#steddiesongfics

[steddiesongfics]

JUNE SONG FICS

Another month, another new challenge!

Participation has been pretty low overall, so I'm changing up the challenges every month to see if anything tends to inspire people more.

FOR JUNE ONLY: There will be no song list this month. Instead, you can pick any song from one of the artists listed below: * Hozier * Black Sabbath * Orville Peck * Blondie

Please make sure any submissions are between 300 and 2000 words and please include the title of the song you've chosen (or multiple songs if you are able to) at the top of the post.

For all other guidelines, please read the pinned post on the blog!

Happy writing! - Mickala ❤

[steddieas-shegoes]

shit talkin' up all night

for @steddiesongfics song 'for the first time' by the script

rated m | 1,469 words | cw: alcohol, arguing | tags: angst with a happy ending, established relationship, robin buckley deserves an award for saving their relationship everyone say thank you robin, they're in love, eddie is just dumb for a bit

◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️

The arguing started when Steve suggested they move back in with Wayne.

They were struggling; Eddie wasn't an idiot, he could see the told his unemployment was taking on their financial situation. They were able to cover rent from Steve's paycheck, but they had to cut back on literally everything else. No more date nights, no more trips to visit Dustin, no more buying the good bacon for breakfast.

It wasn't for lack of trying, it's just that Eddie only had a GED and no marketable skills outside of playing music. Any job he could get would make miserable.

"I just think if we take some time to save up, maybe you'll be able to find something you like and then it'll be better," Steve shrugged.

"I'm not moving back in with Wayne. He did enough for me already."

"Then I'll get another job."

"No, you're not working two jobs. I'll just...go work at the McDonald's."

"Eds, you would hate it there."

"Well, it's a paycheck."

Steve sighed and walked away.

And then it got worse.

Eddie did find a job. He worked part time at the music lesson school. It didn't pay nearly enough, but it was something.

Until one of the parents found out he was working there and threw a fit and he got fired. The owner apologized, but said if it came down to his business and Eddie, he had to let Eddie go.

Back to square one.

Steve was too understanding. It was frustrating.

Eddie started arguments just to make him mad.

Whatever would push him: leaving all the dirty dishes in the sink, staying out late without letting him know, buying the good bacon for breakfast when it wasn't in the budget.

It did start to work eventually.

"Why are you doing this?" Steve asked eventually, after two nights of Eddie coming home late for no other reason than to make Steve upset. He hadn't even done anything, just walked around downtown for a couple hours and thought about how much of a failure he'd been.

"I'm not doing anything," he'd say back.

Steve would push.

Eddie would push back.

Little things turned into big things.

And then Eddie came home drunk.

He hadn't even been to a bar, he hadn't been with anyone else. He'd gotten one six pack of beer and realized halfway through it that he hadn't eaten all day and kept drinking anyway.

The buzz was great until he was stumbling through the front door, waking Steve up from his half-slumber on the couch of the apartment.

Steve didn't even argue. He just shook his head and went to their bedroom, closing the door and making it clear he didn't want to be around Eddie.

The next morning, Steve was already gone when Eddie managed to roll off the couch.

"Steve's not gonna say it, so I will," Robin's voice made him trip over his boots on the floor. She was sitting in the armchair, glaring at him. "You're pushing him away because you don't think you deserve someone who is patient and loving. He used to try that shit with me, with the kids, with Hopper. Started shit just to see if we'd leave. Pretended he was the only one who could deal with his problems."

Eddie blinked back at her, vision blurry from sleep and unshed tears. He wasn't gonna cry in front of Robin.

"I could understand why he did it. He had shitty parents and shitty friends before all of us. Took him some time to get used to being cared for." Robin leaned forward. "But you've had Wayne for a long time. Us. Steve. So what is it that's causing this? Why are you hurting Steve? Why are you hurting yourself?"

Eddie had been to therapy for a month or so after everything. The government insisted on it. He'd even done what they asked of him. Talked about everything that happened, talked about his childhood, talked about being gay in a town that thought being gay was bad enough to send you to hell, but somehow still the least of Eddie's crimes.

The therapist told him it seemed like he was always preparing himself to get hurt, even with the people that he did trust. That was the last time he went to the therapist.

"Because this is all I'll ever be, Robin! Steve should get out while he can, find someone who isn't fuckin' useless. Someone who can get a real job or go to school or something."

"Is this because you can't be on your feet for more than a couple hours?"

Eddie was silent.

"Do you think that means you can't do things? Do you think Steve wants to watch you suffer more than you already have?"

Eddie shook his head once.

"Then here's what you're gonna do. You're gonna shower and clean up the house a little. You're gonna cook that chicken dish Steve loves so much because I went to the deli to get fresh ingredients for you. You're gonna open that bottle of wine I did not steal from Chrissy's restaurant. You're gonna talk to him."

"Okay."

"And then tomorrow, you're gonna come interview for a job at the museum. They're opening a new exhibit called Rock Through The Ages and they're looking for someone to do tours. It's four hours a day, five days a week. Pay is more than you made anywhere else plus tips. Interview is a formality, they already know you're qualified."

"Robin, I-"

"And you're gonna shut up. I love you, too, Eddie. And I love that dingus who loves you. So get your shit together so you can both be as happy as I know you can be."

Eddie hugged her for a long time, probably much longer than Robin would have ever allowed him to if it weren't for the circumstances.

He cleaned himself up, he cleaned up the apartment, he cooked dinner, and he opened the bottle of wine.

Neither of them were big fans of wine, but this was a $100 bottle. Eddie would drink every last drop.

When Steve came through the door at 4:39 on the dot, just like he did every week day, Eddie was holding a glass of wine out to him with a small smile.

"Eds? What's this?"

"Been a while since we've had a date night. Thought maybe we deserved it."

Steve stared back at him blankly, then let out a sob and walked over to him, burying his face in his neck.

"Sh, it's okay, sweetheart. I'm right here," Eddie wrapped him up in his arms, kissing his head. "I'm here."

"You promise?" Steve's broken voice nearly tore Eddie in two. How had he let it get this bad?

"I promise, Stevie. I'm sorry I've been somewhere else in my head."

Steve pulled away, sniffling and looking around the room as he realized that dinner was already set out on the bar and the dishes were done.

"You did all this for me?"

"For us."

"Is that chicken cacciatore?" Steve walked to the plate in his usual spot and smiled. "You made this?"

"I did. Hopefully it's edible. If not, I already have the menu for the Italian place down the road by the phone," Eddie pulled Steve's chair out for him and then sat down next to him.

They talked through dinner, mostly about Steve's day, and then about Eddie's. He brought up the interview and Steve beamed like the sun.

"That sounds perfect for you, Eds."

"I know. I think it'll be great."

The bottle of wine went down easy. Maybe a little too easy.

By the time they realized it was gone, they were giggling and leaning on each other, cheeks red and eyes glazed over with a buzz that was more than just the high alcohol content.

Steve leaned in to kiss him.

Eddie leaned in to kiss him back.

And for the first time in a long time, they stayed up all night, talking, kissing, touching in ways they'd nearly forgotten how to do.

When Eddie got the job, he sent Robin flowers. Nothing fancy, the pay wasn't that good. But he had to thank her for getting his head out of his ass and his ass in shape.

Steve didn't ask when he saw the bill for it, just smiled and kissed the top of Eddie's head while he got ready for his first day of work.

"I love you. Good luck today," Steve said as he fixed his glasses before grabbing his keys to head to his job at the youth center downtown.

"Love you too. Pizza tonight?"

"Sounds good, love. Wine?"

Eddie nodded towards the bottle of $3 wine from the liquor store.

Steve laughed. "I'll grab some Tylenol on my way home."

[runninriot]

written for the @steddiesongfics may prompt

(David Bowie - Absolute Beginners, 1986)

wc: 1986 | rated: t | tags: Steddie in love, newly established relationship, fluff, background characters, Good Uncle Wayne Munson | also on ao3

As long as we’re together, the rest can go to hell

Waking up in Eddie’s arms for the first time feels unreal. Like maybe he’s not really awake after all. Maybe Steve’s still stuck in a beautiful dream and the sound of the other man’s peaceful breathing is just a fragment of his imagination. But he can feel Eddie’s chest rise and fall beneath his head, can feel the comfortable weight of Eddie’s arm on his back, the soothing warmth of his skin.

Maybe it is real.

Maybe they actually, finally got their shit together – as Robin would say.

    God, Robin would be so smug if she could see him right now, nuzzling Eddie’s skin, sinking deeper into the sleeping man’s arms.

She’d known there was something going on, told him so but never pushed. Even before that night Eddie came out to them a few months back. Where Robin told him her secret, too, and Steve didn’t even know he had one of his own to share.

Before Steve realised what that funny feeling was. What it meant to have a riot of butterfly wings create a storm in his stomach, to have his heartbeat set the rhythm to a song he’s never heard before.

Man, she will be so proud of herself when- if they tell her.

They will tell her, right?

They’ll them all – Robin, Nance, the kids...

Dustin.

    Oh God, what will Dustin say if they tell him that they’re-

Together?

Are they together?

Is this- Is this what they are?

It must be, right?

Eddie told him he loves him. Kept repeating the words over and over again between kisses. Said it so many times, Steve had no reason to believe it wasn’t true.

It must be true because Steve wants it to be true.

Eddie is-

This isn’t just a stupid crush, some made-believe infatuation with his high school sweetheart. Steve isn’t a stupidly naive teenager anymore. He knows the difference between simply searching for affection and truly wanting to be with someone.

He is in love with Eddie. That’s a fact. Unshakeable like the fact that water is wet, the sun is hot, and the moon is 238.700 miles away from earth (yes, he does listen to Dustin ramble about his stupid nerd interests sometimes, thank you very much).

He’s in love and although this is all very scary and new, he wants their friends to know about them. Wants them to be happy for them.

But what if they’re not?

What if the fact that he’s in love with another man gives Mike one more reason to hate him? What if Lucas refuses to let Steve coach him because of it? What if it doesn’t work out and Dustin has to choose between him and Eddie? What if-

   “I can hear you think.”

Steve startles when Eddie tightens his arms around him, pressing a quick kiss to the top of his head. And when he looks up at Eddie, Steve finds two sleepy eyes blinking back at him.

   “Morning, baby,” Eddie says through a smile and-

Steve’s heart immediately does that thing again and there’s this familiar feeling in his gut, and Eddie looks so soft in the warm morning light that Steve just can’t not kiss him.

   “Morning,” Steve finally answers when they part – Eddie’s hand still holding his face, beautiful eyes looking right into his soul, and Steve feels like flying.

   “Hm, so that’s not what it’s about, huh?”

Steve’s confused, doesn’t know what Eddie is talking about and it must show on his face because Eddie chuckles before he continues.

   “For a moment I was scared you’ve gotten all nervous and fidgety because you were- I don’t know. That maybe you had doubts. About this?” He moves his free hand between the two of them, pointing at himself and back at Steve.

   “But I guess you kissing me despite my morning breath must mean you-“

Steve shuts him up with another press of lips, morning breath be damned. He won’t give Eddie any reason to even think for another second that he doesn’t want this. Because he does. He wants this, them, together. Probably more than he’s ever wanted anything in his life.

He shakes his head, doesn’t know how to express all those things that are rattling his mind. How to tell Eddie what goes on in his head without stumbling over the words, without twisting his tongue, without making a fool of himself because-

They’ve only just woken up and it’s the first time they’re in bed together and instead of just enjoying the moment, instead of being in the here and now, Steve is already like, 238.700 steps ahead.

   “Talk to me, Stevie. Tell me what’s going on in that pretty head of yours.”

Steve slowly relaxes into the pleasant feeling of Eddie’s fingers gently scraping along the back of his neck like he’s trying to coax the words out of him, trying to help slow down his racing thoughts. And somehow, it works.

   “I was just-“ Steve takes a deep, grounding breath, “I was just wondering if we should tell the others. About us. A-about us being... boyfriends?”

Steve feels heat spreading in his face, feels the blush creep from his cheeks to his ears.

He didn’t mean to make it sound like a question but they haven’t really defined what they are, yet. They’ve been way too busy making out, kissing, touching – God, how could he not have been completely distracted by the way Eddie kissed him. The way he painted his neck in love-coloured bruises. How he worshipped Steve’s whole body with his lips like he was something special, something worth taking his time with.

And oh, his time he took, that teasing bastard. Made it his mission to kiss every goddamn mole and freckle on Steve’s body. Started counting them with his lips, his tongue, tracing his fingers over every inch of his exposed skin. Kissed him where no one had ever kissed him before, his touch so careful and gentle it only made Steve crazy for more, more, more.

By the time Eddie finally put his mouth on him, Steve was already so far gone that it took not even 30 seconds for him to lose it. But then Eddie didn’t give him a chance to feel embarrassed about it, just kept kissing him, touching him, showering him in sweet little nothings that meant everything to Steve.

   “Steve? You with me?”

    Hm? Oh.

   “S-sorry. What did you say?” Steve smiles apologetically, relieved when Eddie chuckles lightly.

   “I said. Yes, boyfriends. If you want that? And yes to telling people. God, I can’t wait to see Dustin’s stupid little face when he hears that I, Eddie Munson, get to date the hottest guy in Hawkins. Hell, the hottest guy in the entire fucking world!”

