#this was me with stancy last night

[spookystarfishzombie]

[queenie-ofthe-void]

Confessions

Steddie || ~2.3k words || rating: T || tags: post vecna, references to stancy, angst and fluff, robin buckley just being herself

~~~

Eddie and Robin were just finishing filling the snack bowls and mixing drinks when they heard a knock at the door. It’s a Friday night– and not what Eddie would consider a late hour–but they weren’t expecting anyone to join their weekly movie night at Steve’s. 

He glances at Robin who shrugs, shaking her head. As he rounds the kitchen counter towards the foyer, Steve’s voice carries down the hallway.

“Nance?” He sounds surprised too.

“Steve, I’m sorry I know it’s late, but I’ve been meaning to talk to you and I can’t wait anymore,” she says. Eddie can’t see her, but she sounds anxious. 

“This can’t be good,” Robin huffs. He agrees, if the sinking pit in his stomach is any indicator.

“Look, Nance, now’s not really–”

“Steve,” she barrels over him, sounding desperate. “I’ve been an idiot trying to convince myself that I haven’t missed you since we broke up– and before you say it, this isn’t because Jonathan left after we closed the last gate. When we were stuck there with Robin and Eddie, the way you looked at me was how I’ve always hoped someone would love me. You looked at me like I was everything to you, like you could look at me forever and never get tired of it. I feel wanted, and loved, and safe when I’m around you.” She takes a deep, steadying breath before pressing on.

“Last time, when we were together, I took all of my grief and anger out on you. I blamed you for  what happened to Barb because I couldn’t face it myself and I knew you loved me enough to hold the weight, and I resented you for it. You wouldn’t stand up to me, and I resented you because you loved me anyway.” Eddie can hear Nancy sniffling, small sobs carrying down the hallway. “You loved me at my worst, and you didn’t deserve that. You’re amazing, and strong, and kind and everything I could ever ask for.

“Steve, what you said in the Winnebago, I just, I can’t stop thinking about you. About us”

The silence that follows is stifling and Eddie feels bile climbing up his throat. Arms wrap around his shoulders as Robin tucks her head into his neck. Only a small comfort while months of gentle moments with Steve flash behind his eyes: soft hands brushing his curls, stolen glances, lingering touches, and warm smiles. Now Eddie’s forced to stand vigil as it’s all washed away by Nancy's whispered pleas.

A spark of hope after a late night confession months ago– swiftly blown away.

“Nance, please–”

“Steve Harrington, I lo–”

“Nancy,” Steve interrupts, his tone firm yet soft around the edges, “I’m in love with someone else.”

Robin gasps into his neck. Her arms around his shoulders squeeze tight, anchoring him to reality in the wake of Steve’s confession. His chest is so full he can’t breathe. 

“Oh,” Nancy whispers before another, deeper sob leaves her breathless. He never thought he’d hear Nancy Wheeler cry. Even though they’re apparently both in love with the same man, he’s grown close with her too and can’t help the urge to comfort her. Eddie’s grown to love everyone in his new found family. But Nancy is right. 

Steve Harrington is everything. 

And Eddie’s everything is Steve Harrington.

“Yeah Nance, I’m sorry. And they’re kind of here right now, so,” he says gently.

And they’re kind of here right now…

Hope flames in his chest, blooming with warmth. Eddie doesn’t hear the conversation end over the buzzing in his own head and Robin’s frantic giggling until they hear the click of the front door and Steve’s footsteps coming towards them.

“Oh.”

Steve’s standing in front of them, wide-eyed like a deer in headlights. Eddie’s realizing he and Robin maybe should’ve hid before Steve rounded the corner to find them eavesdropping. 

“So,” Steve stammers, a fierce rouge burning his ears, “how much of that did you hear, exactly?”

Robin quickly stands, clearing her throat before Eddie can think of an answer. “Is that the microwave? Did anyone else hear the microwave ding? I think the popcorn is done, so I can go check that right now. Yeah, right now. I’ll just, umm, be in the kitchen checking the popcorn. For the movie.”

She practically sprints down the hall, and although she wasn’t subtle, Eddie’s still thankful for the privacy. Steve’s shaking his head with a small smile on his face.

“Everything,” Eddie answers. “We heard everything.”

“Oh,” Steve says again. He sounds anxious and unsure, something Eddie’s compelled to fix, because all he wants in this world is for Steve Harrington to be happy.

“It’s ok.” He takes Steve’s hands in his own, tracing his thumb lightly over his knuckles. “We won’t say anything to her about it, and we won’t tell anyone what she said. Nancy’s in safe hands with us. Mum’s the word!” And as Eddie mimes zippering up his mouth, he hopes that Steve won’t take the easy way out. That he won’t use the life-raft Eddie’s just thrown in his direction to keep him from drowning. 

“Right,” Steve says. He runs a hand through his hair, biting his lip as he gazes at the floor between them. The silence as Eddie waits for Steve’s next words grows long and tense. He can’t hear any movement in the kitchen, making him more anxious now that he knows Robin’s listening. Which, he’d be a hypocrite to be mad about.

Maybe he has this all wrong. Maybe Steve just needed a way to get her to leave, so he lied about having a date over. Maybe he didn’t know what to say, and just said the first thing to pop into his head. Maybe it’s got nothing to do with Eddie at all. 

Eddie realizes he’s still holding Steve’s hands, his grip tightening the longer he spirals. If it hurts, Steve hasn’t said anything. But when Eddie looks at his face, he seems dazed and lost in thought. As fast as if he’d been burned, Eddie drops Steve’s hands and takes a step backward.

“So,” Eddie stammers, voice shaking, “I’m going to go help Birdie with the popcorn. You want to get another movie started?”

Hands still frozen in the air, Steve finally lets his clenched fists fall to his sides. Eddie can see the whites of his knuckles. He hears Steve sigh, exhausted and frustrated, but Steve’s nodding with furrowed brows and taking a step backward towards the living room– away from Eddie. Too far to reach out to.

Turning away, Eddie’s in the middle of forming an escape attempt when he opens the kitchen door to immediately be swept up in Robin’s arms. Of course she’d been listening. He’s grateful for it, now that he doesn’t have to explain himself. As he buries his face into her neck, he finds a wet patch and wonders what kind of accident she got into while prepping snacks. It’s not until she starts gently shushing him that he realizes he’s crying, tears soaking into her shirt. 

“It’s gonna be ok, teddy bear,” she says, running her hand through his curls, “he’ll get there, I promise. He’s working on it, you know that.”

He nods. He does know that. Steve’s been out to Robin for a few months, but only to Eddie for a few weeks. He deserves the space to figure it out, and the grace of those around him to do so at his own pace. Still, Eddie can’t help his growing impatience alongside the increasing severity of his crush. At least Robin’s here to support the both of them.

The two of them finish gathering the snacks in silence. She was full of awkward jokes to try to lighten the mood, but when it was clear Eddie was stuck in his head, she’d stopped. He feels bad about it. He’ll make it up to her later, plus he knows she’s not upset with him. Eddie suspects they’ll be getting together sometime tomorrow to rehash everything that’s happened– after she’s finished consoling Steve, of course.

When they leave the kitchen, Eddie’s surprised to find Steve exactly where he’d left him. He’s standing frozen in the hallway, lip pulled between his teeth and hands still clenched. But when he lifts his gaze to meet Eddie’s, there’s resolve behind his eyes.

“Eddie,” Steve says, “I think I’m falling in love with you.”

“Oh my god! Finally!”

Eddie jumps violently at Robin’s shouting, almost directly into his ear. She’s flushed red with embarrassment decorated with a manic grin so wide he wonders if it’ll just keep stretching like taffy. There’s popcorn poured out onto the floor from where she clearly threw her hands up in excited exasperation. He watches as her eyes grow wide, her smile morphing into shock, her lips forming a perfect ‘o’, as if to say ‘oh shit, I just interrupted the most important moment in my best friends’ lives because I’m so excited and impatient that these two dinguses finally figured their shit out’.

She kicks the scattered popcorn towards the wall, like that’ll somehow hide the mess, before awkwardly passing them both down the hall towards the living room.

Eddie loves her so much.

“Huh,” Eddie chuckles, “well that was–”

“I’ve known I’ve liked you since last summer when you let me help you into my pool onto Holly’s rubber duck floaty so you could finally go swimming after you finished physical therapy.” Steve sounds out of breath, words running into each other with misplaced breaths in between. Like if he stops, he knows he won’t start again. 

It’s the only time Eddie’s felt the urge to keep quiet– when he’s not fighting for his life.

“You were so nervous,” Steve plows on, “but you said you felt safe with me, that you wanted only me to be there. You said you trusted me to help without laughing or judging you. Fuck, Eddie, you were so goddamn cute once we got you settled in with a Coke with a crazy straw in it. We were listening to ABBA and you didn’t even complain and you were so sunburnt the next day. It was the happiest I’d ever seen you.”

The memory leaves Eddie shocked. He did trust Steve to help, didn’t even consider asking anyone else because Steve just felt like the most obvious answer. He’d been there through the worst of Eddie’s post-PT work to make sure he ‘kept form’ on his exercises. They’d lounged in the sun all day, and it was the first time Eddie watched Steve relax since his final Upside-Down battle. 

Eddie feels his lip quiver, eyes burning, knowing they’d felt the same that day. Judging by Steve’s watery eyes, he guesses they feel the same now, too. 

“But love,” Steve whispers. He swallows as he takes a step closer, reaching out to grasp his hands. “Eddie Munson, I knew I was in love with you yesterday.”

His shoulders tighten as he recalls yesterday, surprised because they hadn’t seen each other at all, one of the rare days where their schedules didn’t line up. It was the first time in months they’d gone longer than thirty-six hours without seeing each other. Sure, they’d talked on the phone while Steve worked, but it’s not the same.

“I know,” Steve laughs, clocking Eddie’s confusion. “I thought about you all day. Couldn’t stop, no matter how hard I tried. Robin had to work with the customers because all I kept thinking about was tonight. If you’d get here before Robin, so we could sit out by the pool and smoke. Where we’d sit for the movie and if we’d get to share the popcorn bucket. If you’d pick a movie I hadn’t seen, so you’d lean in close and tell me a million random facts, even when you know I don’t really get it. But I just like when you’re close, next to me, and–” he hesitates– “I think that’s why you do it.”

Steve lifts their joined hands, wiping a tear from his eye using the back of Eddie’s knuckles. He returns the gesture, wiping what Eddie’s guessing is a mix of tears and snot off of his own face with Steve’s sleeve. 

“I think you lean in because you want to be close to me, too, and you don’t actually care about the movie either. Eddie, I think you ask for my help because you trust me in a way only Robin does. You give me cute nicknames like ‘sweetheart’ and ‘pretty boy’ because you’re teasing me, but I think it’s mostly because you really mean it.” Steve’s stepped closer now, and Eddie can feel the warmth of shared air between their gasping breaths. 

“I think you tease me and lean into me because you want my attention,” Steve whispers, brushing his nose alongside Eddie’s as their foreheads touch. “But Eddie, you’ve always had my attention.”

Eddie surges forward, capturing Steve’s tear-soaked lips between his own in what has to be the snotiest kiss either of them has ever had. But he doesn’t care. How could he? Eddie’s kissing the man he’s been in love with for almost eight months. 

Steve drops Eddie’s hands in favor of running one through his dark curls, while the other grips tightly at his waist. He can’t help but cup Steve’s cheeks, running a gentle thumb along his cheekbones. 

It’s soft and messy and everything he’s ever hoped for, because Steve Harrington is his everything, and he’ll do anything to keep him. Right now, he doesn’t have to worry about what they’ll tell their friends, or how they’ll explain this to Nancy, or even if Robin’s listening behind the door– he’s sure she is. No, right now, he lets himself bask in the glow of Steve’s love and soak in the comfort that Steve feels loved in return.

[carolmunson]

8✨ with virgin Eddie cos he’s the loml

'I look you in the eyes, I try to read you thoughts. I ask you to go with me, to a far off place.' virgin!eddie (well, not so virgin anymore) from the 'the nerve' one shot. (18+, references to drinking. implied stancy wedding.)

Eddie didn't really love to dance. He always felt awkward, never really getting the beat to anything that wasn't related to a guitar slung across his chest. His hips always moved too jerkily, he never knew where to put his hands. When Mrs. Mitchell from across the park tried to teach him to waltz for prom he stepped on her toes so much she needed a brace.

It didn't even matter for anything, he didn't go to prom. That's another reason he doesn't like dancing, or dances. Couples nuzzling close while they hold their partners -- what was the point when no one was gonna dance with 'The Freak' anyway?

He drums his fingers along the white cloth covered table to the beat of the DJ's thumping music, sipping his third glass of pinot noir. You had stepped out to run an errand for Nancy and Steve after the ceremony, 'maid of honor' duties you called it. Something about fashion tape and bandaids for blisters. While the music slows down he feels his heart sink, another dance where he sits alone in the low light. It comes back to him in a haze, two months before his senior prom -- He woke up early to take a shower and shave the little facial hair that had started to grow on his upper lip and chin. Painstakingly finger coiling every wave on his head with gel he knicked from the five and dime down the street. He asked Wayne if he could borrow his smart black button down and Wayne even pressed it before he left for work the night before -- hanging it up in the living room by the mugs. He wore he least ratty jeans and cleaned his Reeboks with a toothbrush and bleach. Eddie had never felt more together, more sure, and if he would say so himelf -- more handsome than he did that morning.

He cracked open his campaign notebook to the last page where he'd scrawled a script he'd been working on for at least two weeks:

Hi Chrissy What's up, Chris? How are you, Chrissy? Hey Chrissy.

I know you might not be expecting this but This might come as a surprise, but I was wond It would be an honor if Would you want to go to prom with me? Prom?

It was the first time he was ever at a loss for words. Tripping over himself any time she'd ask for a pencil in Bio or walk by the drama room on her way to cheer practice.

He stopped at Melvald's for a small bouquet of daffodils -- it was all they had that morning, and made his way to school, stomach full of butterflies while he played the potential outcome in his head over and over. He knew he had to have caught her looking every now and again. Giggling at his jokes in class. Always asking him for a pencil or a ruler when she could ask anyone else.

He parks in the spot furthest from the school, using the brisk walk to calm his nerves. With a few rolls of his shoulders he pushes through the main doors to his locker, only four down from Chrissy's. She'd be there any minute, ponytail bouncing, lips glossed.

He leaned against the wall, checking his watch and each end of the hallway, a flurry of students making their way in and out. The humdrum of the morning making his heart beat faster, the slamming of metal, the sneakers on the tile.

And there she is -- a blonde beacon of something special. She's smiling -- grinning. Looking right at him. He gets up off the wall, heart racing -- This is it Munson, he thinks, you're gonna ask her.

Chrissy's smile turns into a jump, a celebration of sorts -- and from behind him, another cheerleader appears, running up and jumping with her. They hug tight, screaming the way girls do when they're excited about something.

"He literally made a sign for the whole team to hold on the field!" she titters, "I can't believe he asked me!" "You're going to prom with Jason! Ahhh!" her friend screams back.

Going to prom with Jason.

Jason Carver? That asshole?

The hallways spins, his heart has never dropped so fast before. He'd never felt something so fast before. Dissappointment? Embarrassment? Rage? He wasn't sure. All he knew was that Chrissy was going to prom with Jason Carver, and everything he planned was for nothing. Just standing there in the hall way with --

"That's a pretty bouqet, Eddie," Chrissy voice floats by, bringing him back to himself, "Whose the lucky girl?"

Coulda been you, he thinks.

His face sours, "Wouldn't you like to know."

Eddie's heart breaks again when she backs off, making her way to class when the bell rings. He chews on the inside of his cheek the whole way out of the school and back to his van -- making sure the shove the daffodils in the trash on the way out.

Right now feels the same, the only young guy sitting around while couples get up and jump around to Whitney's I Wanna Dance with Somebody when the music switches. He finishes his glass of pinot, sighing while he stands up to get another at the bar. He knows better, but something his gnawing in the pit of his chest -- that ache. He wishes you'd come back so he didn't have to keep putzing around like a lost puppy. Even Dustin had Suze out on the dancefloor.

Another ten minutes pass and he's settled back down at the table, the speakers rumbling down to a slow beat again, Luther Vandross's gentle croon floating over the room. Eddie swallows.

'Always and forever, Each moment with you, yeah Is just like a dream to me That somehow came true, yeah...'

It's then that he feels a warm hand on his back, sliding up to his shoulder, nails gliding comfortingly into the back of his hair. "Hi handsome," your voice like salve on his heart, "Did you miss me?" He turns, entranced by the way your dress hugs you and the scent of the perfume you have on tonight. There was no denying he picked right, no denying that he was right to wait for you this long.

"Of course, sweetheart," he smiles, smiling into the kiss you lean down to give him.

"You've just been sitting here while I was gone?" you furrow your brow, "C'mon, get up. Come dance with me."

He flushes, "No, no I'm...I'm not good at it..."

"Neither am I," you shrug, offering your hand, "C'mon."

He looks at your manicured nails, the bare finger that he wants to put a ring on now more than ever, then up at you. That little smirk you give him has never sold him quicker. With a deep breath he takes your hand, letting you lead him to the dance floor.

"Y'know, I've never slow danced with anyone," you say quietly, guiding his hand to your waist while you hold the other close to his shoulder. Eddie pulls you close, nose to nose, toe to toe. He can handle the gentle sway you start him with, a slow two step, winding bodies.

"Not even your ex? Seriously?" Eddie asks, mesmirized by your glossy lips.

"He never wanted to dance at the weddings we went to," you shrug, "Always thought it was lame. But I like to dance."

"What about prom?" he asks.

"I um," you look down and back up at him, "I didn't go to prom."

"No? How come?"

"Uh," you offer a tight smile in rememberance, accepting it, "No one asked me."

Eddie stops moving, hand holding yours going to your cheek. "No one asked you?"

You shake your head, "It ended up being okay, had a movie night with some other weirdos."

He remembers his own anti-prom with the guys, pizza and beer that he got Rick to buy for him.

"But it's okay," you reassure, "Cause now I get to have my first slow dance with you."

"We're doin' a lot of firsts together, aren't we?" he teases.

"Yeah," you nod, "And this is like, y'know, kinda like prom." "Sort of," he laughs, pulling you tighter, two stepping again to the rhythm. You give him a mischevious smile, teashing.

"Are you going to the after party? I hear they're gonna have winecoolers," you joke.

Eddie grins, boyish, "Oh yeah, yeah, I'll be there."

"Good 'cause uh," you lean to to whisper, giggling at your own bit, "They're gonna play seven minutes in heaven."

"No way," he gasps in fake astonishment, "Is there uh -- is there anyone you're hoping to land on?"

"Well um," you flick your eyes as him flirtily, "There's this one guy."

"This one guy?"

"Yeah and I was hoping like, after the dance." you continue in an exaggerated Valley Girl accent, "We could like, make out after."

"Yeah?" Eddie asks, voice deepening, smoky.

"Yeah."

"Yeah, we can um," he leans in to kiss you, deep and slow, "We can definitely make out after."

[afewproblems]

Season 2 Halloween AU Part Four

Part One, Part Two, Part Three

A very big thank you to @strangersteddierthings for chatting with me today and being such a great sounding board for the next update!

Synopsis: What if Eddie had been at Tina's Halloween Party in Season Two? Featuring Steve!Whump, Stancy Breakup, and Eddie just trying to keep up with all these new revelations about who King-Steve actually is...

***

"So…I have to ask," Eddie blurts out, cutting through the awkward silence that has fallen between them, "how were you gonna pick up your car before you ran into me?"

"I don't think it counts as running into you, if you were waiting for me Munson," Steve side steps the question expertly, flashing him a strange smirk that seems out of place. It falls after a second and twists into something pained.

"I was hoping Nance would take me," Steve says eventually, his voice soft, "which was pretty stupid in hindsight, 'specially cuz she was counting on me to drive her this morning, which--"

Steve cuts himself, snapping his mouth shut with a harsh click of teeth, he shakes his head and lifts his hand to run roughly through his hair.

"Doesn't matter anymore".

Eddie holds his breath, feeling the conversation begin to shift. It's as though he's stepped onto a tightrope and any wrong move could potentially send him over the edge.

He settles for nodding once, turning the key in the ignition.

Steve sighs and lets himself fall back into his seat, "I know you know already, the whole fucking school does, Billy saw to that," Steve gestures to his face, "say what you really want to ask". 

Eddie's fingers tighten around the wheel as he turns them out of the parking lot, fighting the immediate urge to say, 'why did Miss Priss throw it all away?' 

"You think I believe the rumours that come out of that shithole?" Eddie lies, keeping his eyes on the road this time.

He can feel Steve's unimpressed stare as they continue down mainstreet.

"Right, so you had no clue I was in detention?"

Eddie chews the inside of his cheek to fight the sly grin that begins to creep over his face, "Alright smart ass".

He hazards another glance at Steve as they begin to hit the residential area, he looks so different from the night before.

His limbs are loose, tension free, if it weren't for the heavy bags under Steve's eyes and the nervous tap of his fingers on the passenger door, Eddie would think he was finally relaxed.

"I knew a fight definitely happened, it's Hargrove," Eddie says slowly, carefully weighing his words, "but I typically prefer to hear the whole sordid story from the source before I pass any judgements, ya know?" 

Steve doesn't say anything as they continue driving through residential  the houses getting progressively bigger as they go.

"Did you," Steve pauses and breathes out slowly before shaking his head and lifting his face to meet Eddie's gaze, "is that offer for something stronger still open?" 

Eddie smiles, "I think that can be arranged". 

***

Eddie pulls over beside Tina Cline's house, wincing as the right front tire rolls over the curb and bounces the van as it lands on the street once more, startling a snort out of Steve. 

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up Harrington," Eddie huffs as Steve shoots him a grin.

"Didn't say a word," Steve hums, unbuckling himself from the seat. Eddie watches as he opens the door and hops out. For a moment Eddie worries Steve will pull the same disappearing act from last night but he simply stops beside his car door and motions for Eddie to roll down his window. 

Eddie cracks his door open instead, "window's broken, what?" 

Steve rolls his eyes, "whatever Munson, you know the way? It's north on 5th and--"

"Then two more rights, yeah man," Eddie says with a laugh in his voice, "I dropped you off remember?" 

"Fuck off," Steve huffs out, he's grinning though.

Steve swings the Beemer’s door open and slides in. He turns on the ignition and flinches at the loud burst of music from the stereo, the volume obviously set from the mood of the previous night. 

'I want to know what love is, I want you to show me--'

Steve slams his hand against the console, cutting off the song with a harsh crack. 

The van is parked just behind the Beemer so Eddie can't see Steve's face, but his head drops down onto the wheel for just the briefest moment before he slowly lifts it, turns on his signal and pulls away from the curb. 

***

Steve beats him to the house.

He's getting out of the car, which is parked on the long driveway as Eddie pulls up to the street. 

Eddie hops out of the van, hiking his backpack higher up on his shoulders, not bothering to lock it. Who would even want his shitty van among the BMWs and Mercedes parked down this street --hell, Eddie could have sworn he saw a Jag three houses down.

Eddie stops short of the lawn. The Harrington house is so different in the light of day, the strange emptiness that seemed to ooze out of the dark windows the night before has disappeared, leaving an ordinary house in its wake. 

"Well?" Steve calls out as he pulls a pair of keys from his back pocket and spins them once on his finger, "you coming or what Munson?" 

Eddie rolls his eyes and jogs to catch up to Steve who turns on his heel to stride up the walk. He stuffs the key into the deadbolt and swings one of the double doors inwards before shucking off his sneakers.

No shoes? Fucking rich people man.

Steve must notice Eddie's expression because he blushes and shrugs, "I know, I know, but my parents will be home for Thanksgiving this year so…may as well…"

He gestures around the sterile foyer with a tight smile, as though it explains everything. 

If anything, Eddie has more questions. 

Steve cuts off the thought by clearing his throat, "we should smoke outside, last thing I need is for you to burn a hole in the couch or something".

Eddie steps over the threshold and has to stop himself from whistling, were the ceilings always this high in this place?

He lifts his foot to unlace his left chuck, snorting at the strange little table in the middle of the foyer. A giant vase sits atop it filled with a mixture of what have to be silk flowers --no way they were real. He pulls the shoe off and tosses it to the side before lifting his right foot. 

Eddie never had the greatest balance so he hops back and forth with his right foot in the air before hopping as close as he can to the wall of the foyer and leaning back against it.

He finally gets the knot in his laces undone and throws the sneaker to the floor, dropping his right foot to the hardwood.

Eddie looks up to find Steve staring with a bemused expression on his face, he ignores the wide hazel eyes and removes the backpack from his shoulders -which can't have been helping the balance issue. 

Eddie unzips the top and yanks out the trusty metal lunchbox, sliding a wicked grin into place.

"You said something about outside?"

***

By the time they've settled, facing one another on a couple of pool loungers, the sun has begun to dip low, painting the patio and empty pool a warm glowing copper. It catches Steve's hair, which shines like gold in the dying sunlight, like some Autumnal Fae King--

Eddie wants to slap himself, suddenly thankful for the November wind that cuts through the backyard, forcing him to chillout.

He picks up the grinder from his lunchbox, unscrewing the cap to open it.

"You good with a joint this evening my good King?" 

He pours a handful of a new strain Rick let him try the other day into the grinder and starts twisting. It's not something he would typically share with anyone other than Jeff, but Steve seemed like he could use something a little more special tonight.

Eddie looks up after a beat of silence, "yo, Major Tom, you with me?" 

Steve's face is pinched, tilted towards the empty pool, "please don't call me that," he says quietly.

"Major Tom?"

Steve raises his eyes to meet Eddie's gaze, his mouth cuts a hard line across his face, the typical easy grin it usually houses is gone. 

"King-Steve," he runs a hand through his hair, letting the fingers linger to grip and pull, "I just, that's not who I am anymore, I don't--"

Steve swallows harshly, "that's all anyone could talk about this morning".

He drops his voice and octave, "oh, King Steve is so pussy whipped he let his girl fuck Jonathan Byers before she dumped him".

"Is that what Hargrove said?" Eddie asks quietly as he pours out a portion of weed onto a paper.

Steve shakes his head, "that was Tommy, but that wasn't why I hit him". 

Eddie nods, and lifts the joint to his mouth to run his tongue along the edge of the paper. Steve watches him from the lounger, his eyes follow the movement before he blinks and continues.

"Tommy and I had been best friends since we were five, he uh, he knows a lot about me," Steve lifts his hand to his mouth and chews the nail of his thumb briefly before dropping it back into his lap.

"Stuff I don't tell anyone, stuff he knows will hurt". 

Eddie nods, twisting the joint closed, he can kind of understand that, although the only person in his life that knew him like that was Wayne.  

And Wayne would never hurt him. 

Did Steve really not have anyone else like that in his life, someone he could tell anything to that wouldn't look at him weird or judge him. Someone safe.

"Anyway, Hargrove started in on me after that, but he's been fucking with me for awhile so," Steve shrugs again, "he saw his big opportunity here".

"Hargrove's been messing with you?" Eddie asks sharply as he pours more weed onto another paper. He lifts it and runs his tongue along the edge of the paper before twisting it into shape. When he looks up, Steve's ears have gone slightly pink and he's sitting strangely, slightly hunched and twisted.

"Yeah," Steve says after a moment, he clears his throat and straightens his back, "yeah, it's just been at practice so far, and I thought it was just because he wanted to one up me for my spot but," he shakes his head, "it's getting worse". 

"You know, I have a bit of a reputation around school," Eddie says slowly, carefully, watching as Steve freezes and looks at Eddie with wide eyes.

"The Hellfire club is more than just the game we're playing, it's also kind of a sanctuary for kids that don't have anyone to lean on, we look after each other," Eddie continues, ignoring the way Steve relaxes slightly, "you wouldn't need to play or anything but if you need somewhere to sit at lunch now…" 

Steve looks at Eddie for a long time, his expression blank, guarded, "really? Just like that?" 

"Yeah man, besides I get to use my 'Mean and Scary Guy' persona on these fuckers so it's a win-win for me".

Steve grins, raising one skeptical eyebrow, "mean and scary?"

Eddie bristles a little bit at the questioning tone in Steve's voice and can't quite swallow the urge to snarl, "yeah I mean you looked plenty scared of the town freak yesterday". 

Steve winces and immediately starts to shake his head, inching forward in his seat so he's even closer to Eddie, their knees are almost touching.

"That's not, I wasn't," he stops and takes a deep breath, "I was upset about Nancy and it was so dark outside, the trees--"

"You afraid of the dark Harrington?" Eddie cuts him off, the lingering irritation still simmers in his voice as he coos. 

Steve just looks at him, there's something strange about the haunted expression on his face that makes the hair on the back of Eddie's arms stand on end. 

"Things happen in the dark, in the woods," Steve says softly, his eyes drift to the empty pool again. 

Eddie opens his mouth to ask Steve what the hell he means by that, when a voice shouts across the yard.

"Steve? STEVE?!" 

The sound of someone running through the grass has them both of their feet, the joints forgotten on the pool loungers. 

"Dustin?" 

A kid, he can't be more than twelve or thirteen, skids into the porchlight that has replaced the last copper rays of evening light, the sun fully set by now. The kid's blue eyes are wide underneath a mop of curly hair and hat, he's breathing hard.

"I need your help".

