of her chair and climbed into the tiny hospital bed next to him. He curled up, his head resting on her chest, arms wrapped around her the best he could. She pulled the covers up over his shoulders, her hand burying itself into his hair and massaging his scalp. “I love you, sweetheart.”

“I love you more, rockstar.”

[littlechivalry]

D100 Spotify Wrapped ficlet

87 - "Possession" Sarah MacLachlan

Eddie/Steve, Eddie as Kas, dark, major character death, body horror/blood/gore, bad ending

Steve hasn't slept this well in years, even since before all of the Upside Down bullshit started. He puts his head down on the pillow and his eyes don't open again until the sun rises.

And the dreams.

They left Eddie behind in that red skyed hell.

Steve had tried so hard, he felt the other boys ribs crack under his hands, had someone else's blood caked in his hair, and when he knew it was over and that there was no chance of saving him Steve had tried to at least drag the body back, let Eddie be buried in the real world.

But the bats had come back and low lurking shapes were taking advantage of the ash as cover to get closer and eventually Steve had to leave him behind if he had any chance of getting Dustin and the others out alive.

But in his dreams Steve never left. And Eddie never died. In fact he looked amazing. Whole and hale and smiling. Every night when Steve went to sleep he fell into a world where Eddie was someone he could get to know, someone who listened to him. Someone who cared.

And every dream ended with a hug, a hug like Steve had never felt before, and Eddie's laughing voice asking, "When is a door not a door?"

They hadn't killed Vecna. They didn't win anything. Eddie was dead. Max was in a coma. The Byers had come back to Hawkins with the formerly dead Sheriff Hopper, injured and traumatized. Everyone was exhausted and frightened and so sick of the constant cycle of fighting.

And the world was ending.

Every day Steve woke up and went to work. Patrolling the town. Hunting down monsters. Escorting El to the gates to close them, one by one. Trying to keep their ragged little troupe together.

The Feds were stalking the borders of the town and Steve wondered how long it would be before the government decided to just cut their losses and burn Hawkins and everything (and everyone) in it to the ground.

Tempers were frayed and Steve bit his tongue so much he wondered if one day he might just bite through it.

In his dreams Steve told Eddie all about it. How scared he was all the time, how angry. The way the others were wearing down, the way he forced himself to look strong even though he felt like he was fading away.

But every night he was back in Eddie's company, in Eddie's arms. And it helped so much.

They were getting closer. One more gate and it would be done. The monsters would be stuck in the Upside Down and Steve could rest.

Then he had the dream. The night before they would close the last gate. Cut Vecna off entirely, and it turns out - cut Eddie off.

Steve felt his heart racing in his chest, felt his body lurching and trying to wake up even as Eddie's hands tightened around his wrists.

"Steve, please! Steve you can't leave me here!"

Steve shook his head but Eddie's grip only tightened. "You're dead! I'm sorry but you're dead."

"I know! God, I know. But please don't leave me here. My body. I want to be buried next to my mom, where Uncle Wayne can say good bye!"

Steve was gasping, sobbing himself awake. "I can't. You died by the trailer gate, the only one left is at Lovers Lake."

"Please, Steve! Please!"

Steve felt like he couldn't breathe, every muscle in his body ached. Eddie's hands shifted, his arms wrapped around Steve. Eddie was was holding him together. He was tearing Steve apart.

"Steve! When is a door not a door? Steve, please!"

Steve screamed himself awake, screamed YES into the deep airless shadows of his bedroom.

The sheets had wrapped themselves around him, he threw them away and ran for the door, stumbling down the stairs.

His car keys were on a bowl by the door and he snagged them on his way out. He didn't even know if he closed the door behind him and he didn't care.

He slammed into his car and sped off, foot to the floor.

Steve blinked and he was at the lake. Blinked and he was on a rowboat. Blinked and he was standing in the middle of the lake, the red light of the gate now glowing up through the water.

Steve stood up in the boat, felt the wood rock underneath his feet. He kicked off his sneakers but didn't bother with anything else, didn't need the flashlight anymore.

He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, sending some kind of shapeless plea into the universe.

And he dove.

The water was full of Upside Down ash and it burned but he didn't dare close his eyes, didn't dare get distracted from his goal.

It felt like an eternity since he had see the Watergate but it hadn't really changed. The same burning red wound in the silt covered bottom of the lake.

This time instead of being pulled through Steve swam for the opening intentionally, forcing himself through the rip in the world.