Eddie balls his fist and punches the air like he’s just won a competition, and the excitement in his voice is infectious, startles a loud and very unsexy snort out of Steve.

   “Take that, Dustin! So much for teasing me for my lack of success in the dating department. Ha! Oh, but Mike will be devastated. Everyone knows he’s got the biggest crush on you.”

   “What?! Shut up, he does not!” Steve is screeching now, tears in his eyes from laughing so hard.

   “You think I’m lying? Ask Lucas! He was the one that told me. Said he doesn’t quite get it but Lucas only has eyes for Max so, of course he doesn’t.”

   “Eddie, stop! I don’t believe it. Mike hates me! Sometimes I could swear he’s doing his best to pretend I don’t even exist.”

   “Tell yourself whatever makes you feel good, baby,” Eddie winks, smiles so bright it’s like he’s the sun himself. Bright like the sun and just as hot.

(How hot is the sun? Dustin will know, he’ll ask him next time he sees him.)

   “Robin will be a tough one, though.”

   “Huh? Robin? She’s literally one of us, Eds. Why should she of all people have any problem with us being together?”

Eddie must sense his concern, because he glides his thumb over Steve’s furrowed brows to smooth out the worry lines, kisses him on the forehead like that’s gonna stop his mind from reeling.

Weirdly enough, it does.

   “Well, duh! She’ll be so happy for you. It’s me I’m worried about.”

Eddie winks at him and that’s when Steve finally catches on. He huffs out a laugh, rolls his eyes in fake-annoyance, can’t not smile when Eddie offers him the saddest, most convincing puppy eyes he’s ever seen.

   “She’s going to kill me if I ever so much as make you mad or, god forbid, sad for whatever reason.”

   “Oh that’s easy to avoid. Just never make me mad or sad and you’ll be fine,” Steve mocks him, knows deep down Eddie would never anyway.

   “What about-“ Steve realises he hasn’t even thought about that before.

They’re at the trailer. Steve heard Wayne come home from his night shift a while ago, knows the man’s still awake, considering the noise coming from the outside Eddie’s bedroom.

   “Do you want to tell Wayne? It’s okay if not. We don’t- We can just pretend nothing has changed. I don’t want him to get mad. Or, or worse.”

Now it’s Eddie’s turn to look worried and Steve gets it. He couldn’t even think about telling his own parents. His father would- No, he’ll just have to keep this from them. Not like they ever really care for what goes on in his life anyway.

   “Come on.”

    What?

Eddie throws back the blanket they shared, leaving them both naked and exposed to the light of the day, the reality of the night before hitting them both with a rush of childish embarrassment, sending a deep blush into both their faces, both not used to being so vulnerably bare in front of each other.

But Eddie seems to regain his composure quickly, untangles from Steve’s arms and jumps out of the bed.

He grabs two pairs of boxers and sweatpants and shirts from his dresser, tossing half of them at Steve who’s still too stunned to speak.

   “Eddie, what-”

   “Hurry up, sweety! I smell coffee.”

Steve follows Eddie, nervously fussing with his hair in a weak attempt to make himself more presentable, less... ‘spent the night making out with your nephew’, hiding behind Eddie when Wayne catches sight of them.

   “Morning boys. Coffee?” The man grumbles, not even batting an eye when Eddie abruptly turns, grabs Steve by the face, and plants a kiss right on his mouth.

   “Yes, please. Me and my boyfriend would love a nice cup of coffee. Don’t we, Stevie?”

Eddie beams at him, a teeth-flashing grin on his face, and Steve wants to kill him. Wants to kiss him even more. Doesn’t know what to say, what to do. Just stands there, frozen in shock, dumbly nodding to answer the question he only vaguely remembers has been asked.

   “I see.” Wayne stands up from the armchair he was sitting in, walks over to them, blank expression on his face.

He exhales deeply and Steve holds his breath, not ready for whatever comes next.

   “Took you long enough to figure it out.”

Eddie shoots his uncle a look, rolls his eyes, scoffs – and Steve feels the weight of a thousand worlds fall off his shoulders.

(How much does one earth weigh? He’ll ask Dustin. Maybe he-)

   “You better treat him right, son. You do not wanna get in trouble with me for hurting him, you hear me?”

Steve’s mouth falls open in disbelief when he realises those words are directed at Eddie and not at him.

That’s what finally cuts the tension. Steve starts laughing, loud and whole-heartedly, feels lighter, better than ever before.

He kisses Eddie again, because he can. They’re in love, and that’s okay.

And as long as they’re together, the rest can go to hell.

[sidekick-hero]

(steddie | teen | 1.4k | cw: blood, the aftermath of a beating | tags: hurt!eddie and protective!steve, running away | @steddielovemonth prompt Love is letting him pick the music by @sparklyslug | @steddiesongfics Tracy Chapman "Fast Car" | AO3)

Someone's banging on his door, the noise so loud that it drowns out Queen blasting from his speakers. His first thought is, "It's back," quickly followed by panic that grips his heart, squeezing it tight as he thinks, "Someone's hurt".

Steve runs to the front door and flings it open before the second thought fully registers, his fears seemingly confirmed when he finds Eddie standing on his porch, fist raised to knock again. The adrenaline pumping through his veins makes everything laser sharp, his mind running a mile a minute as he takes in the man in front of him.

The man who owns his heart and who looks seconds away from collapsing. The dark bruises on his face are a stark contrast to the pallor of his skin, and Steve's stomach drops at the sight of one of those beloved eyes swollen shut. There is blood on Eddie's face, dripping from his nose, which also looks swollen and slightly crooked, and from his mouth, where his lip is split open. He's hunched over, his other arm wrapped around his own middle in a protective grip. 'Please don't let him be hurt any more than this, I can't lose him,' he pleads to a god he doesn't even believe in.

He would beg any deity and any demon for Eddie. His life, his soul, they could have it all if it meant Eddie would be okay.

It's not healthy or well-adjusted or whatever psych-speak there is to say that what Steve feels for Eddie might be fucked up in its intensity. It's not like Steve gives a fuck. He has more important things on his mind.

"Eddie." He wants to say it in a calm and soothing voice, knows that's what Eddie needs to feel safe, but all he manages is a broken whisper, his fear ringing in every syllable.

"Hi baby," his boyfriend says with a smile that turns into a pained grimace before it's fully formed, "sorry for barging in on you like this but I didn't know where else to go."

It breaks Steve's heart to see Eddie like this. The man he knows, the man he loves, is larger than life, with a big grin and an even bigger heart. He shouldn't look like this, so small and still trying to make himself even smaller, and the only thing Steve can do right now is open his arms and let him sink into his body so Steve can hide him away from a world that doesn't deserve someone like Eddie.

Eddie falls right into him, and Steve wraps him in a careful hug until Eddie pushes even closer, obviously needing to be held tight enough that he can fall apart without losing a piece of himself.

They're still on Steve's doorstep, out in the open for anyone to see, but he doesn't care. Steve has a feeling that he won't be in this shithole of a town much longer anyway.

"Oh baby, it's okay, I got you, you're safe here," he coos into Eddie's ear. He wants to ask what happened. He wants to ask what (who) did this and rush upstairs to grab his bat and bash in the skull of whatever (whoever) did this to him.

A pained whimper is all the warning he gets before the weight in his arms grows heavier as Eddie lets himself crumble and break, trusting Steve to hold him through it.

Steve does, almost carrying Eddie to the couch and pulling him onto his lap once they're there, never letting go of him, not even for a second. Once they're both settled, Steve continues to just hold Eddie as he continues to tremble in Steve's arms, silent sobs tearing through his body.

It takes a long time before Eddie slowly lifts his head from where it's nestled against Steve's neck. "I'm sorry," he says again, as if it was ever a hardship for Steve to have Eddie in his arms. As if it's his fault that they live in a world with sharp teeth that likes to sink them into anything soft.

"Don't be, none of this is your fault. Whoever did this to you should be sorry." He doesn't add that they'll be sorry if he has anything to say about it, because he knows that would upset Eddie. That's why Steve keeps those ugly things away from him.

Eddie laughs humorlessly. "I'm pretty sure the only thing they're sorry for is not finishing the job. Some days I think the next time will be the last. That this time they will finish it, finish me. I'm pretty sure that if I don't get out of here soon, I'm going to die here, Steve."

And that's... Steve knows deep down that that's the truth. It's not Eddie being dramatic, like the time he fell to the floor as if Steve had mortally wounded him by refusing to watch the thing with him for the tenth time. It's Eddie speaking a truth that Steve has been trying to hide from them both for months.

Steve knows it's time to make a choice. For himself and for Eddie. For them. Either they leave this town, tonight, or they may never leave it again. Not alive. Because where one goes, the other follows, and Steve knows he can't protect Eddie forever from the hate and violence that bled into the heart of this town long before either of them were born.

"If we leave now, we can be in Indiana before midnight," Steve hears himself say, the decision already made, because the alternative is blood and pain and sorrow.

The kids graduated a few months ago and are about to leave for college. Robin, Nancy and Jonathan are long gone, many miles and just a phone call away. It doesn't matter where they go, any place would be better than here. They have nothing to lose but each other.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"What I'm saying," Steve replies, "is that we can pack up my car right now and be on the highway in about an hour. It's not far to Indy from there. Or Chicago. Hell, if you still wanna go to California, we can do that. I don't care, Eddie. As long as it's with you, we could go to the moon and I'd be happy."

Dark brown eyes search his, one still so swollen Steve wonders if Eddie can see anything with it, the other bloodshot but still beautiful.

"You would do that? Just up and leave everything behind. For me?"

Steve wonders how someone as bright as Eddie (because grades don't make you smart, they both know that) could sometimes be so dense.

"There's nothing I wouldn't do for you." It's not a grand declaration of his undying love, no poetic words as Eddie would find them. Just the simple truth of his irrevocable devotion.

Another searching look before Eddie climbs off his lap and back to his feet. He holds out his hand for Steve to take, and when he does, Eddie pulls him to his feet to kiss him. It's hard, a desperate, hungry edge to it, raw like the blood Steve tastes from the cut in Eddie's lip.

Eddie's lips are red when he pulls away, blood staining them like lipstick. "You even let me pick the music while we drive?"

Wondering if his grin looks as bloodstained and wild as Eddie's, Steve teases, "I wouldn't go that far."

Eddie's eyes (at least the one Steve can see) finally sparkle again, and his grin softens to a gentle smile as he cups Steve's cheek and wipes the blood from his lips. "I love you, Steve Harrington."

"I love you too. You have no idea how much."

"I think I'm starting to."

It's Steve's turn to smile softly at Eddie, pressing a kiss into his palm. "Believe me, this is just the tip of the iceberg."

Eddie's grin turns wolfish at Steve's words, breaking the solemn mood. "Just the tip? I think I heard that one before, big boy."

"You're a menace."

Another kiss, another promise ("I'm your menace"), and then they're almost running to Steve's room, hastily packing only what they consider absolutely necessary. After that, they go to Eddie's new trailer to do the same and leave a message for Wayne, explaining what happened and promising to call as soon as possible.

Then they're off, flying down the highway in Steve's car, and when Eddie reaches for the radio, Steve lets him. As if there had ever been any doubt that Steve was going to let Eddie choose the music for every single day of their life together.

With one hand on the wheel and the other arm wrapped around Eddie's shoulder, Steve feels like he's right where he belongs.

[thisapplepielife]

Written for @steddiesongfics.

Diamonds on the Soles of His Shoes

May Prompt: Song Released in 1986 | Word Count: 2000 | Rating: T | Characters: Eddie, Steve, Robin | CW: Language | Tags: Post S2, Pre S3, Eddie POV, Pre-Steddie, Pre-Platonic Stobin, Eddie & Robin From Band, Graduation Party

For a song released in 1986, I picked Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes by Paul Simon.

Partially hidden behind the trees, Eddie looks at the house, large and looming. Sure, he's been by it before, did a bit of trick-or-treating here in the rich neighborhood, but he's never actually been inside Steve Harrington's house. Never stepped foot over the threshold, beyond those red double doors.

Said doors are standing wide open tonight, inviting the whole world inside. 

Steve Harrington's graduation bash. Everyone's invited. That's been the mantra all week. 

Everyone. 

Eddie's not so sure that everyone really includes him, and he didn't even graduate, anyway. Not even on his second try, and he's dreading the idea of spending a third senior year at Hawkins High. He'd be able to run Hellfire Club for one more year, but that's about it. The silver lining, small and weak, compared to the dark storm cloud that is the prospect of another year in that hell hole. 

He sees a girl from band, Robin Buckley, also lurking and lingering at the edge of the driveway. 

"You goin' in?" Eddie asks, sidling up to her, making her jump.

"Uh, maybe?" she says, but doesn't sound sure about it. 

"You know Steve Harrington?" Eddie asks.

"Only the back of his stupid head," Robin answers, snarkily. 

Eddie laughs, agreeing, "Yeah, same."

But she doesn't move, and he doesn't either, "Why are you here, Robin from Band?" he asks, like that's her legal name.

She doesn't seem to care, just saying, "Reasons," and it's just cryptic enough that he's curious.

"Do you have a crush on Steve Harrington? Gonna make a move before it's too late and he's off at Harvard or Purdue or wherever daddy's money bought him a spot?"