Tag List: @eriquin @luvinthefreaks @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @goodolefashionedloverboi @ellietheasexylibrarian @bambibiest @sadboislovebeans @howincrediblysapphicofyou @coleys-a-nerd @whycantiuseunderscore @airconditioning123 @xxfiction-is-my-realityxx @corrodedbisexual @starman-jpg @ilovecupcakesandtea @yoriposts @clumsiluni @pelinelin @phantomcat94 @lololol-1234 @anaibis @airconditioning123 @steveshairspray @hellfireone @sunswathe @eddielives1986 @tentativeghost @robin-not-batman @estrellami-1 @manda-panda-monium @tinyplanet95 @perseus-notjackson

Part Five

and for some peeps that I think may be interested! @steddierthings @steddie-there @steves-strapcollection @outpastthebrakers @henderdads @stevesbipanic

[supernovafics]

𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐄

pairing: exboyfriend!steve harrington x fem!reader

word count: 3.2k words

summary: in which you and steve run into each other at a party. it’s been months since you two last talked— which was during a conversation that had ended on the sourest of notes— but now here you both are at a party that neither of you really even want to be at. just for a moment it feels okay to pretend that everything is fine between you two, but then it gets too hard. and instead, it’s unspokenly decided that perhaps this is the chance for you both to get that closure that neither of you got all those months ago

warnings: steve’s pov, explicit language, cigarette smoking, mentions/slight descriptions of a toxic/bad relationship, brief mentions of cheating (not reader or steve), brief mentions of stancy, lots of angst

author’s note: i really really enjoyed writing this and it made me realize that i would love to do more stuff in steve's pov,,,, also now that this is up that means that the folklore series is finally finally done! thank god! (full "folklore" album series masterlist here!)

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。

“our coming-of-age has come and gone. suddenly this summer, it's clear.”

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。

He told her that he was going to find the bathroom. 

What Steve didn’t tell her was that it wasn’t because he actually needed to use it, but because he just wanted to use any excuse to get away from her for a bit. 

Jill was really nice, but this first date proved that they had absolutely nothing in common— the dry conversation during dinner and the disagreement on the movie choice when they made it to the theater were prime examples of that disconnect. 

Steve had assumed that after the movie she would want this date to end as much as he did. But then they were exiting the theater and she was saying that they should go to this party, and he said, “Sure, why not?”

Now he wasn’t sure if said the right thing.

She knew a ton of people at the party, and so did Steve, but the difference was that there was no one that he wanted to engage in any sort of conversation with. It had barely been two months since he graduated, but a part of him hated going to parties now.

He wandered around the house— he wasn’t even entirely sure whose house this was— and pretended to search for the bathroom even though he was actually headed nowhere in particular. In his mind, he told himself that he would walk around for five minutes and then go find Jill again.

He walked upstairs, following the quietness and letting the loud sound of music and never-ending conversations fade away. All he wanted was silence and a moment to himself, maybe to think of some excuse to tell Jill about why he was going to head home but she should stay and keep hanging out with her friends if that was what she wanted to do. He was very well aware that the guy he used to be in high school would call him a loser for leaving a party on a Saturday night when it wasn’t even ten o’clock yet. But, Steve didn’t care, and that was what he would call progress. 

He opened the door to the first random room he spotted and immediately saw someone sitting by the open window in the corner. He didn’t even give himself a chance to see if he recognized the person before he started closing the door. He quickly figured that if someone was sitting in a room by themselves during a party, it was probably because they wanted it to be that way; it was what he wanted right then.

“Shit, my bad,” Steve mumbled half-heartedly. 

Your quick and unbothered, “It’s okay,” came out loud enough for him to hear before he could fully close the door and it made him stop midway.

It had been so many months since the last time he saw you, since the last time he even heard your voice, but he was still able to recognize it immediately.

He looked at you again. You were slightly illuminated by the moonlight and streetlights outside, and he was surprised that he didn’t notice it was you from the moment he opened the door. 

Your name fell from his lips in a whisper, but you heard him almost too clearly. 

“Steve,” You breathed out, turning your head and squinting at him in the darkness. He noticed your demeanor change; you sat up in the chair you were sitting in and pulled your legs off of the one that was across from you. It was easy to tell that you were surprised to see him. “Hi.”

“Hey.” Steve wasn’t sure if he should walk over to you, he was feeling the same way you were in that moment, but he did so anyway. 

He sat down in the chair that was now empty across from you. He noticed the cigarette in your hand and watched you take a quick drag of it. 

“Um, can I bum one?” He asked. He had quit smoking months and months ago, but he was perfectly okay with bringing the old habit back for a night if it meant getting to talk to you for a little bit longer; although, maybe that was something that he shouldn’t have wanted to do.

“Mhm,” You nodded at him and pulled your pack of cigarettes out of your jacket pocket.

Steve grabbed one from the pack and then took the lighter from your outstretched hand as well. “Thanks.” 

Right then, everything somehow seemed easy, normal even; the silence that filled the room didn’t feel unbearably awkward or weird. Just for that moment, it felt okay to pretend that everything was completely fine; like there wasn’t such a messy past between you two.

It was easier to do that than to talk, or even think, about the last conversation you two ever had with each other, which happened days before you left to spend Spring Break with your Aunt in Texas. It was a conversation that could more so be described as an argument— the worst one you two had ever had— and it led to the most tense and abrupt ending to your relationship.

You left early for Texas the next day and never came back. Steve had to find out from one of your friends that you decided to stay and finish out the last few months of your Senior year there.

Maybe it actually wasn’t so easy to not think about the past and pretend that everything was normal. 

“I, uh, I didn't know you were back in Hawkins,” Steve said, taking a quick look at you and then going back to staring out the window. 

“Yeah, I just got in this morning. My mom wanted me to come back for the Fourth of July fair thing this week,” You quickly explained and then took another, longer drag of your cigarette before continuing. “I’m also, um, not leaving again… My mom knows someone that’s opening a bookstore at the new mall, so I’ll be helping out there for the time being. She really wanted me to come back here and I think she knew that books would be the only way.”

I also really wanted you to come back. Steve wanted to say that, but he didn’t; it would’ve only shifted the conversation in a direction that wasn’t at all lighthearted.

“I also work at the mall,” He told you instead. “The ice cream parlor; Scoops Ahoy.” Right as the words left his mouth, he immediately wanted to take them back. Just for a second, he forgot about how completely embarrassing his current job was and once he remembered, he wished that he never brought it up. “Actually, please forget that I just said that.”

“Why?”

He sighed. “Because I have to wear a sailor’s outfit as my uniform, and I don’t want you to ever see me wear that.”

You let out a laugh, and Steve forgot how much he missed hearing that sound; he loved it.

“Okay, when’s your next shift? I wanna make sure to see you in that outfit as soon as possible.”

Steve shook his head and instead of answering your question, he changed the subject. “Anyway, I’m surprised you decided to come to a party on your first night back here.”

“I was dragged to this by Ally, and then was promptly ditched by her when this guy started flirting with her,” You told him, leaning back in your chair and crossing one leg over the other. “What are you doing here?”

“I'm actually on a date right now,” Steve answered. For some reason, he decided not to mention that the date had been bad.

You nodded at him after a moment of letting his words linger in the air of the bedroom. “Cool. That’s nice.”

Hearing you say those words in this moment, immediately reminded Steve of the first time you two had ever talked, because those were the same words that you had said to him at a completely different party. And in this moment, they even sounded the exact same as they had back then too.

That night all those months ago on New Year’s Eve, Steve sat down next to you on the couch in Kyle Thompson’s living room and said, “This is one of my favorite movies;” Risky Business was silently playing on the TV in front of the two of you. You simply looked at him for a second before saying, “Cool. That’s nice,” and things probably should’ve ended there. There was something about your entire vibe right then that made him think that you didn’t want to talk to anyone, but that only made him want to talk to you more.

And somehow him changing his approach and not trying so hard to be charming— and instead simply being honest and nice and just himself— worked. You and him ended up talking the rest of the night; both of you had just gone through break ups so the conversation almost immediately went to that. Your breakup— which involved you catching your boyfriend cheating on you in the library at school— happened only a few weeks earlier and it was the reasoning behind your melancholy at the party. You hadn’t been in the mood to talk to anyone, let alone a guy. 

But, Steve noticed how your sadness and cold demeanor managed to fall away as you two kept talking; being vulnerable in ways that usually never happened between two strangers. But, the fact that you two could relate on something that had happened so recently in your lives made you not feel entirely like strangers. 

When the clock struck twelve, signaling the start of a brand new year, you softly kissed his cheek and he did the same to yours. He had desperately wanted to slot his lips against yours, but in that moment that kiss on the cheek felt like enough. 

That night was the first time that he truly felt happy since he and Nancy broke up barely two months earlier.

Now you were cold again and that probably meant that this conversation by the window should be over. But, just like the last time, Steve still wanted to talk to you. He wanted to spend the entire rest of his night with you instead of Jill, and he knew exactly how much of an asshole that made him. 

“How was Texas? The new school and everything,” Steve asked, he was both curious to hear about it— there were so many moments over the past few months where he would wonder how you were doing there— and he also just wanted to keep talking to you right then. 

“It was really nice, and it felt good to have a fresh start for a bit,” You started. “My Aunt works at the high school in town, so that made it a lot easier for me to enroll and finish out my last months there. And the school was pretty much the same as it is here. Much to my surprise, not everyone was wearing cowboy hats and boots everyday to class.” The joking tone in your voice was very evident and it made Steve smile. You looked at him just for a second before focusing your eyes out the window again. “How were, um, things here?”

For some reason, that was actually a hard question for Steve to sum up in one easy answer. Mainly because the completely honest answer was a long and complicated one. 

During the entirety of his Spring Break, which he spent mostly at home and going to one stupid party, Steve thought about how he could fix things between you two once you came back— he didn’t believe that the way things ended that night, that argument, truly marked the end of everything forever for you two. 

And then those first few days after Spring Break when you didn’t come back, but he still thought that maybe, hopefully, you would, were absolute hell— he was confused and upset, equally at himself and at you. Once he finally found out that you definitely weren’t coming back, he convinced himself that maybe you and him were something that wasn’t supposed to be fixed. 

And forcing himself to accept that actually made things feel a little bit better for him. 

“Good. Pretty boring. But, overall, good,” Steve finally said, deciding to keep his answer short because it just felt easier to do so. 

You took a final drag of your cigarette and then flicked the butt out the window before looking at him. “We’re both happier now, right?”

Steve considered your question for a moment.

He definitely knew that he was a better person now than how he was before, he was definitely healed from all of that past shit— what happened between him and Nancy and what happened between him and you. But, he wasn’t exactly sure if he was happy that you weren’t in his life anymore. 

Before anything had even happened yet between you two all those months ago, you both had kept telling each other that you were better off as friends and that you both shouldn’t rush into another relationship so soon. But, neither of you listened to one another’s excuses, even though perhaps you both should’ve.

He was kissing you only three weeks after the new year’s party— standing outside the front door of your house, the prettiest smile on your face when he pulled away— and days later, you were calling him your boyfriend and he was the one smiling so damn happily.

Steve finished off the rest of his cigarette and then met your gaze. “I think things are better now, but I don’t know if that really makes me happier.”

“I think I missed you a lot while I was gone. Even though I kept telling myself that I shouldn’t,” You told him and he was a little surprised by your honesty right then. “Sometimes I would wish that I didn’t run away from you. At least, not like how I did. I’m sorry.”

Steve hated that you were saying sorry to him in that moment because he felt like he was the one that had more stuff to be sorry for. Or, at least, he was equally at fault with how quickly everything fell apart between you two. 

“I'm really sorry too,” He said softly. 

That relationship that you two had, as brief as it was, was something that probably should’ve never happened in the first place. Neither of you were remotely ready to be in something serious again. But, Steve thought that this time and this relationship would be different— better than the past ones— and so did you. 

He was so convinced that he didn’t need to worry or even think about really processing everything that happened with Nancy, the heartbreak he felt from that, because he was going into something new that felt as if it was simply meant to be. 

However, that was almost immediately proven wrong. At times, the relationship was worse than your previous ones. He’d get jealous over the littlest of things, and you couldn’t find it in you to fully trust him about almost anything.

Breaking up was inevitable and it definitely was for the best, you both were inadvertently hurting each other. But, what made it all so much harder was that the feelings you had for each other were real; he loved you and you loved him, so much, so deeply— you both just had shitty ways of showing it. 

You stood up from your chair then, breaking your gaze from Steve’s. “I’m gonna go.”

“Wait,” He stood up too and followed you to the shut door. 

You turned to look at him again. You didn’t give him a chance to say anything before you started speaking. “And what I said to you that night during our argument, I didn't mean it.”

Steve couldn’t help but look away from you then because being reminded of something that he had tried his hardest to forget about made him inwardly wince.

Before tonight, your last words to him had been, “I hate you. I can't do this anymore.” Those eight words had hit him so fucking hard, they felt like the worse punch to the gut. But maybe the comment was warranted because he had just accused you of flirting with some guy at a party the two of you had gone to earlier that night.

“I know. I didn’t mean what I said that night either,” Steve responded. You were about to turn around again, but then he asked, “Can you stay? Can we talk some more?” 

He wanted to ask you more about Texas. He wanted to hear about even the most mundane things you did there. He wanted to playfully make fun of the fact that he could hear that you now had the tiniest hint of an accent. 

Steve wanted to do a lot of things right then, but he especially wanted to ask you when you were starting your job at the bookstore because maybe that would mean he’d get to see you again after this moment. And he didn’t even care that if he saw you at the mall, it would probably mean that you’d see him in that dumb fucking sailor’s outfit. 

For a second, you just looked at him, before saying, “You’re on a date right now.”

He reluctantly nodded at your words. “Yeah.”

“She’s probably looking for you.”

“Maybe.”

“You should go find her.”

“I should,” He nodded again and then shook his head as he softly said his next words. “But, I don’t want to.”

You were so close to each other right then, and it seemed as if you both realized that at the same time. Sitting in the chairs had been different, you were still somewhat close to one another but also far enough that the thought of crossing any lines wasn’t on either of your minds. 

Now there was barely a foot of space between you two and it almost felt like second nature to touch one another.

Steve took a tentative step closer to you, gauging your reaction for a moment, and you seemed okay. And then it was almost like a ping pong match started, both of you going back and forth with making some sort of move. You closing the rest of the distance between you two, Steve’s hands gently finding your hips, and then yours circling around the nape of his neck with your fingers running through the grown out hair there. Somehow that small touch felt amazing to him, he missed the feeling of your hands in his hair. 

At this point, he wouldn’t have been afraid to admit that he missed everything about you.  

And maybe it was dumb of him to think, but he also found himself even missing the relationship. The communication between you two had been bad at times, horrible even, but everything else was always so good.  

He still loved you, he was realizing that now, and now he wondered if that would ever change. A part of him didn’t feel entirely scared to say that to you either, even if you no longer felt the same.

Steve tilted his head down a bit, letting your noses brush and ghosting his lips over yours. 

Your mouth was just a breath away from his and he could’ve sworn that you were gonna do it and press your lips against him. But then you were pulling away and slipping out the door. Your voice was soft as you said your last words to him.

“See you around, Steve.”

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。

“no, i could never give you peace.”

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。

let me know ur thoughts<333

[corroded-hellfire]

Where the Heart Is, Part 5 - Eddie Munson x Reader

Part 4

Summary: It’s your Spring Break and you and Eddie are headed out on a road trip. With a large looming question that you want to ask him hanging over your head, will you find a reason why you shouldn’t ask it, chicken out, or go through with it?

Note: I can’t believe it’s been almost a year since I started this story. Honestly, it was never supposed to be a series. I thought it would be a one and done cute little story. But I was amazed by the number of people who said they’d love to see a continuation, and now here we are! Part 5 is the last part, but rest assured, there will be a epilogue soon to come.

Warnings: smut, p in v, unprotected (wrap it up), oral (m and f receiving), previously agreed upon somnophilia

Words: 17.5k

[Where the Heart Is masterlist]

The countdown to spring break is almost at its end. For you and Nancy, the timer headed for zero is just about to take its victory lap. Both you and your best friend have elected to take the Friday before break off, giving you a jumpstart on your vacation. The two of you only had one class each that day, and they were classes you could afford to skip. 

This way, Nancy can catch an earlier flight back to Indianapolis and get started on her and Steve’s romantic little getaway to Chicago, and you and Eddie can get your road trip down the Atlantic coast started before some of that other Spring Break traffic weaves its way onto the major highways. 

Bags are already packed and shoved into the corners of your respective dorms, only the essentials you’ll need for the night and in the morning not zipped away yet. Nancy has a pretty early flight out of Boston in the morning and Eddie’s catching the red eye in, so morning is going to come quickly for the three of you. You get to sleep in a little bit longer since Eddie is renting the car you’ll be taking on your road trip at the airport, then driving it down to pick you up on campus. You’d be a fool not to take advantage of those extra minutes of beauty sleep while awaiting your handsome prince to arrive with his chariot. 

The dark morning will arrive sooner than either of you’d like, so it was decided that you and Nancy would have a nice, long dinner together in the dining hall before retiring to your dorms to relax and try to get some sleep. Realistically though, you knew you wouldn’t be able to relax until you triple checked you had everything packed that you needed, and even then, the excitement of seeing your boyfriend would keep you awake. 

“How many bathing suits did you pack?” Nancy asks you as she drizzles the ranch dressing onto her salad. The dining hall is at about its usual capacity, just a bit louder than normal since everyone is high on the prospect of their impending freedom. 

“Three,” you answer Nancy as you spear a rogue grape with your fork. “I had two that I brought with me to school, then that one I got when we went to the mall together the other week.”

“Oh yeah,” Nancy says. Even looking down at her plate full of colorful salad can’t hide the smirk Nancy’s got going on. “That was a great buy.”

“Because you picked it out,” you say through a laugh. 

“And Eddie will thank me.” She gives you an innocent shrug of her shoulders and stuffs some lettuce and spinach in her mouth. 

The heat in your cheeks increases even as you shake your head at your friend in amusement. The two-piece did look good on you, though. It’s hard for you to admit when something—especially a bathing suit—looks good on you, but Nancy did well picking this one out for you. 

“What about you?” you ask Nancy, eager to have the conversation turned away from you. “Enough dresses for all that fancy schmancy Stancy stuff you’re going to be doing?”

Nancy breaks into giggles at your words, the rhyming scheme including the amalgamation of her and her boyfriend’s names being the cherry on top. 

“Yes,” she finally answers when she’s able to speak coherently. “I’ve got some nice outfits with me. But you make it seem like we’re going to the opera and Windsor Castle. It’s just Chicago. Theatres and restaurants and lots of rats walking down the roads.”

“Make sure to tell them that their pizza is too thick there,” you say, making Nancy roll her eyes.

“I’m not getting into a fight about pizza in Chicago—I’d like to make it to sophomore year here, you know.”

“And away from that friggin’ asylum,” you say, jabbing a fork over your shoulder, in the general direction of where your dorm building is. 

“Yes, thank God,” Nancy concurs with a sigh of relief. She pops a cherry tomato and a basil croton into her mouth and looks as though she’s deliberating something while she chews. “So, when are you going to ask him?”

You knew the question was coming but that doesn’t make you any less twitchy when you hear it. 

“I don’t know,” you admit, eyes suddenly finding the fruits and cheeses that roll around your plate interesting. “I’m nervous…”

It’s not until Nancy reaches over and places her hand on top of yours that you realize you’ve been shaking. 

“Hey,” Nancy starts softly, ducking her head so she can meet your gaze and give you a comforting smile. “You’re just letting him know it’s an option. You’re not forcing him into anything.”

“I know,” you answer softly. And you do. The fact that it’s a big step is what’s been circling your brain as of late. Would he want it? Would he be ready for it? Are you ready for it? It’s these questions and more that plague your mind every time you try to sleep at night. Yet with all those hours spent pondering, an answer still never comes to you.

The early spring night still has a bit of a chill to it as you and Nancy make the journey from the dining hall back to your dorm building. The two of you part at your room, hugging one another tight enough to potentially cut off some air supply.

“I want to hear about everything when we get back,” Nancy says. She pauses for a moment before amending her statement. “I want to hear about almost everything.” The smirk she gives you has you playfully swatting at her and shooing her down the hall towards her room. 

“Bye!” Nancy calls as she rounds the corner.

The warmth of your dorm room envelops you as you step inside, and triple check your luggage yet again to make sure you have everything you’ll need on your trip. Once you’re satisfied, you pop your VHS tape of Grease into the VCR and curl up in your bed. 

Listening to Frankie Valli sing Grease is the Word is the last thing you remember before you drift off, drooling on your pillow. 

Usually when your alarm wakes you up all you want is to shut it up for at least another hour. But today, the overly shrill chirp has you bright-eyed and bushy tailed as soon as you hear it. It signals that it’s time to see Eddie, which is the best wake up call you could possibly ask for. 

You’re pretty sure you get dressed in record time and nearly trip over your own feet as you shuffle to grab your duffel bag and throw the strap over your shoulder. The stuffed backpack that looks like it’s about to burst at the seams gets balanced precariously on your shoulder as you snatch your keys up from your desk. 

No one told the elevator that you’re supposed to be meeting your boyfriend now, so it takes a year and a day for it to finally ding and let you know it’s ready to take you downstairs. If you weren’t carrying enough to inevitably make you trip down the stairs, you would’ve hoofed it down to the ground floor by now. 

The cool spring morning air greets your skin, and your eyes hungrily search for the familiar mop of curly hair you’ve been dying to see. When your eyes finally catch on him standing near the curb, you have to do a double take. There he stands, handsome as ever with that million-watt smile and intoxicating eyes. But you were expecting to see him standing next to a car, not a van. It’s about the same size as the one he has back in Hawkins, only this one isn’t in dire need of a tune up and a wash. 

Smile never leaving your face, your eyebrows pinch together in confusion as you walk towards him. He meets you halfway and takes the bags from you, setting them on the sidewalk before yanking you into his arms and holding you tight against his chest.

“God, I fucking missed you,” Eddie mumbles into your hair. 

Instinctively, your arms wrap around his lithe waist, a giddy giggle bursting out of you at being in your boyfriend’s embrace once more. It feels simultaneously like just yesterday and a year since you’ve seen him. 

“Hi, handsome,” you speak into his neck as you burrow your head there. The familiar scent of cigarettes, a hint of weed, and what can only be described as Eddie floods your senses and it almost brings you to tears how happy you are to be with him again. 

“Hi, my gorgeous girl.” Reluctantly, Eddie pulls back, only so he can cup your cheeks in his large ringed hands and press the sweetest and most seductive of kisses to your lips. It’s almost enough to have your knees buckling right then and there in front of your dorm building. 

As you slowly recover from the kiss, your eyes are drawn back to the blue and silver van parked a few feet away from you. It’s oddly reminiscent of Scooby Doo’s Mystery Machine. 

“I thought you were getting a car, baby,” you say as you pick your backpack off the ground. 

“Well,” he says as he hefts the strap of your duffle bag over his shoulder, “I wanted to surprise you.”

“Surprise me?” Your eyebrows furrow in confusion as you follow Eddie over to the vehicle. 

He yanks open the back door of the van and your jaw drops at the sight. It’s piled with so many pillows and blankets that it looks like he robbed a Bed, Bath, & Beyond. They’re all illuminated in an array of colors as well, as Eddie has clipped multi-colored Christmas lights up around the rim of the ceiling. It looks like the perfect little haven made for just you and Eddie.

“For one,” Eddie says as he shoves your bag over to the side where his are, “it’s cheaper than getting a place to stay every night. Two, it’s uh, cozier.” The mischievous glimmer in his eye has you smiling.

“Cozier, huh?”

“Yeah,” Eddie says as you drop your backpack in the back of the van as well. “More private. Just you and me, cuddled up close. We can even open the door and look at the stars…until we lock ourselves in for the night.”

“I like the way you think, Munson.” You slip your arms around his neck, and he wastes no time wrapping his around your waist. 

“Glad to hear it, baby. Let’s see what other fun ideas I can come up with on this trip.”

The first stop before you really get on the road is the grocery store. You quickly realize that Eddie intends to have more food in the van than actual luggage. 

“Eddie,” you admonish with a laugh as you peer inside the cart. “If you buy one more bag of chips there isn’t going to be any room for us in the van.”

“Oh! I almost forgot,” Eddie says with a snap of his fingers. He turns down the next aisle, forcing you to follow in his wake. Your boyfriend snatches up a can of whipped cream and you’re not sure how he expects all the cold items you’re buying to fit into the small cooler you have. 

“What is that even for?” you ask, eyes scanning for what the whipped cream could possibly be sprayed on top of.

“Oh, you’ll see.” Eddie playfully gives your ass a light smack before pushing the now-heavy cart toward the checkout counters. 

Once the two of you officially commence on your road trip, you immediately realize you underestimated how hard being the navigator was going to be. The large map is stretched out across your lap and half of the dashboard. The sound of crinkling paper is a constant in the car as you fuss with the map, turning it this way and that to figure out how you’re supposed to be looking at it. 

“Please don’t have us driving off a cliff,” Eddie begs. “I’d like for us to make it to North Carolina in one piece.”

“Cliffs? Nah. But will I inadvertently tell you to make a turn that leads us to Midtown Manhattan? Very possibly.”

“Why?”

“Les Miserables opened on Broadway not too long ago,” you say with a shrug. 

Eddie lets out a guffaw of laughter and shakes his head. “Not until you and me go to see Metallica together, babe.”

Despite all the food the two of you just purchased, the first stop you make is at a diner in New Jersey for lunch. You’ve been on the road for about four hours and your legs are aching to move. 

A long groan emanates from your throat as you hop out of the van and stretch every muscle that you possibly can. There’s a sign just down the road from the diner and if you squint, you can make out what it says.

“Welcome to Woodbridge. Cool, guess we’re in Woodbridge.”

Eddie knocks the driver’s side door of the van closed and walks over to your side. Pinching his thumb, forefinger, and middle fingers together and shaking them in front of him, Eddie says in the worst New Jersey accent that you’ve ever heard, “Welcome to Joisey!”

Lunch is a nice break from driving, but you two haven’t made it terribly far yet so you’re eager to get back on the road. Unfortunately, it isn’t long before the two of you drive right into the middle of a raging storm. 

At first, you’re okay, just hoping the storm will pass by quickly and you’ll be in the clear. But it seems the further you get into it, the darker the skies get and the heavier the rain pounds against the windshield. A particularly loud clap of thunder makes you jump in your seat and let out a little yelp.

“Hey, hey,” Eddie says, taking one hand off the wheel and reaching over to take one of yours. “It’s okay.”

You flinch and shake Eddie’s hand off of yours, the motion only making your anxiety worse.

“Please put both hands on the wheel!” you beg, voice wobbling. 

“Okay,” Eddie says as he places his hands back at the ten and two positions. He glances at you out of the corner of his eye but doesn’t want to make it too obvious because you’d probably just yell at him to keep his eyes on the road. “What’s going on, sweetheart?”

“I just…” you trail off, pausing to take a breath. “I don’t like driving in storms. It makes me really, really nervous.”

“All right,” Eddie says, purposely keeping his voice even and calm. “Look, that sign right there says there’s a rest stop in two miles. We’ll pull off there and wait for it to pass, okay?”

“O-Okay,” you stutter. 

In your opinion, it takes an agonizingly long time to go those two miles. But finally, Eddie takes the exit for the rest stop and finds a parking space close to the picnic area—that is currently flooding. The thunder is still roaring above, and the rain sounds like a white noise, blocking out anything else. 

“Hey, c’mere.” Eddie nods his head towards the back of the van and unbuckles his seatbelt. He maneuvers himself between his and your seats and manages to climb into the back. You take a deep breath and follow him, instantly falling into his open arms. Eddie grabs a blanket and wraps it around your body, holding you close against his chest. “I’ve got you, baby. It’s okay.”

“I-I know,” you sniffle. 

Eddie presses a few kisses to the top of your head and rubs his hand up and down your arm soothingly. Being in the hollow bed of the van seems to make the echo of the thunder louder than it was while you were driving. The way you tense up even further in Eddie’s hold has him furrowing his brow. He reaches over and flicks the strings of Christmas lights on.

“You know, these are the ones we bought together,” he tells you. “When you came to stay for Christmas.”

“R-Really?” you ask, mildly trembling. 

“Mhmm. Was worried security at the airport would question me about what I was doing with half a dozen strands of lights, but apparently, they have bigger problems.”

You give a huff of laughter in response, but Eddie can tell that it’s forced. His eyes scan the back of the van and land on his guitar case tucked up against the back of the driver’s seat. He unwraps one arm from you and reaches to bring it closer. Impressively, he unlatches the clasps with one hand and slips his guitar out. 

“Here, princess.” Eddie gently moves you so you’re nuzzled up into a pile of blankets and settles the guitar in his lap. He clears his throat and starts to gently strum at the strings, plucking them harder to amp up the volume and hopefully distract you from the loud sounds of the storm. 

It works. The more you focus on Eddie, both watching and listening to him, the calmer you feel yourself become. A small smile tugs at your lips when Eddie throws a wink your way. He plays and plays until his fingers start to cramp, the storm outside still trying to outshine him. With a sigh, Eddie sets his guitar back in the case and scoots over to you in the mass of blankets. He snuggles up into the pile with you and you curl into his side, laying your head right over his heart. 

“Thank you,” you say, just loud enough to be heard over the rain.

“Of course, sweet girl.”

The rain somehow sounds soothing when you’re nestled up with Eddie. His hands softly trail over your body, relaxing you further. 

Eddie looks down at you and a small smile curls the edges of his mouth when he sees your eyes growing heavy. He wracks his brain for a slow, soft song that could help lull you into a nap. Gently, Eddie lays his head against yours and begins to hum Open Arms by Journey. Before he can even finish the song, your eyes are fully closed, and your breathing has evened out. Eddie knows he won’t be able to move without waking you up, but he doesn’t mind one bit as he holds you in his arms. His right arm, left arm, hell, his whole body could fall asleep, but he still wouldn’t move a muscle.