The other side was as dry and abandoned as it had been before. Steve pushed himself to his feet, exhausted and terrified.

Eddie - Eddie's body - was in Forest Hills. Steve had a few hours still to get to it, to drag him back before El and the others would be at the lake to close the last gate. He could do it.

He had to.

He set out on foot, the ground beneath his feet sharp and writing with vines but he couldn't waste even the seconds it would take to step more carefully.

Demobats wheeled, screaming, overhead and Steve could see the dogs lurking from the corner of his eye. The petaled shadow of a demogorgon moved over him and Steve shivered as it passed.

He was unarmed in the Upside Down, nothing between him and the nightmares that were surrounding him but sweat pants and a worn tee shirt.

That he even made it as far as the edge of the woods was a miracle.

The dogs were on him first. Steve lunged for a branch on the ground but it crumbled into dust in his hands. Teeth sank into his lower back and legs, throwing him to the ground.

The bats were next, a black cloud of them blocking out the weak mockery of a sun overhead before sinking down on him, sinking their teeth in him and he was screaming. Screaming.

The meagre glimpse of sky he could see between the frantically flapping wings was soon blocked out by the demogorgon that had not passed and walked away but instead found a place to wait so so patiently.

All of Steve was pain. The wounds in his back that had never really had the chance to close were being torn open wider and wider still against the ground. The teeth, thousands of teeth, that were tearing pieces of him away. He coughed up blood but whether it had been pulled from his throat by screaming or forced up by the monsters digging into his lungs he couldn't know and in the core of him, in the one quiet place the pain and the monsters and the nightmare hadn't reached yet he ached because he had failed.

He failed.

The gate would close on him and on Eddie. Steve hadn't even gotten close enough to die next to him, next to the boy he thinks he could have loved.

He can't scream anymore, can barely whisper, he huffs out his last few weak breaths in the shape of apologies.

When suddenly. Everything stops.

The teeth, the claws, the monsters don't leave. But for a moment they cease their relentless grinding into his flesh and everything is still.

In the silence Steve hears Eddie's voice, his dream returned to him.

"When is a door not a door, Steve."

Steve wants to cry. Wants to scream. Wants to pull himself from this pile of horrors and fall into Eddie's arms.

"Steve? I asked you a question."

The voice gets closer and now the bat's begin to move, pulling themselves from his skin with what could almost be called care.

As they move Steve finds himself able to see again. A red haze covered his vision, half the red sky overhead and half his own blood he's sure but he can see and what he sees is Eddie.

But it's not Eddie.

The figure moves closer. Eyes as dark as night and shaggy matted curls. A laughing face, sharp dimples book-ending a smile full of fangs. And rising from his back a pair of leathery wings.

Steve gasps in a wet breath.

Eddie. The Eddie thing steps closer. Crouches only inches away from Steve's shoulder.

Steve feels a clawed hand settle on his chest, pressing him into the ground.

"You tried so hard, didn't you, Steve? Tried to bring me back. Those ribs were a bitch for my master to heal, you know."

The hand presses harder and Steve feels a sharp crack in his chest as breathing which had already been difficult becomes impossible.

"Tried and failed. But my master didn't fail. He brought me back and not just from the brink of death but right out of the Grim Reapers hands.

And well, I have to show my gratitude somehow, don't I? That's just manners.

So in exchange for my life I decided to give him Hawkins. I just needed a way in."

The hand on Steve's chest pulled away and for half a second he almost wanted it back. This was a monster but this monster was Eddie. His Eddie.

"When is a door not a door? When it's ajar." Eddie laughed, bared fangs glinting red. "That's an old joke, I know, but I love it--

I have to thank you Steve. If it hadn't been for you i wouldn't have such a nice gift for old Henry. But now I can present him with the last open gate and on the other side of it every enemy, every barrier he has had to getting his freedom.

In a few hours time he will march through that gate with me at his side and an army of monsters behind us. And it's all thanks to you."

Eddie leaned forward and smiled and even as Steve felt horror rise up in his throat he saw the same soft loving Eddie from his dream.

The hand returned, this time to Steve's forehead pushing blood soaked hair back out of his face. "Thank you Steve."

Eddie leaned forward and Steve's eyes fell shut even as he felt a firm kiss pressed to his mouth, his last breath passing into the man he could have loved.