"More like Roane County Technical College," Robin mumbles under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," she says, then turns and looks at Eddie, "just. I saw him applying to Scoops Ahoy, you know, the ice cream shop in the new mall? I don't think he's going to college."

"Maybe it's just a summer job," Eddie says, but that doesn't sound convincing even to his own ears. Why would Steve Harrington need a summer job selling ice cream?

"I don't think so," Robin says, and she's holding back. He can tell.

"Spill it, Buckley."

She cuts a look back at the house, then back at him, "Like, okay. You cannot tell anyone I know this, because, like, I took an oath–"

"You took an oath?" he asks.

"Okay, I didn't take an oath. But there was a lecture. A big lecture, about not repeating anything about what I saw cross the guidance counselor's desk, you know? I was her aide, fifth period."

"Okay, well, what did you see?" Eddie asks, because now he's curious. Very, very curious.

"Steve Harrington didn't get in anywhere. Nowhere at all. And now he's trying to sling ice cream all summer. With me."

"No way," Eddie breathes out, loving that he has this dirt on the little rich boy. Harrington's crown has been repeatedly tarnished this year, and Eddie's enjoyed watching the fallout from afar. 

"You didn't answer my first question: Do you have a crush on Steve Harrington?"

"No," Robin says, and Eddie follows her line of sight. Oh, ew. 

She's looking at the instigator of at least ninety-seven percent of the fallout King Steve's suffered, as he's holding court at the front door, like this is his party instead of Steve's. Billy Hargrove, surrounded by girls. Some freshly graduated, like the perpetually tone-deaf Tammy Thompson.

Eddie rolls his eyes. If he had to choose between the lesser of two evils, he'd take Harrington. 

"Hargrove?" Eddie asks, not even trying to hide his disgust at her bad taste, "I don't even really know you, Buckley, but you can definitely do better."

Robin laughs, but it sounds kind of sad, "I'm not interested in Billy Hargrove, either."

Eddie doesn't get it, then. If she's not here for Steve, and she's not looking at Billy, she's looking at…oh. 

No way.

He should have realized, should have seen himself mirrored in her or some shit. But he says nothing. If he's right or wrong, he'll never know, because it's just not discussed. 

"Glad to hear it, Robin From Band," Eddie says, and offers her his arm. "Wanna go in with me, then?"

And he's surprised when she slides her arm through his elbow.

Robin finds some girls she knows from her own class, and Eddie slinks off towards the pool. He can smoke a cigarette and see if there are any customers out there, so he can make a little bit of money, selling off his shittiest weed.

No such luck, it's strangely empty. Pool drained, even if it's getting warm enough for swimming, especially if it's heated. 

Eddie walks over to the diving board, and tests it, making sure it's not too bouncy. He doesn't want to take a header into the empty concrete, that's for damn sure. It seems safe, so he shuffles out until he can sit on the edge.

Lights a cigarette, and swings his feet.

The party inside is loud, and jam-packed, and Eddie is sure coming here was a mistake. There's nothing for him here, not at Steve Harrington's house. He should have rounded up Jeff and Goodie and found something else to do tonight. He's sure Gareth would have hung out, if he could get his mom to extend his curfew.

"What are you doing out there?!" The question comes, so sharp and hard, that it startles Eddie so much he nearly topples into the waterless void.

He grips the edge of the diving board, but loses his lit cigarette into the pool. Into the pile of dry leaves from last fall. Shit.

"Um, trying to burn your house down?" Eddie teases, and when he looks back, Steve Harrington is standing there, annoyed.

"Get off of that," Steve says, arms crossed across his chest like he needs to protect himself. From Eddie? In what world?

"Well, since you asked so nicely," Eddie taunts, batting his eyes.

"Please get off that," Steve says, dry as dust. No humor to be found. Which is odd. Eddie went to school with Steve for a long time, he is funny, as loathe as Eddie is to admit it.

He crawls off it.

"Just let me get my cigaret-"

"Leave it."

"But-"

"Don't go down there, Munson, are you stupid?" Steve snaps, and Eddie takes a step back. He's not stupid, but he's pretty pissed off now.

Eddie narrows his eyes, "Yeah, I have to repeat my senior year for a third time, Harrington, we all know that already," Eddie snaps, but rapidly loses steam. Steve Harrington's face says he didn't know that, not until Eddie told him. 

Fucking idiot, opening his own goddamn big mouth.

"Uh, well, um…" Steve trails off, "I'm sorry? I didn't get into any colleges if that makes you feel better. I was probably one D-minus in Mrs. Click's class from joining you."

"Ms. O'Donnell is the one torturing me," Eddie answers, off-kilter that he's even having this conversation with Steve Harrington.

And Steve smiles, "Yeah, I hear you. I think she only passed me because of my last name."

Eddie is taken aback, Steve Harrington is aware he gets special treatment? Aware of the diamonds on the soles of his shoes, as well as the noses so far up his ass they'll never see sunshine again?

Well, hell. It isn't good ammo to know Steve Harrington can't get into college if Steve's willing to tell him that himself. Kinda takes all the fun out of it.

"Heard you might be the new King of Scoops Ahoy," Eddie teases, and it is teasing, now. Not taunting.

And that must read, because Steve smiles.

"I'll look great in a sailor suit. I hope we get tips, because I'll kill it," Steve says, hands on his hips. But he doesn't look aggressive, he looks amused. 

And Eddie did that. Hot damn.

"What's up with the pool?" Eddie asks, and wishes he hadn't, when the black cloud passes over Steve's face.

"You know, Barb," Steve says, so soft that Eddie almost doesn't hear him.

Eddie's only heard rumors and gossip. That she went missing. That she didn't, and was instead found killed by everything from monsters, to Steve himself. The former seems more plausible than the latter, and isn't that ridiculous? 

"Did she die in your pool?" Eddie asks. Maybe she drowned.

Steve just kind of shrugs, "I don't know. Maybe. Where you were sitting was the last place she was seen alive, though."

"You're shitting me?" Eddie asks, but he's pretty sure Steve's not kidding.

Steve shakes his head. 

"Sorry, I didn't know," Eddie says.

"I know you didn't," Steve says, "it just scared me, seeing you sitting out there. All alone. Sorry if I was a bit of a dick about it."

And hell has frozen over, Steve Harrington is apologizing to him. 

"Um, you weren't. It's okay. Sorry I just made myself at home."

And Steve laughs, "Well, that's fine," he says, waving his arms around, "look at everyone else."

"And why aren't you with everyone else?" Eddie asks.

"Like who? My only friend these days is thirteen-years-old."

"Say what now?" Eddie asks, because that sounds creepy. Is Harrington, like, a pervert now? He'd heard rumors last winter about Harrington hanging around Hargrove's little sister, but he hadn't given them much credence. He knows the rumors that go around about himself, and the vast majority of them have no basis in reality either.

"Long story," Steve says, "long, long, story. I'm, like, his babysitter? Him and a bunch of other street urchins, I guess?"

"You're a babysitter?" Eddie asks, disbelieving.

"It's as shocking to me as it is to you. I'm not bad at it, though," Steve says, and he smiles.

"You're not like…messing with underage girls?"

"Jesus Christ, no, what kind of freak do you take me for?" Steve says, and he sounds so disgusted that Eddie's sure that's the truth.

"Sorry, I had to ask."

"Unless you mean, like, Nance?" Steve asks, brow furrowed, like he's really thinking this through.

"I do not," Eddie says with a laugh, "I thought you were broken up, anyway?"

"We are," Steve says, "definitely. We are. What about you?"

"Am I broken up with Nancy Wheeler? Yep, have been for as long as I can remember, anyway," Eddie snarks, and Steve Harrington laughs. An ugly, open-mouthed bray.

It's dorky, but real.

And Eddie's heart does a thing that he definitely didn't give it permission to do in his chest. Flipping and flopping, all willy-nilly.

He's not supposed to like Steve Harrington. 

Harrington's a rich boy, who doesn't try to hide it. And Eddie's poor as a pocket, with nothing to lose. 

But right now, standing out here in the near dark, he does like him. God help him.

"Word of advice, from one freak to another, stop saying it like that, or people will think you're a perv. Lead with the babysitting part."

Steve nods.

"If none of these people are your friends, why have a party? Why spend money on assholes that don't deserve it?"

Steve shrugs, "Habit, I guess. Won't be like this much longer, though. My dad's pretty mad about college. He's cutting me off."

Eddie blinks. That's…unfathomable, really.

Steve keeps talking.

"So, I got a job at the ice cream place in the mall. To learn my lesson. Earn my keep, whatever. You should come by, I'll hook you up," Steve offers, and Eddie feels insane. That can't possibly be a thing that they'll ever do. 

Then, Steve tries to sweeten the pot, "Pretty sure I'll be wearing a funny hat."

"And working with Robin From Band," Eddie says, and Steve just shrugs, like he doesn't know who that is. 

Poor Harrington, Buckley'll eat him alive, given half the chance.

And maybe, just maybe, Eddie will swing by to see that happen, live and in person.

Free ice cream and a show. 

If you want to write your own, or see more entries for this challenge, pop on over to @steddiesongfics and follow along with the fun! 🎶

Notes: Oh, these kids. If they only knew how important they'd all be to each other just a short time later.

[stevesjockstrap]

Closer

@steddiesongfics Closer - Nine Inch Nails

@subeddieweek first time, praise kink

Rated E • cw: under negotiated kink, semi-public sex, accidental subspace • read on ao3

Eddie groaned dramatically when he was sent over to Steve Harrington’s team. Skipping out on gym class most of the beginning of the semester meant he needed to be here now and show Coach that he wanted to pass. He was going to fucking graduate this year if it killed him.

Help me get away from myself

He found himself looking at Steve in their quick huddle between plays of the flag football game though, realizing Steve’s passion and energy was seeping into him.

“Munson, cover Derek and keep an eye on me, I’ll toss it to you if I need to.”

Following directions had never been Eddie's strong suit. But for some reason, he found himself hanging on Steve’s every demand, biting his lip and nodding because he couldn’t trust his voice from wobbling if he answered. He could listen and make Steve proud of him. He could be whatever Steve wanted him to be.

“Nice hustle, Munson!” The coach called out.

But it was nothing compared to the wide grin and “Amazing catch, man. Get back out there and I’ll throw it to you again,” from Steve.

My whole existence is flawed

There was a warm buzzing starting low in his belly that had never appeared in this setting before. Maybe in the locker rooms if he was really desperate, keeping his eyes lowered so he didn’t confirm the rumors about himself.

“Go right!” His body moved instantly to comply with Steve’s shout behind him and the football fell into his arms. “Yes! Go go go!”

Steve excitedly getting in his face in the end zone was better than any high he’d achieved with illegal substances.

They were told to switch around teams halfway through and his heart sank.

“Munson’s with me, Coach!”

His head popped up to meet Steve’s cocky grin. He wanted to cement this moment in his memory forever.

The coach shrugged and waved him off, heading out a side door probably to sneak a cigarette.

“Pays to be the golden boy, huh?” Eddie teased, feeling braver now. Refusing to get his hopes up but clinging to this new feeling coursing through his body.

“You have no idea,” he smirked back before lobbing the ball towards him. “We’re on defense now. Stay on Tommy, he’s quick. You catch better than him though, you might even snag an interception.”

He wasn’t entirely sure what that meant so Eddie just nodded, swallowing down the urge to say what was swimming around his brain.

You can have my everything

“Eddie, get him!”

His body moved on its own accord, pulling Tommy’s flag from his belt and ignoring the sneer from him. Instead, immediately turning to find the ray of sunshine that was Steve coming right for him with a gorgeous grin. Oh fuck was he in trouble.

Eddie preened under the shoulder pat and bro hug he received, trying to keep his hands to himself and praying to whoever listened to metalhead prayers that his tiny shorts and baggy shirt was covering his excitement.

He almost came in his pants when Steve slapped his ass as they headed to the locker room. “Good game, Ed!”

You tear down my reason

Refusing to shower, he just dunked his head in the sink to cool off, and took his time changing. Predictably, Steve was still at the mirror fretting over his hair as everyone else hurried out to get to their next class.

“The King doesn’t need to be on time to history?” Eddie joked as he sidled up to him at the counter.

“Nah, Mrs. Jacobs loves me.”

Eddie hummed, watching Steve’s fingers move in his thick hair, guiding pieces up and forward. What he would give to be manhandled like that, put wherever Steve wanted him to be and told to stay.

He blinked at himself in the mirror. That was new.

(Help me) it’s your sex I can smell

“See something you like, Eds?” The newest manipulation of his name made him gasp, and his head shot around to the real Steve next to him.

“Uhh.”

Steve huffed a laugh at him that sent a zing of want up his spine.

Eddie watched him gather up his stuff, wiping his hands on his dirty towel. He was jealous of the towel for a second before Steve rounded on him, pressing him against the counter.

“Please,” Eddie gasped, unable to hold it back any longer.

“Please what, baby?”

His eyes almost rolled back as Steve pressed a thick thigh between his into his hardness, but he was trapped in the hazel abyss of his eyes.

“I don’t know,” he whined. “Just- ah! Please.”

Steve looked down his nose at him, somehow reading him like a book. “Just wanna do whatever I say, don’t you? Wanna be good for me?”