The first thing you think as you start to wake up is how comfortable you are. Wrapped in soft blankets, strong arms around you, and your head resting on your boyfriend’s chest. Slowly, you open your eyes and blink them a few times, the multicolored little lights looking blurry to your adjusting eyes. 

“Well, good morning.”

Stretching your muscles as much as you can in your cocoon of blankets, you tip your head up to give Eddie a sleepy smile.

“Mm, it’s not really morning, is it?” you ask, still somewhat groggy.

“No, it’s only been a couple of hours.” He presses a kiss to your forehead. “How do you feel?”

“Better,” you say. “Much more relaxed.” The source of your original anxiety comes back to you and only then do you realize that there’s no sound of wind, rain, thunder, or anything at all. 

“Good.”

“Thank you for helping me,” you say as you sit up, letting Eddie move for the first time in hours. 

“Always, baby,” he says as he shakes his arms out, trying to get the blood flowing again. 

Slowly, you crawl over to peek out the front window from between the seats. You’d swear it was like there was never a single raindrop with how lovely it looks outside. 

“The sun looks so pretty now,” you remark, squeezing one eye shut as the bright light hurts your still-sleepy eyes. 

“Oh!” Eddie says with a snap of his fingers. “That reminds me.”

You turn your head over your shoulder to see Eddie rummaging through an old, red duffle bag emblazoned with the Marlboro insignia on the sign. The tip of his tongue pokes out in concentration as he continues his search, and you just sit back on your heels and watch him.

“What’re you look—”

“Aha!” Eddie raises his fist above his head in victory, accidentally bumping it against the roof. He lets out a small huff of pain as he zips the duffle closed with the other hand and turns to face you. “Come here.”

As best as you can in the cramped space, you turn and crawl on your knees in his direction. When you stop in front of him, you look up at him expectantly. 

“Okay. I was a good dog and obeyed my command,” you tease. “Do I get a treat?”

“Actually…” Eddie trails off, a smirk spreading across his lips. “You do.” Eddie grabs one of your hands and holds it palm side up. He gently places a small black velvet bag in your hand, then curls your fingers around it.

“What’s this?” you ask when he releases your hands. You inspect the bag but there’s no name or any indication of where this came from or what it is. 

“It’s called a gift.”

You glare at him from beneath your eyelashes before focusing on the object in your hands again.

“Smartass,” you mumble. Carefully, you open the bag and something tiny and silver tumbles out into your palm. You set the bag down and pinch the gift between two fingers to get a closer look at it. It’s a charm for your bracelet. A small sun stares back at you, shiny silver rays haloing the circle.

“You know,” Eddie says, voice unusually sheepish, as you inspect your present. “Since we’re going to the beach for Spring Break.” 

“It’s perfect,” you tell him. Each charm on your bracelet stands for a special moment in your relationship with Eddie, and this is no different. The fact that he wants to commemorate these moments as much as you do gives you a fuzzy feeling far better than the cozy nap you just took. You lower the charm so you’re able to see your boyfriend’s beautiful face. “I love it. Thank you so much.”

Eddie catches you as you practically throw your body against his, wrapping your arms around his shoulders and burying your face in his neck. Emotions aren’t always the easiest to express, but you hope that you’re conveying just how touched you are by the strength in which you’re holding onto him. 

“Good,” Eddie says as he runs his hand up and down your back. “Do you want me to put it on you?”

“Yes!” Reluctantly, you let Eddie slip out of your arms and present your left wrist to him. He easily attaches the fourth charm to your bracelet, and it joins the music note, telephone, and “E” that already reside on your favorite piece of jewelry. 

“There ya go,” Eddie says as he watches you admire your new addition. 

“How did I get the sweetest boyfriend in the world?” you ask as you lean forward to rest your forehead against his. 

“I guess you’re just that amazing, huh?” You feel his breath hit your lips as Eddie lets out a small chuckle. “Mm, what do you say we get back on the road?”

In your own perfect little bubble with Eddie right now, you forgot that the two of you were even headed somewhere. It even takes your mind a second to remember where, because it’s so filled with Eddie. 

The beach, you remind yourself. We’re going to the beach in North Carolina because Eddie’s never seen the ocean and that’s another “first” checked off his list. 

“Yeah, I guess we should.” As you climb back into the passenger seat, you notice the clock on the dashboard. There’s a slight grimace on your face as you turn towards Eddie, who is buckling himself back into the driver’s seat. “I don’t think we’ll get there by sundown.”

Eddie’s eyes go from the clock, to the meticulously positioned map on the dash, then to you.

“Nah, we’re too far out,” he agrees. “We don’t want to push ourselves and we’re not in a hurry. How about we drive a little more for today, then see if we can find a place to park it for the night?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

There’s no more bad weather as you drive down the interstate. The skies are bright blue and powdery clouds float by from time to time. There isn’t much to look at outside the windows, as the highway is surrounded by woods on both sides. Watching pine tree after pine tree go by in a blur can only entertain someone for so long. Occasionally, you’ll see a deer or two out at the edge of the trees, and you squeal in delight each time. It startled Eddie the first couple of times, but he finds your enthusiasm and joy so endearing that he doesn’t care one bit. 

The road stretches on ahead of you, seeming like it will never stop; you’ll be passing the same handful of cars forever until you collectively fall off the edge of the earth. There are signs for exits every few miles, but nothing more interesting than some fast food, gas stations, and hotels. 

The dimmer the sun’s light becomes in the sky, the more you pay attention to the signs you’re passing. Maybe there will be a campsite or a rest stop where you’ll be able to spend the night. But the further you drive, the more agitated you become at not seeing a suitable place for you to stop. Just as you’re about to tip from agitation into anger though, you pass a sign that gives you an idea.

“Hey, Eds? Try taking this exit here,” you say.

“You see something?” he asks as he checks his mirrors to make sure he can safely switch lanes.

“Yeah, something that might work.” 

As Eddie pulls the van off onto the exit ramp, you keep your eyes peeled for a sign of which direction to go now. A blue sign with an arrow pointing right comes into view and you nod your head in that direction.

“This way.”

“Uh, babe?” Eddie says as he pulls out onto the highway. “This seems like a busy little area. I don’t think there’s gonna be any campsites or rest stops down here.”

“Well, apparently there aren’t any on this stretch of the east coast,” you sigh. “But, no, I had an idea. Just keep going this way.”

Eddie has no idea what you could have come up with, but he trusts you, so he follows your directions. 

Just after driving two miles down the road, you spot it.

“Ah, there!” You point to the tall building that seems to rule over all the smaller buildings surrounding it.

“A hospital?” Eddie asks. He furrows his eyebrows as he looks at the building, sure he must be wrong about what this place is. But no, there it is on the sign: Mary Washington Hospital. “Why are we at a hospital?”

“Well, think about it,” you say with a shrug. “People are parked at hospitals all hours of the day. It’s not uncommon—especially in front of the emergency room—for families to wait in their car when they’re waiting on someone who’s being seen inside. There are security guards around and it’s pretty well lit, so it’s safe. We’ll just need to hang one of the blankets up to block out any light from coming in through the front windshield.” 

Eddie can’t help but smile as he listens to your reasoning. He’s always known how smart you are, but sometimes the overt cleverness sneaks up and takes him by surprise.

“That is so smart, sweetheart. And we could always walk in and use the public bathrooms in there,” he adds.

“Exactly! And…” you trail off as you try to crane your neck around the area. “Aha! A McDonald’s just across the street. Food and more bathrooms there.”

The van pulls into the parking lot of the hospital and you both decide it’s better to park in the emergency room parking lot, though nowhere close to the building because that’s for people who come here with actual emergencies. 

“All right,” Eddie says as he puts the van into park. “Hungry?”

“A little, yeah,” you say.

“If only we had gummy worms,” Eddie laments, dramatically flopping his head back as if this lack of sugary treat has killed him. 

“I’m so sorry the grocery store by my school didn’t have gummy worms, Eddie. When I get back, I’ll write a formal complaint.”

Eddie peeks over at you and nods. “Tell them they’ve lost a customer forever.”

“I told you that you could’ve just gotten the gummy bears tho—”

“They are not the same!” 

Once Eddie calms down about his lack of gelatin annelids, the two of you get out of the van and walk hand in hand to the crosswalk that will lead you across the street to McDonald’s. There was plenty of food in the van—minus what Eddie had already eaten through today—but, as Eddie pointed out, the van does not have French fries and McDonald’s does. It was a foolproof, winning argument. 

The two of you decide to order for one another, pinky promising that whatever it is will come with fries. Eddie orders you a chicken nuggets meal, and knowing the size of his appetite, go with a Big Mac for him. Deciding that he wants to squeeze in on the same side of a booth as you, Eddie playfully squishes you between his body and the wall once you’ve chosen a table. 

As much as you are enjoying your nuggets and fries, Eddie keeps distracting you every few minutes by resting his hand on your upper thigh. It causes you to almost spew soda out of your nose. Of course, this only makes it funnier to your boyfriend, who takes it as a sign to keep teasing you. Next, his arm “accidentally” brushes up against the side of your boob, which has you giving Eddie major side-eye as you bite into an overcooked, crispy fry. At one point, you look down to realize you have Big Mac Special Sauce both on the inseam of your pants and on the shoulder of your shirt. You can’t even recall one of his hands touching your shoulder at all. Leave it to Eddie to find a way, though.

After you’ve finished your dinners and probably overstayed your welcome at the table once all of your food was gone, you and Eddie take your time walking back to the van. It’s fully dark out by now, but as you’re right on a major highway, there are tons of lights around. There’s actually a bit of a glare between the lampposts, the car headlights, and all the lights illuminating from within the different shops and restaurants. 

You stroll hand and hand up a few blocks, giggling together about nothing in particular, until you come to a stoplight and Eddie presses the button that alerts the crosswalk that you’re waiting there to cross the street. 

“I don’t know about you,” Eddie whispers into your ear. There isn’t a need to whisper since there’s no one around, but you know his intentions when a shiver runs down your spine and he lets out a low chuckle. “But I think I’m ready to get back into the van. Hmm? Maybe spread some blankets out in the back? I’d say change into our pajamas, but I’d really prefer we wear nothing.”

“That sounds like a plan to me,” you say with a coy smile. A grin lights up Eddie’s face and it sends another shiver through you. You lace your fingers with his, soft skin meeting his rougher callouses, as the orange hand on the crosswalk sign fades into the white walking figure. 

When you get back into the parking lot of the hospital, Eddie is practically skipping over to the van. An airy giggle escapes you when he yanks open the back door, bows, and gestures for you to go inside. He climbs in after you and makes sure the back doors are securely closed and slides the lock into place. 

“Just you and me now, baby,” Eddie says as he turns towards you. 

“Whatever shall we do?” you ponder with an over exaggerated shrug and shake of your head. 

“Well,” Eddie says as he gets on his hands and knees. It’s amusing to see him crawling in the small space, blankets and luggage getting knocked around. “First thing we gotta do is hang a sheet up separating us from the front seats. There’s no way in hell I’m gonna let anyone who might be passing by get a glimpse of my girl in a compromising position. Oh, no. That’s all for me.”  He practically purrs the last word, and it has your toes curling in your shoes. 

Eager to help him and get this show on the road, you grab a maroon sheet out of the massive pile of linens and hand one corner to Eddie. He reaches up and touches the ceiling right behind the passenger seat. The strands of lights are being held up by tacks and it’s easy for Eddie to finagle one to hold up the sheet as well. After watching how he did it, you copy Eddie’s actions and hang the curtain up on the driver’s side. 

Eddie purses his lips and plucks out one more tack that wasn’t necessary for the lights and uses it to fasten the middle of the sheet to the roof. 

“Perfect,” you say. Now no one can see the two of you back there, and you’ll be protected from the sun coming in and blinding you in the morning. 

The blankets scattered around the bottom of the van have shifted and bunched into piles from the way you and Eddie had been moving around. Trying the best he can in the cramped space, your boyfriend layers the thickest of the blankets one on top of another to provide some cushion for the two of you to lay on. You toss some of the pillows up towards the front of the van and they land with a light thump, brushing against the curtain. 

Eddie is still inspecting the blankets around him, but you’ve decided it’s been long enough, and you’ve run out of patience. With no preamble, you whip your shirt off over your head and toss it in the general direction of your duffle bag. That certainly gets Eddie’s attention. His eyes are drawn to you like moths to a porch light. Hungrily, he looks you up and down, finding every bit of you even sexier than the last. 

“Pants,” he growls. Who are you to deny him? It’s difficult in the limited space, but you manage to slide your jeans off and lay down on the downy bed of blankets. 

Eddie’s own shirt joins yours, tossed aside as he crawls over you and hovers his body mere inches above your skin. He’s so close yet way too far away. 

“Pants,” you repeat his command.

A cocky smirk grows on his plush pink lips, but he does as you say. He balances his body weight on one forearm while undoing his handcuff belt and fly with his other hand. The way he wiggles his hips to get the jeans off has you getting even wetter than you already were. His eyes glance down first at your bra and panties, then his own boxers that are covering his burgeoning erection.

“I suppose you want me naked now, huh?” he asks.

“No.” The smug smile along with the unexpected word has Eddie furrowing his brow in confusion. “I believe I requested you bring a certain piece of clothing with you on this trip?”

It takes Eddie a moment but when he realizes what you mean, he gives a playful roll of his eyes and chuckles. 

“Yeah, yeah, I’ve got it,” he feigns annoyance as he reaches over for one of his bags that is just beyond your head. How he’s doing this all with one hand is both impressive and hot. The muscles of the left arm ripple and move beneath his pale skin as that limb holds the weight of his entire torso up. 

Completely on purpose, Eddie pulls the hockey jersey out of his bag and lets it fall flat on your face. The peal of your laughter makes him smile as he slowly pulls the rough material down, letting it reveal you bit by bit. First, the hair, then the eyebrows, then your eyes that shine as they meet his. 

“I really think you should dress up as a fairy or a hot elf for me since I’m doing this for you,” Eddie says as he slips the Boston Bruins jersey over his head. Silently, you wonder if he’s worn it at all since the two of you bought the jerseys together in Boston. Anytime you watched a game on that tiny little screen in your dorm, you’d wear yours.

Eddie brings your attention back to the present as you watch him kick his boxers off and resettle himself over you.

“Noted,” you reply to his comment, already thinking of places to look for such an outfit. 

“Ready to be fucked by a hockey player?” Eddie teases as he reaches down and lets two of his fingers dip below the waistband of your panties.

“Mm, no.” It’s hard to focus on your words when Eddie’s hands are desperately close to where you need them to be. “I-I’m ready to be fucked by my hot as fuck boyfriend while he wears a hockey jersey.”

A self-satisfied smirk graces Eddie’s features as he brings his body back down to hover over yours.

“You’re still wearing too much,” he whispers, his breath tickling your lips. 

“Let me fix that, then.” You arch your back just enough to unhook your bra, and Eddie is happy to help you slip it off your arms and all the way off. The panties are tricky since Eddie’s body is so close to yours, but writhing your body just right gets the trick done—as well as turn your boyfriend on even more. 

Eddie dips his head and starts leaving a trail of barely-there kisses from the curve of your shoulder all the way up to your jaw. Tension you weren’t even aware you had releases from your body, melting away under his touch. Soft lips climb to behind your ear, causing you to let out a shaky breath. You’re so busy focusing on the feeling of Eddie up near your head that you’re taken by surprise as your boyfriend presses his hips down against yours, pinning your pelvis between him and the blankets.

“Fuck,” you whine out as his hard cock presses up against your thigh.

“Mmm, what’s the matter, baby?” Eddie croons in your ear. 

You’re tempted to play the brat; tell him that nothing is wrong and pretend he’s not driving you as wild as he is. But it’s been far too long since you’ve seen him–you can play games later, now you just need him. 

“Please, Eddie,” you plead, voice edging on desperate. 

“Please what?” You can practically hear him smirking against your skin. 

“D-Don’t tease me. Not now,” you beg. 

“You just need me that bad, huh?” Eddie knows he’s playing a dangerous game; he needs to be inside of you. But he loves getting you all worked up. The way you whine and writhe beneath him is addicting, and Eddie looks forward to when he can tease you like this for as long as he’d like. For now, though, he’ll pretend to give in to you. 

“I gotcha baby, don’t worry,” he says softly, sending a pleasant tingle throughout your body.

A large hand grips your hip and gives it a gentle squeeze before he slides his fingers underneath your thigh and hikes your leg up. Letting that hand slip down to your core, Eddie drags two fingers through your folds. He lifts his head up so he’s able to look you in the eye. The cocky look on his face shouldn’t be as sexy as it is.

“Already drenched for me, aren’t ya, Princess?” Without giving you time to answer, his fingers disappear, and he brings them up to his mouth. “So fucking good.” He makes sure to lick all of your arousal off before leaning in and capturing your mouth with his own. 

The moan you make is muffled against his lips as his tongue darts out for a taste of you–of your mouth this time. Your hitched up leg wraps around Eddie’s hips, which causes his cock to brush right over your clit. Instinctively, your hands reach up and grab onto Eddie’s shoulders, fisting the material of the jersey. The pressure with which you’re hanging on to him is sure to leave a number of bruises on his shoulder blades in the morning. 

Eddie cups your face as he deepens the kiss, letting his tongue explore every inch of your mouth that he’s missed for so long. All the time apart just makes him even more grateful that you’re here in his arms now. Every ounce of yearning and love is conveyed through the kiss, both of you understanding all of this without a word needing to be spoken. The safety and security you find in one another leaves you sure beyond a doubt that Eddie’s soul is tied to yours. Wrapped up in a bright red bow, double knotted, never to come undone. 

Feeling like a branding iron on your skin, Eddie slides his hand down from your cheek, trailing over your shoulder, breast, tummy, then down between your legs. Your back arches up into the scratchy material above you, reacting to the feeling of Eddie positioning himself at your entrance. The pleasurable stretch as he pushes into you has you clinging to the man you love, bliss overtaking you at the joining of your bodies again. 

Only the way your lungs begin to feel on fire could have you pulling away from Eddie’s mouth. You gulp down air as he bottoms out. Frizzy curls tickle your neck and chin as your boyfriend’s head drops down to your shoulder. His grunts and groans as he pulls almost all the way out are music to your ears.

“Feel so good,” you mumble into his hair. 

“God, you too, Princess.” The two of you moan in tandem as he thrusts back into you. “So fucking perfect.”

“Missed this. Missed you.”

A low chuckle rumbles out of his chest. “You’re stuck with me for the next week. And in pretty close quarters.”

“Good,” you say, wrapping your other leg around Eddie’s. “Want you close as possible.”

“Don’t think we can get much closer than this—oh, fuck, you’re so tight.”

“This. Off. Now.” Your words are stilted and choppy as you tug on the hem of the jersey. He looked hot in it and fucked you in it, but now it’s time to see him fully naked, scars and all. 

He obeys, quickly shedding himself of the clothing before dipping back down and gently nipping at your neck.

You lick over your lips as Eddie picks his head back up, staring into your eyes as his hips begin to move back and forth, rocking your bodies together with every breath he takes.

The way those big brown eyes never leave yours, even for a second, makes this moment all the hotter. The drag of Eddie’s cock against your walls as he stares into your soul, seeing every little part of you, has you feeling lightheaded with joy. 

“I love you,” you breathe out more than speak.

“I love you too, sweet girl.” 

Eddie gives a few more slow and steady thrusts before he begins to pick up the pace. Whimpers tumble out of your mouth, your eyes squeezing shut as Eddie pounds into you again and again and again. He slightly adjusts the angle of his hips and that causes him to hit that special spot inside of you just right.

“Yes!” Your shout echoes around the hollow van, but neither of you care. If your eyes could roll so far back they’d fall into your brain, they would right now as Eddie leads you to pure ecstasy. A particularly hard slam of his hips against yours causes your walls to clench around Eddie’s cock, evidence of just how incredible he’s making you feel.

“Jesus Christ,” Eddie moans, throwing his head back. He closes his eyes as his teeth gnash at his bottom lip. “So tight, so wet.” When your walls give another spasm at his words, Eddie knows what direction to take this dirty talk in. “Oh, you love when I praise your pussy, don’t you, baby?”

The only response you’re capable of is a feeble nod of the head. It’s not enough of a reaction for Eddie though, so he keeps going. 

“Such a perfect fucking pussy. God, so fucking pretty and it tastes even better. Do you know I thought about that every day?” Eddie smirks when you look up at him, eyes blown out, lost in lust. “It’s true,” he continues. “I’d come home from work and wrap my hand around my cock. Think about how unbelievably good you taste, baby. Such a sweet fucking pussy. And it’s all mine, right? Say it. Fucking say it’s all mine.”

“I-It’s all yours,” you stutter. 

“Goddamn right.” 

A fingertip gently presses against your throat, and you look up at Eddie, his hair swaying back and forth with every rock of his hips. The rough calloused finger slowly and delicately trails up your neck, the curve up to your chin as you tilt your head up, and finally stops right beneath the edge of your chin. Eddie has positioned your head so you’re looking directly in his eyes. The look that finds you there is possessive, protective, and a little domineering. It almost makes you cum on the spot. 

“That’s my good girl.”

“Oh fuck, Eddie, I’m gonna cum.”

A triumphant smile graces his pretty lips. It only seemed fair to him to go for your weakness, with how you clenching around him already brought him so close to finishing. He needed to even the score. 

“Gonna cum with me, yeah?” Eddie asks. Fuck, you better hurry up then, he thinks. 

“Y-Yes, Eddie.” You nod your head and slide your hands up until your fingers tangle in his hair. The feeling of his curls wrapping around your fingers is something you missed almost as much as having sex with him. 

“Good girl,” Eddie praises again, only nudging you further towards the end of the cliff. 

“I can’t last m-much longer,” you moan and Eddie silently thanks God. He knows he’s about thirty seconds from bursting.

“Okay, baby. Come on. Cum for me.” 

With one last cant of his hips, the spark catches. The feeling of his warm releasing coating your walls only intensifies your own orgasm. Breath gets caught in your chest as the wave washes over you. Eddie’s hips keep pumping throughout it, but once he’s spent, he feels like he can’t move a muscle. 

You lay there beneath him, watching his chest rise and fall and the small beads of sweat sliding down his chest. He looks so perfect like this. At that moment, you realize this is a sight that will forever be stored in your memory. Spent and happy, tired yet exhilarated. What makes it even better is that it’s because of you. This is far from the first time you’ve slept together but it’s still a dizzying, mystifying thought that it’s you that makes this beautiful, wonderful man feel so good. God, how you wish he never had to pull out of you.

As if not wanting that contact between the two of you to end either, Eddie leans in and presses a kiss to your forehead before resting his own forehead against it. 

“Stay here,” you whisper.

“Where exactly do you think I’d go?” he whispers in reply, huffing a small laugh.

“No,” you say, only slightly louder. “Stay on top of me. Inside me.”

“Yeah?” Eddie looks at you in concern, his eyebrows pulling slightly together. “I’m not hurting you?”

“Very much the opposite,” you assure him with a smile. 

“Okay.” Eddie slowly lowers until most of his weight is on top of you. He nuzzles his head into your neck, and you reach up to stroke his hair. 

Both of you know he’ll just naturally slip out of you as his cock softens, but right now it feels so good to have a little extra time to be connected in this way. 

“Love you, baby,” Eddie mumbles into your neck. From the slight slur of his speech, you know he’s falling headfirst into sleep. The yawn you let out tells you that you’re right behind him.

“I love you, too, handsome. Goodnight.”

A soft sound comes from Eddie, maybe a small groan of acknowledgment. But you chuckle to yourself because you know he’s already fast asleep. 

When you wake up, you see that clearly you and Eddie move around much more in your sleep than you would’ve thought. The two of you are not even close to being in the same positions as when you fell asleep. Then, he was on top of you, and you were gently stroking his hair. Now, you’re on the blanket face down, laying on your tummy, and Eddie is sprawled out like a starfish, his left arm slung across your lower back. 

There’s a pounding between your eyes that makes you wince; you notice now that you’re more fully awake. A sharp, stabbing headache radiates up to the very top of your head. 

“Fuck,” you mutter.

“Hmm?” Eddie says, his head popping up like a daisy out of the ground. “Whasgoin on?” He pushes himself up onto his elbows and lets out the world’s longest yawn. 

“I just woke up with a horrible headache.” You reach up on top of your head and try to put pressure on it, which sometimes will relieve your headaches. No dice this time. 

Eddie frowns and tilts his head to the side. “I don’t think we bought aspirin at the grocery store.”

“Must be the one thing in the store you missed,” you joke, trying to smile through the pain.

“Oh, my girlfriend is so funny.” Eddie’s voice is monotone as he picks up a pillow and throws it at you–but he makes sure to steer clear of your head. “Come on. Let’s get dressed and we’ll find a pharmacy. Gotta be one on this road somewhere. Seems to have every other type of establishment.” Suddenly, Eddie perks up and his eyes widen. “Ooh! Do you think there’s a game shop where I can get some new dice?”

Slowly, with your hand still pressed against your skull, you lift your head up to stare him down.

He sighs and rolls his eyes in response.

“Well, no shit, after we get you some medicine.”

After you’ve washed down a few Advil with some orange Gatorade, Eddie does look up and down the main highway to see if there’s a place he can find a new D20—in your favorite color he assures you, trying to appeal to your less-than-happy state from the pain. He comes up empty, so he just figures he’ll get some souvenir dice somewhere in North Carolina. 

When he pulls the van onto the main highway, he glances over at you and sees you resting your head back against the headrest with your eyes closed.

“Are you gonna try and get a little bit more sleep, babe?”

“No,” you say. “Just resting my eyes, trying to get rid of this headache.”

He reaches over and gives your thigh a quick squeeze of affection. A few silent minutes go by before Eddie clicks on the radio. All of the stations are unknown to him since this is a new area, so he turns the dial to scan through, looking for some music to suit his tastes. Shot in the Dark by Ozzy Osbourne comes in through some static and Eddie excitedly keeps the station on. He keeps it at a reasonably low volume, but it’s still enough to prick the pain pulsating behind your eyes. 

“Eds, can we turn the music off? My head is pounding.”

Your boyfriend glances over at you before looking back at the road. He shifts in his seat before responding.

“Uh, it kind of helps me concentrate on the road, babe,” he says. “Cause like, yesterday we were talking, and it kept my mind focused. But the quiet, it um, makes me wander off.”

“Once the Advil kicks in, you can play it again.” Part of you realizes that his reasoning is solid and fair, but your annoyance tolerance is way down. 

“Well, how long is that gonna take?” he asks.

“Jesus, Eddie,” you snap. “I’m not a doctor. It shouldn’t be too long. Just please.” 

With an irritated huff, he smacks the button that turns the radio on and off. Silence fills the van and though it may be peaceful for your ailing head, the tension in the air makes you feel ill in a different way. 

I know this is just a dumb little fight, you think to yourself. But what if we keep having dumb little fights? Will they add up and become bigger fights? What if we end up arguing more than speaking civilly to one another? Would this be what it’s like to be sharing the same space as him for a while? What if we don’t work together in any other way than seeing each other every few months? Shit, now I’m not sure if I should have the conversation with him about Boston. Nancy would be calling me a coward right about now, and she’s probably right. I’m blowing everything way out of proportion. Too many “what ifs.” But…what if I’m wrong? Thinking about all of this while my head is throbbing is not a great idea, anyway. Now my mind is wandering. Maybe Eddie had a point about the music.

Eventually, the pain in your head begins to ease, which brings another matter to your attention. 

“Uh, Eddie?”

“Yeah?”

“Can we pull off at the next rest stop?”

“Yeah.”

The cold reply is well-deserved, but it still irks you. Refusing to be the one to break this new silence, you cross your arms over your chest and watch out the window, waiting impatiently to see a sign for your next respite.

Fortunately, it’s only about two miles up the road. Eddie parks into a spot close to the bathroom and you hop out without a word. Once he sees you disappear into the building, Eddie gets out of the van so he can stretch his legs. Long arms reach up high over his head to stretch out the other muscles in his body. He twists his torso and feels his back crack with a satisfying pop. His eyes catch on the vending machines as he’s facing the other way. 

“Hmm,” he hums to himself as he walks over to it. Yes, there’s a ton of food in the van, but maybe Eddie can get one of your favorite candies for you. It’ll be like an olive branch.

A few minutes later, when you come out of the bathroom, your eyes catch on the vending machines across the way. Maybe a peace offering in the form of food would be the best way to make up. You secure the bag of Skittles and head back down to the van. Eddie sees you, his eyes drop down to your hands, and he lets out a laugh.

“Looks like you and I think alike,” Eddie says, brandishing a KitKat. 

“I’m sorry I was crabby,” you say, sticking out your bottom lip. “Can I buy back your affection with some Skittles?”

Eddie pretends to consider it as he taps the chocolate bar against his chin thoughtfully.

“Okay. But only if you give me a kiss.”

“Done.” 

You hand him his Skittles, he hands you your KitKat, and then you wrap your arms around his neck and lean into his body. The warm and safe feeling of him encircling your waist with his arms sends butterflies erupting from your belly.

“I love you,” you whisper before leaning in and pressing your lips firmly against his. The kiss is returned enthusiastically, and you can feel him smiling against your mouth.

“I love you, too,” he says once you part.

The sound of a child crying has the two of you separating. Eddie opens his mouth to say something when his eyes catch something over your shoulder. 

“Hey,” Eddie says, but not to you. Gently releasing you from his grip, your boyfriend steps around you and crouches down to be at the level of a boy who can’t be more than five or six. “Are you okay?”

“I-I can’t find my mommy,” he says through the loudest sniffles you’ve ever heard. He rubs his eye with a small fist, his chest rising and falling quickly with his shallow breathing. 

“Where’d you last see her?” Eddie asks. 