[erin-bo-berin]

My thoughts :) so, pregnant reader right? Could be set in one of the other dad Steve timelines, if wanted, but! Either way, they have at least one other kid. The first went by smoothly, everything was great! However, second pregnancy? Not as great. Things are more complicated and high risk (whatever the reason may be) so she’s put on bed rest almost all the time (though if she’s stubborn like me she’d be still trying to do things for herself,,) but Steve is in full mother hen mode, constantly worrying. He probably has someone with her whenever he can’t be there (most likely dustin, Robin, or maybe Eddie). Things get even more complicated when reader goes into labor (early) when Steve is a few hours away. Whoever is with her naturally is freaking the hell out and getting her to a hospital asap, Steve’s phone is ringing off the hook, etc. he’d be driving like a mad man to get to the hospital in time. Bonus points for somewhat complicated delivery but everything still turns out okay in the end, because duh. Anyways, these are the thoughts I’ve had floating around in my head for no real reason lately other than I enjoy putting my favorite characters through angst :)

Oh man Steve would be insistent that someone was always around to help you or watch you while he’s at work and you being your stubborn self would actually sneak around doing things. Steve would definitely find out because whoever was there would tattle on you (but you’re about to go stir crazy! How can you stay in bed like this for a few more months?)

But imagine he tries to make it up to you. You might not be able to go many places, but he decides on bringing you take out from your favorite place (Mexican, Chinese, Thai, whatever) and makes you a bed on the couch where he promises to let you pick whatever movies you want to watch and you two have a cozy movie night that soon becomes a weekly thing, whether if you’re watching movies, tv or just enjoying one another’s company. He’ll always snuggle you and caress your bump and rub it absentmindedly.

He’d even tell baby number one to take care of mommy even though little one is barely out of diapers and toddling around. Thank God for so many babysitters though because an active toddler and bed rest is a nightmare of a situation. Little one number one definitely has plenty of aunties and uncles to keep him or her company.

Steve would definitely be beating himself up while panicking when he realizes you’ve gone into labor and he’s not there with you. Even if it was that he was away for something mandatory like a work trip, he’d be blaming himself for not being there. I can imagine Hopper seeing him speed by and he doesn’t even question him or stop him because he knows the only reason he’d be speeding that fast would have to do with you and the baby.

Maybe you’d had to have an emergency c-section and were knocked out for it so you were terrified for yours and the baby’s health and Steve isn’t with you and you’re scared. Steve arrives to find out you’re already in the operating room and he’s panicking even MORE until a nurse comes to get him and shows him healthy baby number 2.

When you wake up, still groggy from the anesthesia, Steve is right by your side and stroking your cheek while holding baby in one arm. He’d be like “good news, sweetheart, all that bed rest didn’t go to waste because our baby is happy and healthy”

And you still being loopy from drugs just stare at his handsome face and say something crazy like “You’re cute. I oughta marry you.”

Steve just cracks up, filled with relief and so much amusement at your drugged state plus he loves you to death.

[watercoloredlie]

In Another Life(Edancy Week Day 3: Grief

Summary: Eddie was her meant to be in every life in every way. 

Warnings: Character death, Vampire smut, fluff

Prompt: Edancy week Day 3- Grief

Song: In Another Life by the Veronicas

Notes: I know the prompt is grief, but I couldn’t bring myself to not let this have a happy ending in some way. Fun fact, Lucy and Alice are two different characters that Natalia Dyer has played. I picked the names randomly from the list of her projects on IMDB.

I have known you my whole life

When you were ten, you said you’d make me your wife

Eight years later and you won me over

Just as I took the world on my shoulders

Nancy Wheeler and Eddie Munson were practically raised together. Their mothers were old friends. The two kids often hung out together. Shortly before Mrs. Munson tragically passed away, Eddie and Nancy were playing in the park.

“One day when we’re older, I’m going to make you my wife.” Eddie gave her a goofy grin.

Nancy wrinkled her nose at him. “Eww why?”

“Every bard needs someone worthy to sing about.” He winked at her then tumbled down the slide.

She thought he was being ridiculous and continued playing. Everything changed after that. His mother died, his father went to prison, and he was taken in by his uncle Wayne. Nancy and Eddie drifted apart a bit after that. Eight years passed and things weren’t so carefree any longer. Now they had to deal with the Upside Down and Vecna. Nancy never expected to reconnect with Eddie or find herself falling for him. Everyone had been surprised to find out that they were dating, but the pair took it in stride. Then Chrissy Cunningham died and all Nancy wanted to do was make sure that Eddie was okay.