Eddie nodded furiously, realizing he was panting and his fists were clenched by his sides. “Yes! Y-yes sir.”

Steve groaned at that, his hips jolting forward and grinding their jean covered lengths together. “Oh fuck. That’s it. You’re gunna let me do whatever I want, aren’t you?”

He opened his mouth to respond but it was overtaken by skilled lips and a hot tongue. Eddie had never been kissed like this before, rough and desperate and mind-melting. He heard himself make an embarrassingly needy noise as he realized he could touch Steve now.

Steve hissed when Eddie’s hands rucked up his polo shirt to get into the back of his khaki slacks. Using his grip on the magnificent ass, he pulled Steve impossibly closer, grinding against each other desperately.

When he had to pull away from the kiss to suck in a breath, Steve’s talented mouth trailed wet biting kisses down his neck.

“Do you want to make us to come in our pants, or should you get on your knees for me?” Steve leaned back to look deep into his eyes and Eddie’s stomach swooped.

“Oh my god,” he panted. He knew which he would prefer but a part of him wanted Steve to force him, order him to do it.

Steve’s face darkened and he smirked at him. “My good boy wants me to pick though, huh?”

Something about the ‘my’ went straight to his dick and Eddie rutted forward, gasping as he got caught under the chin and pulled into another searing kiss.

“On your knees.”

Gazing up from the gross tiled floor, Eddie only had eyes for Steve.

“Look at you,” Steve purred. “Look so good following orders.” Eddie soaked in the praise, letting it fill up his chest with warmth, his eyes falling closed. “Take my cock out. Now.” His hardened voice brooked no argument and Eddie popped up, scrambling to undo his belt.

Tugging his tighty whiteys down and under his balls, he groaned when Steve cupped his jaw and held him still to swipe the head of his dick across his lips.

“These lips have always drove me crazy, you know that?”

Lapping his tongue across the soft skin, he sunk even deeper into this fuzzy warmth in his head. His eyes shuttered closed as he tried to nuzzle closer, but the grip on his jaw tightened.

“Open your eyes, Eds,” Steve demanded.

It was a struggle to get his eyes to cooperate, but he moaned when he was able to look up from under his lashes at Steve, standing wide legged and in complete control hovering over him.

“Good boy. Gunna fuck this perfect mouth of yours. And you’re going to fucking love it.”

Eddie nodded against his hand and tried to wriggle even closer between his spread legs. “Y-yeah, want it. Please.” He was panting and he didn’t recognize his own voice, so airy and breathless. His mouth was practically watering, waiting to be used.

“Open.”

Eddie widened his mouth and Steve fed him his dick, more slowly than Eddie expected. His hands gripped his muscular thighs and he pushed himself down to the hilt. Immediately gagging and pulling back, Steve laughed meanly at him.

“Take it easy, baby. I know, you’re already so cock drunk, I got you.”

The remaining tension and any worries Eddie had evaporated with that, and he gave a small nod. Steve had him.

(Help me) you make me perfect

Steve’s hips rocked forward but this time Eddie let himself just drift, staring up into Steve’s determined face.

“Oh shit, your fucking mouth, honey. Gunna come down your throat,” Steve groaned, now grabbing a handful of Eddie’s hair to pull him up onto his cock. “Good fucking boy,” he said through clenched teeth.

Eddie relaxed his throat and jaw as much as he could, earning himself a ragged moan from Steve that made his own dick twitch in his jeans.

“Oh my god, Eds. Gunna- fuck, you’re perfect. Oh!”

Steve’s hips jolted hard a few times and Eddie’s eyes watered as he was held to the spasming pelvis, unable to see his face as he came but swallowing as much as he could.

He knew he had a silly grin on his face when Steve pulled back, both panting as the hand in his hair let go to thumb what had spilled out onto his lips and chin back into his mouth. Eddie lapped at the fingers until Steve chuckled at him.

“Grab your stuff,” Steve ordered, Eddie’s feet moving before he realized where he was going. “I’m taking you to my place.”

Help me become somebody else

[frankenstein-ate-my-left-shoe]

the secrets that you keep | for @steddiemicrofic's April prompt: Fool AND for my submission to this month's @steddiesongfics, Talking In Your Sleep by the Romantics!

pairing: steddie (duh) | word count: 454 | rated: M | on AO3

Eddie Munson isn't an idiot.

You can't fool, trick, or cajole him into believing the impossible.

And what he and Steve are doing, have been doing, it's impossible.

Okay, not impossible, seeing as how they have been and it’s been nothing short of amazing. Steve's almost unbearably sweet, the sex is indescribable... but it can't last. No matter what Eddie's feelings are on the matter.

He's known from the beginning that he's nothing but an experiment for the younger man,

“Mhm... Eddie..”

He knows where he stands in the general hierarchy of life, and it ain't higher than his knee.

“....More... please.”

Even now, as he listens to Steve's soft moans and mumbles of some dream he’d be loathe to interrupt and it turns into his usual mumbled nonsense from beside him in bed,

“..Eds…”

Eddie knows that in the end, he'll force his way too big feelings for the pseudo Adonis next to him into the lockbox in the back of his brain,

“..I love you..”

And never think about them again after Steve gets sick of hi—

..what.

Eddie blinks down at Steve's sleeping face. “Steve?”

The golden sun come to Earth has the nerve to smile all soft and syrupy, quirk his lips up on one side, and mumble out another “I love you, Eddie.” clear as fuckin’ day.

Eddies heart is in his throat, its deep in the pit of his stomach, its impaled on the icy crags in his heels 

“Steve?” 

"...waffles.."

"Steve?!"

His last cry finally wakes the other man, the comforter whisking off Eddie's naked lower half as Steve whirls off the mattress, his bat at the ready.

Stark naked himself, standing firm between Eddie and the bedroom door with his head on a swivel, Steve slurs out a still sleepy "What happened, what'd you hear, what's wrong?” 

Eddie's traitorous heart makes it hard to say anything, but he manages to whisper, “You love me?”

It takes him a handful of seconds, but eventually Steve turns back to face the bed, much more awake than he had been.

“I do?” Eddie’s face must’ve twisted up at the questioning tone because he corrects course, “I mean, I do.. but how’d you know that? Did Robin say something?”

He starts to pace; quite the sight, him being bare as the day he was born with his bat still hanging from his fist, “I knew I shouldn’t’ve told her something that big (“Steve..”), but how could I not? I tell her everything (“Steve.”). But she promised not to say anything to you and now–

“Steve!”

Steve finally stops pacing, though he’s still avoiding Eddie’s gaze.

“Look at me.” and when he does, Eddie smiles and says, “I love you too.”

[medusapelagia]

Steddie Events June Update

New month new update!

Steddie Summer Exchange (@steddiesummerexchange) It's finally posting season!!! Here is the AO3 collection

Steddie Microfic ( @steddiemicrofic ) This month's prompt is stuff | 483 words Event info

Steddie Song Fic ( @steddiesongfics) FOR JUNE ONLY: There will be no song list this month. Instead, you can pick any song from one of the artists listed below: * Hozier * Black Sabbath * Orville Peck * Blondie Event info

Steddie Big Bang ( @steddiebang2024) Authors and Artists Sign Ups are closed, but Betas Sign Ups Close on the 13th of June!! Event info

Steddie Holiday drabbles ( @steddieholidaydrabbles) After an amazing series of Christmas prompts, Steddie Holiday drabbles is ready to give us even more prompts during the year! These are some of their ideas, but keep an eye on their Tumblr page for more info! June 15th - Summer (vacations, heat waves, swimming, anything you may do in the summer) September 25th - Anniversary (getting together, wedding, dating, etc.) Event info

Steddie Week 2024 ( @steddie-week ) Steddie Week is back! Starting from July 1 to 7! Can’t wait for the details!

As always feel free to reblog and add other events I might have missed!

[steddieas-shegoes]

disposable hero

for @steddiesongfics using the song disposable heroes by metallica released (appropriately and specifically for eddie munson to come back) in 1986

rated m | 1919 words | cw: implied sexual content, temporary character death, implied violence, blood, mind/body control | tags: kas!eddie, the good guys win, getting together, reunions, first kiss, hurt/comfort

◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️

Eddie woke to nothing.

Well, there was something. There were things.

But nothing that led him to believe he was safe, or even alive.

He was cold. He was pretty sure if he was dead he wouldn’t feel cold. Or maybe he would. Maybe this was his own version of hell: darkness and a cold that lingers in your bones, seeking sunlight it will never find.

Time doesn’t seem to pass, but he knows it is. The solitude only adds to the lingering emptiness in his chest.

He yearns for warmth, yearns for a friendly face, someone to talk to. He isn’t sure where he is. His last memory was Dustin crying, and he thinks he can vaguely remember someone else yelling his name and apologizing, but he can’t be too sure of anything in this place.

There isn’t much to do except wander, hope for someone or something to appear to make some sense of where he is.

He’s alone.

He’s scared, but trying not to be.

He’s pretty sure he’s been abandoned, but is trying so hard not to let that bother him. The weight in his chest at the thought of everyone moving on isn’t quite as heavy as the weight at the thought of him being dead.

Eventually, the knowledge that he was being watched was all he could focus on. He couldn’t figure out who it was, where they were, or what they were hoping to see.

He kept wandering, hoping for any sign, communication, a way to get back home.

A voice in his head told him to prepare, but he didn’t know what for. The voice told him to be ready for blood, to be ready to taste.

The voice told him he’d be on the frontlines, but frontlines for what?

He wasn’t reliable under pressure, as evidence clearly showed. He didn’t feel like he was capable of what this voice wanted.

But he felt the compulsion to listen, to do what the voice asked. Something in the back of his mind pulled until he lost the ability to reason against the voice.

His time blurred even more, the darkness became a background thought as the voice spoke to him, spouting words that would sink deeply into his hindbrain.

********

Eddie heard voices, something different from the voice telling him to prepare. He could recognize them vaguely.

One voice in particular, though this time it wasn’t crying and begging him to be okay.

Henderson.

The voice in his head pulled him away, made him ignore the freedom in that tone.

He didn’t feel anything for a while. He didn’t see anything. He wasn’t anything.

And then he heard it.

His name.

He saw Steve standing in the corner of a completely destroyed house. The room was unrecognizable but it vaguely resembled a bedroom.

“Eddie. Please. This isn’t you.”

What did that even mean? Of course it was him. He was Eddie.

He looked down at his hands, bloody and shaking, claws covered in unrecognizable debris. His clothes were torn, his body was sore, bruised in places he didn’t realize he could.

“Eddie. Look at me.”

Eddie did. He could listen to this voice. He could let this voice drown out the other one, the one trying so hard to control and push and shove him into a battle he didn’t want to be a part of.

“You’re okay. You didn’t hurt any of the kids,” Steve was holding his hands up as he came closer, slowly. “You won’t hurt me, right?”

Eddie grunted.

“You’ll be okay. I promise. El is helping and we’ll get you home. You wanna go home, right?”

Did he? Up until now, he didn’t know going home was an option. He didn’t even know there was a home to go back to.

What was home? What did he remember?

Steve’s hands covered his, and Eddie tried to pull away.

“Blood.” Eddie’s voice was barely more than a whisper. He wasn’t even sure if Steve heard.

“I don’t care,” Steve reached for his hands again. “It’s been a year of wishing I could fix what happened. A year of wanting to know what your hands feel like when you’re not dying in my arms.”

Eddie felt a strange whimpering noise bubble out of his throat as he took in the state of Steve.

He couldn’t remember everything, but he knew this wasn’t the Steve that he went into the Upside Down with. This was a shell of the Steve he knew. Dark circles under his eyes made him look pale and withdrawn, and his hair had been cut shorter. He seemed thin, missing some of the muscle in his arms and legs.

“Steve.”

“Yeah, Eds. I’m gonna keep you safe. You’re gonna stay here with me until I get a signal that El is done with what she needed to do.”

“Safe. Steve safe?”

The beaming smile on Steve’s face seemed out of place, but Eddie couldn’t help giving what he hoped was a decent smile back. He wasn’t sure he remembered how to smile.

“I’m safe. We’re gonna keep each other safe now.”

The voice in his head was white noise compared to the soothing words coming from Steve.

Minutes passed, and Eddie found it easy to be present with Steve, taking mental note of every movement.

Steve had pulled off his jacket and used it to wipe off as much of the mess coating their skin as he could, only pausing for a moment at the sharp claws replacing normal fingernails on Eddie’s hand.

A flash outside the window followed by a silence made Eddie look at Steve with a silent question in his eyes.

“Alright, we gotta go.”

Steve pulled Eddie along, out of the house that didn’t fit in Eddie’s memories, down the road and towards a set of bikes laying on the ground.

“Kids should be here any second-“

He was interrupted by yelling.

“Eddie!” Dustin and Mike were the first ones to them, but Steve held his hand up to stop them.

His other hand stayed locked with Eddie’s.

“Don’t overwhelm him. One at a time. Slow.”

The kids listened, and something in Eddie’s brain was shocked at that. Were they bad kids?

Dustin hugged him, but Eddie could tell he was holding back. He wrapped his one available arm around him and awkwardly patted his shoulder.

“Henderson.”

Dustin looked up at him with wide, wet eyes. “Yeah, man. I’m glad you’re here.”

“Wheeler.” Eddie looked up at Mike, who was very obviously struggling to maintain composure. “Taller.”