The way Eddie tilts his head and speaks so softly and calmly to the child makes something inside your heart flutter. While there’s a little boy lost and crying in front of you, you do your best not to smile, though you’re suddenly filled with a strange sense of joy. 

“Okay,” you hear your boyfriend respond to whatever it is the child said. He presses his hand against his own chest. “My name is Eddie. I’m sure we can find your mom.”

“Drew? Drew!”

A woman’s voice calls throughout the parking lot and your head turns in her direction. 

“Are you Drew?” Eddie asks. When the little boy nods, Eddie smiles at him. “Then I think we found your mom. See? That was easy.”

You’re able to flag down the woman and let her know her son is about three cars down with your boyfriend. She sighs in relief and follows you over to her son. Drew runs into his mother’s arms and Eddie stands back up. The mother can’t thank you enough, though you assure her that you’d just stumbled upon him a few seconds ago. 

Once they walk away, you sidle up next to Eddie and wrap your arm around his waist. 

“You’re good with kids.”

A strong arm wraps around you and pulls your chest flush against his.

“I mean, I’ve learned that if you’re mean to them, they tend to cry and scream. I hate that shit.” 

Back on the road, it’s smooth sailing for a while, but eventually, you run into traffic. It’s spotty in a few places, slowing down and speeding up again. The red taillights that keep popping up every so often are not as fun as the Christmas lights blinking behind the curtain at your backs. 

After about an hour of touch-and-go stopping, the whole stretch of highway comes to a complete stop. Eddie finished his Skittles long ago and his frustration has been growing ever since. Leaning forward, you pop the radio on and scan for a song that might calm him down. If there’s one thing you know about your boyfriend, it’s that music is a balm for his soul. Head by Prince comes over the sound waves and it sparks a brilliant idea in you.

“Baby? I think you need to relax.”

He sighs and drops his head back against the headrest, his hair bouncing back in reverberation.

“Easier said than done.”

Even though he isn’t looking your way, you feel yourself blush at what you’re about to suggest. As if he didn’t basically fuck you to sleep last night. 

“I think I might be able to help you with that, though…”

At the sound of your seatbelt unclicking, Eddie looks at you with furrowed eyebrows.

“What do you mean?” he asks. “What are you doing?”

You slide out of your seat and onto your knees on the van floor. The last time you attempted to do this Dustin rammed the back of Eddie’s van. Hopefully this attempt goes better. Eddie raises an eyebrow at you, still unsure about what you’re doing until you shuffle close enough to pull at his belt.

“Oh, fuck,” Eddie moans. A smile lights up his face and he’s scrambling to help you shove his pants and boxers down his hips. Just the idea of you giving him road head already has him half hard, so it doesn’t take very much to start getting him worked up as you pump him with your hand.

“Want you to feel better, Eddie,” you say, looking up at him with the most innocent eyes you can manage. The way his cock twitches in your grip boosts your ego. You lean down and lick a stripe up the side of his cock. 

“Shit,” Eddie hisses.

You press soft kisses all the way up his length, only to take him into your mouth as you get to the tip. Eddie’s foot presses harder on the break as he watches himself disappear in your mouth.

“Fuck, I better put this in park.” He shifts the gear since the traffic isn’t moving anyway, and you can’t help but chuckle around him. It sends a vibration up his cock that has him reaching down and clutching the back of your head.

Your pace starts out slow, bobbing your head, taking him a little bit deeper each time. Eddie’s thick fingers tense against you and it encourages you to take him in as far as you can, until your nose brushes against the dark curls at his base. His hand is warm against your head, firm, but not pushing you. 

You pull off, breathing heavily, and dive back in to swipe your tongue over his balls the best you can from this position.

“Holy shit.” Eddie lets go of you and he rubs over his face with both hands. You’re pretty sure his soul is about to leave his body when you suck a ball into your mouth. You let it go with a pop, only to engulf him in the wet warmth of your mouth again. 

“My God, you’re fucking perfect.”

He’s painfully hard against your tongue. It encourages you to bob your head faster than before, eager to get Eddie to his release. It’s not long until his breathing turns shallow, and you can feel his legs tensing up beneath your hands. 

“G-Gonna cum, baby,” he warns you, giving you time to pull off if you want. But you don’t. A soft hum around him lets him know that you want him to finish in your mouth. That’s all he needs, a groan emanating from the back of his throat as he cums down yours.

You do your best to swallow everything he gives you, only pulling off when you’re satisfied with your own work. As you sit back on your knees, you bring your hand up to wipe off anything on your face that you might have missed. Eddie’s panting, pressed back against the seat, a lazy smile on his face as his gaze shifts to you.

“Holy fuck, baby,” he says. 

“More relaxed?” you ask, tilting your head to the side with a mischievous glint in your eye.

“Yeah,” Eddie huffs with a laugh. “Definitely feel better.”

Once traffic gets moving again, the rest of the highway is a breeze. When it starts to get dark, there’s not much farther to go until you reach the coast. A few miles before you get there, you spot a cozy little restaurant that looks like the perfect hole-in-the-wall kind of place for dinner. You’ve both been holed up in the van all day though, so you hop into the back and change into different, nicer clothes. As you’re looking for your new outfit in just your bra and panties, Eddie comes up behind you and promises to return the favor for relaxing him so much earlier. It takes all of your mental energy to put those new clothes on instead of taking the little left that you’re wearing off. 

How you manage to hold your ground, you’re not sure, but you do. The air this close to the ocean is a little chillier at night so you opt for a nice purple, long sleeved shirt, and Eddie slips his leather jacket over one of the multiple Metallica shirts he packed. It’s not a far walk from the van to the front door of the restaurant, but Eddie insists on holding your hand the whole way there anyway. Keeping up his streak of being a gentleman, he opens the door and gestures for you to walk inside. The instant you step over the threshold you’re greeted by the scent of baking bread and something cooking that’s heavy on the garlic. It immediately gets your mouth watering. 

“Hi, how many this evening?” the hostess asks as you and Eddie step up to her small, sturdy podium.

“Two,” you say. 

“All right, you can follow me.” 

Eddie laces his fingers with yours just for the twenty foot walk over to where you’re seated. The hostess leads you between tables covered in white tablecloths with small copper lanterns sitting in the middle of each. The lighting in the whole restaurant is dim, but it adds to the calm and quiet ambiance. The beautiful orchestrations coming from overhead speakers are the cherry on top of this romantic scenery, which is most definitely the vibe they were going for.  

Before Eddie steps around to his side of the table, he pulls your chair out for you. There is never a shortage of sweet gestures with Eddie, but you’re not sure if you’ve ever been in a place this nice with him. The chivalry plus the romantic setting has you feeling giddy and bubbly.

Once Eddie has slid you in closer to the table, he notices a shiver and the way your shoulders hunch up. He slips his leather jacket off and gently drapes it over your shoulders. You’re not expecting it, so it startles you at first, but then you just giggle as you wrap it tighter around you.

“Thank you, handsome,” you say as he takes his seat on the opposite side of the table from you. 

“Your waitress this evening will be Miranda, and she should be with you shortly,” the hostess informs you.

“Thank you,” you say before she walks back towards the front of the restaurant. 

Now that it’s just the two of you together, you take advantage of looking around the place. Three of the interior walls of the restaurant are made to look like gray stone—you wonder if it actually is and have the sudden urge to touch it. The fourth wall is an accent wall, painted a deep red. Waiters walk around in white button-up shirts and black ties. It’s such a charming little place and you’re glad that you get to experience it with Eddie. 

Miranda, your waitress, comes to take your orders, and by the look of confusion on both your and Eddie’s faces, she tries to explain what some of the fancier sounding dishes are. She’s very kind and thoughtful without being condescending. A perfect “mom” temperament, you think. 

As soon as she leaves with your orders, Eddie reaches across the table and takes your hand in his own. His thumb traces patterns on the palm of your hand for a few moments before purposefully tickling your hand. A small squeak escapes your lips, and you yank your hand back. Eddie chuckles and when you look up at him, ready to give him some kind of witty remark, it dries up on your tongue. The way Eddie is looking at you steals your breath. There’s a smile on his face and his eyes are crinkled in the corners, but it’s the way his eyes are focused on you. The look could be described as nothing less than adoring. Heat rises to your cheeks at the unwavering attention. Normally anyone looking at you this long would make you uncomfortable, but this is Eddie. There is not a thing about him that has made you uncomfortable since you met him. 

“What’re you thinking about?” Eddie asks, tilting his head like an inquisitive puppy. 

“You. How I’m still not sure how it’s possible to be this happy.”

The honesty of the answer and the sincerity in your voice cause a wave of emotions to crash over Eddie as well. Again, he reaches over and takes your hand. But this time all he does is lace his fingers with yours and simply hold it. 

Small soft conversations are held between the two of you as you wait for your food. But more than with words, the two of you silently communicate with one another. The squeeze of a hand, a facial expression, or the look in the other’s eyes. When silence settles over your table it’s not awkward in the least. It’s comfortable. It’s you and your person, just being together. Being in his presence is all you need. 

Ironically, when the food arrives, you talk more. Before, your mouths weren’t busy, yet there were sparse words spoken. But now that you both have to talk between bites—of spaghetti in his case and eggplant in yours—the conversation flows open and freely. 

“All right,” Eddie says as he twirls some pasta around his fork. “Five movies you’d wanna watch together. Because you want to show it to me or just because you wanna watch it in general. Go.”

“Oh jeez,” you say with a sigh. “There’s just so many great ones out there. Okay, let me think… Little Shop of Horrors—the new one. Um… The Outsiders, one of my favorites.”

“Because of Rob Lowe?” Eddie asks, a smirky smile on his face.

“No. Well, not just because of him,” you say. “Hmm…oh, The Shining. I’ve never been able to finish because I always get scared. But that just gives me an excuse to be held by you, though.”

“I’ll protect you,” Eddie promises with a wink. 

“My hero.” You blow him a kiss, then try to think of two more movies. “Some Like it Hot. Can’t go wrong with a Marilyn Monroe flick. Let’s see, one more. Oh! And E.T. I always cry at that one. And want Reese’s Pieces.”

“I think I can provide those for a movie night,” Eddie says. 

It’s wonderful to talk about future plans with Eddie. Yeah, there are the bigger questions to be asked when you intend to be committed to a person, but these smaller, more detailed don’t-have-to-be-too-far-in-the-future plans are great fun to think about. Planning what you’d like to do for his next birthday, or thinking of places that you’d love to vacation together. Just to have these thoughts, ideas, fantasies about doing all these incredible things with the person you’re in love with is enough to make you feel lovesick. 

After you’ve eaten enough eggplant that you feel you’re close to bursting, you set your napkin down on the table and slip Eddie’s jacket from your shoulders.

“I’ll be right back, I’m gonna use the bathroom,” you say as you stand up and hang his jacket on the back of your chair. As you walk past Eddie in the direction of the restrooms, you lean in and press a quick kiss to the top of his head before you keep going.

Eddie smiles to himself and tries to get the last few noodles on his plate to cooperate and get on his fork. Someone clearing their throat gets Eddie’s attention and his head snaps up. An older lady with snowy white hair and a pageboy haircut sitting at the table next to yours leans in towards Eddie, trying to get his attention. She’s seated on the far side of the table, just like you, so it’s easy for Eddie to spot her. He can see the woman’s husband in his peripheral vision as well.

“I’m sorry to bother you,” she says, an apologetic look pinching her face, “but I just wanted to let you know that you two are adorable.”

The words instantly have Eddie grinning like a madman. He’s momentarily flustered, and that’s a feat very few people accomplish. 

“Thank you,” he finally says. 

Now, the husband turns towards Eddie and leans over as if he’s going to let the younger man in on a secret.

“You be good to her,” the man says, kindly, but firm enough to make his point. 

“Oh, there’s no worry about that,” Eddie says with a shake of his head. “I’m going to marry that girl someday.”

The woman clasps her hands together under her chin and looks at Eddie with eyes that he can practically hear saying, “awwwwww!” Some heat rises to his cheeks, but when you walk back up to the table, he does his best to compose himself. 

You slip Eddie’s jacket back on, reveling in the warmth and scent of your boyfriend. As you’re debating on whether or not you want one last bite of the eggplant, the woman seated at the table on your right catches your attention. 

“I just have to say,” she starts, with a melancholic smile, “you two remind me of me and my husband back when we were young.” 

For some reason, that comment makes you more emotional than any other compliment she could have paid you. An older and seemingly happy couple sees themselves in you when they were young. It brings you visions of an elderly you and Eddie sitting outside on the front porch, watching your grandchildren play in the yard. A soft rain begins to come from the sky and all the kids run up onto the porch to take cover. Eddie snatches up the youngest and holds them prisoner in his lap while he tickles them. You have to force yourself out of that daydream because you’re making yourself emotional. 

Soon after, the older couple gets up from their chairs and bids you and Eddie a goodnight before they leave. Just as the two of you are discussing if you should order dessert or not, Miranda delivers a hot fudge sundae to your table. For a brief moment you wonder if she’s a mind reader.

“Um, we didn’t order this,” Eddie says, clearly confused about the confection as well. 

Miranda beams, the corners of her eyes crinkling up the subtle crow’s feet around her eyes. She looks as if she has a huge secret, and she can’t wait to share it with someone.

“George and Rhonda wanted to send this over. The couple who was seated here next to you.” Miranda points to the table the elderly couple were sitting at. “They’re regulars, but I don’t think they’ve ever ordered anything for someone else before.” She seems so overjoyed just at sharing this news, but her eyes light up with an extra spark as she remembers something. “They also paid your bill.”

At first, you’re sure that Miranda isn’t talking to you and Eddie. This type of kind gesture is something you’ve only seen on television or movies. The warmth of tears begins to build behind your eyes and your throat feels tight as you turn to look at your boyfriend. He looks just as baffled as you do. Though, where you look overwhelmed and emotional, Eddie looks flustered. His mouth keeps opening and closing, wanting to say something, but is coming up blank. 

“Wow,” he finally manages, all other words failing him.

“Are they still here?” you ask, clearing your throat once you hear how shaky your voice is.

“No, they left a few minutes ago.”

Eddie knocks a chunky ring against the table, his tongue darting out to lick his lips. His face is slightly pinched, clearly thinking about something.

“You said they’re regulars, right?” he asks.

“They are,” Miranda affirms. “Come in at least twice a month.”

Eddie’s head swivels to you and he raises his eyebrows. “How does writing them a thank you letter sound?”

His absolute thoughtfulness once again astounds you. Sometimes you think about how rough the beginning of Eddie’s life was, and how it definitely hasn’t been a piece of cake since then either. His heart has been played with, broken, crushed—and that doesn’t even include any physical pain he’s gone through. But he still has this kind heart that’s never been beaten out of him.

“I like that idea,” you agree. Now you wish you had brought your purse instead of just shoving your wallet in your pocket. There’s a pen and probably thirty scraps of paper in there. “Miranda, do you have a pad and pen we can borrow?”

“Of course.” Miranda looks equally moved by Eddie’s proposal, and she doesn’t even know the half of how incredible he is.

After Miranda returns with a pen bearing the restaurant’s name and a receipt pad, Eddie hunches over the table, tapping the pen against the surface as he thinks of what to write. Inspiration strikes and Eddie scribbles against the paper. Silently, you wonder if you’ll have to rewrite it if your boyfriend’s chicken scratch is illegible. 

Eddie slides the pad over to you and you lean in to read it.

Dear George and Rhonda,

We already couldn’t thank you enough for your kind words to us, but now we’re pretty speechless with the dessert and paid bill. We asked Miranda to give you this note the next time you’re here so we can at least show you a fraction of how grateful we are.

That’s where the note stops, so you pick up the pen and write beneath his words. 

This is possibly the nicest thing that’s ever been done for us. You’ve put the cherry on top of our first vacation together…and I’m not just saying that because there’s a cherry on top of this sundae we’re staring at right now. We wish there was some way that we could repay your goodwill. I guarantee you that we’ll find a way to pay it forward though.

You show Eddie to get his approval on it. Once he nods in agreement, you both sign your names on the bottom. Both of you are still stunned as you walk out of the restaurant full of ice cream and hot fudge. 

The night sky is a black canvas dotted with intermittent sparkles shining down as you walk back to the van with Eddie. Even with how far you are away from the beach, you can smell the salt blowing in the wind. 

Eddie jingles the keys to the van as he slips the keyring over his forefinger. Instead of opening the door, he leans up against the multicolored siding and tugs you by your hips until you’re pressed up against him.

“How’s watching the sunrise over the ocean tomorrow morning sound?” he asks.

“Literally can’t think of a better way to show you the beach for the first time.” You wrap your arms around his neck and lean in to press a few chaste kisses to his lips.

“It’s really nice out,” Eddie says, looking up at the sky and around at the sleepy coastal town. “What do you say we find somewhere to park the van and I’ll climb up and put a blanket on the top so we can lay there and look at the stars?”

You stare at him without answering, which has him cocking an eyebrow. When you start poking his chest and shoulders with your finger, he becomes even more confused.

“What are you doing?” he asks.

“Proving that you’re real,” you say. 

Eddie huffs a laugh and tugs you forward by your still outstretched finger. He squishes you against his chest, completely engulfing you in his arms.

“Is that a yes?”

The perfect spot to park the van for the evening is only a few blocks from the beach, in the back of a motel parking lot. There are cars parked closer to the building, but there’s no one out walking around or making any noise to disrupt the sound of the waves crashing against the beach in the near distance. 

This is the perfect time to ask Eddie the question you’ve been intending to on this trip. Realizing that you’re really about to ask this, to possibly take this step, or possibly feel disheartened and a bit rejected, has your stomach tying itself in a knot. Maybe it’s too soon. Maybe you should ask later in the trip so if he says no then it won’t be a gray cloud looming over the rest of Spring Break. No, you decide. It’s going to be now.

“Eddie?”

“Yeah?”

“I, uh, was wondering if–I mean, I wanted to ask, uh, if…do–uh, um...”

As your rambling trails off, you feel Eddie’s fingers intertwine with yours where your hands lay between your bodies.

“What’s gotcha tongue tied, baby?” he asks. 

“I want to, I mean, I’m trying to–to...” You’re just flustering yourself at this point and let out an irritated sigh.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” Eddie assures you, rubbing his thumb against the side of your hand. “Why don’t I go first, huh?”

“Okay.” You weren’t aware there was something he wanted to say.

Carefully, Eddie maneuvers onto his side so he’s facing you. When you move to do the same, he helps you stay steady until you’re lying face to face. He leans in and presses a kiss to your nose, making you wrinkle up your face and let out a small giggle.

Eddie raises his right hand to slip his mood ring off and holds it up between the two of you.

“Can I give you this?” he asks, soft voice almost carried away on the breeze. “Mostly because I would love for you to wear my ring, but maybe also a little bit so I can know what your mood is.” The last part is a joke, but also kind of not.

Words fail you again, so you nod enthusiastically. “I would love to wear it.”

Eddie slides it onto your left thumb–the only finger it won’t fall off of–and brings your cold fingertips up to his lips.

“I’ll love you forever,” he whispers.

“That’s how long I’ll wear this ring.”

“Yeah?”

“I promise.” You kiss the stone set in the ring and Eddie gives it a kiss after you.

The courage to ask Eddie what you wanted to has come out of hiding now that his ring is on your finger. It asks you why you were ever scared to ask him in the first place. It’s Eddie. 

“So, I wanted to ask you something. Or—talk to you about something. Well, kind of both I guess…” You’re blabbering again, but it’s a bit more cohesive this time. Now it's more a matter of not knowing how to phrase it.

A warm and encouraging hand lands on your upper arm and rubs up and down soothingly.

“It’s okay, baby. Take all the time you need.”

“You, um, you know how I’m coming home for the summer, right?” You internally cringe, knowing you’re not off to the best start. 

“Yeah, isn’t that how semesters work?” Eddie asks with a playful smirk. 

“All right, Mr. Smarty Pants,” you say with a playful slap to the chest. “Then you know that I’ll be going back again in the fall.”

“Unfortunately,” he says.

“Well…when the next semester starts, Nancy and I are going to get an apartment together,” you explain.

“That’s a good idea. Both of you had such shitty roommates this year and you don’t wanna take that chance again.”

“Right! Exactly.” You say it a bit too loud, but you reign yourself in. “So, Steve’s actually going to come move up to Boston and live with us. He and Nancy will have their room, I’ll have mine.”

Eddie isn’t sure how to react at first. He’s not entirely sure how he feels about that because, one, it feels like he’s losing another friend to Boston. Two, even though Steve is a great friend, Eddie is a little uncomfortable having his girlfriend live with another guy.

His silence has your courage ready to slink away with its tail between its legs, so you just keep going before it goes back in hibernation mode for good.

“And I, um, I was wondering—I mean, Nancy and I have talked about it, of course, and only if you want to…”

“Sweetheart,” Eddie interrupts with a chuckle. “You can say anything to me, you know that.”

“WouldyouwannamovetoBostonandlivewithus?”

Eddie raises his eyebrows. “Huh?”

“Uh, h-how would you feel about maybe moving to Boston too? Nance a-and Steve would have their room, and w-we could have ours. I know we haven’t been together a long time or even known each other a long time, but…I don’t know. It doesn’t feel too fast for me. I mean, it might for you, I-I don’t know. If someone had told me five months ago that I’d be ready to live with a guy after four months of knowing one another I’d have said they were crazy. But…here I am. I-I don’t want you to feel pressured or rushed or anything like that, I just wanted to put the offer out there in case you want to think about it or—”

Eddie silences your rambling by cupping your face and pressing his lips up against yours. It lasts a few seconds before he pulls back and rests his forehead against yours.

“There is nothing that would make me happier than falling asleep next to you every night and waking up next to you every morning.” 

His answer has a load lifting off of your shoulders that you hadn’t realized was quite this heavy. Between relief and happiness, emotion bubbles up until there are tears streaming down your face. 

“Are you sure?” you ask, wanting to make sure. “You c-can think about it.”

“I did,” he says seriously. “Only took about a second because I’m so sure. I’d love to live with you, baby.”

You bury your face in Eddie’s neck, careful not to be forceful enough to knock him towards the edge of the roof. He rests his head against yours as you cling to him, the tears still flowing.

“I love you so much, Eddie.”

“I love you too, sweetheart. So fucking much.” 

He chuckles as he holds you even closer, causing you to peek up at him.

“What?”

“Just thinking how it’s good I got this van, huh? Getting us used to sleeping practically on top of one another.”

“Eddie, we can get a bigger bed, we won’t have to sleep—”

“Oh, we most certainly will.”

Eddie is the first to wake up the next morning. He doesn’t want to move from the pile of blankets he’s lying on. That causes some confusion in him, though. When he fell asleep, there was definitely a blanket on top of him, and not nearly this many under him. Forcing himself to open his eyes and move from his comfortable position, Eddie sits up and looks through squinted eyes to see what shape your bed area is in.

Somehow the blanket Eddie fell asleep beneath is now under your head. You’re also practically curled into your own duffle bag on the side of the van. He’s still not sure how he ended up laying amongst the mass of blankets, but he shrugs it off. 

The muscles in Eddie’s back and abdomen thank him as he stretches his body over towards the maroon sheet acting as your bedroom door. He moves it aside to see the sky just beginning to wake up. Perfect. The faint call of seagulls calling and waves crashing to shore tugs the corners of his mouth up in a smile. He’s actually going to see the ocean today. Another first, with you, the only one he’d want to experience all firsts with. 

A sound comes from you, but Eddie isn’t sure if it’s a yawn or a hiccup. He chuckles and turns back around to see you roll onto your back. One of your arms goes up to rest above your head, the other resting across your stomach. When your legs move, opening slightly to adjust your hips, an idea forms in Eddie’s mind. He did say he was going to repay the favor from when you gave him road head yesterday. Plus, he remembers your exact words after you woke him up with a blowjob back when he stayed with you in January: “Waking up with you between my legs sounds insanely hot, actually.”

As stealthily as he can manage, Eddie crawls over and slowly spreads your legs wide enough until he can kneel between them. The Megadeth t-shirt of his that you slept in last night has ridden up a little in your sleep, so Eddie doesn’t need to adjust that before he slowly and gently hooks his fingers into the sides of your lacy green panties. He takes his time, not wanting to wake you or inadvertently rip your underwear. It’s challenging to get the panties over the curve of your ass, but Eddie manages. He also manages to take his time to feel your ass up properly. 

Once he finally gets the garment all the way off you, he breathes a sigh of relief. Hopefully this would be the hardest part. He starts to wonder how you pulled down his pajama pants and boxers when you woke him up like this a few months back. But then it hits Eddie: he sleeps like the dead. 

The blankets on the floor make it easy for Eddie to slide down to his stomach quickly and quietly. When he goes a little too far back, however, he needs to army crawl his way back until he’s close enough. 

Gently and carefully as to not hurt you or jostle you too much, Eddie spreads your legs further apart until your pussy is on display for him. A low groan reverberates through Eddie’s chest and he’s not sure how he’s going to be able to keep himself quiet while enjoying his favorite thing to eat. Eddie wraps his left arm under your leg to steady himself before he goes in and takes the first lick of your delicious pussy that he’s been craving since the last time his mouth was down here. 

Eddie moves your right leg so it’s resting over his shoulder, and it gives him an even better vantage point as he spreads your labia to get a look at the goods beneath. He swears, this must be how happy the kids felt when they found those Golden Tickets in their damn Wonka bars. Elation and excitement is dancing up and down his veins. 

Determined to waste no more time, Eddie dives in properly and instantly moans against your clit as he relishes in your taste. His addiction is being fed and he’s not sure how he’s been able to go this long without it. His long tongue runs over your entrance, dipping in a few times just to be a tease. Your leg over his shoulder moves just slightly and the smallest of grunts comes from above him. Eddie doesn’t plan on taking his mouth off of your pussy long enough to check if you’re awake or not, though. 

Eddie tilts his head up just slightly and flicks your clit with his tongue before wrapping his lips around it. Now, you’re really starting to get animated. More indistinguishable noises and small movements. When Eddie goes back to lapping at your hole, he makes sure his nose bumps up against your clit. A pleasurable moan that Eddie’s come to know very well fills the air.

“Oh, fuck, Eddie,” you whine as you arch your back. “God, that feels so good.”

Now that you’re awake, Eddie kicks it up a notch and starts to devour your pussy. He buries his face so far between your legs that you wonder how he can breathe. A string of involuntary moans and whimpers fall from your lips as you turn your head to the side and squeeze your eyes shut.

The muscles in your body begin to tighten and you try to tell your body that you don’t want to cum yet, that you want to keep enjoying this. Looking down was a mistake though, because the moment you see Eddie’s head between your thighs you feel like you could cum on the spot.

With your top teeth digging into your bottom lip hard enough to draw blood, you reach down for the crown of Eddie’s head with one hand, eager to grab at it and get your fingers lost in the frizzy mess. 

“E-Eddie?”

“Mm?” He hums the responses against your pussy, too busy trying to taste every bit of you. There’s no time for words when his mouth is occupied for a far better reason. 

“Look at me. Want you to look up at me,” you say, shallow breaths and little whines punctuating the sentence. 

Eddie does as he’s told and lifts his head a bit so he can cast his eyes up and meet your gaze. The way that those molten chocolate eyes never waver, never look away while he keeps pleasuring you is your tipping point. 

“Ah, fuck, fuck,” you stutter, your one hand gripping onto Eddie’s head for dear life, and the other one clutching at a plush blue blanket so hard that your knuckles turn whiter than the whipped cream you shared at dinner last night. 

Two thick fingers breach your hole, and the tongue focuses solely on your clit now. 

“Eddie, I’m not gonna…I-I can’t,” you ramble. “Can't hold out. Gotta cum.”

Moaning as if he was the one getting the best oral sex of his life, Eddie pulls away from your pussy to say, “Cum on my tongue, sweet girl. Please.”

Your hips want to jerk, and your legs want to close around Eddie’s head; somehow, you’re able to resist. The vice grip he has on you probably has something to do with it. 

With one last moan of your boyfriend’s name, your back arches off the blanket below you and a feeling of euphoria crashes over you. Eddie helps work you through it, pumping his fingers as sparks shoot off behind your closed eyes and your breathing turns erratic. The high spreads all throughout your body, and as it fades, leaves complete satisfaction and tranquility in its wake. 

Eddie slips his fingers from your pussy, the sensation causing a brief moment of longing in your otherwise content body. Lazily, you blink your eyes open to see the two fingers that were just inside of you in Eddie’s mouth. He winks at you, causing you to give a breathy chuckle, your breathing still trying to return to its normal rhythm. There’s a soft thud next to you when Eddie plops down to lie at your side. You waste no time scooting closer and laying your head on his bare chest. A comforting arm wraps around you, and you return the gesture by placing a few soft kisses along a particularly deep scar on his chest.

“Morning, beautiful,” Eddie says quietly.

“That’s one hell of a way to wake up, handsome.” You tilt your head up to grin at him, only to find him beaming right back down at you. 

Heaving an overdramatic groan, Eddie takes you by surprise and pulls you impossibly tight against his chest, arms holding you prisoner there.

“Can’t breathe.”

“Geez,” Eddie whines, “what’s more important? My hugs or your precious air supply?”

The goofy and flirty tone keeps up as the two of you get ready for the day. Being in such a cramped space, the two of you keep bumping into one another as you look for your swimsuits. Eddie takes advantage of the moments of closeness by stealing kisses. His surprised face is priceless when you turn the tables and steal one from him.

Once you’ve got your bathing suit out, laying on top of your pile of clothes, you shrug out of your shirt. As you pick up the swimsuit, you see Eddie staring at you from the corner of your eye. A loud chuckle busts out of you as you look over to see him ogling your boobs.

“Aren’t you used to seeing them by now?”

Eddie shakes his head and makes grabby hands for you. “No. Gimme.”