Of course she had hated keeping the truth about the Upside Down from him, but she had honestly believed that she had been protecting him. Unfortunately she had been proven wrong and now the whole town of Hawkins believed that the man she loved was a murderer. Nancy refused to stop until she had cleared Eddie’s name. She wanted to maim the basketball team when she heard that they had tried to hunt him down.

“No. Nope. Absolutely not. We’re not going back in there.” Eddie shook his head after Nancy suggested they return to the Upside Down.

She huffed at him. “Why not? We have to destroy Vecna.”

“He took you last time. What if he does it again? No, I can’t lose you. It’s not our job to fight these things.”  He sighed looking at her.

Nancy softened a bit. “I know, but we can’t just do nothing while Max is in danger. It was scary, I know, but I’ll be okay.”

“I still think it’s a terrible idea.” Eddie murmured pulling her into his arms.

No matter how much they prepared for it, Eddie was proven to be right. They had gone in separate groups. Eddie and Dustin were the distraction. Nancy had gone with Robin and Steve to destroy Vecna. She had kissed Eddie making him promise to be careful. After turning Vecna into a pile of flames, the three of them had returned only to find Dustin cradling Eddie on the ground. Nancy ran over to them dropping to her knees beside Eddie. Her blue eyes glistened with tears as she gazed down at her blood spattered boyfriend. 

“Don’t.. Cry..” Eddie smiled weakly at her.

Nancy smiled softly at him. “Save your strength. We’re going to get you out of here.”

“Love you… so much, Nancy Wheeler.” He breathed out then visibly relaxed. 

She leaned in kissing him gently. “I love you too, Eddie Munson.”

Eddie smiled again then let out a soft gasp before going limp in Dustin’s arms. Nancy checked on him then broke down sobbing beside his body.

I got used to living without you

Endless phone calls and dreaming about you

Always said that you were my meant to be

But I guess I was in love with your memory

Nancy was distraught. She distracted herself by fighting to clear Eddie’s name. With the help of a returning Hopper, she managed to do just that. It was a bittersweet victory. Nancy couldn’t think about him for too long without crying. All the good memories they had made flooded her mind as she curled up in her bed with her blanket wrapped around her.

“You’re going to go on to do big things, Wheeler. Eighty six is our year. We’ll graduate, you’ll go to Emerson in the fall, and I’ll get a job somewhere nearby. Maybe I’ll even do some shows on the side.” Eddie pressed a kiss to her temple and smiled.

Nancy relaxed curling up against him some more. “I like the sound of that. I think we were always meant to be together.”

The memory made Nancy smile to herself in spite of her tears. She loved him with every fiber of her being and nothing could have ever changed that.

You know I love you, I really do

But I can’t fight anymore for you

And I don’t know, maybe we’ll be together again

Sometime, in another life

In another life

“Yes they are. Aren’t they wizard?” Ralph Penbury grinned in excitement.

Her blue eyes sparkled in delight. “Indeed they are.”

After the disaster that was his attempt at courting Lauren, Ralph didn’t want to make the same mistakes again, but he couldn’t help being smitten with his new acquaintance. Alice was an American aspiring writer who was living abroad in England and Victoria had invited her to their latest party. He had been considering signing up for the military to fight in the war though he had no real desire to after meeting Alice.

“Will you marry me?” He asked her nervously on bended knee a few months later with a new ring.

Alice grinned brightly as her blue eyes teared up. “Oh Ralph! I’d be delighted. Yes! Of course I’ll marry you.”

Relief washed over him as he slid the engagement ring onto her finger then stood up pulling her into a kiss. He couldn’t believe that he was going to marry the woman of his dreams. Breaking the kiss, he wrapped his arms around her waist in a hug spinning her playfully.

I know I said that I would keep my word

I wished that I could save you from the hurt

But things will never go back to how they were

I’m sorry I can’t be your world

Eddie had awoken with a sharp gasp and blood red eyes. His senses were on overdrive. It was dark out when he finally broke free from his grave. He did his best to cover it up. Seeing the headstone, the metalhead swallowed hard. Eddie wasn’t sure how he was alive or what was going on. The only thing he knew was that he needed to see Nancy. The bloodlust consumed him though so he fed on the nearest living person. A pang of guilt struck him. He returned to his old trailer in the now abandoned trailer park. He gathered as much of his clothes as he could. He wasn’t that surprised that they were still there. Eddie then went to a different trailer and was relieved to see that the hot water still worked. He showered and changed into fresh clothes.