Everyone laughed and Steve squeezed his hand. Mike leaned in for a hug, but was interrupted by yelling.

“Eddie!” Lucas barreled over, ignoring Steve’s too-late warning to take it easy.

That’s okay, though. Eddie was pretty strong now.

He held all three of them against him, not letting go of Steve’s hand the entire time.

Warmth flooded back in, pushing the cold back to where it belonged instead of inside him.

********

“What is he?” Eddie overheard Dustin ask Steve outside the bathroom.

“Not sure. Alive, though. That’s the most important thing.”

Eddie had been ordered to shower, but he’d been quick, and they hadn’t shown him how to turn the water off. There were at least six different knobs or dials that didn’t make sense. He was just standing there with a towel over his shoulders, naked, listening to their conversation.

“Do you think he’s still dangerous?”

“I don’t think he was ever a danger to us. He would’ve hurt us-”

“He hurt you.”

Eddie let out a whimper before slamming open the door.

“Oh, God, dude! Clothes!” Dustin yelled before turning and walking away.

Steve pushed him all the way into the bathroom and closed the door, pointedly not looking below his chest.

“Let’s get the towel on you,” Steve suggested, tugging it off his shoulder and trying to wrap it around his waist without looking.

Eddie could care less about the towel. He knocked Steve’s hands away and tried to look over every inch of visible skin.

“Hurt?”

“Only a little. I’m okay. You stopped,” Steve tried again to get the towel around Eddie for his modesty, but Eddie wasn’t having it.

“Fix it.”

Steve felt his eyes water. “It’s just some scratches. They’ll heal quick.”

“Fix.”

Steve pulled his shirt up and Eddie saw the “scratches.” They were more like gashes, one even maybe needed stitches.

“Always a hero.”

Steve snorted, pulling his shirt back down. “Pan meet pot.”

Eddie’s brows furrowed. Steve waved it off.

“Anyway, I can clean it up as soon as you’re done. You look done. Are you done?”

Eddie wasn’t letting Steve brush him off. The more aware he became, the more he remembered, and he knew Steve was the type to brush off even the worst injuries.

“Fix. Now.”

He pushed Steve against the counter as gently as possible, pulled his shirt off over his head, and dropped to his knees to look at the bloody lines along already-healed scars.

“Eddie-” Steve sounded breathless.

Eddie looked up at him, hands gently covering his hips. “I did it?”

Steve’s breath left him in a rush as he pulled Eddie’s hands away and fell to his knees in front of him.

“Vecna did it. He used you to hurt all of us, but you only got me a little before you realized.” Steve was warm, always so warm. Eddie had a hard time focusing on his words when the heat from his skin was calling out to him louder. “You stopped on your own. I’m okay.”

“Warm. Mine.”

If Steve wasn’t warm before, he certainly was now.

“Eds, you’re, um. You should get dressed.”

“No. Warm.” Eddie pulled Steve into his chest and held him there, letting the warmth take over completely.

Steve wrapped his arms around Eddie’s waist, resting his head against Eddie’s shoulder.

“I missed you,” he breathed out, voice shaking. Eddie could feel his breathing where their chests were touching, uneven and borderline panicking. “Missed you so much.”

“Here now.”

“Yeah,” Steve let out a small laugh. “You are. Can’t believe it.”

“Yours?” Eddie felt exhaustion seeping in where the cold had been present before. He wasn’t sure if he was even coherent enough for Steve to understand.

Steve’s lips brushed against his bare shoulder before he pulled back. “Yours like…a boyfriend?”

Eddie wracked his brain trying to figure out what exactly a boyfriend was. He never had one, he didn’t think.

But he remembered thinking as he was dying the first time that Steve would be a good boyfriend. He remembered feeling like he could be a good boyfriend for Steve.

“Hold hands?”

Steve giggled. “Yeah, we could do that. Like earlier?”

“Kiss.”

Steve’s smile faltered. “Yeah. Could do that if you want.”

Eddie felt his own smile growing, watching as Steve blushed.

“Kiss?” He asked this time, wanting Steve to be able to say no. He didn’t want Steve to feel like he had no choice, not when Eddie knew firsthand what it was like to have your choices taken from you.

Steve nodded, leaning in to gently press his lips to Eddie’s.

“I should shower,” Steve said against his mouth.

“Me too.”

“You already did,” Steve snorted.

“Again.”

“Even when you don’t have words, you’re a menace,” Steve shook his head fondly before pecking his lips again. “Fine, but the kids are all downstairs and they will check on us soon if we don’t come down.”

“Later?”

Steve nodded. “Later,” he promised.

[steddieas-shegoes]

crawl home to you

for @steddiesongfics february song 'work song' by hozier

rated e | 5,223 words | full tags on ao3

🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸

Steve should never have kissed him. He knew that now.

While Eddie was dying, bleeding out on the ground of their version of Hell, the only thing Steve felt he could do to help him was kiss him. It was quick, just a peck on the lips, lingering only for a moment. Their eyes never even closed.

Steve wanted to take in every remaining moment that Eddie had.

There was nothing else he could do, just hold him, try to whisper comfort that may not have even been heard.

Dustin was yelling to save him, but there was no way to do that. His injuries were too severe, he’d already lost too much blood. Moving him now would just kill him faster and more painfully. Nancy and Robin were trying to hold Dustin back, but their tears were making it harder to maintain any control.

When Eddie was gone, Steve set him back down on the ground.

“We have to get out of here,” he said, biting back the sob he could feel in his throat.

“We can’t leave him! Steve, please,” Dustin begged.

“We can come back for him once we check on everyone else. I promise. I’m not letting him stay here,” Steve lifted Dustin in his arms, ignoring his protests.

******

When they finally managed to sneak through the safest gate, Eddie’s body was gone.

Steve fell to his knees, silently begging any higher power to make him appear.

But Robin’s hand on his shoulder and Jonathan’s voice by his side made him stand up and leave.

He was gone.

He couldn’t even bring his body back to bury it properly.

He’d made another mistake.

******

Nobody moved on quickly, but Steve seemed to feel the most guilt. It was written all over his face anytime someone mentioned Eddie, it was in the way he visited Eddie’s uninhabited grave every weekend to clean it and leave flowers, it was there when he wore the battle vest around town, still bloodstained and obvious.

No one commented on it. Only Robin ever saw him cry over it.

Only Robin knew that part of his guilt was from not saying how he felt before Eddie died.

The kiss was too late and the words were nonexistent, and now Steve had to live with the missed chance.

******

It was a hot summer day when things changed.

It was subtle at first, the sky darker than usual and the air stagnant.

He got ready for his day, skipping the vest since he’d be volunteering and “bloodstains scared the children.”

And then he heard a crash outside, followed by yelling and banging on his front door.

“Steve!” “Open up!” “Code red!”

Steve ran downstairs and threw open the front door.

“It’s time,” Dustin said.

“Now?” Steve asked, incredulous. How had they not had more warning?

They all thought El and Will would be able to sense more of the Upside Down leading up to Vecna’s return, even Dr. Owens had mentioned a possibility of signs for days or even weeks leading up to his return.

How could they all have been so wrong?

“Where are we meeting?” He asked, running through a checklist in his mind of everything he would need to bring with him. Most of the emergency things he planned on having were already in his car, but it helped him keep the nerves at bay to have something to do.

“The cabin. It’s closest to the gate we can use. El’s already there with Will and Hopper getting what they can done. We don’t know how long we actually have.”

“Do they feel him?” Steve had to ask, had to know.

“El said she’s not sure if it’s Vecna or the mindflayer, and Will thinks it’s just the entire hivemind, but yeah. They do feel something. They expected it to be stronger so Nancy thinks something is messing with their connection,” Lucas said.

Steve nodded and told them to load their bikes in his trunk while he finished grabbing some things.

Most of what they would wear was already at the cabin, but he couldn’t do this without a piece of Eddie.

He slipped the vest on and laced up his boots. He put the only ring he had of Eddie’s on his ring finger, the only one it would fit on.

He checked the mirror once to make sure he didn’t look like he was falling apart at the seams.

The black shadows under his eyes and greasy hair would have to be alright.

******

They split up, but differently this time. One group stayed with El, protecting her while she protected the world. One group stayed with Will in the Upside Down.

Steve insisted on being part of the group in the Upside Down.

He carried his nail bat while Robin carried a flamethrower. She had lessons and everything.

Joyce had a rifle loaded with special bullets that exploded into actual flames upon impact, something Dustin and Suzie had cooked up over the last month to try to gain any leverage they could.

Nancy and Jonathan were ahead of them, rifles in hand to fire warning shots if they saw anything before Will felt it.

Will was quiet, but he’d been pretty quiet since he’d arrived in Hawkins.

It was eerily quiet, more than they were expecting. They’d come in thinking they’d be fighting off demobats and demodogs constantly, but so far they were met with nothing but falling ash and the occasional sound of a tree limb breaking.

“Are we sure he’s still here?” Steve finally asked.

“He’s here. I can feel him. He’s just being quiet, waiting,” Will answered. That was the most he’d said all day.

So they continued.

A gunshot went off.

Everyone froze.

Jonathan yelled to them that something was nearby.

“It can’t be him. He’s still too distant,” Will said as Joyce stood in front of him.

“Unless he’s messing with you,” Robin whispered. “He knows we’re on high alert, right? He knows we’re strong and we aren’t just gonna give up. He’s not gonna let himself be known until he’s certain he’s got us in our weakest spot.”

Will nodded. “I don’t think he has that much control over what I can feel, though.”

“He has a lot more control over all of you than you think,” a voice said from to their left.

All weapons were pointed towards it except for Steve’s, who would recognize that voice in any situation, no matter how insane.

“Eddie?” He pushed everyone out of the way and moved towards the voice.

“Wait!” Eddie said from the shadows, barely an outline visible in the darkness. “Don’t come closer yet.”

“Why not?” Steve felt Robin’s hand on his shoulder, comforting and holding him back at the same time.

“I’m not…Steve.” Something in his tone told Steve to actually listen to him, to not push.

“Can you at least let me know if you’re alright?” Steve was scared to actually believe this was Eddie.

Eddie was dead. His body was missing.

If this wasn’t actually Eddie, Steve wouldn’t handle it well. He’d do what he needs to make sure everyone gets out of here, but after that?

Who knows.

Eddie sounded like he was cursing under his breath, which felt like such an Eddie thing, Steve couldn’t help smiling a little.

Maybe the world would end today, maybe he’d die, maybe everyone would die. But right now, Steve felt Eddie’s presence, and that was something worth dying for.

“Okay, this is gonna sound like a trap.” Eddie cursed again. “But I don’t know if I can be trusted near anyone except Steve.”

“Yeah, hard pass,” Robin said as she tugged Steve back. He’d already put one foot forward like he was actually going to get closer. “If I can’t see you, you’re not getting any closer to him.”

“That’s what I thought you’d say,” Eddie sighed. “I just need you to not freak out if I come out there.”

“Why would we-” Steve started to ask as Eddie stepped out of the shadows.

It was still pretty dark, but it was easy enough to see the outline of him.

In many ways, he looked the same, still pale, still long dark curls, still wearing the clothes he’d died in. But there were things Steve noticed immediately.

His wounds seemed healed, which should be impossible. Well, he shouldn’t even be alive, but even still, there should be way more scars covering his face and neck. His eyes were nearly black, not the deep brown they’d been before the life left them in Steve’s arms. When he opened his mouth to speak, his teeth were pointed, sharp.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone. But I haven’t been around anyone since-” He gestured to himself. “And I’m not sure how much control I have.”

“What…are you?” Nancy asked from behind them.

“I wanna say vampire, but nothing is really that simple, so blood-thirsting creature who hasn’t had blood since he discovered he needed it.” Eddie flashed his teeth. “I’ve got no heartbeat, which is weird. And I can hear what Steve’s thinking.”

“What?” Steve asked, almost too shocked by seeing Eddie to actually process what he was saying.

“Your thoughts have been like, the only thing keeping me alive. No blood yet, remember?”

“How does that even work?” Joyce asked, hand on Steve’s arm. “Did you feel anything strange?”

“No,” Steve answered, not taking his eyes away from Eddie. “So you…you know?”

“Yeah, Stevie. I know,” Eddie took one step closer and paused, closing his eyes. “I don’t wanna get any closer to anyone. But I know for a fact that I wouldn’t hurt you.”

“You know how that sounds, right?” Will finally spoke up.

“Yeah, Will the Wise, I do. Which is why I won’t push. But I think something happened when Stevie here kissed me while I was bleeding out in his arms and I’m pretty sure that I would actually die if I hurt him,” Eddie said.

Everyone looked to Steve, who could no longer think of a single reason not to go to Eddie.

Robin seemed hesitant to let him go, but he smiled at her and said to trust him. They all had plenty of weapons if something went wrong.

He walked closer, his only thought being able to actually touch Eddie again, maybe kiss him when he wasn’t dying.

“I wouldn’t be opposed,” Eddie said quietly as Steve stopped right in front of him. He seemed taller, just a couple inches, but definitely noticeable. “Gotta watch the teeth though. They’re pretty sharp.”

“It’s really you,” Steve reached a hand out to cup his cheek. Eddie nuzzled against his palm. “You came back.”

“I’ll always crawl home to you, Stevie.”