You roll your eyes but let him grope your chest as you pull the dark green bathing suit up your legs and over your ass. Eddie’s hands are forced out of the way as you situate the top of your suit to get it to sit right. He may let go of your boobs, but he gives your ass a smack before changing into his own bathing suit.

“Have you had enough?” you ask once his trunks are on. “Can we go see the ocean now?”

“Never enough. But yes, let’s go.”

It’s only a few blocks to the beach and Eddie finds the prime spot since it’s so early in the morning. Sandy dunes littered with beach grass block your view of the ocean, but the sound and smell are unmistakable. The call of a seagull adds to the symphony of waves as you and Eddie get out of the van. A glimpse at Eddie’s face shows he’s grinning like a kid on Christmas morning. It makes your heart skip a beat as you slip your hand into his. He tosses both of your towels on the opposite shoulder and gives your hand a squeeze.

“Ready to see the ocean?” you ask.

“Let’s do it.”

The two of you walk onto the small boardwalk that takes you over the sand dunes. The excitement is practically radiating off of Eddie as you get to the peak of the dock. You’re paying more attention to him than where you’re walking, so you hope you don’t trip.

The moment Eddie’s eyes first see the water, his hand reflexively tightens around yours. His entire face is lit up, his eyes bright and smile infectious. It makes him look years younger, his inner child filled with glee. With every step closer to the water, the antsier he gets. The beach is mostly empty, not a whole lot of people are here to watch the sunrise. And those who are waiting for the dawn are so spread out that you can barely hear the laughter that blows along with the gentle breeze. 

You find a spot far enough from the water and kick off your sandals. Eddie follows your lead and spreads the two towels out, though they’re going to get covered in sand anyway. The sun should be rising any minute, heating up the already decently warm air. You trail your eyes from the purpling horizon to your boyfriend. Pale fingers fidget with the hem of his t-shirt and you immediately realize what’s going on in his head.

“Hey,” you murmur. His gaze shifts to you and you step forward and rest your hands on his chest. “You don’t have to take it off if you don’t want to. In fact, I think I want you to keep it on. I know there’s nobody around us now, but if some hot girl comes by later, I’ll have to kick her ass if she tries to steal you from me. But I also wouldn’t be able to blame her. All this…” you slip your hands beneath his shirt and drag your fingers over his abdomen, “is too fucking hot. I’d have to take a run at you too if you weren’t already the love of my life.”

Eddie playfully rolls his eyes at you, but the dusting of pink along his cheeks makes you think you made him feel at least a little better. You’re proven right when he slips his tee off and lets it fall to the towels. Unable to help yourself, you drink in your sexy boyfriend’s body, biting your lip as you scan him up and down. When your eyes trail back up, Eddie is looking out at the water with a mixture of longing and hesitation. 

“Wanna go in?” you ask. His eyes meet yours and he looks a little surer.

“Is it going to be cold?”

“Probably, babe.”

“Keep me warm?” he asks.

You pretend to think about it, your forefinger tapping your chin.

“Nope.” You giggle and gently push him in the direction of the water. He gives you a playful glare in return. The sand wriggles between your toes as you start to walk backward, making your way towards the water. Giving Eddie a reassuring smile, you outstretch your arms and offer your hands to him. It only takes him a few seconds before he’s following down after you, gladly slipping his hands into yours. 

A wave rushes the shore and you let out a peal of laughter as it engulfs your feet. Eddie yelps in surprise, making you laugh even harder. Your grip on his hands tightens slightly, silently telling him not to run away, to keep going with you. Though his muscles tense up and his shoulders bunch up towards his ears, Eddie keeps his hands firmly grasped in yours.

The farther you walk in, the water level rises up your legs. A wave breaks against your back, but the look of alarm on Eddie’s face registers in your mind before the large splash. Once you start to laugh at the wetness now all over the back of your body, Eddie visibly relaxes. Now that more of you has been subjected to the cold water, you crouch down into the sea, gently tugging on your boyfriend’s hands so he’ll join you. 

After a brief moment of hesitation, Eddie lowers his body down and shudders at the chill that washes over his skin. Slowly, you move a little deeper, making sure not to get too far away from the shore. Strong arms wrap around your waist and tug your chest up against his. Your natural response is to slip your arms around Eddie’s neck.

“Congratulations,” you say just loud enough to be heard above the ebb and flow of the ocean around you. “You’re no longer an ocean virgin.”

“Just popping all my cherries with you, huh?” he asks with a smirk.

“Wouldn’t I be the one with the cherry popped?” You wrinkle up your nose and Eddie gently nips at it.

The first rays of light appear over the horizon and the two of you adjust yourselves so you can both watch it while you languidly rock back and forth in the waves. Silence falls between the two of you as the sun inches its way higher. The blue-black of the predawn bleeds into a pink and orange tapestry for all in its presence to admire. The thought of watching a sunrise was never something you’d thought of as emotional before. But as you rest your head against Eddie’s and feel his grip tighten around you, a warm, glowing happiness bubbles up within you. This is the closest anything in life can come to perfection, you think. 

Once the sun finishes its debut for the day, Eddie nuzzles his nose against the side of your head until you look up at him. The moment you do, he leans in and presses his lips against yours. The kiss is soft and slow, lazy and cozy. It ends when both of you are smiling too widely to keep your mouths together.

“Can we have more firsts together?” you ask.

“What did you have in mind?” 

“Well,” you start, “I’m assuming we won’t always wanna bunk with Nancy and Steve, so maybe we’d get a place of our own someday? It doesn’t have to be in Boston; we could even move to Indiana so you can be close to your uncle, or—” You cut yourself off as you realize you’re rambling on. But your boyfriend looks far from annoyed; in fact, the look in his eyes is nothing less than adoring. 

“We can figure that out,” he reassures you, pressing another gentle kiss to your nose. He pauses before admitting, “I’ve never felt safe like this before. There’s just something about you.”

“I’m gonna take it that you like this something about me.”

“Good guess.” 

“Eddie Munson, I love you so fucking much.”

“I love you too, sweetheart. More than anything.”

[maria-scribbles]

meet me at midnight

summary: new year's eve, 1983. a rooftop, an epiphany, and a kiss that changes everything

wc: 5k

ship: eddie munson x f!henderson!reader

warnings: underage drinking, mentions of drugs and smoking, mention of barb's death (rip queen), stancy (eugh), kissing, the reader being jealous and insecure and also kinda stupid.

a/n: writing stancy made me physically ill. i really do love nancy but i'm afraid i wrote her terribly ooc in this ugh. also, do i headcannon eddie as a saxophone player? yes, yes i do. why? no fucking clue. robin's favorite band is named 'blush' after maya hawke's first album.

-

meet me at midnight

December 31st, 1983

"Sweet dreams are made of this, who am I to disagree?"

You were inclined to, that's for sure.

Annie Lennox's voice booms throughout the house as you tuck yourself further into the corner you've managed to claim, a lukewarm cup of punch in hand. It feels like the entire student body of Hawkins High is here at Tina's party, bodies jostling each other on the makeshift dance floor and spilling down the hallway like an overflowing sink, even trickling outside onto the deck to smoke despite the frosty air.

You shift your weight from one heeled boot to the other and choke down a sip of your drink, wincing at the alcohol burning its way down your throat. Leave it to some thickheaded jock to make a punch that's almost entirely rum, you think as you abandon the solo cup on the nearest shelf and pull your sweater sleeve down to check the time.

It's not nearly as late as you'd hoped, the glowing green numbers reading ten-thirty, and you drop your arm with a sigh. An hour and a half before midnight and an hour and a half way too long in your opinion.

"Having fun?" Nancy's face is flushed as she squeezes her way through the dancing crowd to you, dragging Steve by the hand.

Absolutely not.

"Oh, totally!" Your smile feels so forced you're sure she'll notice and call you out but it never comes, both to your relief and disappointment; once upon a time you'd been thick as thieves, the best of friends just like your little brother and hers, before she'd ditched you for Barb and left you behind in the dust.

Barb, whose body lies in another dimension, frozen forever at sixteen.

Yeah, you're still processing that last part and you were there, standing beside Dustin as Eleven confirmed Nancy's worst fear, heart breaking for your former best friend as she cried into Jonathan's arms.

(Later that night, when everything was said and done and you were safe in bed with your little brother sleeping soundly across the hall was when you cried for Barb, too, a girl who was kind and innocent and undeserving of her terrible fate.)

Your relationship's been on the mend ever since but as much as it hurts to admit, you'll never be as close as you once were and Nancy's inability -or unwillingness, you think bitterly- to pick up on your unhappiness is only further proof.

"Wanna come dance with us?" She asks, oblivious, and you shake your head, crossing your arms to keep her from grabbing your hand because as bored as you are, being a third wheel would be even worse. You already feel bad for crashing their date by tagging along for the drive here, even though they both insisted on giving you a ride.

"Trust me, that wouldn't be pretty. Dusty says I dance like a school chaperone."

Steve bursts out laughing at that and it makes your heart do a little flip in your chest, even as Nancy fondly shakes her head. "Come on, you're not that bad."

"Oh no, I am." You wrap your arms tighter around yourself as someone opens the front door and lets in a freezing blast of air. "Seriously, I'm good. I think I'm gonna go grab some snacks."

"Try the snickerdoodles! I ate, like ten of them." Steve admits that last part pretty sheepishly and the way Nancy stares up at him with the most adoring look in her eyes makes you feel like you're intruding on something private.

You offer an awkward smile in thanks and with a tiny wave from Nancy, they melt back into the mess of bodies dancing along to Cyndi Lauper, leaving you alone once again.

For no less than the fifth time tonight, you wish Robin was here, not halfway across the state visiting her grandparents. While you might've lost Nancy as your best friend in middle school, you gained another: Robin had also been dropped by Barb and so it was only fitting that the two of you became fast friends, not just acquaintances that sat beside each other in the band's trumpet section.

(You miss Nancy honestly, you really do, but sometimes you think being ditched was one of the best things that's ever happened. You and Robin just click, two peas in a pod, and to you, she feels like the sister you always wish Nancy would've been.)

If Robin was here, she would've already made some quip about Steve and his coiffed hair, or Carol and the permanent expression on her face that made her look like she smelled something bad, or Jason and his attempts to impress Chrissy with his awful dance moves, and it would've had you doubled over in laughter.

She wouldn't let you wallow in the corner by yourself, an outsider looking in, both unwilling and unable to throw caution to the wind and just let go. But she's not here, so wallowing it is.

Being kind to yourself has never been your strong suit.

As if the universe is listening, mocking, a gap in the crowd grows just enough to give you a perfect view of Steve and Nancy swaying in each other's arms and you hate the bitter taste that suddenly floods your mouth.

You have no right to be jealous.

You've never admitted your little crush on Steve to yourself, let alone Nancy: how was she supposed to know? You're not even sure if it's all about him in the first place because sure, you think he's cute -you always have- but you get the same gnawing feeling watching Bradley spin Tina around the room in a playful waltz or Nate stealing a kiss from Georgina under the mistletoe still hanging in the doorway and you can barely tolerate either of those idiots.

It's all so terribly confusing.

Steve twirls Nancy under his arm and then dips her low to the ground, her delighted laughter reaching your ears even over the pounding music and something ugly blooms in your chest. You make your escape before you can do something stupid like cry, weaving your way across the living room and down the hall toward the kitchen with your head down.

…Which is precisely how you end up head butting one of your classmates directly in the chest when you turn the corner.

They give a soft 'oof' of surprise and you're absolutely mortified when you realize it's a boy, not just from the tone of his voice but from the toes of his white Reeboks bumping into your boots.

The same shoes you've heard keeping time in band every day since seventh grade, tapping along to the beat on the riser behind you with the rest of the saxophone players. The same shoes you see at the desk in front of you in third period English, still tapping along to the music that's always running through his mind, accompanied by the furious scribbling of a pencil across paper as he jots down lyrics for a new song.

You wince and keep your head down, hoping he'll just act like nothing happened and go on his merry way and just when you're about to think you're in the clear-

"Ow. You have a hard head, Henderson."

Shit, you think. Of course you had to literally run into the one person you feel like you can't speak two words to without making a complete fool of yourself; something about Eddie just makes you flustered beyond belief and you really wish you knew why 'cause it's, to put it frankly, annoying.

Really fucking annoying.

"Shit." You say out loud, quickly looking up to meet his big brown eyes before glancing away and staring at the zombie adorning the front of his Iron Maiden shirt instead. "Sorry, wasn't paying attention."

"No shit, Sherlock." He teases but there's no trace of malice in his voice, just amusement, even as his ringed hand comes into view and rubs the spot where your forehead crashed into his chest. "You okay?"

Embarrassment burns your face and you cross your arms defensively, firing back with a weak insult you're sure he can see right through 'cause if there's one thing you're good at, it's looking like an idiot all day, every day.

"I'm fine. You're not looking very festive, Munson."

He snorts in laughter and you finally gather the courage to meet his eyes again, only to find him already looking down at you with something behind his gaze that you can't quite figure out.

"I think you're festive enough for the both of us." He gestures to your deep navy sweater dotted with bursts of silver thread that give the illusion of stars. "You look really pretty, by the way."

Your brain short circuits.

Pretty? You're wearing your mom's sweater and Eddie thinks you look pretty?

You're too busy trying to get your mouth to work as the silence stretches on -you'll take a 'huh?' at this point, or maybe even an unintelligible squeak, just say something, you moron- to notice the pink blooming high in his cheeks and the way he speaks in a rush, the words all jumbling together so fast it's hard for your frazzled mind to understand what he's saying.

"-your help, so keep watch, okay?"

Keep watch?

He turns and strides into the kitchen without another word and you end up following a few seconds later, after you've finally recovered enough to get your legs working, at least.

You find him standing by the big bowl of punch, rummaging around the array of bottles littering the island, every so often picking one up to inspect before putting it back in its place with a shake of his head. To your surprise, it's not more alcohol he finally picks up but a two-liter of Sprite and at last you get your mouth to work as you blurt out, "What the hell are you doing?"

"Fixing this shitty ass punch." He's not even phased by your sudden question, save for the quick smile he sends your way as he pours the entire bottle in. "Have you tried it? Jesus, Jan would be disgusted."

You cross your arms and lean your hip against the counter, keeping an eye on the door just like he'd asked. "I have, unfortunately. Who's Jan?"

"Bartender at the Hideout." Eddie throws a reply over his shoulder as he digs around in the fridge, yelling triumphantly when he finds whatever he's looking for. It turns out to be a can of pineapple juice and he dumps that in, too, turning the blue punch a pretty shade of green. "My band plays there on-"

"-Tuesdays, I know." You interrupt without thinking and rush to explain yourself, almost tripping over your words when he turns his curious gaze on you.

"Um, there's this all-girl band Robin loves, Blush. We go see them sometimes and end up staying to watch you guys, too, because you're really good-" You pause at the smile slowly growing wider on his face and shake your head. "-but you already knew that, didn't you?"

He shrugs, still grinning like the Cheshire Cat as he stirs some cherries into the punch, then dishes out two cups and pushes one across the island to you.

"Yeah, I see you there a lot. You're kind of hard to miss when the rest of the audience is just five old drunk dudes."

Your laugh rings in the cavernous kitchen as you push off the counter to grab your drink, tapping it against his when he holds it out toward you.

"Cheers."

You're not sure what to expect when you take that tentative first sip but it's definitely not something sweet and smooth with just the right amount of fizz, the burn of the rum still present but not as overpowering as it was before.

"Okay, so I don't know how you managed to make this shit taste good but you did."

Eddie sweeps into a low bow and you hide a smile behind your cup at his theatrics. "Thank you, thank you. I do accept tips, you know, and all proceeds go directly to Jan so she can buy herself a car."

You smile wider and take another sip. "I'd love to donate but I left my purse at home, I'm afraid."

He clicks his tongue in mock disappointment before leaning forward across the island and waving you closer, dropping his voice to such a low whisper you would've had to move in anyway to even hear him.

"How about I make you a deal, Henderson? Come watch us next Tuesday, slip Jan a twenty, and I'll play a song -any song- just for you."

"Ooh, tempting." You whisper back just as quietly, tapping a finger against your chin even as a weird feeling takes hold in your stomach at his offer. "Any song I want? How about-"

"Hold on, I take that back. Any song but 'September.'"

Your jaw drops. "How'd you know-"

"Because I hear you humming it every day in band, that's how."

"Oh." How the hell does he know you hum that song when half the time you don't even realize you're doing it? You've annoyed Dustin enough to know it's true, after he told you in no uncertain words. "How about I make you a deal? I give Jan thirty dollars and Corroded Coffin covers Earth, Wind & Fire."

He stares at you for a beat longer before slowly breaking out into a smile. "…I'll think about it."

You've always know he has a pretty smile, catching glimpses of it across the cafeteria from where you sat with Robin and the rest of the marching band or in crowded hallways as you rushed to make it to your locker in between classes, but having its full force directed right at you knocks the very breath right out of your lungs.

"it's not a no, so…works for me." You say, propping your chin in one hand and swirling your cup in the other, watching the opaque green liquid spin around like the center of a hurricane. "Why'd you have me guard the door, anyway? I wouldn't call making this sludge drinkable very deviant of you."

"Please," Eddie scoffs, mirroring you exactly. "'Resident metalhead spotted adding mixers to the jungle juice?' I can't trash my reputation like that."

"No, never." You huff a laugh under your breath. "You'd be ruined."

He laughs, too, and you're not sure when it became so warm in here but it's making you want to roll your sweater sleeves up to your elbows.

"See! I knew you'd have my back, Henderson."

The more you think about it, the more you realize you always have. Every time the rumor mill paints him in a bad light, you're there to put it all to rest with nothing more than a perfectly directed scowl because you like Dio, too and wear black nail polish and occasionally play DnD with Dustin and his friends when they need a sub and no one's ever accused you of worshiping Satan for fuck's sake.

If any of them would bother to look deeper than the surface, they'll see what you do, that he's kind and sweet and caring and you know because you've seen him prove it with your own eyes: driving the rest of the Hellfire Club home if they didn't have rides, sticking up for the freshmen when the seniors decide to be cruel, and even now, witnessing him first hand try to raise money for a coworker to buy a car (granted that method might be called borderline manipulation but still, at least it's for a good cause).

"'Course I do." It's both too simple a statement and more than you ever wanted to admit and the way he's staring at you feels different, somehow, different and yet not unwelcome as you stare right back…

(Has he always had that dusting of freckles across his nose?)

…which is why you end up putting your foot in your mouth without even realizing it. "That's what friends are for, right?"

"Right, yeah."

Something flickers behind his brown eyes but it's gone before you can put your finger on it and he's smiling that smile again, pointed canines on full display as he hastily nods and straightens, downing the rest of his drink in one go.

"Do you have the time?" He sheepishly holds up his bare wrist. "Forgot my watch."

"Oh, sure." The sudden change of subject nearly gives you whiplash as you push your sleeve up to check. "Almost eleven fifteen."

"No time to lose, let's go." He grabs a napkin and swipes a few cookies from the counter, tucking them away into the pocket of his leather jacket.

"Go where?"

"You'll see." Eddie nods his head toward the doorway and holds out a hand, silver rings catching the harsh kitchen lights. "C'mon, you trust me?"

"Against my better judgement." You tease and his laugh is downright devilish when you take his hand anyway, letting him lead you out into the hall.

You're not prepared for the warmth of his palm or the rough, calloused touch of his fingers or how your hand looks so small in his as he expertly weaves through your classmates milling about until you reach the bottom of the stairs, pausing just long enough to make sure the coast is clear before dashing up to the second floor.

"Are we even allowed up here?" You whisper and while the little conspiratorial grin on his face doesn't do much to ease your mind, the quick squeeze he gives your hand somehow does.

"Nope!" He leads you down the dark hallway with practiced ease, opening the last door on the left before pulling you inside and softly shutting it behind you both.

"I feel like a delinquent." Your quiet voice echoes in the large room, clearly Tina's from the Hawkins High cheer uniform hanging on the closet door and the over abundance of pink, and he snickers as he drops your hand to grab a blanket draped over the desk chair.

"Live a little, Henderson!" He opens another door, this one leading out onto a moonlit balcony -Jesus, you knew Tina's family was rich but come on- and holds it for you as you step outside. It's just beginning to snow, specks of white drifting down silently and forming a barely there dusting on the railing and you hold out your hand to catch one, watching as the tiny flake instantly disappears from the heat of your palm.

"C'mon, I'll give you a boost." Eddie says, tossing the blanket up onto the section of roof that's just a bit lower than the others.

"Don't tell me you shoot webs from your wrists." You joke, warily eyeing the spot even as you step forward and stand in front of him, grabbing the edge with both hands.

"Nah, I couldn't handle the responsibility of being Spider-Man." He moves closer and hovers his hands over your sides. "Still trust me?"

You nod.

"Can I touch you?" His voice is a low whisper in your ear and when a shiver runs down your spine, you blame it on the sudden gust of wind, nothing more.

You nod again.

His hands are big and oh so warm as he places them on your waist and before you know it, you're lifted onto the roof without so much as a warning, the rough shingles cold against your knees even through the thick denim of your jeans.

Holy shit, he's strong.

You don't even get the chance to offer your hand as he pulls himself up with an almost casual grace and spreads the blanket out, each step he takes so confident and sure, like he's done it time and time again.

"So, you sure know your way around Tina Williamson's roof." You carefully crawl closer and take a seat beside him, close enough that the length of your body is pressed right up against his to ward off the cold.

To be fair, you're also the slightest bit terrified of somehow falling right off the edge and it's like he reads your mind when he shuffles even closer and rests his arm along the curve of your back, not quite touching but near enough that you just know he'll catch you.

"Found out I could climb up here two years ago and-" He explains, pointing off somewhere beyond the back yard in the vague direction of town. "-it's got a killer view of the fireworks."

"It's peaceful." The sounds of the festivities have faded to nothing more than a faint thumping of bass and the occasional burst of laughter floating up from the smokers on the back deck. "So for the last two years, every party Tina's thrown, you've just been hiding up here?"

"More like escaping." Eddie shrugs and stares ahead at the snow-covered trees. "I don't even want to come to these things and I'm only invited 'cause I deal. Once these rich kids get their stuff and I get paid…no one really cares where I go so I just do what I want."

You care.

"All by yourself?"

He nudges you with his shoulder and when you turn to face him, that same look from earlier is behind his eyes, the one from the hallway and the kitchen that you still can't quite figure out. "You're the only person I've ever brought up here."

"Really?"

It's cold, the snow starting to fall a little bit heaver now, and yet you're so, so warm under his gaze as he nods, the corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly in the softest smile you've ever seen from him.

It's like hot chocolate on a snowy day or a cozy blanket on a cold night, safe and warm and feeling more than a little like home.

"I'm trusting you with this, Henderson. Don't abuse your power."

You smile and duck your head, pulling your sweater sleeves down further over your cold fingers. "Wouldn't dream of it, Munson."

You'd nearly forgotten all about the cookies hidden in his jacket pocket until he nudges your arm and hands you two, one of his own hanging out of his mouth and you realize they're the snickerdoodles Steve had told you to try.

For the first time, the thought of him doesn't make your stomach twist or your chest hurt. Honestly? You don't really feel anything in particular, other than the fact that he has damn good taste in desserts as you take a bite of your cookie, perfectly baked and covered in just the right amount of cinnamon and sugar.

No wonder he ate ten of them.

You finish eating in silence but you don't feel the need to fill it with anything other than the sound of your breathing; Eddie doesn't either and for who knows how long you sit side by side, watching tiny snowflakes lazily fall from the sky. They dot his dark hair with spots of white and a laugh slips from your mouth before you can stop it.

"What?" He turns your way and you just shake your head as you reach over and brush some flakes from the ends of his curls.

"The snow in your hair, it kinda looks like powdered sugar."

"Oh, so you think I'm sweet?" He waggles his eyebrows and you laugh so hard you have to lean on his shoulder to keep from falling over. The arm he has resting behind you's now fully pressed against your back and it feels like a live wire running along your spine.

"I never said that!"

"But you implied it." Your breath catches as he gently brushes some snow from your hair as well, the warm, calloused pads of his fingers glancing along your face. "And good thing 'cause I think you're sweet, too."

You suddenly get the feeling you've missed something very very important as you scoot away just far enough to turn and face Eddie fully. Down below, your classmates flood out onto the back deck to wait for the fireworks as the new year approaches but you could care less, all of your focus right in front of you on big brown eyes and tiny freckles and a beautifully devastating smile.

"Me?" You speak quietly into the cold air, the question forming swirling white wisps that float above your heads for a fleeting second before disappearing into the night.

You could elaborate but you don't have to because you know he knows exactly what you mean as his hand hovers in the air between you for a long moment before he finally reaches forward and tucks a loose strand of hair behind your ear.

"I thought I was being obvious." He says, a red hue coloring his cheeks that you know now is definitely not from the cold.

"Why?"

"Why did I think I was being obvious? Henderson, I'm gonna play Earth, Wind & Fire for you!"

"No, why do you…why me?"

It makes him pause, a gentle furrow to his brow, and the way he says your name so softly makes your heart skip a beat.

"Because you're you."

A minute to midnight is a pretty fucking weird time to have an epiphany but you've never had good timing.

"Oh."

It's like something just clicks, the last piece of the puzzle you didn't even know you were trying to solve slotting into place and it all makes such perfect sense you're not sure how you didn't see it before.

"I know you're into Harrington," Eddie says hastily, eyes darting away from yours for just a second before they come right back, wide and honest in the dark. "And I get it if you never want to speak to me again 'cause I just made things super weird but-"

"I'm not into Steve."

You don't know how he makes confusion look so cute but he does, eyebrows knit together and making a little wrinkle in his forehead that's just visible under his bangs. "You're not?"

"I thought I was but…" You trail off as more and more people flood outside, their voices loud and full of excitement as the countdown begins. "Turns out I'm falling for someone else and I finally figured out who."

"Ten, nine, eight."

You scoot closer, sitting on your knees so your face is level with his when you reach out to brush some more snow from his hair, letting your fingers graze over his cheek like the ghost of a kiss. "Sorry it took me so long to catch up."

"Seven, six, five."

"Oh. It's okay." He sputters, a brilliant red flush slowly crawling up his neck like ivy. "I mean, I've liked you for a while now, ever since you joined the band when I was in eighth grade-"

"Four."

"-and you sat in front of me with your trumpet, wearing a Judas Priest shirt and I-"

"Eddie?" You interrupt because as much as you want to hear the rest of his story, you've got a more important thing on your mind.

"Three."

"Yeah?"

"Two."

"Please stop talking."

His jaw snaps shut almost comically and he watches with those wide eyes of his as you slowly cup his face in your hands.

"One."

The clock strikes midnight. The first firework shoots off from downtown and explodes in a brilliant flash of shimmering gold in the inky black sky. And you lean forward and kiss Eddie Munson.

The fireworks overhead are nothing compared to the ones you feel when he responds to your kiss with one of his own, his lips soft and sure under yours as he wraps an arm around your waist to pull you closer.

He tastes like cinnamon sugar, spicy and sweet, and you can't get enough of him, of his warmth and his fingers sliding into your hair and the noise he makes low in his throat when you part your lips under his.

Kissing him is addicting, intoxicating. It's all you've ever wanted.

He's all you ever wanted.

You were just too blind to see it.

He's all you can see now when you finally part, all swollen lips and flushed cheeks and a smile that would've taken your breath if you had any left to give. The fireworks are long over but you don't even care that you missed the whole show as you lean forward to press your forehead against his.

"So, eighth grade, huh?" You ask and Eddie nods, rolling a strand of your hair between his thumb and pointer finger.

"You were humming 'Highway to Hell' and had holes in your jeans. And when I heard you talking about learning to play DnD for your little brother? That was it for me."

"I was nervous when I first joined band 'cause I had trouble staying on beat. I was so scared they were gonna kick me out." You say and when a snowflake lands on his cheek, you wipe it away with your thumb. "But I heard you tapping your foot behind me and you helped me keep time. Without you, I don't even know if I'd still be playing."

He tucks your hair behind your ear before taking your cold hands in his and bringing them to his mouth to kiss your knuckles, his touch so soft and sweet it makes your head spin.

"Your hands are freezing."

"I don't want to go home yet."

You could stay like this forever with him and when he leans forward to press his lips to yours, you know he feels the same.

"Where to then?"

He's never looked more beautiful to you, his pretty brown eyes blown wide and full of affection and reflecting the shimmer of the stars overhead and a slow smile creeps onto your lips when you weave your fingers between his.

"Surprise me. I'm all yours."

An adorable pink blush sweeps across his nose as he pulls you in for another kiss and you know without a doubt you're speaking the truth.

You know you mean every word.

[findafight]

I'm pretty sure the Duffers explicitly stated that Nancy and Steve broke up before she gets with Jonathan, but I, who has watched the show, disagrees immensely. Because the alley scene, looks like a really bad fight and not a breakup. No one says it's over and the fight ends because Steve is needed in class. No where does it really read breakup. Further more, Nancy admits to Jonathan that she has wanted to be with him since last year while she was dating Steve - that's emotional cheating. And she repeatedly calls Steve her boyfriend at Murray's so furthermore, I read that as Nancy cheating.

Exactly exactly. Completely agree. Class is an awkward time to have an argument, and it's clear that there's things unsaid. Word of god can only go so far as not directly contradicting the text?? That's not what we saw? Nancy tells Murray she's with Steve. She doesn't say "I just broke up with Steve". She says she has Steve back home! To me, an audience member, that tells me their relationship isn't over, even if they had a major fight because she's not able to be emotionally vulnerable with him and then leaves for days without telling him. Like jeez Steve probably wasn't the perfect boyfriend but??? That's harsh.