Despite his desire to see the woman he loves more than anything, Eddie forced himself to learn how to control his bloodlust. The last thing he wanted was to hurt Nancy. When he finally had a good amount of control a few weeks later, he quietly went over to the Wheeler home hidden by the darkness of the night. He swiftly got in through her window to find her asleep in her bed. She was alive and she was safe. That was all that mattered to him.

“I’ll always love you, Nancy Wheeler.” Eddie whispered quietly as his hand gently stroked her face.

He knew that he couldn’t stay with her. Not while he was stuck like this. She deserved better than that. Eddie hated how much she was hurting over losing him. He wished more than anything that he could just take her pain away, but life just simply didn’t work like that.

You know I love you, I really do

But I can’t fight any more for you

And I don’t know, maybe we’ll be together again

Sometime, in another life

In another life

Her blue eyes rolled as she worked on cooking them dinner. “She was a right bitch, Tom. She was so scared that you were going to cheat that she turned around and cheated herself. Who does that?”

“Ruth does, apparently.” Tom Grant sighed though his accent made it sound like he said roof.

Lucy smiled at her friend. “Hey, it’s been a few months. I’m proud of you, Tommy boy. Like I said after it happened, you just need to let yourself heal and then try to move on. Here, taste this.”

“Yeah I know, love. I’m trying my best. Mm, it tastes good. Wait, is this your nana’s recipe?” He tasted the sauce from the spoon then licked his lips.

She giggled softly at him. “Yeah it is. Guaranteed to heal any broken heart.”

“Pretty sure her food could heal anything.” Tom chuckled as he moved to grab the loaf of bread.

Lucy’s blue eyes widened at him then she moved to grab the bread herself. “Thomas Grant, you are not putting my nana’s spaghetti between two slices of white bread.”

“Ey, why not?” He laughed while they playfully struggled over the bread.

She frowned cursing their height difference as he held it above her head. “Because you’re going to eat the spaghetti like a proper man and not like a broke college student.”

Something shifted in that moment with the two of them standing so close together. Lucy gazed up into his big brown eyes and smiled fondly at him. Setting the loaf of bread on

the counter, Tom grasped her face with his hand gently. She nodded her head at him and he leaned in pressing a sweet kiss to her lips. His other hand rested on the small of her back holding her close to him.

The way you’re holding onto me

Makes me feel like I can’t breathe

Just let me go, Just let me go

It just won’t feel right inside

God knows I’ve tried

He had tried his best to stay hidden. Of course he couldn’t help watching her from afar. It wasn’t long before he slipped up though. Nancy was now living in her own apartment and Eddie couldn’t help stopping in to see her while she was asleep. Except this time she was wide awake.

Her blue eyes widened when she saw him standing there in her bedroom. “Eddie? God, I really must be losing it. Now I’m imagining you standing there.”

“You’re not imagining it. I’m really standing here.” He cleared his throat gazing over at her.

Nancy stood up from her bed walking slowly over to him. “This must be a dream or I’m dead.”

“You’ve very much awake and alive, Wheeler.” Eddie couldn’t help chuckling softly.

Her hand shook as she reached out touching him. “There’s no way.”

“Sorry I’m late, sweetheart.” He couldn’t help himself pulling her into his arms.

Nancy gazed up at him in awe as her eyes filled with tears. “I don’t understand. I saw you…”

“I know. I’m sorry that you had to go through that. I don’t really understand it myself.” Eddie admitted with a sigh.

She buried her head against his chest crying. “Oh Eddie.”

As much as he wanted to leave, he selfishly loved having her in his arms again. He pressed a kiss to her head as she clung to him. Nancy had so many questions, but she didn’t care because Eddie was here and he was okay. He gently wiped her tears away with his thumb. It was then that she noticed his fangs. Thankfully his eyes only went red when he was angry or needed to feed. Nancy didn’t seem scared though. She was more curious than anything. Leaning up, she pressed a kiss to his lips. Eddie knew deep down that she needed to let him go more than anything, but damn if he wasn’t like a moth drawn to her flame.

He kissed her back gently unwilling to risk hurting her with his fangs. For the first time since she had watched him die, Nancy Wheeler felt whole again. The kiss slowly grew more passionate as it always does with them. Eddie reluctantly broke the kiss and shook his head.