“How did this happen?” He whispered, his hand dropping to Eddie’s chest. He really didn’t have a heartbeat. “How are you here?”

“I don’t really know. I woke up and got flashes of your thoughts, and then my own memory kicked in and all I could think about was getting back to you.” Eddie leaned forward until his forehead touched Steve’s. “It killed me to hear how much you were hurting and I couldn’t do anything.”

“Why couldn’t you come through the gate?” Steve asked, fingers curling into Eddie’s shirt. “Why didn’t you come to us when we came to get your body?”

“Every time I tried to leave, I would pass out. One of those times was when I could hear your thoughts about coming to get me and I wanted to meet you at the gate, but I blacked out somewhere by Skull Rock?” Eddie sighed. “I didn’t get to you in time.”

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Steve sobbed.

“Hey,” Eddie cupped his face and shook his head. “You didn’t know. This isn’t your fault. If anything, you’re the reason I’m even alive-ish to begin with.”

It was like everything around them disappeared when Steve leaned up to peck Eddie’s lips.

It was even quicker than the first time, barely even a graze. But they both felt the spark.

Steve fell against his chest, his face nuzzling into his neck as he let out another sob. “I needed you.”

“I know. I’m here now,” Eddie said.

Steve hadn’t realized how much it was true, how much he did need Eddie this whole time. The grief he’d felt was beyond what he should’ve felt, more than what even some of the people closest to Eddie had been showing. It didn’t make sense to him why he felt so much for this man he barely knew.

“It feels like I have your heartbeat in my chest,” Steve mumbled. It didn’t make any sense.

“Maybe you do, sweetheart,” Eddie kissed the side of his head. “Must’ve stolen it from me when you kissed me.”

Steve smiled against Eddie’s skin. “Maybe I did.”

“Um, not to break up…whatever this is,” Robin started. “But Will’s hearing things.”

Steve whimpered as Eddie pulled away.

“It’s okay,” Eddie said as he laced his fingers with Steve’s. “I’m right here with you.”

And it turned out, he was more help than anyone could’ve expected.

He wasn’t exactly connected to the hivemind, but he could sense Vecna. He was almost certain Vecna was the reason he passed out anytime he tried to leave.

Which Nancy had explained probably meant Vecna would need to be severely weakened or die before Eddie would be able to leave.

If Steve had to kill Vecna himself to have Eddie back, he would. He would do anything.

But since Eddie seemed connected to him, he could give them more warning than even Will could when something was going to happen.

That warning is probably what saved them and ultimately helped El get into Vecna’s mind to finish the job she started in March.

It was obvious almost immediately when she won, when they won.

Steve’s first response was to hug Robin, her tears and sweat and a little blood soaking into his shirt while he cried into her hair. He could distantly hear everyone else crying and yelling, cheers coming from the walkie that Joyce was holding.

Everyone was okay.

Robin patted his back and pulled away. “You better get to Eddie before he rips my face off.”

Steve’s brows furrowed as he looked over to Eddie. He’d distanced himself from everyone, and even though he was smiling about their victory, he looked incredibly uncomfortable.

“Hey,” Robin said, patting his cheek. “I’m happy for you. If he’s what you want, I’m glad you get to have him.”

“Thanks, Robs.”

Robin turned to pull Nancy into a hug and Steve made his way over to Eddie.

“We couldn’t have done it without you,” Steve started. “You made sure we got him before he could get us.”

Eddie’s wide eyes wouldn’t focus on him, darting from his face to his neck to behind him.

“Stevie, I-” He groaned. “I really need blood. Everyone smells so strong. I think Vecna was covering some of my hunger before.”

Steve paled. “Okay. Let’s just- okay.”

“Steve.”

“Bite me.”

“Steve!”

“No, seriously. You won’t hurt me. You can’t hurt me. And I barely even lost any blood today. Might as well let you have some.”

Eddie whined. “I-”

“Eds, look at me,” Steve guided his face towards him. “If you drink a little now, we can all leave here. You can come home. You can see Wayne. You can see the kids. You can stay with me if you want.”

Eddie nodded. “I just don’t wanna freak you out. I feel like you’re handling this too well.”

“Maybe,” Steve snorted. “But this is not even top three weirdest things to happen to me. I want you to feel like you have control again. You can be in control of your own body.”

“I don’t know what it will feel like for you. It may hurt,” Eddie said.

“It won’t hurt as much as knowing you’re suffering.”

“You would fall on a sword I’m holding if it meant I was happy, wouldn’t you?” Eddie asked, shaking his head. “How have you not died?”

“I almost have many times.” Steve cupped the back of Eddie’s head and pulled him in, tipping his head to the side so he had better access to his neck. “This won’t be one of them. You can’t hurt me.”

“Steve,” Eddie nipped at his neck. “You smell so good. I can’t-”

“Then don’t, baby. Drink.”

The moment Eddie’s teeth sunk into his skin, every surrounding noise and sight was gone from Steve’s mind. All he could think about was giving Eddie everything, whatever he needed was his.

He could feel Eddie moaning against his neck, but couldn’t quite hear it.

Eddie’s arms were around his waist, holding him up while he took the blood he needed.

Steve lost track of time, lost track of everything except the way Eddie’s lips felt against his pulse point. His tongue lapped up the blood leaking from where his mouth connected to his veins.

They both shivered.

Steve blacked out.

******

“If you killed him, I swear to god Munson, I will kill you.”

Robin’s voice was the first thing Steve became aware of.

And then he felt Eddie’s fingers on his wrist, probably checking his pulse.

“‘M not dead,” he managed to say.

He was definitely in a bed, though he couldn’t be sure if it was his own. He didn’t really want to open his eyes yet.

He turned his head a few inches and let out a small whimper at the sting in his neck.

“Can’t believe you tried to eat my babysitter,” Dustin’s voice said from somewhere across the room. “After he basically saved you by kissing you. I gotta call Suzie. There’s theories on a “sleeping beauty” kiss, but there’s no actual science to back it up. Yet.”

“Dustin, please shut up,” Steve groaned. “I’m fine.”

He finally opened his eyes to emphasize his point, shocked to see almost everyone surrounding the bed he was in.

“This wasn’t really an everyone needs to be here situation, was it? I just passed out.”

“Eddie was panicking. He thought he killed you,” Lucas provided.

“But he cannot. You are soulmates,” El said from a chair on the other side of the bed. She looked exhausted, but otherwise okay. “It is impossible for him to kill you.”

“Well that’s…nice.” Steve was feeling a bit exhausted himself. “How long was I passed out?”

“Long enough to get through the gate and get you back to your house. 30 minutes maybe?” Eddie said, pulling his hand up to kiss his fingers. “I was worried I took too much.”

“No,” Steve said, certain he hadn’t. “I think it was just overwhelming. It won’t happen next time.”

“Did I hurt you?” Eddie’s voice sounded broken and unsure, like he would crumble into pieces if Steve said yes.

“No. You didn’t hurt me. I promise. It felt…good,” Steve was hesitant to say more with so many ears listening in, especially young ones. “It was just a lot.”

Eddie watched him for a moment, determining if he was lying. But he could read his thoughts, knew he wasn’t, and eventually gave a nod and another kiss to his knuckles.

“Well, since we know he isn’t dead and probably won’t be anytime soon…we should go!” Robin said because she was a good friend who knew what Steve was thinking even without the mindreading superpowers.

“But we should monitor him and make sure nothing weird happens. We don’t know what Eddie’s got going on and-” Dustin started to argue.

“Yep, he’s fine.” Hopper started to nudge everyone out the door. “We have stuff to do anyway. Eddie can watch him. He’ll call if anything weird happens, right?”

“Right,” Eddie answered, not taking his eyes off of Steve.

As everyone filtered out of the room, Steve blinked back at Eddie, fond smile spreading across his face.

“You need any more?” Steve asked when the door closed.

“You’re joking,” Eddie laughed, but there was no amusement in it. “I could have actually killed you. I’d never drank before and you tasted so good, Steve. You have no idea how hard it was to stop. And then you passed out! I almost had them bring you to the hospital!”

“I’m fine! I passed out because it felt good.”

“Steve. No one passes out like that just because something felt good.”

“Well, it did! It felt kinda like having five orgasms at once. Except kinda different, too. Like I wasn’t quite over the edge?” Steve shook his head. “Either way, I’m okay and it felt good and if you need more, you can have more.”

“I don’t need more right now,” Eddie sighed. “But I know I will. We’ll figure out what to do to make sure you get enough vitamins so I can drink from you next time.”

“Mhm. Sounds good,” Steve closed his eyes and tugged Eddie’s hand to rest on his chest, where his heart was beating against his ribs. “Feels like you’re part of me.”

“Yeah. You feel it too?”

“El said we’re soulmates?” Steve opened his eyes again and found Eddie’s gazing back at him already.

“I don’t know, but there’s definitely a connection. A pretty strong one. I don’t think we can ignore it,” Eddie admitted, almost apologetic.

“I wouldn’t want to. I should’ve told you before how much I wanted to get to know you,” Steve felt tears in his eyes. “You didn’t deserve to only know after you were already dead.”

“I’m not dead. I’m here with you.”

“But I watched you die. I thought you were dead. I mourned you with the kids. Robin had to stay with me for a week straight because I could barely sleep, blamed myself for everything. You must have heard all of that.”

“I think I heard a lot of it. You tortured yourself. I wanted to come here and tell you I was okay so many times. I tried so many times,” Eddie kissed his forehead. “But I’m here now. You’re mine now. I’m yours. We can figure out what this means for us.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, sweetheart.”

“Will you get in bed with me?” Steve asked.

“To sleep?”

“Eventually,” Steve smirked. “Remember when I said I was still on the edge?”

Eddie snorted. “I’m not fucking you tonight. No way.”

“Why not?” Steve pouted.

“Because it should be special and because you’ve already been through enough today,” Eddie chuckled. “You can wait a day or two.”

“Can we at least make out a little?” Steve tried to compromise.

“Will you get some rest after?”

“If you make me tired enough.”

“I didn’t know I’d end up with Steve Harrington, The Brat.”

“You’re the one who pointed out I was a spoiled rich kid,” Steve argued, turning on his side so that Eddie could climb into bed next to him. “I’m used to getting what I want.”

Steve hadn’t felt this light in a long time, maybe even years.

Eddie must have sensed it, his beaming smile lighting up the room, his sharp teeth glistening in the low lamplight.

His lips crashed against Steve’s, his arms pulling Steve closer and then on top of him as he rolled onto his back.

Steve moaned into his mouth, licking past his lips and across his fangs.

He could almost still taste his own blood in Eddie’s mouth.

He rolled his hips forward, cock already straining against his pants. The friction was perfect, just enough to keep Steve on the edge, but not so much to make it seem like he was pushing.

He was pushing though. He wanted to see how far Eddie would go, how far they could get tonight even with the events of the day behind them and the exhaustion sinking in.

Eddie nipped at his lip, just enough to break skin, and Steve whimpered.

“Shit, sorry. Forgot how sharp these things are,” Eddie pulled away and thumbed away the blood.

“It’s good, I like it,” Steve gasped out. He pulled Eddie’s thumb to his mouth and sucked on it. “Bite me anywhere.”

“Sweetheart…”

“Please, I’ll be good. You don’t have to drink. Just…bite me.”

Eddie held him still for a minute, his eyes searching his face.

“I have an idea.”

Steve nodded. “Anything.”

“Ever fingered yourself?” Eddie asked casually.

“Um, kind of? I mean I have, but I got frustrated with the angle pretty quick.” Steve suddenly caught up to what Eddie was suggesting. “Are you gonna finger me?”

“If you have lube.”

Steve sat up, nearly falling back over from a head rush. Once he managed to stay upright, he reached over into his bedside table and moved a couple things over to get the lube.

He handed it to Eddie and started to get off of him, but Eddie’s hands grabbed his hips and stilled him.

“Nope, like this. I want you to ride my fingers,” Eddie smirked. “You can find what feels good like this. Use me to get off.”

“Is that what your idea was?” Steve gulped. He’d never done anything like this before and wasn’t sure he’d do it right.

“No, but it’ll make my idea more fun,” Eddie squeezed his hips. “But we can stop anytime, okay? Even if it’s just because you’re too tired.”

“I’m not.”

“Love, you defeated an alternate dimension and its super evil guy today. Plus, I drained you of a pint or two of blood. You can be tired,” Eddie opened the cap of the lube. “You wanna get undressed?”

Steve rushed to pull his shirt off, and quickly stood up to remove everything else. Eddie tried not to laugh at his eagerness; It was honestly pretty endearing.

Once he was naked, he got back on Eddie’s lap. “Are you gonna get undressed?”

“Not right now. This is all about you, sweetheart.”

Steve’s blush went down to his chest, and Eddie was ready to proclaim his love to anyone who would hear it. He didn’t care how ridiculous it was; He loved Steve and his beautiful red glow.

He hadn’t mentioned it to him yet, but Eddie could hear the blood rushing in his veins, could hear his heart pounding even from across the room. He could almost feel every breath in his own lungs.

He spread the lube across his fingers as he helped Steve scoot up enough to make this easier for both of them.

Steve’s breath hitched as he circled his hole, and Eddie heat rushing to the places his fingers brushed against.