Someone pointed out a while ago that if the genders were switched, there's no way Steve would be the one coming out of it looking bad, which makes a lot of sense. There's interesting gender dynamics happening. Like if Steve were a girl asking her boyfriend if he loved her, to say it, and then being upset when he couldn't it would read differently. Just like if Nancy were a boy going on a two night roadtrip with the girl he swore he didn't cheat with, telling that girl he waited a month for her before going back to the girl who had actually made a (reciprocated) move, telling Murray he was dating someone else, and then sleeping with roadtrip girl. Like. I feel as though very few people would read that as not cheating? Female infidelity is interesting in how media views and portrays it I guess. Or maybe it's because we're supposed to like jancy more than stancy but they really don't want us to think Nancy cheated (which she did) The only reason I can think that they said that is to save face? Not have to talk about it in later seasons?

Also yes!!! Why did they have that line that makes it seem like Nancy was just...with Steve for convenience? Because she didn't want to be alone or something? Because the guy she actually liked wasn't making a move so she got with the guy who vocally liked her? And theydon't address THAT can of worms? And somehow that makes Steve look bad? Because he doesn't know his gf has been waiting for Jonathan to make one singular move on her their whole relationship while he's actually trying to make his relationship work. I know it's probably not like that, that Nancy (probably) did legitimately care for Steve, but taken at face value....uh. yikes. Emotional cheating isn't often shown as seriously as "actual cheating" but yeah. Argument to be made that Nancy was emotionally cheating their...whole relationship and just physically cheated at the end there. Which is...pretty brutal for ol' Stevie boy!

Very frustrating that S4 seemed to bring stancy back but refused to have them actually talk about the issues they had (which, if TPTB don't view Nancy cheating as...Nancy cheating, then it can never actually be done to a satisfying end for me)

[sourw0lfs]

Fox 🌵 31 🌵 They/she 🌵 Stranger Things 🌵 BBC Merlin 🌵 AO3 Last updated: July 18 2024 Requests: Closed

you're on your own kid | E | 6/? | 14.1k | Steddie

can't breathe whenever you're gone | T | 2/? | 3.1k | Gen

dance with the devil Tumblr AO3 | E | 2/? | 7.6k | Steddie

play ‘em like a violin | unposted | unrated | 3.5k | Steddie ⏸️

i'd hold you as the water rushes in | unposted | E | 4.8k | Steddie ⏸️

untiled coma fic | unposted | unrated | 4.1k | Steddie ⏸️

let the fire breathe me back to life | M | 9/9 | 25.3 | Steddie

no body, no crime | E | 5/5 | 21.3k | Steddie, Drumcheer

the very first night | M | 6/6 | 7.1k | Hellcheer

in the nick of time | T | 5/5 | 11k | Steddie

we made quite a mess, babe | E | 5/5 | 15.3k | Steddie

what doesn't kill you (makes you wish you were dead) | M | 16/16 | 59k | Steddie

running back home | M | 7/7 | 25.1k | Merthur

bad blood | M | 1/1 | 311 | Steddie

tangled up in you | G | 1/1 | 311 | Steddie

now we got problems | M | 1/1 | 548 | Steddie

put your lips close to mine | E | 1/1 | 480 | Steddie

go save the world | T | 1/1 | 329 | Buckingham

floating away | T | 1/1 | 400 | Gen, MCD Warning

we found wonderland | G | 1/1 | 404 | Steddie

donut thief | G | 1/1 | 404 | Steddie

you've got stars in your eyes | G | 1/1 | 382 | Steddie

on edge | G | 1/1 | 509 | Steddie

my heart won't start anymore | G | 1/1 | 442 | Steddie, NHE Warning

into the fire | T | 1/1 | 473 | Steddie

a rude awakening | G | 1/1 | 502 | Jargyle

just you and me | G | 1/1 | 2.2k | Merthur

next to you | T | 1/1 | 1.1k | Merwaine

wear me (like your favorite clothes) | M | 1/1 | 7.9k | Steddie

lovin' you's second nature | E | 1/1 | 2.5k | Steddie

i've got a lot of sins (but you're my favorite) | E | 1/1 | 4.6k | Steddie

you would break your back (to make me break a smile) | E | 1/1 | 5.2k | Steddie

write this down | T | 1/1 | 1.7k | Steddie

as the lights go down | T | 1/1 | 1.2k | Steddie

like ribbons in your hair | T | 1/1 | 1.3k | Buckingham

even if it's a false god | G | 1/1 | 1k | Steddie

life is a fever dream | G | 1/1 | 877 | Platonic Stobin, Platonic Stancy

your electric touch | T | 1/1 | 1k | Steddie

remember when you hit the brakes too soon | M | 1/1 | 1.2k | Steddie

caught in a whirlwind | M | 1/1 | 1.4k | Steddie, Ronance

nothing but a monster | M | 1/1 | 1.3k | Gen, MCD Warning

down for the count | T | 1/1 | 848 | Platonic Stobin, Platonic Stancy

but no one heard a thing | T | 1/1 | 902 | Platonic Stobin

stood on the edge | T | 1/1 | 1.4k | Steddie

you slipped away | M | 1/1 | 1k | Steddie, Platonic Stobin, MCD Warning

i want to watch wisteria grow | M | 1/1 | 1.1k | Steddissy

frosting the snowman | T | 1/1 | 2.1k | Steddie

drive until the engine just gives up | E | 1/1 | 13k | Steddie

right where you left me | T | 2/? | 1.4k | Steddie

a monster on the hill | M | 2/? | 3.2k | Steddie

bleeding me dry | T | 2/? | 2.5k | Steddie

i don't wanna lose you | T | 2/? | 2.2k | Platonic Stobin

[boldlyvoid]

Meet me in the Library | n.w

polycule masterlist

Summary: Nancy finds out that the reader had a special night with Robin and wants to take a spin for herself

Warnings: semi-public sex, mentions of previous stancy Jancy and eddie/nancy encounters, fingering, dirty talk, dom!nancy, mommy kink, only the reader gets off in this

word count: 2.5k

“There’s no way,” Nancy gasped, wishing she could see Robin's face over the phone as she explained what happened the night prior. 

“I’m not kidding, we had sex and she wants to do it again sometime,” Robin explains further. “God, I can’t wait to rub it in Eddie’s face that I got to fuck her first.” 

“I’m going to have to make a move then, too,” Nancy feels a twinge of jealousy spread throughout her body, for which girl she’s not sure, she just knows it’s there. 

“Not satisfied with Steve anymore?” Robin teases her. 

She sighs, “you have no idea how boring it is when you’re also a dom, he wants to be in control but so do I and then we just end up hate fucking, it’s annoying.” 

“Sex with men, in general, is probably annoying,” Robin sympathizes. “I’m just glad I never had to pretend at all, I think I would’ve died if I had to fuck a man, even once.” 

“Some are good, like Eddie,” Nancy lets it slip. 

“Excuse me?” She can hear Nancy sit right up, almost screaming down the line. “Since when?” 

“Last week after movie night, I stayed back to help him clean up after Steve took you two home and one thing led to another and suddenly I had him cuffed to the bed and used him like a dildo.” 

“Holy shit,” Robin can’t believe it. “I never would’ve seen that coming.” 

“He called me mommy,” she can’t help but smirk, “it was really good.”

“This isn’t helping my fear that he’ll take Y/N from me,” Robin sighs. “You can’t take her either? Promise me you won’t fall in love with her or something?” 

“I won’t,” Nancy promises. “Did you tell her you like her? Does she know you want to be with her?” 

“Yeah,” she sighs and tosses her head back against the pillow. “She said she thinks she likes girls too… we kissed a few times and it was nice but I think I should give her some time to think about it before I bombard her with questions about dating me.” 

“True,” Nancy agrees. “Can I hook up with her? Maybe then she’ll know for sure she’s into girls and if she likes you and how gentile you are?” 

“She’s not my girlfriend, do what you want.”

Thats all Nancy needed. 

The next morning at work she decides to write their little friend a note. “Meet me in the Library - Nancy” she added a few hearts and stuck it to Y/N files for the day, knowing she would rush through them to come and see her next door. 

she’s in the basement of the Library working on the archives and doing research most days, always completely alone, unless Y/N came down to have lunch with her. She was used to no one bothering her there, and it was basically soundproof with all the books absorbing any noise made down there… it was a perfect spot for her to come onto them and an even better spot if something came of it. 

Sure enough, Y/N makes her way down to the library with a smile and a pep in her step, “hey, nance.” 

“Hey, cutie,” she uses the group's nickname for her, it fits so well. “How are you?” 

“Good, how are you?” She came right over and hugged Nancy where she sat, even kissing the top of her head sweetly. 

“Great now… I was getting a little lonely there,” Nancy tries to play off just how much the small amount of affection means to her. 

“Well, I’m here now,” she takes a seat beside her. “What did you need me to do?” 

“Oh, nothing, I just wanted to talk to you… I talked to Robin last night,” she slips it in not so casually, she wasn’t the best at gradually getting somewhere she was a straight to the point kinda gal… it’s the only area where she’s straight. 

“You did?” She panics slightly. “What, uh, what all did she tell you?” 

“That you guys fooled around, I’m just seeing if she’s telling the truth, you know, 'cause the boys had a bet on who would get to sleep with you first and she kinda won… I need to be a good judge.” 

“They did?” She’s so caught off guard by that. “Do all of you want to have sex with me or something?” 

Nancy nods, “Basically… I mean, I’d like to get my hands on you before the boys do. I think it would be funny to know that me and Robin made you cum and they probably won’t.” 

“Why not?” 

“Oh, honey,” she pet’s Y/N’s head gently. “You have no idea how selfish boys are… I came probably twice my whole relationship with Jonathan. They just don’t care that much about getting us off.” 

“Oh,” she can barely breathe with Nancy so close. “I uh, I like cumming… and I think I really like girls who can make me cum.” 

Nancy all but growls, the noise leaving her through was absolutely feral for her, “I’d very much like to—

“Right now?” 

“Right now,” Nancy confirms as she stands with Y/N’s hand now in hers. “Follow me,” she explains, hauling her up and towards the back corner and against a shelf. 

She looks into Nancy’s deep blue eyes and then down to her lips as she crowds her in the corner. Hands-on her hips, making their way up her waist, stopping just under her boobs, all while Nancy cups her face in her hands and leans in. Their first kiss is flawless, perfectly soft and wonderfully new. She settles back against the bookshelf, Nancy pressed against her chest as the kiss heats up, she slots her thigh right between Y/N’s legs and grinds against her. 

Y/N moans slightly, hands roaming Nancy’s back as she holds her close. Her tongue is so soft in her mouth, she tastes like spearmint gum and freedom, it’s intoxicating. One of Nancy’s hands slowly makes its way down her neck and over her boob where she takes the plunge and starts to massage her, her other hand now in Y/N’s hair and gripping tight. It’s a little rough but mostly gentile, hot and sweet and wonderful, she can’t help melting under Nancy’s touch. 

Nancy kisses the side of her mouth and all the way down her neck while she works on the buttons of Y/N’s shirt, exposing more skin and covering her in kisses. Y/N moans her name, gripping Nancy’s shoulders and trying to get even closer to her. Nancy hikes her shirt up and slots her own slack-clad leg between Y/N’s legs for her to grind on. 

“Sound so pretty,” Nancy coos right in her ear, taking the lobe between her teeth gently. She kisses the pulse point right under her ear, sucking gently so she’ll moan again. “I’ve been thinking about this for so long… I knew you’d be so reactive and good for me.” 

She grips into Nancy’s fancy tip a bit too tight, worried her nails will cause a run in the fabric but also wishing they were closer… naked… and in her bedroom… “please, please, Nancy?” 

“Please what, baby girl? Hm? Use your words,” her breath is hot against Y/N’s neck, turning her on even more. Nancy pulls back and smiles at her, “say it.” 

“I want you to fuck me,” she says in a volume just above a whisper, staring back into Nancy’s eyes and then down to her lips. “With your fingers… please?” 

Nancy groans, “oh, I never thought I’d hear such filthy words come out of your pretty mouth.” 

She pulls up Y/N’s skirt even more, balling it up and making her hold it herself, displaying her pretty pink panties with a dark wet patch forming… Nancy runs her middle finger over it with a smirk, lightly teasing her at first before she presses her middle finger in and rubs Y/N’s clit over her panties. 

Y/N tosses her head back, hitting the wooden bookshelf a bit too hard but she doesn’t give a fuck, “oh my god Nancy, right there.” 

“Can I go inside, baby?” She asks, making her beg again. 

“Please, please? I need you,” she sounds so desperate, and Nancy revels in it. 

Nancy slips her fingers under the fabric and glides her middle finger along her slit, pressing in and rubbing at her clit almost immediately. In soft little circles just to get the feel of things, to guide her into it… Nancy watches as Y/N leans her head back against the bookshelf with a groan, eyes wires shut and mouth agape, trying to be quiet but it felt too fucking good. 

“You like that, don’t you, sweet girl?” Nancy coos, rubbing her clit a little more with the pads of her fingers, gathering up all her slick as she does so, making the most delicious noises. “You’re so fucking wet for me…” 

Y/N whimpers, legs trembling as she tries to remain upright, “c-can you… can you—

“Say it, baby,” Nancy teases, toying with her. “Use your words, I know you can do it…” 

She looks right at Nancy, fucked out and making the sweetest eye contact with the softest face, “c-can we kiss?” She asks, bottom lip sticking out in a pout.

“one condition,” Nancy stops all her movements and presses her chest against Y/N’s, staring at her softly she explains, “I promised Robin you wouldn’t leave this in love with me.” 

She shakes her head, “I won’t… I-I know this is just sex, it’s supposed to be a fun thing you can do with friends… right?” 

“That’s right, princess,” Nancy gives her such a proud smile, “you’ve gotta know the boys wanna fuck you too… but I’m so fucking blessed you let me in before them.” 

“technically you’re not in, you’re just in the general vicinity,” she teases, grinding her hips down against Nancy’s hand, playfully. 

“That what you want?” Nancy whispers, ghosting her lips along Y/N’s jaw on her way over to her ear, all while two fingers slip inside. Y/N whimpers again, melting in her touch. “Not so funny now, are you?” 

“Fuck me, please?” She begs, gripping onto Nancy’s back like her life depended on it, hiking one leg up to wrap around her and give her better access to her cunt. 

Nancy’s free hand grips Y/N’s thigh, feeling up to her ass and having a good squeeze, spreading her cheeks a bit and making her moan as she fucked her harder, “wish we were in my bed,” Y/N says aloud this time. “Wanna, fuck, wanna be naked with you…” 

“That so?” Nancy kisses her cheek, breathing heavily against her, both in excitement and from the workout, she was getting on her arm, finger fucking Y/N with a passion. “Wanna invite Robin too?” 

She whimpers again, nodding ever so pathetically, “please… she’s so soft, not, holy fuck, not like this…” 

“She loves you, that’s why,” Nancy teases. “I think you’re fun, pretty as fuck, don’t get me wrong, but you’re a plaything… I’m just lucky she shared you with me. Maybe we should share you together, sometime…” 

“Please, please, mommy,” she whines, louder than she wanted to be, neither of them cared anymore. The sounds her pussy was making were obscene enough, the moans were just a bonus. 

Nancy’s on fire with power, smirking like the devil as she curls her fingers and aligns her palm with Y/N’s clit, making it feel even better. She remembers the last time Y/N begged and how she hasn’t kissed her yet… she’s so pretty, so fucking blissed out on her fingers as her head leans back against the bookshelf. 

Nancy runs her tongue along her throat, bringing her back to focus, still smiling, “close, pretty girl?” 

She nods like her head is on a spring, drunk with pleasure, she can barely speak, she just moans. “You can, but…” Nancy kisses the side of her mouth, using her free hand now to cup her cheek and hold her in place, “I’m gonna kiss you and you’re going to moan into my mouth so the librarians don’t know you’re a whore, kay?” 

She nods again and Nancy slows down her movements, “what was that?” 

“Yes,” she whispers, but Nancy stops completely. Triggering her to bring back Nancy’s new title, “Yes mommy, sorry mommy, I wanna cum so bad.” 

“Fuck, you’re so good for me,” Nancy groans, picking up the pace again and fucking her with a passion. Her panties are soaked, Nancy’s hand is wet up to her wrist and she’s pretty sure her fingers are all pruned on that hand, but it’s so fucking worth it. 

Nancy, still holding her face, caresses her cheek with her thumb. Y/N’s mouth still hung open, breathing heavily and moaning lightly, Nancy slips her tongue right in there. Making out with her which gives Y/N permission to cum anytime now, and she’s so close. She grinds against Nancy’s motions, sucking on her tongue, feeling her tits pressed up against her chest… it’s all so much that her thighs start to tremble and that delicious heat she chases alone most nights starts to spread through her. 

She does get louder, Nancy was right, making out would mask it, but not by much. She cums so hard she feels like she might fall over, but Nancy is there to catch her so it's fine, she just lets go. 

It feels like it lasts forever, and even when it’s over, Nancy doesn’t pull out right away, she simply kisses down Y/N’s neck and whispers sweet encouragements. That’s my girl, so pretty on my fingers, you did so well for me, baby…

Y/N’s barely able to stand on her own two feet, Nancy knows that, so she pulls her fingers out slowly and carefully and helps the two of them down to the carpeted floor. She sits down and Y/N slumps onto her almost immediately, resting her face on Nancy’s shoulder, like she wants a hug, but Nancy only had one clean hand, she couldn’t hold her properly. 

“hold on,” Nancy pushes her back and pulls some tissues out of her pockets, ever the planner, she knew this was going to happen. She cleans her hand off and opens her arms again, letting her flop right back. 

She holds her softly this time, soothing her hands down her back, “how do you feel?” 

“Dreading having to go back up to work…” 

Nancy laughs, “I’m doing research all afternoon, you can sit with me, you don’t have to do anything but I’ll tell them you did?” 

“Okay,” she agrees with a sigh. “Can I have just a few more minutes?” She holds her tighter, not ready to let go. 

Nancy smiles, “of course, sweet girl. You can have as long as you want.”

General Taglist 

@ncsls0515 @stevesmunsons @reidsbookclub @wroteclassicaly @sweetyyhippyy @manuosorioh @mrs-dr-reid @k-k0129 @eddiemunson-rp @squishyturtle @katsukis1wife 

Poly fic 

@luna-munson83 

[mrs-steve-harrington]

Stoncy Secret Santa 2023 Masterpost

Thanks again to everyone who joined in our Stoncy discord server's Secret Santa gift exchange! I'm so excited to see what everyone's made. Hope to see everyone back again for the next one!

(Didn't want the post to be too awfully long, but the rest of the works are below the read more)

edit: the original post was missing a link, please reblog this one <3

[Stoncy] I Love This Curse On Our House by nomadicwolf for spydee

Summary:

The lives of Jonathan Byers, Nancy Wheeler, and Steve Harrington change forever when Steve runs back into the Byers' house to stand with them against the Demogorgon. After that, they keep finding their way back to that house for the good the bad and everything in between. 5+1 at the Byers House.

[Stoncy] Selfless, Faultless, Prideless by CrumbScuddler for quirkily

Summary:

A disgraced knight, a still-mourning royal, and a stablehand who's taken up painting want what they can't have. Steve Harrington fights for it, but like usual, gets absolutely pummeled. And Jonathan is there to piece him back together because it's what Nancy would have wanted.

[Stoncy] here in your big blue world by quirkily for staccatoswings

Summary:

It’s warm with three bodies in the bed. Jon and Steve are equally stiff on either side of her, which is a little absurd. Jon is quite literally her long-term boyfriend. He at least shouldn’t be acting like he’s worried about touching her. Nancy shifts a little onto her side and they both instantly copy her, keeping the same distance between them all. Honestly. It’s a little ridiculous. Nancy tries to ignore it, wondering if they’d made a mistake inviting Steve to share the bed with them. No weirder than inviting him to share their anniversary with them, she thinks wryly.

[Stoncy] Lovely Weather For a Couch Ride Together With You by gala_apples for pterawaters

Summary:

After a comedy of errors, as Robin would say, Steve finally gets the last laugh in his quest to get Nancy and Jonathan for his own.

[Stoncy] End of beggining by nattythefreak for nargatexe

Summary:

A short scene in which Steve comes to the double date arranged in the fourth season, but instead of coming with Tammy Thompson… he comes with a bouquet of flowers.

[Stancy] A New Normal by wolfish_willow for StevetheHouseWife

Summary:

The conversation between Steve and Nancy at the Byers' house goes a little differently and they don't break up. But she doesn't break things off with Jonathan, either.

[Stancy] Happy. Truly Happy. by StevetheHouseWife for wolfish_willow

Summary:

“He’s your best friend.” Robin nearly groans out loud, “I know, and he’s the worst. I mean, talk about pretentious? Such a prude. You were right. He really does still hold you cheating against you.” Nancy stares at her silently for a long moment, “Why are… you lying about that?” she asks and Robin swallows.

[Stoncy] lie down next to me and let us fall asleep by madman_with_a_warehouse for thewritingfreak19

Summary:

5 universes where Steve, Nancy, and Jonathan sleep next to each other for the first time + 1 universe where they've been doing it for years.

[Stoncy] every road past the graveyard by spydee for AcornScorn

Summary:

Monster hunting trio meet again in 90s New York, when Stancy follow a vampire into an alley. After whatever confrontation you imagine, they talk. (Art and an accompanying ficlet.)

[Stoncy] Sleepless Nights by AcornScorn for nattythefreak

Summary:

Steve looked over at Jonathan. He looked tired. "I guess you haven't had much sleep either since the drive back, huh?" Jonathan shrugged, smiling wryly. "Pretty obvious?" "Coming over at three in the morning just to check on Nancy was a bit of a giveaway." Jonathan scoffed, looking away. "...it wasn't just to check on her, you know." Steve glanced over at him, surprised to hear that. "Really? What, don't make me think Jonathan Byers would come and check on me of all people." Jonathan comes to check on his two crushes late one night.

[Stoncy] Stronger Together by brutacrispina for madman_with_a_warehouse

Summary:

Jonathan, Nancy, Steve and Robin go monster hunting. Feelings surface.

[Stoncy] To Run The Dog by pterawaters for gala_apples

Summary:

Newlyweds Nancy and Steve notice a hot guy running his dog through their neighborhood every day. At first they just like to watch him, but eventually they have to admit to themselves and each other that they're crushing. Badly. So when the dog gets loose in the neighborhood and Steve manages to catch him, it's the perfect way to meet their neighbor and get on his good side.

[Stoncy] Art of karaoke night by staccatoswings for brutacrispina

[Stoncy] Art of Stoncy under mistletoe by nargatexe for nomadicwolf

[scoopertrouper]

If you’re still taking Stancy prompts, Nancy wondering what Steve is up to while they keep their distance in s3 is always my jam. Love love love your Nancy and Steve.

my first prompt fill!

i have to be honest, i don’t know if this is really what you were looking for? like, i admit there’s altogether more jonathan than probably anyone wants to see. but alas, i banged this out in like four hours last night and this is where my brainworm took me. thanks for prompting!

also, if you want to get a more exact idea of the kind of headspace i was in writing this, you’ll just want to listen to tswift’s death by a thousand cuts on one long, endless loop.

2,200-ish words under the cut.

-*-*-*

the only thing we share [is this small town]

She sees him sometimes. 

Not on purpose. Definitely not on purpose, but Hawkins has a population smaller than the enrollments of some state colleges. It’s kind of inevitable that their paths will cross more than occasionally.

And it’s not that Nancy's avoiding him, exactly. It’s more that every time she gets a glance at him even in passing, it’s impossible not to recall the sad way he’d stared down at her the last time they’d really spoken to each other, resigned to an outcome she wasn’t even sure she herself had reconciled with yet.

It doesn’t make her feel good, and after the past year, she’s more than sick of seeking out reasons to feel bad. 

So she doesn’t avoid him, but she also doesn’t not hide behind aisles in Melvald’s when she sees him pass by. And if they happen to be walking along the same side of Main Street at the same time, it just so happens that she’ll remember several urgent reasons why she needs to cross the road right away.

But that’s not avoiding. It can’t be, because Nancy doesn’t avoid. She barrels, head on, right into even the most fraught situations, because at the end of the day she has nothing without her resolute confidence in the fact that she is right.

She is right, and nothing – not Department of Energy hacks, nor the assholes at the Hawkins Post who make a sport of changing up their sandwich orders and the way they take their coffee every other day (“See if you can solve this, Nancy Drew…”) – can shake that certainty.

(Except sometimes – sometimes/especially when she sees Steve – a creeping sense of wrong begins to slither its way in, wraps icy tendrils of doubt around her carefully guarded resolve and squeezes. Hard.

But before it can do too much damage, before it can cause the kinds of hairline fissures that turn into cracks that end in endless interdimensional bloodshed, she turns away. Takes Jonathan’s hand, and looks into his eyes, and remembers why they’re the only two people in the world who could possibly get each other. Even when she can’t understand why he hovers in uncomfortable silence while those dickheads laugh at her. Even when he doesn’t get why she just can’t stop pushing, because a job’s a job and maybe if she let up a little they wouldn’t laugh at her so much.

None of that matters, because she and Jonathan…they just make sense. The photographer and the journalist. Shared goals. Shared trauma. Right? Right. 

And so the ground steadies beneath her feet, and her breathing eases, and she sinks back into the safe surety of her belief.)

Most of the time, not-avoiding-Steve also facilitates not-thinking-about-Steve, which is easier now that he hasn’t been around town much lately. She’d heard via the grapevine – amid some derisive tittering that had irked her for reasons she preferred not to examine – that he’d gotten a job at the ice cream parlor at Starcourt, and that he wasn’t headed to college after the summer was over, because he didn’t get into a single school, can you believe it?

The guilt was suffocating. She puts it out of her mind.

So it’s a blessing in disguise that Jonathan’s aversion to crowds and hypercommercialism means that Nancy hasn’t spent as much time at Starcourt as she’d planned to once she heard they were putting in a Gap. Because less time at Starcourt meant less time not-avoiding Steve (and less time – and money – spent stress shopping).

In fact, Nancy’s been lured into such a false sense of security that she never sees the stupid commercial coming.

It’s evening, and still boiling outside, and she and Jonathan are languishing on his beat-up couch after a long day spent toiling in the darkroom (him) and chasing down a specific kind of pastrami on rye with grain mustard available only from the sole deli in Hawkins, which just happens to be about as far across town as you can get on foot (her, of course).

Nancy is the kind of mentally exhausted that means that while she’s valiantly trying to pay attention to CBS Evening News (she likes to flip back and forth between all the major network shows), she’s actually staring off into space as Dan Rather covers a TWA flight hijacking that she knows she should care more about.

The jingle of the commercial doesn’t even penetrate the fog until Jonathan scoffs.

“Christ,” he mumbles. “They’re still playing this shit on TV?”

“Huh?” Nancy grunts before she can stop herself, rousing from her stupor. (It’s only now that she realizes she’s been doodling daisies where she usually takes careful notes on each story’s lead-in.)

“The Starcourt commercial,” Jonathan says, nudging her with his shoulder. “It’s been open for, like, a month. When’re they gonna give it a rest?” 

“Oh.” Nancy gets with the program, and laughs perfunctorily at the cheesy stock footage that’s eaten more airtime over the past six months than she’d ever thought city council would have the budget for. (Huh. Maybe there’s a story there.) “I kind of forgot about it.”

“Maybe…we could check it out soon,” Jonathan says, eyeing her almost cautiously. “See if it’s as awful as it looks.”

Nancy does a double-take before she can stop herself.

“You said it’d take a literal alien invasion to get you to set foot inside that mall.” And with the bizarro turn their lives have taken over the past year, she can’t be entirely certain he’d been joking.

Jonathan shifts, and scratches the back of his head.

“Well – they do have a bookstore,” he says, defensive. “And, like, I know this internship hasn’t been what you were hoping, so it might be nice to –” His jaw drops before he can finish the thought. “Holy shit, is that Steve Harrington?”

Nancy’s head whips around so fast she almost hears a crack. And yeah, that is Steve Harrington. In vivid technicolor, standing behind a cash register next to a vaguely familiar-looking redhead with a tousled bob – Nancy’s pretty sure she’s seen her around school before.

She recognizes the discomfort in his face all too well – it had stared across the table at her every time she’d tried to quiz him on SAT vocabulary words last summer. 

Only then, he hadn’t been wearing a hideous polyester sailor costume.

“That’s new,” Jonathan says, the ill-disguised laughter in his voice so uncharacteristic that Nancy’s head whips back around again. She’s going to need a chiropractor by the time this commercial ends. “I guess we definitely gotta check out Starcourt now.”

She rolls her eyes, and relaxes the fist she’d clenched around her pencil during the seven seconds – max – that Steve had been on screen. Jonathan doesn’t seem to have noticed her tension, and she’s grateful.

“What’s so interesting about watching Steve scoop overpriced ice cream?” she deflects skeptically, sinking further into the couch, wincing as she hits a spring. Now Jonathan’s the one who double-takes.

“Um. Nancy. It’s King Steve.” She doesn’t love the way he says that. “Dressed like a stand-in for The Village People. Slinging banana splits. What isn’t interesting about that?”

“It’s just a job,” Nancy retorts, face heating. “D’you think it’s funny that I run around buying lunch and pouring coffee for a bunch of dipshits who wouldn’t know a good above-the-fold if it hit them with a two-by-four?”

“Of course not, Jesus!” Jonathan sputters helplessly, shoulders hiking up to his ears. “I just meant – I didn’t – of course I don’t think that’s funny.” His mouth flattens. “I think it’s really shitty. You’re right, I shouldn’t make fun of anyone’s job. We don’t have to go to Starcourt. I just thought it’d be something we could do together.”