“I shouldn’t be here. You need to grieve for me and move on with your life.” He sighed letting go of her.

Nancy frowned at him. “What? No. I want you to stay. I just got you back. I can’t lose you again.”

“I’m legally dead, Nance. I’m a blood sucking vampire. I can’t.. I can’t give you the life that you deserve.” Eddie frowned and ran his fingers through his messy brown curls.

Her hands cupped his face gently. “I never wanted a white picket fence kind of life. All I wanted was you.”

His feelings got the best of him and he pulled her into another kiss. Clothes were slowly pulled off of their bodies. Her fingertips gently traced the scars that marred his pale skin. He shuddered at her touch. It didn’t disgust Nancy though. He was just as beautiful to her as he had always been. Eddie picked her up and placed her down on her bed leaving a trail of kisses down her body. He spread her legs pressing a kiss against her inner thigh. His fangs gently grazed against her soft skin while he worked her over with his fingers.

Nancy moaned gazing down at him. “Bite me, Eddie.”

He was hesitant as the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. Eddie glanced up at her and she nodded her head at him. His fangs then gently sank into the flesh of her inner thigh. A moan fell from his lips as he tasted her blood. He only drank a little then ran his tongue over the bite mark sealing it while she came around his fingers moaning loudly. Eddie pressed a gentle kiss against her high. He wasn’t sure if he should as he didn’t want to hurt her, but he couldn’t resist eating her out. Her sweet taste was intoxicating. The sinful sounds she made were his favorite melody. 

Eddie kissed his way back up her body once he was done. He let her relax a bit, but her hand stroking him told him everything he needed to know. Moving her hand, he nestled between her legs thrusting inside of her slowly. His hand interlaced with her hand against the mattress above her head. She kissed him moaning against his lips as he made love to her. His free hand grasped her headboard giving him leverage as his hips moved faster. Nancy cried out his name in ecstasy as her back arched off of the bed. The headboard cracked beneath his grasp as hey both came. He slid out of her after a few moments and laid down beside her. Panting heavily, Nancy curled up in his arms contently.

They stayed like that just making small talk for a while. Eventually exhaustion won out and Nancy fell asleep. When she awoke the next morning, Eddie was gone. She thought she had dreamed it until she realized that she was still naked and there was a bite mark on her thigh. It was only when she glanced toward the nightstand that she saw his rings on top of a letter.

Nance -

I love you with every fiber of my being. I always have and I always will. Nothing could ever change that. I should have said this to your face, but we both know that I never would have been able to leave if I did. I want to stay with you more than anything, but I can’t. It wouldn’t be fair to either of us. You deserve to be with someone that you don’t have to hide. You’ll just keep getting older while I’ll stay the same age. It’s just too painful. This is for the best. I am so sorry, sweetheart.

I’ll love you forever and for always.

-Eddie

You know I love you, you know I do

But I can’t fight any more for you

And I don’t know, maybe we’ll be together again

Sometime, in another life

In another life

In another life

In another life

In another life

Her brows furrowed as she looked at her brother. “I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

“You guys only wounded Vecna. He came back disfigured, but El was able to get rid of him permanently.” Mike told her.

Nancy frowned at that. “Why didn’t you tell me? I would have come back to help.”

“Because you’ve been through enough. None of that matters right now. There’s something you need to see.” He grasped her wrist tugging her in a certain direction.

She followed him to the grassy point overlooking Hawkins. “What is it?”

His friends were already there. To her surprise, Max was sitting in a wheelchair conscious and she was able to see. Nancy was glad to see that the younger girl would make a full recovery. Steve and Robin were also there keeping an eye on the younger teens. Mike let go of his sister’s wrist bracing himself for her reaction.

“Max wasn’t the only one that El was able to save.” He admitted to her.

A tiny spark of hope bloomed within her, but she didn’t want to give into it. “What?”

“Hi sweetheart.” Eddie turned around and smiled at her.

Nancy turned to look at him unsure of what to think. “Eddie?”

“Yeah, it’s me, Nance.” He assured her.

She ran into his arms hugging him tightly. He hugged her back sighing in relief. Nancy cried as she clung to him. Eddie pressed a kiss to her head while rubbing her back soothingly with his hand. She could hear his heart beating as she leaned against his chest.

Nancy pulled back wiping her tears away then hit him lightly. “Don’t you ever do that to me again. I can’t handle losing you.”