He pushed a finger in slowly, slow enough that it felt like Steve’s entrance was making his finger a part of him. Steve let out a long, low moan as he pushed himself down further, until Eddie’s knuckle was resting against him.

“You were made for me, weren’t you?” Eddie said in awe. He’d done this plenty, but never like this, and never with someone who wanted him this badly. “Taking me like you’re starving for it.”

“Am starving for it. Need you,” Steve moved his hips forward and back, barely riding Eddie’s finger.

Eddie pulled his finger out and replaced it with two, trying to take it slow, but Steve wouldn’t let him.

“Oh fuck,” Steve whined when Eddie crooked both his fingers inside him, brushing against his prostate repeatedly as Steve’s hips started moving again.

His cock was leaking, dripping precome down his length and onto Eddie’s stomach. He couldn’t wait to have a taste of it later. Soon, if the way Steve’s heart kept skipping a beat was any indication.

“You want another?” Eddie asked him, somehow feeling breathless despite the fact he may or may not even need to breathe.

“Please,” Steve begged. “Need to be full.”

“You want me to fill you up?” Eddie stretched him open around three fingers, going a bit slower this time when Steve tightened around him. “How much can you take? Think you can do four fingers? Think you can have my whole cock in there next to a couple fingers?”

Steve nodded, though Eddie was pretty sure he had no idea he was doing it. He wasn’t picking up any actual thoughts from him right now, which was definitely good for his ego, but a little concerning.

“Hey,” Eddie paused with his fingers inside him, his free hand against Steve’s chest. “Let me see those pretty eyes.”

Steve blinked his eyes open and Eddie was gifted with a few random thoughts about how nice his fingers felt and how much he wanted to come.

“You wanna come on my fingers?” Eddie asked.

“Mhm.”

Eddie thrust his fingers in and out a few more times before tugging Steve down.

The new angle caused him to nearly scream, Eddie’s fingers putting constant pressure against his prostate as his cock got trapped between them.

“Gonna test something. Can I bite you?” Eddie whispered against his ear.

“Fuck, yes,” Steve agreed, tilting his head to the side like the good boy he was.

Eddie stilled his fingers, but kept them as deep inside Steve as he could. He leaned forward and breathed in the scent of Steve, his sweat, the lingering smell of his body wash from his last shower barely clinging to his skin, his blood.

His teeth found their mark and he bit down, groaning as he broke the skin and tasted the first drop of blood on his tongue.

He didn’t suck, didn’t need to. He lapped at the droplets of blood as he felt Steve tense, let out a high-pitched whimper, and warmth coat both their stomachs and chests.

He pulled off immediately, pulled his fingers out so he could wipe them off on the sheets.

“Fuck, sweetheart, that was perfect. You were perfect for me,” Eddie kissed his neck, his shoulder, the side of his head. “Can’t believe I get to do that.”

“Mmm…again?” Steve’s raspy voice breathed out against his shoulder.

Eddie laughed. “Not tonight, beautiful boy. I need you to rest. You did so good.”

“Mhm. You too.”

Eddie laughed again. How did this become his life? Or death? Undeath? Whatever.

He didn’t have the heart to move Steve, but he knew they’d end up literally stuck together with dried cum if he didn’t at least wipe them down. He managed to lift Steve enough to wipe them off with the sheet, but it wasn’t perfect and they’d definitely need to shower as soon as they woke up.

Eddie had changed as soon as he got to Steve’s house at everyone’s insistence, but he had yet to shower, and he was pretty certain the only reason he didn’t smell worse was because he technically wasn’t alive to produce any body odor.

He turned his head to look into the bathroom.

Steve had a huge bathtub. They could share in the morning.

For now, Eddie ran his fingers up and down Steve’s back as he fell asleep on top of him.

“Thanks for kissing me, sweetheart,” he whispered before closing his eyes and letting out any of the tension he’d been holding onto.

Tomorrow, they’d find a way to explain his presence to Wayne, and he’d really be back home.

But tonight, he’d let the weight of Steve and his love cover him up.

[stevesjockstrap]

It’s Inertia

Steve/Eddie • Rated M • No UD, childhood friends, idiots to lovers, misunderstandings, pining • cw: underaged drinking and some fooling around • read on ao3

@stcreators event 5: tropes

@steddiesongfics Inertia - AJR

A box on my bingo square c/o @lucassinclaer

“Promise we’ll be best buds forever?”

Steve looked up from the mud pie he was squishing in his hand, finding Eddie stationed at a fallen log to ‘bake’ their pies. They’d been playing together like this all summer, since Eddie had moved to town. He was a few years older than Steve but scrawnier, ‘gangly’ his mom would call it, so he looked younger than his age.

They’d quickly bonded over shared horror stories of their parents, both getting left home too young. Eddie’s stories had put a lot of his own to shame though. But now he was with his Uncle Wayne and he seemed to be doing better. Gaining weight and his eyes weren’t as sunken in as they were earlier in the summer.

“What do you mean? Of course we will.” Steve walked over to plop his pie into the line of them on the log. “Why wouldn’t we be?”

“School starts soon… and I don’t know anyone. We’ll be in different classes and stuff.” Steve watched as Eddie drew in on himself, making himself even smaller in his crouch by the log. Steve hated it. “Kids don’t usually like me. Even when I went before- I mean, I’ve always been the weird kid.”

“It’s Hawkins,” Steve shrugged. “Everyone’s weird. You’ll make friends. And even if you don’t, we’ll still hang out. We’re going to be best friends forever.” Steve felt better when Eddie’s shoulders dropped and he smiled at him. “Who else is going to make world famous pies with me?”

They laughed and Eddie wrote their initials into the mud pie he made, adorning it with leaves and rocks. Eddie put twig candles on it and they both pretended to blow them out, making wishes.

Steve closed his eyes, wishing hard that they would be best friends forever. He’d never had a friend like Eddie before.

“It’s just me.”

Steve started as cold hands pulled his blanket from him before relaxing, not even bothering to open his eyes. Eddie frequently scaled his trellis and crawled in his window, claiming nightmares or weird sounds in the trailer park were keeping him up.

If his parents were in town, in the mornings Eddie would quietly get ready with Steve and sneak to the front door and they’d both wait for the bus outside. More often, they got the run of the house, giggling at each other over burnt toast in the kitchen.

They got through middle school this way, Steve trying his best to look out for him at school but always seemed to turn the corner too late, Eddie’s nose bleeding or hunched over from a gut check. Eddie always waved him off afterwards.

“It is what it is, Stevie. Maybe a few more broken noses will make me pretty,” he joked as they walked to the trailer.

It was on the tip of his tongue to say that he already was, but he just laughed along instead.

“For I never saw true beauty til this night.”

Stepping backstage to a mild applause and a lot more snickering, Steve blinked into the darkness and came face to face with Eddie. He was clapping slowly but loudly with a teasing look on his face.

“Nice job, Romeo. All the practicing really paid off.” Eddie had jumped right into helping him prepare for this torture when Steve’s English teacher had suggested he perform the monologue at their eighth grade talent show to earn enough points to pass.

Steve rolled his eyes at him. “I missed an entire line. But thanks. You’re up.”

They exchanged a sardonic grin as Eddie shouldered his guitar and walked past him onto the brightly lit stage.

He was transfixed as he watched Eddie immediately take over the stage, singing and jumping around and meticulously hitting the chords. He’d similarly watched Eddie practice this song unendingly, but seeing it now live and in front of a crowd was astonishing.

The song came to an end and Steve clapped extra loud and whooped, earning a huge grin from his friend as he ran towards him for a hug.

He thought maybe Shakespeare had actually known a thing or two.

“Oh, oh!”

He was having a good dream. A very good dream. Then suddenly he was cold, and a hand was shaking his shoulder.

“Wha-? Eds?” He croaked.

“You, uh, it’s okay Steve. Um, I think I’m gunna go. I-it’s, uh, yeah-“

Steve shook his head and tried to reach out for him. They’d always slept all curled up together. It was fine. But once he was finally able to focus on Eddie’s face, he felt like he’d been dunked under in his freezing cold pool. He looked terrified.

“Hey, what?” Steve tried again, finally sitting up and realizing the issue. “Oh fuck,” he gasped.

“It’s fine, Steve. I-it’s normal and everything, you know. But,” Eddie blinked at him from practically across the room, jumping into his jeans. “I’ll see you later.”

He was gone before Steve would fully wake up.

He sat there glaring at his awkward boner until it finally went away. Eddie would probably never want to talk to him again. He pulled the pillow over his head and tried to force himself to go back to sleep.

His dream had been about sharp hip bones and dark curly hair.

“Ah, how the mighty have fallen. Tussling with Buns of Steel didn’t seem to go very well for you, huh?”

He moved the bag of ice he was holding to his face to peer through his good eye (well, better than the swollen shut one, but it was still pretty blurry) to find Eddie propped against the doorway. He had Steve’s pile of books and notebooks tucked under an arm. Eddie must have saved them from the hallway.

Steve sighed. “That’s what I get for sticking up for our kids, huh?” Billy always seemed to have a problem with Lucas and by extension the rest of the party, but now that Max had finally told him they were dating, he seemed to be even worse. Steve had finally had enough and thrown the first punch, but as Henderson usually reminded him, he didn’t win fights.

Eddie nodded shortly before coming over to help him stand. “Let’s ditch the rest of the day, man. You’ve earned it and you need a chauffeur.”

Back in his empty house, Eddie procured him some mystery pills to take (he hadn’t asked questions), and they cuddled up on the sofa.

As the pills started to kick in, his body started reacting to Eddie’s close proximity and the muscle memory of what seemed to keep happening when they got high or drunk together. It had started the first summer after Eddie hadn’t graduated on time. Just blowing off some steam and making his friend feel better. That’s all it was.

But now Eddie was sober, laughing lightly at the dumb movie they’d put on, rumbling Steve’s body with it since they were pressed so close.

Steve sunk his hand into Eddie’s hair and something in his chest relaxed when Eddie hummed at him and settled impossibly closer, laying his head on Steve’s chest.

Somehow their legs shifted and Eddie’s was between his. There was a small gasp from one of them before their mouths met and he had a lap full of Eddie.

He smiled into the kiss, feeling better than he had in a long while. Maybe since the last time he’d been drunk and this had happened.

Waking up on the couch the next morning, Eddie still wrapped around him, he realized he never felt this light or content with any of the girls he had fooled around with.

He mentally shrugged and made himself try to go back to sleep, it was probably just because he had known Eddie for so long.

“Chug chug chug!”

He finished shotgunning his beer and tossed the empty at Tommy who let it drop to the floor, laughing hysterically at him.

Steve had thrown a huge house party again because Eddie had told him he could charge everyone triple rates and he needed a new guitar.

But now as he watched him laugh and lean into Chrissy Cunningham from his perch in the dining room, Steve’s stomach clenched. He tried to blame it on the shit beer he’d just downed.

“Steve!”

He spun at the sound of Eddie’s voice a while later, a zing going up his spine.

“I’m gunna, uh, take Chris home. Jason’s been all over her and she needs a ride. Sorry I can’t help clean up.”

Steve tried to make his face remain neutral. He knew that was Eddie’s covert way of saying he wasn’t coming back. Every other party he had thrown, Eddie stayed. He just nodded and Eddie sent him a wary smile.

Ignoring all the garbage and spilled cups, he lined up shots in his empty kitchen. Hopefully that would be enough to let him pass out so he could sleep in his big bed all alone tonight.

He tried not to let himself think about the real reason he’d thrown the party, or what Eddie and Chrissy were getting up to.

“Where are you gunna go?”

Eddie was packing. Decided today was it. Called Steve to come help. Steve’s throat hurt, like there was glass stuck it in. There must’ve been some in his chest, too.

“Probably Indy, maybe Chicago if the van will make it. I gotta get to a bigger city and start playing at bigger clubs, where someone important will actually hear. Could try to save up some money and record a demo.”

Steve knew Eddie’s dream of being a rockstar had been steadfast but unattainable in their small town. He knew that. But seeing it now, right in front of him like this was different.

“There’s nothing here for me.”

It felt like a physical punch to the gut and he almost sunk to the floor, instead allowing the doorframe to hold more of his weight as his knees threatened to give out. “Oh.”

They hadn’t been spending as much time together since Steve had graduated and Eddie hadn’t (again). Steve was dating Nancy, working at the dumb mall with his dumb ice cream outfit. Had met Robin and spent the summer irritating Eddie and Nancy with their dumb antics. But he still made sure Eddie was included, Robin and Nancy helping him with studying and essays. Steve hadn’t been able to get into college with his grades so he wasn’t a great candidate for that, but he was there for moral support.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and nodded. Swallowing past the shard of glass in his throat and nodded, helped Eddie load the boxes and garbage bags into the van. They stopped for a quick tight hug before Eddie got in and drove away.

He didn’t let himself cry until he was alone in his bed.

“You’re really marrying her?”

The abrupt question sunk in his stomach like a heavy stone. Steve wasn’t sure who had told him. They’d stayed in touch over the years, Eddie sending postcards from his travels and calling when he could. Steve knew he spoke to the kids from time to time. It must’ve been one of them who spilled the beans.

“That’s the plan. She’s the niece of the Wallace Investments’ CEO. It’ll, um, open a lot of doors for me. And for dad’s businesses.” An ultimatum from his dad. It was the story he didn’t really want circulating, but it was the truth. He could never lie to Eddie about anything. Well, anything except for one big thing.