He looks deflated, and all at once, Nancy feels like shit. Jonathan was so serious all the time, and usually she liked when he let that go a little bit and dropped his guard. But she’s ruined it by getting defensive, and she doesn't even totally understand why.

“No, I’m sorry,” she backtracks, grabbing his hand and linking their fingers. It’s warm, as familiar as her own at this point. “It’s just…been a shit day. I overreacted.” She just has to work harder. Make them see how serious she is about this. Make them see how good she is at this.

All at once, she’s acutely ashamed of how lax and distracted she’s been, scrawling stupid pictures all over her notepad when she should be working. Improving her craft. Showing everyone that she belongs in that newsroom. Showing them that she’s right.

In return, Jonathan’s smile is strained, but it seems genuine enough. He squeezes her hand, with a strength that still surprises her sometimes.

“Things’ll get better. You’ll see. You’re brilliant. They’ll figure it out. Eventually.” He ducks his head, then looks up again, a little more relaxed. “Speaking of ice cream…I think Mom brought some Rocky Road home last night. Two spoons?”

Nancy nods, accepting the peace offering for what it is (even though she prefers strawberry).

“Yeah…that sounds good.” He leaves to clatter around in the kitchen, and she turns back to the TV, suppressing the urge to chew on the end of her pencil (what serious journalist walks around with bit-up erasers?).

Against her will, Steve’s face plays on a rewind loop in her mind’s eye.

Maybe it was just her imagination, but he’d looked miserable, and she was pretty sure it wasn’t stage fright (he used to preen whenever the yearbook photographers were in his general vicinity. It was equal parts endearing and annoying).

Had he really not gotten into any colleges? (None of her business.) His dad probably hadn’t taken that well. (Really none of her business.) 

She should’ve tried to help him more, after the whole…incident. He’d been insanely concussed, and that couldn’t have helped with the whole college essays and applications thing. He’d already been having a hard enough time with it all.

But what could she have done? The thing with Jonathan had been so new, and every time she chanced a look at Steve, he was already staring back, hurt scrawled plainly all over his face.

It would be better now, though, right? A lot of time has passed. She’s firmly settled into her new relationship, and Steve is – Steve knows how to rebound. He’s always been good at that, on the court and in life.

Maybe she should go visit him. Not – not to laugh at him, but just to see how he’s doing.

Would that girl be there? The coworker? She’s cute, in a “probably listens to too much Depeche Mode” kind of way. So not Steve’s type. (Nancy, why would that matter?) 

But they had been standing kind of close in the commercial. Maybe they’re friends?

Nancy snorts. Steve didn’t have female friends, except for maybe Carol, and that was mostly vis a vis that shit-for-brains Tommy. In fact, after he cut the two of them out, Steve didn’t seem to have many real friends. Or any. At all. He’d focused all his attentions on Nancy.

She swallows past the tightness in her throat. Anyway. This girl. Definitely – definitely not a friend. Maybe a friendly coworker. Or…

Nancy glares at the whites of her knuckles. None of her business. 

It really isn’t. After all, she has Jonathan, and Steve has, well…whoever he wants, really. That’s never been an issue for him, not even after he’d been officially “dethroned”. Girls still lined up at his locker for crumbs of his attention, right smack dab where Nancy used to wait for him in between classes. She assumes that in that regard, not much has changed besides the venue.

In fact, she can see it pretty clearly: Steve, raking a hand through his thick hair every time a pretty girl happens to make her way into Scoops Ahoy. Drumming deft fingers against the glass of the freezer. Handing out free scoops of ice cream like they’re not gonna eventually come out of his check.

Suggesting that they stick around until he’s off-shift so they can catch a movie or – or – something else.

The pencil snaps. Startled, she stares down at her hand, where the two jagged pieces haphazardly dangle, connected by little more than a few bare slivers of wood. What the fuck?

She’s got pretty much no time to figure out what the hell just happened, though, because Jonathan picks that moment to come back into the living room, a carton with two spoons balanced in his grip.

“Sorry that took a sec,” he apologizes, and  Nancy shoves the pencil’s remains in between the couch cushions before he can notice. “Will left eggs in the pan again, and I told him he’s gotta wash them out, like, right away or it’s a pain in the ass to scrub them off later –”

“It’s okay,” Nancy cuts in, unsettled by the stinging in her palm as he flops back down beside her. Despite the heat, he curls an arm around her shoulders. It’s light, and wiry, and she tells herself she prefers it that way.

“Dan’s kind of boring tonight,” Jonathan tuts, leaning back. “Wanna see what Tom’s up to?”

Nancy nods, curling into his side and scooping a spoonful of ice cream out of the container crammed between them. It’s creamy, and deliciously sweet on her tongue.

It’s just right.

(It has to be.)

[afewproblems]

Season Two Halloween AU Part Eight

Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six Part Seven

Synopsis: What if Eddie had been at Tina's Halloween Party in Season Two? Featuring Steve!Whump, Stancy Breakup, and Eddie just trying to keep up with all these new revelations about who King-Steve actually is...

As always, thank you thank you to the lovely Jess @strangersteddierthings for letting me brainstorm and send spoilers!

***

Eddie pulls gently on the strap of Dustin's safety goggles, trying as much as he can not to snag his curls in the process.

Almost everyone is decked out in their make-shift protective gear, with bandanas over their mouths, swim goggles --hell, even an old diving mask that Lucas found in the Byers basement. Mike won the painters mask, even though it's slightly too big on his little face.

When Eddie asks if all of this is really necessary, Dustin, Lucas, and Mike all glare ferociously at him before shouting over top of one another about how the Upside Down is toxic and that Will had been lucky last year, and to stop being an idiot. 

Eddie looks to Max who shrugs and pulls down her own swimming goggles over her eyes.

"Don't look at me, I'm new here remember?" She mutters, walking towards the pile of various items the kids brought with them. She grabs a pair of rubber gloves and tosses them at Eddie who manages to catch one while the other falls limply into the dirt.

"They went in full body suits last year, on oxygen, to save Will," Dustin adds, his voice slightly muffled by the floral scarf wrapped around his face, "as little exposed skin as you can, it isn't safe".

Eddie can't help but picture the last Sci-Fi pulp story he read in a zine with government conspiracies and men in yellow suits investigating supposed 'crash sites' in the desert. 

He shivers and pulls his own black bandana from his back pocket to put on.

Steve hasn't moved since they parked and hauled everything out of the van for their descent.

He sits in the sliding side door of the van with his head between his knees and the bat between his hands. Steve had insisted on coming with them, despite the fact that he'd only just managed to stop vomiting about five minutes ago and the nausea is still kicking his ass.

Stubborn idiot.

Eddie shakes his head as he turns back to Dustin to find the kid has wandered closer, standing right beside him now.

"He's dating Nancy," Dustin says quietly, tipping his head towards Steve as surreptitiously as he can.

Eddie freezes at the words and tries to keep his face blank in the way he's seen Steve do, he's not sure he's managed it but the way Dustin rolls his eyes. 

Eddie opens his mouth to respond, with what he isn't sure of given the chorus of shitshitshitshitshit playing on a loop in his head. 

Dustin beats him to it.

"But Mike told me they've been fighting lately, if it helps?" 

Eddie just stares, his mind running a mile a minute, his eyes search Dustin's face for any hint of malice or disgust. But there's nothing.

"You don't…care?" Eddie says slowly, softly, he looks around to the other kids to see if anyone else is listening.

They all continue to argue and bicker over the equipment  except for Max who has walked over to Steve to hand him a pair of rubber gloves. She leans down and tilts her head to look at Steve who still hasn't moved from his position in the van door. 

Dustin shrugs, "why should I? I know what people say about it, but you protected us, you stayed," he looks at Eddie with fierce blue eyes, "bullies talk a lot of shit about other people for what they like".

"And you're not bad Eddie, you're good, just like everyone here". 

Eddie blinks trying to ignore the tightness in his chest at the words and the sting behind his eyes. 

'You're a good kid Ed, that's all that matters,' Wayne had told him the day he came out. 'And I'll love you no matter what'.

So that was at least two people who didn't think he was the town 'freak' -- but a stubborn image of Steve's expression that night by the pool comes to mind as he vehemently argued against being scared of Eddie during the now infamous Halloween party.

Three people then.

"If it helps, he wouldn't shut up about Dallas after he and Nance watched the Outsiders last year so," Dustin shrugs again, this time with the slightest teasing grin. 

Eddie is overcome with such a strong feeling of fondness for the kid that he reaches out and pulls Dustin into a one armed hug that's really more of a headlock than anything else. Eddie takes off Dustin's hat to ruffle his hair before putting it back on and tugging it down over the kids eyes, he snorts at the squawk that Dustin makes in response.

"Dallas huh?" he says with a grin before clearing his throat, "I've always been more partial to a pretty boy myself". 

He laughs as Dustin pushes him off muttering under his breath, "everyone's obsessed with relationships," which only makes Eddie laugh harder. 

Maybe it's the hysteria of the situation, maybe it's the exhaustion loosely wrapping itself around his hands, but in this moment Eddie lets himself push away why they are standing in the middle of this field in the pitch dark, and lets himself reach out for what was previously impossible.

He claps Dustin on the back and tips his head towards the rest of the party getting ready. 

"How distracting can you be?" Eddie asks in a low conspiratorial voice.

Dustin frowns, his eyes dart from where Max is struggling to pull on a second blue rubber glove after getting the first one on to where Steve is finally managing to sit up in the van, pulling on the gloves Max left him with, and rolls his eyes again.

"Yeah, yeah, you get five minutes," Dustin drops his voice slightly, and if it's an imitation of Eddie barking orders at the kids earlier, it's pretty good actually. 

Eddie huffs and sends Dustin a wink before turning on his heel and making his way to the van.

Steve has managed to finally sit up properly and in the moonlight it appears that the green caste to his face is also gone. He looks up as Eddie approaches, and sends him a wane smile. 

"How you feeling?" Eddie says softly. He crouches down on the balls of his feet so he and Steve are at eye level and reaches out for his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. It's as though a dam has burst ever since he was able to gather Steve in his arms in the van, he can't stop reaching out for him. 

"Like my head has a pulse," Steve answers after a moment, "kinda how it felt after Jon cleaned my clock last year, but worse". 

He shrugs and gives Eddie a small smile that stretches his split lip until a small bead of red appears, Steve winces and swipes his hand over the cut, "I'm kinda hoping it doesn't become a yearly thing, you only get so many concussions ya know?" 

No Eddie doesn’t know, but he was also never a jock, dodging elbows, or balls, or apparently monsters in the woods on the regular.

He looks back at the kids, only to see Dustin pointing at the watch on his wrist; even in the dark Eddie can read Dustin's expression.

Hurry up.

Eddie swallows roughly and turns back to Steve, who doesn't move his gaze quickly enough to hide his own stare.

The wistful pinch of Steve's brow is still there, plain as day, and it cements Eddie's decision.

He leans closer, close enough that his nose is nearly touching Steve's own.

"I need to tell you something, and I need you to let me get through it because we don't have a lot of time, okay?" 

Steve blinks once, his wide hazel eyes search Eddie's face as he slowly nods, his mouth opens but Eddie reaches up and presses his palm to gently cover it.

"You caught me off guard before," he whispers quickly, before Steve can move the hand on his mouth, "when you told me about your Nonna". 

He sees Steve's eyes go even wider and feels him freeze under his hand, but he has to keep going. 

"And I thought, you couldn't possibly be saying what I thought you'd were saying, I couldn't--"

Eddie forces himself to meet Steve's gaze this time, as though he could simply transfer his thoughts directly, save himself the embarrassment of trying to make the words come.

He takes a deep breath in, releasing it slowly through his nose.

"I couldn't let myself hope, not then".

"But when I thought you were dead on the floor, that Billy had broken you into a million pieces and we would never be able to put you back together again and I realized," Eddie moves his hand now, letting it travel along Steve's jaw, to the back of his head. He swipes his thumb along the crest of Steve's cheekbone and tries not to let the way the other man holds his breath deter him.

"That I might not get another chance to be that person your Nonna told you about, if I didn't tell you how I felt". 

Steve blinks again and Eddie halts, letting go of Steve completely as he watches the wide hazel eyes grow shiny in the moonlight. 

Oh fuck.

Steve's nose flares slightly with how rapidly he's breathing and his mouth opens and closes in quick succession as he seems to struggle to find the words to respond.

"I--"

"Steve! Eddie!" Mike calls out from behind them, "we are running out of time! Let's go!" 

Eddie curses under his breath and whirls around; Mike stands at the edge of the cavern, his hands on his hips in a similar position to one Steve held earlier, the painter's mask pulled up to reveal the irritated frown on his face.

Dustin has his own face in his hand but looks up soon enough to offer Eddie a resigned shrug.

He catches Max watching the exchange with curious eyes, her face tilting between Eddie, Dustin, Mike, and Steve, but he can't think about that now. 

Not with Steve pushing himself up from the van on unsteady legs, he brushes past Eddie, reaching up with a shaking hand to pinch his nose. 

Eddie darts a hand out to catch Steve's elbow, halting his path.

Steve lets him.

Eddie takes a step closer, wracking his brain, trying to figure out what he could have said to make Steve so upset, had he read him wrong after all, had he overstepped somehow?

"Steve," he says softly, his grip on Steve's elbow is loose but steady as he pulls him closer.

Steve doesn't turn to look at Eddie but he doesn't move away either.

"What the hell is the hold up assholes!" Mike barks out again and Eddie lets himself throw a dirty glare at the kid, which Mike merely rolls his eyes at. 

The attitude on these kids.

Mike does eventually turn, pulled by Dustin, back to the rope that Lucas is securing to the nearby fencepost, hopefully distracted for long enough to let Eddie figure this out. 

But before he can say anything, Steve is pulling himself away from the grip on his elbow, “Eddie--”

"Please,” the word falls out of his mouth, desperate, louder than he wants, “please Steve, just, promise me we'll talk”.

Steve turns his face slightly, just enough that Eddie knows he sees him. 

His eyes are no longer wet, but still red rimmed, his nose slightly pink, the same way he looked that night at the halloween party sitting on that rock in the dark. 

“Okay,” Steve whispers into the night air, quickly and quietly before he presses forward. 

Eddie lets him go, his empty hand drops limply at his side as he watches Steve make his way back to the kids. He snatches an unused pair of goggles from the nearly empty pile on the ground and checks the post where Lucas had secured the rope. 

Eddie watches from the sidelines as Steve seamlessly moves back into Babysitter mode, and while some part of Eddie is relieved at this, he can’t help but miss the way it felt to hold Steve, to put him back together again. 

Even if it was just for a moment.

Part Nine Now Up!

Tag List:

@eriquin @luvinthefreaks @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @goodolefashionedloverboi @ellietheasexylibrarian @bambibiest @sadboislovebeans @howincrediblysapphicofyou @coleys-a-nerd @whycantiuseunderscore @airconditioning123 @xxfiction-is-my-realityxx @corrodedbisexual @starman-jpg @ilovecupcakesandtea @yoriposts @clumsiluni @pelinelin @phantomcat94 @lololol-1234 @anaibis @steveshairspray @hellfireone @eddielives1986 @sunswathe  @tentativeghost @robin-not-batman @estrellami-1 @manda-panda-monium @tinyplanet95 @perseus-notjackson @queenie-ofthe-void @rainbowsaw @sp0o0kylights @littlebluejane @hi-im-eff  @phantypurple @just-ladyme @thoroughlycollected @justrandomfandomstm @swimmingbirdrunningrock @finntheehumaneater @dynamic-powerm@nightmareglitter @genderless-spoon @zaddipax @thebiblesays @pyrohonk @emly03 @geekymagicalpotato @sidebarre @lemon-astra @cipounette @discreetapple @starlitlakes @saphhicwitchbitch @marvel-ous-m @lingeringmirth @honorarybrit81 @bookbinderbitch @finntheehumaneater  @lololol-1234 @eddie-munsons-missing-nipple @monsterloverforhire @gaydrieeen @starlight-archer @homosexual-having-tea @devondespresso @rennnnon @my-hyperfixations-hell-blog

And a few people I think may be intersted!

@steddierthings @steddie-there @stevesbipanic @henderdads

[heartbreak-sandwich]

The Cumpetition - Eddie Munson x Steve Harrington x Nancy Wheeler ~ Finished Oneshot ❤️‍🔥NSFW

Masterlist 💕

A/N: I wrote this fic a year or so ago for a fanfiction themed party, and the directions were to include some cringe phrases, so there are some silly words in this one, but it's not bad to the point of unenjoyable. The timeline is extremely skewed, and it's obviously kind of au - supposed to be after Steve has graduated and all characters are assumed over 18! CW: virgin!Eddie, Stancy, house party, underage drinking, and SMUT SMUT SMUT. Thank you so much for reading, and I'm always happy with any feedback/comments you may have, but please know this one was just for fun. 😅

NSFW BELOW THE CUT, 18+ ONLY, MINORS DNI, PLEASE ✨

“I don’t know, Nance,” Steve said, leaning up against the locker beside Nancy’s as she rummaged through her books. “He’s really not who I thought he was. You’ll see if you just let him come to the party. Give him a chance.” Nancy rolled her eyes at his pleading. For the last week, all anyone has heard from Steve is how misunderstood and potentially amazing Eddie Munson is. After his assistance in keeping The Party alive through the last encounter with the Upside Down, Eddie was a hero in Steve’s eyes.

“This is his third senior year, Steve,” Nancy said with an exasperated sigh. “He’s hardly as sharp as you make him sound. Plus, you’ve seen the way he acts at school. This isn’t his kind of scene.”

“How do you know what his kind of scene is, anyway?” Steve asked, a smug smirk forming in the right corner of his mouth. He was teasing her again about the previous weekend. She tried to shake the image of a drunken Nancy being rescued from the bedroom eyes of Tommy Hagan at a house party, whisked away on a motorcycle and half-carried to her front door. She had no memory of how she had gotten home that night, but apparently Eddie had filled Steve in after he dropped her off at home, telling him Nancy was perfectly safe and untouched.

“Fine,” Nancy said firmly. “Invite him.” She closed her locker and turned to face Steve. “But he can’t bring any of his friends, and he can’t sell drugs at my house.”

“Can he give them away for free?” Steve received a harsh fist to the shoulder for his joke as he and Nancy turned to make their way down the hall and out of the school.

XXXX ONE HOUR LATER XXXX

“You want me to go to a party at Nancy Wheeler’s house?” Eddie let out a short, theatrical cackle. “You’re sending me into the belly of the beast. You know that, right?” he asked as he perched on the hood of Steve’s car. Eddie’s driveway wasn’t much of a driveway -- more like a flat expanse of dust in front of the double-wide trailer he and his uncle shared.

“Just trust me. It’s not as bad as you think it is,” Steve reassured, unfolding his arms and sitting next to Eddie on the hood. “Besides, I’ll be there. I’ll make sure no one gives you any shit, and we’ll have a good time.” Eddie’s eyes fixated on Steve’s as he mulled it over for a moment.

“As long as you’ll be there to protect me,” he replied sarcastically, an exaggerated pout on his lips. Steve pushed his famous hair back into place, running a hand all the way through the luscious pompadour, completely oblivious to the fact that Eddie’s intense gaze didn’t leave him for a second.

“Look, if it really sounds that horrible, then don’t come. Sorry I asked.” Steve pushed himself off the hood and made his way to the driver’s side door, his disappointment hanging heavy in the air like dense fog.

“Wait,” Eddie replied, jumping off the hood and taking a step closer to Steve. “If you really want me to come, I’ll be there,” he said, giving Steve’s left shoulder a clap. “Eight o’clock?”

“Eight o’clock,” Steve replied. “And don’t be early. Nancy’s folks would lose it if they knew she was having us all over on a school night.”

“Copy that, Harrington. See you later.”

Steve watched Eddie walk away toward his trailer, but not long enough for him to notice. He situated himself in his car and adjusted his rear view mirror to watch the rest of Eddie’s trek to the front door. He pushed the cassette tape into the slot in his car stereo and backed out of the driveway, bobbing his head to Dokken’s Into the Fire. Eddie was right: this is music.

XXXX 8:45 PM XXXX

Eddie slunk his way through the Wheelers’ living room, making himself small enough to squeeze in between groups of people who were all drinking, laughing, and talking loudly over the sound of Motley Crue’s Shout at the Devil. He was painfully aware of the sharp stares he was receiving from each person who recognized him amongst the crowd. Sighing to himself and accepting his outsider status, he dipped a solo cup into the punch bowl on the kitchen counter and sauntered toward the back door. 

“PURE FUEL!!!” An inebriated boy’s voice resounded over the music as Eddie crossed the threshold into the back yard. He spotted The Hair.

Steve noticed a change in the mob around him, everyone beginning to stare and point and whisper about the boy in the Dio vest wearing too many rings. Steve locked eyes with Eddie who raised his solo cup awkwardly in greeting.

“Steve!!” Robin snapped her fingers in front of Steve’s face, regaining his attention just long enough for him to excuse himself from their conversation. He made his way through the crowd as Eddie jumped down from the deck onto the lawn, completely ignoring the stairs next to him. Steve’s heart fluttered in his chest at the small act of rebelliousness.

“You came!” Steve didn’t try to hide his excitement at all. Realizing he didn’t quite know what to do with his hands, he hastily stuffed them in his pockets and stood awkwardly, hoping Eddie wouldn’t notice his sudden lack of confidence.

“I said I’d come for you, Harrington. I am a man of my word,” Eddie proclaimed loudly, sticking out his now punch-red tongue in jest. “So! Where’s the good time you promised me?”

“Right this way,” Steve gestured to a free keg, a wide grin spread across his face.

The two boys sat on the grass in a corner of the yard by a keg and claimed it as their own, Eddie occasionally jumping up, sticking out his tongue, screeching, and giving himself devil horns with his hands so as to ward off anyone who dared try to sample their commandeered riches.

Nancy watched them from a distance. She couldn’t help but feel a little left out. Steve had been by her side constantly since they got back together, and all of a sudden, the only thing he cared about was integrating Eddie into his life.

XXXX 1:00 AM XXXX

As the last few people made their way out the door, Nancy closed and locked it behind them. The house was a disaster, but she would figure out how to handle that after school tomorrow. Her parents wouldn’t be home for another couple of days, and she wanted to spend some alone time with Steve now that everyone had cleared out. She hadn’t even spoken to him since the start of the party because he was too busy ogling Eddie Munson to pay her any attention.

Nancy closed the patio door behind her and instantly spotted Steve sitting by the pool, feet dangling in the water, taking a swig from a bottle of Jameson...and handing it over to Eddie who was doing the same. Nancy scoffed. She had held up her end of the bargain. She invited Munson to her party, but she didn’t promise to make friends or even talk to him. After being ignored all night, Nancy was beginning to boil over.

“Hey, Nance!” Steve waved her over, holding out the bottle to her. “Come sit!” He was obviously intoxicated, pieces of hair falling into his eyes and a goofy grin plastered on his face. She decided it was better not to fight, especially in front of someone as unpredictable as Eddie. Nancy unfolded her arms and walked over to the two boys, taking the bottle from Steve and gulping down enough whiskey to tolerate the impending conversation.

“Hi, Nancy,” Eddie said, watching her intently as she fearlessly swallowed her last mouthful of potent liquor and wiped her mouth with her sleeve.

“Hi.” Nancy took a seat next to Steve, dipping her feet into the pool.

“It was nice of you to invite me,” Eddie said through a cheeky smile as he side eyed Steve.

“Like I had a choice,” she started. Remembering her decision to avoid a fight with Steve, she added, “Either way, I’m glad you came. Any friend of Steve’s is welcome here.”

“I’ll cheers to that,” Eddie replied, taking a healthy swig from the bottle and passing it back to Steve.

The whiskey made its way down the line and back again several times as the trio bonded over conversations about school, Russian government secrets, teachers, friends, and overall life.

When the bottle was empty, Steve stood up and threw it against the fence behind them and cheered when it shattered into thousands of tiny pieces. Nancy and Eddie were happily warm with alcohol and echoed his victory shout. Steve hurled off his shirt and flexed in triumph, his drunken giggles permeating the quiet night.

Eddie jumped to his feet. He slipped out of his vest and folded it neatly, setting it down on the patio table. He shedded his own shirt and charged at Steve, tackling him to the ground with an “OOF!” as the air was forced out of him. They laughed hysterically as they rough housed on the ground until they were both out of breath. 

Nancy found herself staring at the two shirtless boys giggling and half-assed sparring on the ground -- flesh all a-mesh, and out of nowhere, she ached to be part of it.

“Steve! I think it’s time,” she said, giving him that look. Steve knew exactly what she meant, but he was having a great night, and he would feel awful asking Eddie to leave.

“What’s that mean?” Eddie teased sarcastically, poking Steve’s cheek a little too hard.

“If you’ve ever been with a girl, you know exactly what that means,” Steve replied, bumping his eyebrows up and down suggestively.

“Oh, I have. Sort of. In a way.” Eddie stammered and shifted awkwardly, standing up and gathering his vest. He knew it was time to leave, and he didn’t want to have to explain that “sort of, in a way” meant he received a botched toothy blowjob in the back of his van from a girl he met at a concert and cried after he dropped her off at home.

Nancy’s new adventurous streak took hold of her. She quietly appeared next to Eddie and looked into his anxious eyes. Keeping eye contact, she gently freed his vest from his grasp and set it back down on the patio table. She took in the sight of him: his long, dark hair framing his face; his brown eyes wide with fear and a touch of curiosity; his height ultra-apparent now that they stood so close to each other; the faint trace of his abs outlined by the shadows of the night.

“Sort of, in a way, do you want to help Steve...take care of me tonight? It’s been a really long day, and maybe we can, you know, teach you some stuff.” Nancy’s gaze turned sultry as she closed the distance between them with every word. She shot a look at Steve who raised his eyebrows in surprise and finally shrugged. He never expected things to go this way, but he would be lying if he said he wasn’t into it, no matter how weird he might feel tomorrow.

“Uh...Steve?” Eddie’s anxiety peaked as he stared at Steve in disbelief. Steve gave him a smirk and a nod and started toward the back door as Nancy pulled Eddie into a deep, slow, entrancing kiss. 

XXXX 10 MINUTES LATER XXXX

“You guys are sure you want to do this?” Eddie asked for what felt like the hundredth time.

“Look, man, if you don’t want to, you don’t have to. But we’re going to, whether you stick around or not,” Steve replied, kicking his pants aside and removing his watch.

“Eddie.” Before he could respond, Nancy put her hands on his shoulders and turned him to face her. “It’s okay. Really,” she said with a sweet smile. Eddie returned the smile and let out a sigh as he shrugged. His innocence was like fuel to the hungry fire growing inside of Nancy.

She gently grabbed his hand and slowly raised it up to her face, grazing it ever so softly against her cheek and lips. Taking his pointer finger all the way into her mouth, she sucked the gaudy, silver ring until it came loose, moved up his finger with her lips and dropped behind her teeth as she unsheathed his digit from her oral caress. She smiled as she took the ring from between her teeth and handed it over her shoulder to Steve, who placed it lightly on the nightstand beside the bed.

“Don’t worry, Munson. It won’t be so serious,” Steve reassured. “We can make it a game or a competition or whatever. Give you something to focus on besides not cumming,” he joked.

“A CUMpetition!” Eddie exclaimed.

“Hey, that’s pretty good. CUMpetition,” Steve praised and giggled as Eddie smiled proudly at his newly invented word.

“Whoever cums first loses?” Eddie suggested. “What’s the wager?”

“Or whoever makes me cum the most wins,” Nancy chimed in, now sprawling out on the bed, completely unclothed. “And I’ll let the winner cum inside my mouth. Spitters are quitters.” The devious edge to her grin evoked total seriousness.

Both boys’ eyes widened as they realized they were still standing on either side of the bed in their underwear, fantasizing about the prize Nancy just offered them.

Nancy sighed and propped herself up on her hands and knees, arching her back and offering up her perfect, peachy asscheeks to Steve. “Steeeeeeeve,” she whined impatiently. “Please just do something! I’m already so wet.” she moved her hips from side to side, enticing Steve to touch her. He instantly complied, sliding his hands over and over her soft skin, up the arch of her back, down and around her asscheeks, and finally, dragging a finger up and down her glistening pussy lips.

“Mmmmhmmmmmm,” she drawled, her voice oozing with pleasure. “I can’t wait to see what you’re hiding in there, Eddie,” Nancy teased, pointing to Eddie’s obvious erection still contained in his briefs. She motioned for him to come closer as Steve continued to trace up and down her wetness, occasionally pausing to lick her nectar from his fingertips.

Eddie approached the edge of the bed so Nancy could reach him. She tucked her fingers into his waistband, sliding them side to side, feeling his hip bones beneath the warm flesh. Eddie shuddered at the feeling and let his head fall back as he closed his eyes, allowing himself to take in every sensation.

Nancy hooked her fingers into the elastic and slid Eddie’s briefs off, letting them fall lifelessly to the floor. She was shocked as his diametrically intimidating, velvety smooth, circumcised cock sprung upwards just an inch or two from her nose, all ten inches throbbing, the lustrous tip already dripping with pre cum.

“Oh...my god,” she murmured as she stared in awe at the size of the stately member before her. “I’ve never seen anyone this big before.”

“Is it...okay?” Eddie asked, suddenly feeling shy. He didn’t expect this reaction, but then again, he didn’t have much to compare to for expectations.

Nancy could only respond by nodding slowly, her mouth watering at the sight before her. She leaned forward and gave the crown of Eddie’s love gun a long, slow lick, her tongue flat against the smooth, hot cockflesh. Nancy finished her first taste and stared up into Eddie’s eyes, mouth still hanging open.