“Never again. I promise. I’m all yours if you’ll have me.” Eddie reassured her with a grin.

She grinned softly and sniffled a bit. “Of course I’ll have you. It’s always been you.”

They all returned to that spot a few weeks later, but this time it was for an even more joyous occasion. Nancy walked down the aisle looking ethereal in a simple white gown. Eddie stood at the altar tearing up a bit in awe. He was in a black suit with a black dress shirt and a black bow tie. It was a pretty normal ceremony though they added a little something extra when it came time for the rings.

Nancy slid the silver band onto his left ring finger reciting what she was told to say then grinned softly at him. “Forever and for always.”

“Forever and for always.” He repeated after taking the matching silver band from his best friend Dustin and sliding it onto Nancy’s left ring finger.

“With the power invested in me by the State of Indiana, I now pronounce you man and wife. Eddie, you may kiss your bride.” Hopper nodded at them.

“Don’t mind if I do.” Eddie grinned pulling his wife into a kiss dipping her for effect.

Nancy giggled kissing him back happily. Of course what no one knew, but them was that the inside of their wedding bands were specially inscribed. His said My Meant To Be while hers said Forever and For Always.

[writingforevren]

STRANGER THINGS - Eddie Munson Theories

SPOILERS AHEAD DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN SEASON 4 OF STRANGER THINGS

Disclaimer - I haven’t looked up any theories, these are both of my own creation and if you have seen or written similar ones then we must share braincells

I Love Eddie Munson, I also kind of relate to Eddie Munson, so obviously I was heartbroken when he ‘died’ but... what if he didn’t?

THEORY 1 - THE POSSIBLE ONE

Okay so this first one is relatively plausible. After Eddie’s ‘death’ it cut away to 2 days later, so what could’ve happened in that time? Robin, Nancy, and Steve find Dustin crying over Eddie’s body. Nancy checks his pulse to realize that he’s not quite dead, even though his pulse is incredibly weak. Steve carries Eddie out of the portal just because there’s that little bit of hope that he might survive.

Meanwhile El just finished her fight with Vecna and bringing Max back. She realizes she needs to go back in to check on Dustin and the others to make sure they’re okay so she does and she sees Dustin sobbing his eyes out over Eddie while they try desperately to treat his wounds and wake him up. El thinks If she can heal someone once she can do it again right? So she remembers what she did with Max and harnesses that same power to help her friends friend who obviously means a lot to them.

Eddie takes a breath in a ‘miracle’ he’s incredibly out of it. They bandage him up, talk him through it, painkillers, take care of him, lot’s of tears too y’know as you do when your friend almost dies. Then they make a pact. Nobody can know Eddie is alive, he would hide out and pretend he’d died in the earthquake since he was still a wanted serial killer. Nobody except for them would know; Their ‘little secret’. Dustin talking to Eddie’s uncle is actually him internally struggling with whether to tell him the truth or not, instead of being sad about his death, he’s sad that he has to lie to Eddie’s family.

THEORY 2 - THE UNHINGED ONE

Hear me out- This one is unhinged as all hell. El and Vecna have relatively similar abilities and theoretically can do the same things. We recently learned that El has the ability to start a stopped heart. So then that means that if Vecna wanted to he could bring someone back. One of Vecna’s flaws is that he only has the ability to access the real world through dreams, so maybe he needs a vessel, a body that he could use to access the ‘rightside up.’

Now where’s he going to find a viable vessel in the upside down? I know this is way out of wack but... Eddie Munson. Jason (aka the annoying jock that died last minute) kept saying Eddie was a ‘vessel’ for the devil but what if that wasn’t true- YET. Look I hate Jason just as much as the next guy but this could be a way for the ridiculous things he said to have a real meaning.

If Vecna and El have the same powers than Vecna could bring Eddie back and maybe not even with that much effort considering he has a lot more control over his powers even if he doesn’t have as much raw talent as El. Eddie played “Master of Puppets” as his final song so what if he became the puppet? only to eventually overcome the inner evil with the help of the ‘gang’. Also imagine Joseph Quinn playing Vecna pretending to be Eddie- Need I say more? I know this theory has a very slim chance of being even a little bit right but my brain won’t let this shit go.

If you read this far, thank you for indulging in my revisit of this hyperfixation. Also I would love to hear others thoughts on these theories and their own- or y’know if you just wanna believe Eddie is dead than- you do you ig.