“You make it sound more like a business merger than a marriage,” Eddie scoffed.

“That’s because it pretty much is.”

Steve quickly changed the subject to his new album and a new tour starting. They exchanged some more small talk before someone was shouting at Eddie and he had to go.

“Good talking to you, Stevie. I’ll send you a postcard from the next place.” It sounded exactly like the write off Steve knew was coming sooner or later.

He brushed off the questions from his friends and new fiancée as he shut himself off the next few weeks, only breaking out of the fog to check his mailbox.

If his Corroded Coffin cassette got extra attention in his car for only his ears, that was neither here nor there.

“What the fuck?”

Steve looked around at all of his friends, then turned back to Robin when his eyes landed on Eddie across the room.

“This is an intervention, Steve. We’re all tired of you both moping. You’re staying in this room until you work it out-“

“Or you kill each other.” Dustin piped in. There were some muffled laughs from around the room.

“Hopefully it doesn’t come to that, but yes. Sort out your shit, dinguses.”

Something she said finally processed in his brain. “Wait… both?” But no one was listening to him as they all filed out.

Jonathan and Jeff patted him on the shoulder as they passed.

Once they were alone, Eddie threw himself into a folding chair with a sigh.

“You didn’t send any postcards,” Steve found himself saying. Of all the things he wanted to say to Eddie now, he wasn’t sure why that had stung the most.

Eddie shrugged. “I couldn’t.”

Frowning, he approached him. “Why not?”

Eddie watched him sink into his own folding chair. He assumed they’d both been tricked into thinking this was just dinner. But they’d been lead back into this private room instead.

“I didn’t think you’d want me to, really. And I sort of fell into a pit of despair after you told me…” he swallowed hard like he couldn’t say the words.

Steve clenched his jaw. He couldn’t be upset over that. Really.

“It’s, um, off. You know, the wedding. The marriage. We, uh, I- I guess everyone involved sort of saw it wasn’t going to pan out.”

“What?”

Eddie looked hopeful now, and Steve stopped to actually take in his appearance. He looked terrible. Big dark circles on the bags under his eyes. He was paler than he’d ever been and his hair somehow looked both greasier and drier than he’d ever seen it.

“It’s not happening. I think-“ he chuckled dryly. “Well, I sort of fell into my own pit of despair. And my dad and my fiancée let me off the hook.”

“Steve.” Eddie’s eyes were wild.

“Yeah?”

“You’re not getting married?” He asked like it meant everything.

Steve shook his head and suddenly Eddie was very close, standing between his legs with his hands on his shoulders.

“You’re not getting married?” Eddie repeated.

He cleared his throat, looking up into Eddie’s bewildered face. “No, Eds. I’m not getting married.”

They blinked at each other for a long moment before Eddie’s hands came up to cradle his head and he looked deep into his eyes for a moment.

“Can I kiss you?”

Steve gasped but nodded and before he could close his eyes, his mouth was overtaken by Eddie. Kissing him when they were both sober and after all the years spent apart was earth shaking.

Finally, when his brain caught up, he pulled back.

Eddie’s face closed off and he moved away so he was no longer touching him. Steve couldn’t have that, so he reached out for his belt loop and pulled him hard so he fell into his lap.

“Eds, I- I’m just, what is happening?”

Eddie took a deep breath before cupping his face again. “It’s you. It’s always been you for me. I’m sorry it took me so long to realize.”

“Forgiven,” Steve sighed before capturing his lips again.

He wasn’t going to let him go now that he finally had him.

“Well I think they figured it out,” Jeff quietly chuckled from the doorway.

“Thank fuck, they’ve been driving me more insane than usual.” Robin grinned at him. She held her hand up and Jeff high-fived her. “We make a great team. C’mon, you’re buying dinner for everyone, hot shot. And we’ll have to work out a visitation schedule, this doesn’t mean I get zero Steve time.”

Jeff rolled his eyes but couldn’t help but laugh as they walked back down the hall together. “You got it, Buckley.”

[steddiesongfics]

MAY SONG FICS

We're trying something new this month.

Participation is pretty low for this, and I will probably spend this summer trying out new things every month to see if anything helps kick up interest in writing for this event!

FOR MAY ONLY: There will be no song list this month. The only requirements will be that the song was released in 1986 and the word count is between 300 and 2000 words.

For all other guidelines, please read the pinned post on the blog!

Happy writing! - Mickala ❤

[stevesjockstrap]

You Will Never Ever Walk Alone

@steddiesongfics for Call Me Little Sunshine - Ghost

Rated: E • cw: memory loss, blood drinking, minor injury • tags: post-Vecna, vague vampire/kas/monster!Eddie • read on ao3

Following the shape through the house from the windows, a gasp shot out of him when the figure came to the window closest to him, shirtless, to push the window open. Eddie forced himself to stay as still as possible in his crouch in the tree. The breeze carried his sunshine’s scent to him and his eyes rolled back in his head.

He’d lost track of how many nights he’d been in this tree line, watching, waiting.

After coming to, bruised and broken and bloody, in these very woods, he’d quickly remembered only one thing. One scent. His sunshine, whose big eyes, tears tracing clean lines through his dirty and bloody face, had been the only thing in his mind. He wasn’t sure of anything else. But he’d been left here, a short distance from this man whose beauty shone from every pore. The taste of those filthy bloodstained tears dripping into his mouth had sealed both of their fates.

There was something changed in him. Without knowing how he knew, it was clear he was different from that short memory. He craved blood, his teeth and claws sharp, his instincts honed as a predator. That made his sunshine the prey.

He was jolted from his thoughts by the sliding door opening. Making sure he didn’t utter a sound at his excitement, he locked his eyes back onto his prize. Thankfully it had been getting warmer at night, sometimes unbearably so, like tonight. And he was graced with the sight of his sunshine in the water.

The moonlight shone from the highlights of his hair and his big wet eyes. Moving through the shimmering liquid with ease, his strong arms slicing through almost silently.

Eddie quieted his low groan by biting into the back of his own hand as his sunshine pushed himself up onto the wall and out with ease, the delicious pull of muscles in his back making his teeth ache. How he wanted to lick every glistening droplet from his body. Sink his teeth into the meat of his thighs.

Another wounded sound left him as his fangs elongated, watching transfixed as the man below him didn’t attempt to dry himself off before sprawling out in a lounge chair. His sunshine propped himself up on his elbows, looking out into the darkness where his normal eyes couldn’t begin to make sense of all the shadows. But he must have heard him, his eyebrows pulling together distressed.

This was unsafe. He needed to go. Flee. Before he made himself known. But leaving would pose it’s own risk now. He had allowed himself to get too close to the fence line. His claws on the tree would alert the human.

A shrill mechanical sound came from inside the house and his prey jumped up to catch it. He allowed himself a small noise of relief. Dropping down into a crouch in the forest floor, listening closely he could hear his sunshine talking quietly in the house.

He frowned when he realized his sunshine had quickly got ready and left, zooming away.

Now that the yard was dark and empty, he crept closer and quickly scaled the fence. Unable to help himself, he went over to the chair his sunshine had been in, ducking his head to lap at the water droplets left behind. Letting the groan rumble from his chest, he savored the flavor of his sunshine’s skin beneath the tang of chemicals. Soon he would have the real thing.

Catching the delicious scent on the wind, he allowed the prey he was stalking to get away and turned to follow it. He picked up his pace when he realized which direction it was coming from. His sunshine was home. And bleeding.

Ascending the stairs on all fours, he followed the scent until he was standing just feet behind his beloved. The scent of blood was now overpowering, making his mouth water and his fangs want to drop.

His sunshine gasped and dropped the cloth in his hands when he realized someone was there. He sucked in a matching breath, to taste his blood on the air. He took a step forward.

“E-Eddie?”

He ignored this sound, not sure what it meant, but his prey wasn’t running and didn’t seem scared of him.

Now that he was closer, he caught a different scent that was all over his sunshine. Something sour and dark and vaguely familiar. He growled, suddenly seeing red at the thought of something touching his sunshine. Touched him and hurt him. He would take care of him first and track down whatever dared to spill his precious blood.

“Mine,” he breathed, his voice rough and rasping. He wasn’t sure if he had spoken at all before this. It didn’t matter.

“What’s happening? How are you here? I watched- I was there when-“ His prize stopped and shook his head, his eyes never leaving his abdomen, barely a mark left on him from where he knew had been shredded before.

Not having an answer for him, he instead moved closer and took the injured arm in his hands. The wound on his bicep was still slowly bleeding after his attempts to tend to it, but it made his mouth water nonetheless.

“Mine.”

He held himself back for a long second, forcing his attention to his sunshine’s face. He didn’t look scared, only shocked and a little pale. Maintaining the eye contact, he bent his head to lap slowly at his arm. His eyes rolled back in his head and he let out a low satisfied noise. His sunshine tasted just how he remembered from those tiny drops however long ago.

Suddenly his sunshine jumped under his hands, he ignored it but there was an odd sensation in his shoulders and he opened his eyes. Huge dark bat-like wings had sprouted from him, knocking into the walls on either side of them.

“Hm,” he uttered, confused for a second, but wings held little bearing to him while he had his sunshine’s blood on his tongue.

“Eddie,” he emphasized again, watching while he cleaned every speck of blood and dirt and indiscernible muck from his wound. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered, his other hand coming up to press hotly against a wing.

“Hey,” his sunshine said again after another moment, pushing against him.

Growling, he shook his head.

“I know,” he cooed. “Just look at me for a second. Please?”

The pleading tone made him stop, and he looked up into his wide eyes. He was so perfect and devastatingly gorgeous. He couldn’t believe he was his.

“Mine,” he had to intone again.

“Yeah, you’ve said that. That’s fine. But, where have you been, man? We’ve been hunting down anything left after the gates closed, we haven’t seen anything like you.”

He scoffed. His intended stopped him for this? He shook his head with a shrug. That didn’t matter at all. Of course there were still a number of otherworldly creatures lurking around. Oh. They had been hunting them? Something hurt him when they hunted.

“Stay,” he huffed, pushing him bodily against the bathroom counter, unintentionally pressing his hard length into his hip.

“Fuck. Sure, whatever you want.”

His wings flexed and knocked things off the shelf above the toilet and the counter.

Hands found his hips and drug him in closer, a matching hardness now pressing against his.

He eyed the wound on his beloved’s arm, deeming it fine for now, catching the wide eyes again, dazed and dark.

An experimental thrust forward brought combined moans from them, a hand tightening around his waist. They moved together seamlessly, their mouths meeting finally in a clash of teeth.

Eventually a pleasant buzzing started up his spine and he pulled away, his sunshine staring transfixed, bringing a hand up to cup his jaw.

“Bite me. Eds- bite me, please,” he panted out and he instantly felt his fangs drop. “Oh shit.” But he arched his neck and he was lost.

Their climaxes hit as his fangs sliced into his skin, the rush of blood even sweeter in their euphoria. His wings came around them to wrap around his sunshine, covering them both in darkness.

When he could move again, he licked over the mark sealing his claim and carried his little sunshine to his bed to rest. He’d protect him now from anything that would dare try to harm him.

[steddiesongfics]

🎶January🎶

Happy New Year and happy first month of the song fic challenge!

To kick things off, we have quite a variety! There's so much potential with these songs:

Happier - Ed Sheeran In Your Love - Tyler Childers Teenage Dream - Katy Perry Creep - Radiohead Call Me Little Sunshine - Ghost Partition - Beyonce

These were all randomly selected from picking a random playlist on Spotify and hitting shuffle, which is what will be done every month. If you have song suggestions for future months, please feel free to send them in!

Please remember to check the pinned post on the blog for guidelines and message this blog with any questions!

Happy writing! - Mickala 💖

[steddiesongfics]

🎶February🎶

It's the month of love so naturally, I'm going to use a loooooove playlist to get songs!

Write about the yearning, the mutual pining, the established relationships, the strangers to lovers, the married life, anything that these songs inspire:

Fall For Me - Sleep Token Work Song - Hozier If The World Was Ending - JP Saxe, Julia Michaels Faithfully - Journey Fast Car - Tracy Chapman I Melt - Rascal Flatts

These were all randomly selected from picking a love song playlist on Spotify and hitting shuffle, which is slightly different from what will be done every other month. If you have song suggestions for future months, please feel free to send them in!

Please remember to check the pinned post on the blog for guidelines and message this blog with any questions!

Happy writing! - Mickala 💖

[steddiesongfics]

🎶March🎶

This month, I want to give you a bonus challenge. It's not required, but for fun I'd love to see if you can incorporate the @steddiemicrofic prompt in your song fic for this challenge. Extra extra bonus points if you can follow the exact word count from that challenge, too!

Here's the songs for March:

Inertia - AJR Breaking The Law - Judas Priest illicit affairs - Taylor Swift Ohio (Come Back To Texas) - Bowling For Soup Cherry Bomb - The Runaways Super Rich Kids - Frank Ocean

These were all randomly selected from picking a playlist on Spotify and hitting shuffle. If you have song suggestions for future months, please feel free to send them in!

Please remember to check the pinned post on the blog for guidelines and message this blog with any questions!

Happy writing! - Mickala 💖