“So that’s what that’s supposed to feel like,” Eddie concluded with a grin, finally relaxing a bit.

And with that, Steve discarded his underwear and pushed his entire bare length into Nancy’s starving pussy with a slow, firm thrust.

Nancy’s mouth fell wide open as she let out a long, low moan. Moving forward with Steve’s thrust, she took Eddie completely into her mouth, licking back and forth up the underside of his shaft as she did so. Hearing him slowly deflate his lungs, she took that as a sign to keep going. She used the rhythm of Steve’s thrusts to let her mouth move over Eddie’s sleek, pulsating rod a few more times.

Upon discovering she could control the pace, Nancy moved herself back and forth on her hands and knees, feeling Steve’s perfect boyfriend dick glide over her G-spot every time while she sucked her cheeks in around Eddie’s massively robust joystick as it slipped down her throat and back up repeatedly, making her eyes water.

Everyone’s breathing became ragged and the room felt hotter, but nobody seemed to notice. Steve was surprised to look up from Nancy’s handiwork and meet Eddie’s gaze. Eddie had one hand gently grasping Nancy’s hair as a low moan escaped his lips, his eyes pleading with Steve to ramp up the pleasure.

Steve kept one hand on Nancy’s hip and pulled himself deeper inside her as he adjusted his stance, kneeling onto the bed behind her. He used his other hand to reach around the back of Eddie’s neck and pulled him into a hot, needy kiss, their tongues doing a desperate dance-fight tango as they locked lips over and over and over again to the soundtrack of the trio of moans filling the space around them.

Nancy no longer cared about the mess in the house or making it to school tomorrow...or the next day, for that matter. All she wanted was more of this and more of them. And she knew now that the three of them would be particularly tight-knit comrades -- tighter than she could ever hope to be again after her new-found friendship with Eddie Munson.

[supernovafics]

𝐈𝐓'𝐒 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐄

pairing: steve harrington x fem!reader

word count: 4.8k words

summary: in which the vecna events hurt you a lot more than you would allow yourself to admit to anyone. you lost your best friend, someone who was quite possibly your only true friend, and you just felt empty inside because of it. you somehow find solace in steve harrington and an unspoken bond forms between you two. you and him barely talk, though; talking is probably the last thing you do with one another. but, maybe, you should.

warnings: post season four, mentions of eddie, mentions of stancy, reader grieving eddie’s death, soft!steve, some fluff, SO MUCH angst, explicit language, smut (minors dni!), overall a lot of sadness but with a happy/hopeful ending

author’s note: this idea randomly came to me and i immediately stopped everything else i was working on to run with this lmao hope y’all enjoy!<333

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

It was because you almost died. 

That was what you kept telling yourself.

It was the life-and-death situations that you had found yourself in that past month that led you into Steve’s bed almost every night. And it was also the fact that he’d experienced those fucked up moments with you.

You and Steve weren’t friends. Even after what happened a little over a month ago, you rarely ever talked to each other during the normal hours that most people talked to one another. In fact, you found yourself actively avoiding him during the day. 

But, when night rolled around and you were feeling way too restless and insanely sad, you would call him and he would always answer because somehow he was always awake too. 

When you pulled into his driveway on this specific night, you didn’t hesitate to head to his front door and give it three quick knocks. He usually would leave the door unlocked for you after you told him you were on your way, but you still liked to knock. 

For some reason, the thought of letting yourself into his house made things feel a little too personal and intimate; even though you and him were doing perhaps the most intimate thing two people could do with one another. 

When Steve opened the door, he gave you a small smile. “Hi.” 

“Hi,” You responded softly before walking inside. 

You took notice of his attire which was typical, basketball shorts and a simple t-shirt, but his hair was much more disheveled than usual. It made you silently wonder if this time you actually had woken him up when you called. 

You peeled off your jacket and toed off your shoes, leaving them both by the front door. 

You followed him up to his room and quickly found comfort atop his bed as he closed and locked the door behind you both. Your legs dangled off the edge of the bed and you looked up at the ceiling. 

“Were you actually asleep when I called this time?”

“Maybe a little bit.” 

You propped yourself up by your elbows and looked at him. “You can tell me to fuck off sometimes, you know that right?” 

He ran a hand through his hair, which let you know that he was at least a little bit nervous and there was also a lot going through his head right then. You wish you didn’t know that about him, but it was hard not to notice little things like that with all of the nights you’d been spending together. 

“I could never tell you to fuck off,” He ultimately responded. 

Why? 

That was what you wanted to ask him, but you couldn’t let the word fall from your lips. Because you were scared about what emotional shit would be attached to his answer. You were scared that it just might finally break you open. 

Ever since everything went down you felt numb from it all and, for the most part, you were okay with that. You liked not feeling anything because it meant that you couldn’t truly grasp the pain and grief you were experiencing. 

By no means was it healthy, you knew that, but it still somehow made things a little better. 

However, there was still a part of you that longed for something, anything, that resembled the opposite of the emptiness you were feeling. 

And that was where Steve would come in. 

He’d give you something that would momentarily fill that void while simultaneously making you forget all of the shit going through your head. 

And you’d give him the same thing. Make him forget about the girl he was in love with who was perfectly happy with someone else. 

The two of you needed each other. You would never say it aloud, but it was the truth, and you couldn’t let a question of “why?” potentially ruin that right then. 

So, instead, you stood up and slipped off the sweatpants you were wearing and then pulled off the ratty old band t-shirt that had been Eddie’s. You hadn’t been wearing a bra under the shirt so you were standing in front of Steve in only your black underwear. His eyes slowly traveled up your body as he walked closer to you and a hand found your bare waist. 

When this all started weeks ago, it slightly surprised you how you never felt nervous or awkward under Steve’s gaze. Somehow you always felt comfortable, maybe even a little safe. 

You leaned into his soft touch and tilted your head up so that you could meet his lips. When your mouth met his, your mind effectively turned off and the next few moments felt like they were being lived by a different version of you. The version that was normal and not so painstakingly affected by grief and sadness. 

Steve guided you back onto the bed, his lips not detaching from yours once, so that your back was flush against the comforter. 

Soft words fell from his lips that you couldn’t decipher because you were so lost in your own pleasure. 

You felt him almost everywhere. Lips against your neck and trailing down your body, hands squeezing your breast and teasing you through your soaking underwear. 

“Please,” You found yourself muttering desperately as you bucked your hips upward a bit because you needed him so badly. 

Steve knew what you were essentially asking for and he wanted the same exact thing. So when he pulled away for a second to remove his t-shirt and basketball shorts and boxers, you slipped off your own underwear and let him make you simultaneously feel and forget everything. 

-

Three Weeks Earlier

“Hey.”

His presence startled you. So much so that you lost your balance a bit and almost fell into the lake. 

“Jesus Christ, Harrington, you can’t sneak up on a girl like that.”

“Sorry about that,” He said and pushed a quick hand through his hair. “I don’t think there was any right way to get your attention.”

You tilted your head at him. “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing. Also, how did you get here? I didn’t see your car parked.” 

You turned away from him. “I walked.” 

“That doesn’t sound like the best idea.”

A small shrug was all you gave him in response as you kicked a small rock into the lake. 

You didn’t tell him that all of the walking you did made you so exhausted that the only thing you could think of when you finally stepped foot in your home was sleep and absolutely nothing else. 

You’d come to learn over the past few weeks that it was way too easy for your mind to spiral when you were alone in your bed if you didn’t force yourself to stay awake and do things until you were completely sleep deprived. 

“How’ve you been?” He asked as he walked over to stand next to you. 

You almost laughed at how ridiculous the question was because, in your mind, the answer seemed obvious. You’d been sad, angry, upset at the world, sometimes even upset at Eddie— and you’d always end up feeling like a horrible person when you did become upset at him.  

But you hadn’t seen Steve or anybody else involved since everything happened, so as ridiculous as the question was, it did make sense that he was asking it. 

“Not the best,” You ultimately answered. 

He waited a few moments to see if you would elaborate on what you meant, but you didn’t. 

“You’re kinda one of us now, so you can talk to us whenever. You can talk to me.”

You took a quick glance over at him and saw from the look on his face how much he meant his words. “That’s the thing though, I don’t wanna talk.”

“So, you just wanna wallow forever?” His tone wasn’t accusatory like you expected it to be. Instead, he was genuinely curious. 

“I just want to…” You let out a long sigh.  “Forget. Forget what happened, forget what we went through, forget that he’s gone. Everything.”

Steve didn’t say anything in response to that for a few moments, and you fought the urge to look at him because you knew that he was either staring at you like you were crazy or pitying you. You couldn’t decide which look would be worse.  

“Let me drive you home,” He said softly. You realized then that he probably felt sorry for you and his eyes were more than likely saying the same.  

You kept your gaze trained on the lake in front of you. “I’m okay.”

“Please?”

You only nodded because you knew you couldn’t say no. He’d probably ask a bunch of questions about what was going on with you, and you were a terrible liar so you knew you’d actually have to be honest with him. And how were you going to be honest with him, if you couldn’t be honest with yourself just yet? 

You allowed yourself to get comfortable in the passenger seat of Steve’s BMW, leaning back into the seat and staring out at the dark road ahead of you both. If the circumstances had been different you could’ve maybe found yourself falling asleep in his car. But, it was too quiet and things felt awkward, so you couldn’t help but say the first thing that crossed your mind. 

“How are you and Nancy?”

Steve didn’t say anything for a few long moments, but then he cleared his throat. “She’s, uh, she’s still with Jonathan.”

“Oh,” You said, and couldn’t hide the surprise in your voice. During everything, it seemed like the two of them were on some sort of course toward getting back together. “Sorry.” 

He shrugged halfheartedly. “It’s fine.”

Something about his demeanor told you that it actually wasn’t fine.  

Your eyes glanced at the time displayed on the dashboard. It was two in the morning but you weren’t tired enough. And you really didn’t wanna go back home just yet. 

“Um, can we go to yours actually?”

You fully expected him to question you and ask why you wanted to go to his place and not your own. But, he didn’t ask anything and instead gave you a small nod. “Okay.” 

His house was quiet and although you weren’t entirely sure how long you’d be staying, you slipped off the sneakers you were wearing and left them by the front door. 

“You want something to drink?” Steve asked. “I would also offer something to eat, but there’s nothing really here.” 

You shook your head. “Where’s your bathroom?”

“This way,” He said and then led you upstairs to the bathroom that was connected to his bedroom. 

When you flicked on the light and looked in the mirror, it was then that you noticed how bad you looked, and it actually made sense to you that Steve had wanted to take you home. Your face looked exhausted, but you didn’t feel tired at all.

The t-shirt you were wearing, which had been Eddie’s, was insanely wrinkled and you couldn’t remember the last time you’d taken it off, and the old dark sweatpants you were wearing had some random bleach spots on them. 

When you exited the bathroom, after splashing some water on your face to hopefully bring some life back to it, you noticed Steve lingering by his bedroom door. 

“You could’ve told me how insane I look right now,” You told him. 

“You look… fine,” He said hesitantly and you rolled your eyes as you sat on his bed. “I think you just look tired?”

You let out a small sigh and crossed your legs underneath you. “I’m quite literally the opposite.” 

He sat down next to you and things became quiet. 

“Why were you at the lake?” You decided to ask as you turned to look at him. 

“Couldn’t sleep, so I was just driving around,” He responded and you nodded at that as you looked down at your lap. 

You silently wondered if the aftermath of everything was hitting him as hard as it was hitting you. You almost asked him how he had been doing since it all happened, but the question couldn’t form on your lips. 

“I did mean what I said back there,” He abruptly said as he turned to you. After a few moments of quiet contemplation, you met his gaze. “You can talk to me. I know we didn’t know each other before everything happened, and we still don’t know each other that well. But, still… I’m here. If you ever wanna not forget about everything, we can talk about it.”

You appreciated his words, you truly did. But, the thought of actually talking about everything made you feel physically ill.

Steve placed his hand atop yours and gave it a light reassuring squeeze. The action was so minor and could’ve easily been deemed as meaningless, but it did mean so much to you. For some reason that you couldn’t decipher or understand, he really did care about you. 

You shifted a bit closer to him and allowed your body to move faster than your thoughts could tell you that what you were doing was a bad idea. You moved into his lap, knees straddling either side of his waist. 

“Is this okay?” You asked, eyes meeting his.

He nodded slowly and you could see the minor confusion on his face but you chose to ignore it because if you didn’t you knew that you would start thinking too hard about what you were doing. 

So, instead, you kept your mind off and let your body run on autopilot. Your hands settled at the nape of his neck and you leaned down to kiss him. His hands were firmly planted at his sides, too scared that all of this somehow wasn’t real to touch you back, but he did kiss you with just as much passion as you were giving him. 

It finally felt good to actually feel something; something that didn’t cause you sadness. 

“Touch me, Steve. Please,” You said in-between heated kisses. 

He didn’t have to be told twice and his hands were on you in an instant, sneaking under your t-shirt and rubbing the soft skin of your hip, then waist, then back, then all the way up to your bra-covered breast. You moaned at the feeling of him squeezing you through the thin fabric. 

You pulled back for a second to pull off your shirt and toss it somewhere in the room, and Steve took the opportunity to flip the two of you so you were pressed against the bed and he was on top of you. Your hands found a home in his hair as the two of you resumed kissing with even more intensity that time around. When Steve’s lips found your neck, you involuntarily bucked your hips upward and rubbed yourself against his hardness, which elicited a soft groan from him. 

Abruptly, he pulled away. “Wait– Shit– Sorry.”

He rolled off of you and you turned on your side to look at him with confused eyes; he was staring up at the ceiling. “Why are you sorry?”

“You’re sad right now,” Steve said, still avoiding your eyes. “We shouldn’t be doing this.” 

He was right about the first part, but that didn’t mean that what the two of you were doing was a bad idea. In fact, you thought it was the opposite. 

You were lonely, and you were pretty sure he was too. Why couldn’t the two of you help each other feel not alone? 

“It’s okay. Seriously. I want this,” You told him as you shifted closer toward him and ran a hand through his hair. 

He was looking at you now, searching your eyes for full confirmation that this really was okay. And he didn’t see any uncertainty in your gaze, but he still was hesitant. 

“Please,” The word was soft and quiet, but Steve heard you loud and clear, and something inside of him shifted. 

Finally, he was kissing you again and not wasting a second to move you back on your back so that he was on top of you as he peppered kisses down your body. 

And finally, he was pulling off his shirt and pants and boxers and grabbing a condom, and you were taking off the remainder of your clothes as well. 

And finally, he was slowly pushing himself inside of you and groaning at the feeling of you around him, your wet walls taking him in so well and squeezing around his cock so tightly. 

You moaned and winced at the feeling as you adjusted to having him inside of you. You had had sex before but Steve was huge, and it felt like it was your first time all over again. 

“You okay?” He asked, hand finding your cheek to softly stroke it. 

You gave him a small nod and let your eyes slip shut as you shifted your hips a little. “Mhm. You can move now.”

He pressed a quick kiss to your lips as a way to say “okay” and then slowly began moving, pulling out just a little bit and then pushing right back into you. 

You moaned uncontrollably as your chest swelled and your body was overcome with an insane amount of emotions; and all of them were surprisingly good emotions, which you hadn’t been used to anymore. You had felt so empty for so long that you didn’t expect to ever feel anything again. 

But, now here you were with Steve. 

You opened your eyes and immediately met his dark gaze. You didn’t shy away from his stare. Instead, you liked looking at him and seeing how equally enamored he was with you in that moment because of what the two of you were doing. 

His hair was falling into his eyes with every thrust, so you reached up to run your hands through it, and you loved the loud groan he elicited when you gave his dark locks a soft pull. He began pounding into you with much more vigor. 

“Fuck, Steve. Yes.”

“You’re so good, doing so well for me,” He said as his hand snaked down between your bodies to begin rubbing tight circles against your clit. 

You cried out his name loudly and arched your back at the feeling of his fingers against the sensitive bundle of nerves. “Shit, shit, shit.”

“You’re so close, aren’t you? I can feel you squeezing around me so tight, fuck,” Steve groaned, movements getting harsher and sloppier with each thrust. “You wanna come?”

You nodded immediately and frantically. “M’so close, yes. Please, please make me come.”

His fingers rubbed your clit harder and faster, which was enough to make you see stars and send you over the edge. His lips messily found yours, swallowing your moans as he continued fucking you through your orgasm and found his own release only moments later. 

Your breaths were still coming out in soft pants and you could feel Steve softening inside of you. “Fuck, that was really great.”

“Yeah,” He agreed with a nod and smile as he slipped out of you and moved to his side, still looking at you. You turned your head to meet his eyes. 

Things became comfortably quiet as the two of you simply stared at each other and you could finally feel your eyelids actually getting heavy. But, you didn’t want to fall asleep there. 

“Can you take me home?” You asked, breaking eye contact and sitting up in the bed. 

“Yeah, no problem.”

Minutes later, you were back in the clothes you’d shown up in and then you were back in Steve’s passenger seat. 

And right when your head hit your own pillow, you were asleep and didn’t wake up for a solid eight hours. Which was much different from the usual six, sometimes even five, hours you had become used to getting.

You didn’t think that you’d have sex with Steve again. 

Yes, it was absolutely mind-blowing and you’d love for it to happen again because of how good it made you feel; probably the most “good” you’d felt in a while. But, in your head, it was a fluke. You didn’t regret it, but you just didn’t think the circumstances would align for it to happen again. 

However, when the next night rolled around, you found yourself creating your own circumstances and calling him, and he didn’t hesitate to tell you to come over. 

-

Now 

“You miss him?”

You almost made some joking comment about how Steve was still inside of you and he somehow decided that right then was the time to shift the conversation to your best friend, but you refrained from doing so.

Steve was always so much softer than you were after sex, and he had always wanted to make sure you knew that he was there for you if you wanted more than just sex.

You had wanted to show him that you would do the same for him too; let him talk about Nancy and everything he was feeling from that situation. But, it was too hard.

Because more than anything, you wanted this to be as mindless as possible.

After a few weeks, he decided to stop trying to start a conversation with you after because of how little you reciprocated. However, apparently, this time was different though.

And it was also different for you too because you actually found yourself wanting to talk back.

“All the time,” You finally answered as you shifted off of him and let your head find his pillow as you grabbed the thin sheet to pull it over you a bit. “Pretty much all hours of the day.”

You didn’t say that the only time you didn’t miss Eddie, that the only time things actually felt the tiniest bit bearable, was when you were here with Steve. Because you hadn’t realized that until right then, and the thought slightly startled you.

You turned on your side and faced him. “You miss her?”

He turned too and his hand found your hip underneath the sheet and mindlessly started tracing small circles on the bare skin. “Who?”

You gave him a look because you knew that he knew exactly who you were referring to.

His eyes shut for a second and you could tell that he was thinking about what to say. “Sometimes, I guess.”

You glanced down at the scar he had on his abdomen from where he was attacked by the demo-bats and slowly let your fingers trace against it. “You could always just tell her, y’know? Tell her that you love her.”

“Did you ever tell him?” His voice was quiet.

Your eyes flickered back up to his. “Tell him what?”

“That you love him.”

His words slightly confused you but you nodded your head. “Of course, probably every day. But, that’s different.”

“How?” Steve asked, genuinely curious, and you thought it was slightly funny because in your head the answer to his one-worded question was obvious.

“I didn’t love him how you love her.”

“What?” The confusion was evident in his tone.

Your eyebrows furrowed. “What?”

He shifted and sat up in the bed, the sheet sinking down and barely covering his hips. You almost followed suit and sat up too, but you were too tired to do so, so you just looked up at him and started becoming confused because of how confused he seemed.

“You and Eddie… You two– You guys were together, right?” He asked, eyes finding yours.

“Ew, no,” You said and laughed a bit. “Eddie is like–” You sighed at your mistake. “Was like… a brother to me.”

“But…” Steve trailed off, unsure of what he wanted to say because there was a lot circling his mind right then.

“What made you think that we were dating?”

“You guys were so close. It just– It made a lot of sense,” He answered, and you understood what he meant. You and Eddie were insanely close, but not in that way. Never in that way. Simply the thought of him being anything more than your closest friend felt slightly incestual to you. “And when I saw you that night, after everything, you were crying at lover’s lake.”

“I was not crying,” You said with a small scoff. Although you did remember that you had been close to it that night. “And I hadn’t necessarily gone there on purpose, I was just walking around to make myself tired so that I could sleep, and I ended up there.”

“Wow,” He said, letting out a small breath as he leaned back against the pillow and stared up at the ceiling.

You almost laughed at how surprised he was at your words. “I can’t believe how big of a revelation this is for you.”

He turned toward you again. “It’s just– Wow.”

“Okay, now that that is cleared up, I guess, back to you and your situation. You should just tell–”

Before you could finish your statement, Steve abruptly pressed his lips against yours.

The two of you never kissed outside of sex, only during it and as a prelude to it. Never after, though.

So, that surprised you. Even though you kissed him back almost immediately because of how many times you’d kissed him before, you were still in shock because this was probably the most chaste and sweetest kiss he had ever given you. But, it still felt so familiar.

When he pulled away, you should’ve asked something along the lines of “what was that for?” or “why did you do that?”. But, instead, your mind trailed back to something Steve had said earlier.

“I could never tell you to fuck off.”

And that statement made you ask a question that might have sounded so random, but it felt like it was connected to what he had just done.

“Earlier, why did you say that you could never tell me to fuck off?”

Steve’s hand softly stroked your cheek and he was completely unfazed by your question. “Because I like you too much.”

“But, Nancy–”

He shook his head before you could finish. “She’s with Jonathan and she’s happy. They’re meant to be. I’ve accepted that.”

“But…” It was your turn to trail off because you didn’t know what to say. All you could do was simply stare at him and take notice of how tenderly he was looking at you in that moment.

“This whole time I felt like a horrible person because I was falling for you while I thought you were grieving your boyfriend. I can’t believe how wrong I was,” He said with a small sigh.

Your mind was effectively blank and there was nothing you could even think of saying to Steve right then. There was way too much to process in such a short amount of time.

You felt like you were in the same “misunderstanding boat” as him. Because in your mind he had still been in love with Nancy. Therefore, why would you allow yourself to like him? You would’ve just ended up getting hurt and losing him, and he was the only thing in your life that made you feel somewhat better about Eddie.

You were then reminded of your earlier realization, and how good it felt being with Steve on sleepless nights like these.

“I thought you loved Nancy,” You finally said.

“And I thought you and Eddie had been together.”

You couldn’t help but laugh a bit. “We should talk more. Our communication is pretty shitty.”

His arm circled your waist as he laughed too and pulled you close to him. You let your head settle on his chest and your eyes slip shut.

It was quiet for a few moments before you decided to finally let yourself be completely honest with him. “I think I like you too much too. Like, too much. It’s so much harder to go to sleep when I’m not here with you. And you make things feel a lot better. Everything that happened… It doesn’t hurt as much when I’m with you. Somehow it all actually feels okay.”

Your voice was soft and it could’ve been easy for Steve not to hear you, but he did. Instead of immediately responding, he simply held you tighter and pressed a kiss to the top of your head. You could’ve sworn if your eyes weren’t closed you’d be crying from the action.

“Don’t leave tonight, okay?”

His request didn’t fully surprise you, but at the same time, it did. Mainly because it was something that neither of you ever really talked about or acknowledged.

Sometimes, actually a lot of the times, you would end up falling asleep in Steve’s bed with his arms around you, but you’d always be gone before the morning came because you knew that everything would feel too “real” if your moments with Steve lived beyond the nighttime. And he never called you out on abruptly leaving or ever tried to convince you to stay.  

Of course, now, you didn’t care about what it would mean if you stayed with him as the night slowly faded away. And in fact, you found yourself aching for mornings with him and days spent together doing nothing or driving aimlessly around town in addition to the amazing nights you’d have together.

You smiled softly into the darkness as you nuzzled yourself impossibly closer to him and finally responded. “Okay.”

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

let me know ur thoughts<333

[scheodingers-muppet]

in honor of speak now tv about to drop, im bringing back my stranger things taylor song casting. i wrote a lot of this on my phone after listening to the album so apologizes for grammar errors or anything

mine: ronance, from Nancy's POV. Careless man's careful daughter. Sitting there by the water mirroring the boat scene. You learn my secrets and you figure out why I'm guarded. In the music video, we see the couple fighting when things get tough outside of the relationship, which we've also seen Nancy do, both when she was struggling with Barb and fighting with Jonathan when dealing with sexism from her job.

sparks fly: lumax. Max is the rainstorm, Lucas the house of cards. "I'm on my guard for the rest of the world, but for you, I know it's no good"

back to december: stancy; but just Nancy apologizing for how things ended, not them getting back together. "that night" not just being the Halloween fight but her cheating on him. I think she would feel bad about how things ended and I really want them to talk everything out in season 5. Plz. Also the line, "I miss your tan skin, your sweet smile...how you held me in your arms that September night, the first time you ever saw me cry" Obv with the tan skin and smile, but I hc that after Nancy told Steve what happened to Barb, he held her while she cried

speak now: byler, from Will's pov. Not in a literal wedding sense (though that might make a fun fic...) but more of Mike asking Will for advice about El and Will just finally coming clean. Maybe it doesn't go great and he doubles down with El and it causes some tension or maybe the roles are reversed and Mike comes clean then panics and doubles down and Will is trying to get him back

dear john: Joyce about Lonnie. I hate this man.

mean: El about Angela. Imagine if before the roller skate incident, she confided in Joyce and she told her to just confront her with her words, ya know? Like just call her out for being mean. Then when that doesn't work, she thinks, "well, what would Hopper tell me? Gotta fight back." Makes my heart melt

the story of us: Mike and El, from El’s pov. I just really feel like El would use story tails and romance stories, etc. to compare love to. This song to the letter fight just... ugh.

never grow up: Nancy. First verse to Holly, how she knows what's ahead, both in terms of alternate dimensions and being a teenage girl. She doesn't want her to have to deal with either of the two, just to stay little while she can. Second verse to Mike, seeing him start to become more of an adult and secretly missing her annoying kid brother. (brings more punch to the line “all your little brothers favorite songs”) Third verse takes place after she graduates, moving for school. Her night light mentioned in the verse was her graduation/farewell present from Holly, who says she's a big girl now and doesn't need it.

enchanted: elmax! From Max's POV. Imagine the second verse is them having a sleepover, playing truth or dare. I also love the use of referencing the story tail love metaphor again

better than revenge: stommy; Tommy singing about Nancy. idk it’s the closest I could get.

innocent: Steve and Nancy. First verse is about Nancy (lost your balance on a tight rope, lost your mind trying to get it back. wasn’t it beautiful when you believed in everything and everyone believed in you. , second about Steve. bonus points if you imagine them singing this to each other (not in a romantic way)

haunted: lumax (I’m sorry) Lucas begging for her to come back after her attack. Trying to move on and be happy but he can’t get over her. the chorus too, “somethings gone terribly wrong” “your eye’s gone cold” the bridge too “you’re not gone, you can’t be gone” you can also imagine it as like, she lives but can’t face the party without thinking about what happened too

last kiss: stancy / mike and el (parallel!) I think I’m gonna write up a post about all the parallels I see in the characters and dynamics, but I really love this one. Steve being El and Nancy being Mike. The Wheelers having severe issues with love (specifically saying the word) and hurting those who are head over heel for them. I see this from all of their perspectives, switching based off the lines. first verse is mileven (the plane line, “sit on the floor wearing your clothes” we’ve seen El wear clothes from pretty much everyone in the party) the second verse is stancy from Nancy’s pov (life of the party, “i’m not much for dancing, but for you i did” listing things he did she loved without saying “i love you”) bridge is rapid fire switching. “so I’ll watch your life in pictures like i used to watch you sleep” mike (bylers take a lot of family photos; i can imagine him seeing her in photos will sends) “i feel you forget me like i used to feel you breathe” steve “and i’ll keep up with our old friends just you ask them how you are” el “i hope it’s nice where you are…it’s a beautiful day” nancy (i think she feels bad for how things ended)

long live: the whole party. they deserve to feel like hero’s and royalty after everything they’ve been though. i desperately need to find an edit to this

ours: Steddie. the town hates eddie atm and would probably not take well to king steve dating him. the lines “i love the riddles that you speak” and “any snide remarks from my father about your tattoos will be ignored” i can also see lumax, but this is just such a light hearted song to me so i didn’t want to compare it to the racism we’ve seen be thrown at lucas and his relationship

superman: jopper. i love the idea of joyce hyping him up as her superman. also based on my parents (my dad was a first responder and this song always made me think of them for the “saving the world” aspect) “he’s not all bad like his reputation” i’m ignoring the sad parts and just focusing on the “go be a superhero, i’ll be here when you get back”

electric touch: steddie. eddie’s taylor, steve is patrick. “this could either break my heart or bring it back to life” “got a history of stories ending sadly” (eddie) “everytime i tried for love, it fell apart” (steve)

when emma falls in love: robin. i have no real proof, it just reminds me of her. i love the image of steve saying all of this about her ❤️❤️ (obvs pronouns change and stuff)

i can see you: steddie (it’s a very steddie coded album, leave me alone) from steve’s pov, talking about how he’s always had a crush on eddie and always noticed him but it breaks eddie’s brain fhat king steve has a crush on him

castles crumbling: steve angst time. talking about his “fall from social grace” and how he lost everything, both in terms of reconciling what he lost from being a jerk as king steve and what he lost when he was dethroned

foolish one; byler. “stop checking your mailbox for confessions of love” “it’s delicate but i’ll try my best to seem bulletproof” “maybe someday when we’re older this is something we’ll laugh about” “you haven’t written me or called” “i’ll get your longing glances but she’ll get your ring”

timeless; jopper. soul mates for real