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STEVE HARRINGTON | Stranger Things S04E07

#this is a very nonsexual scene

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oh you hate me? you see my big beautiful sad brown eyes and you’re gonna hate me?

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Please Reblog is Your Blog is Safe for Non-Binary People.

If my mutuals can’t rb this then we can’t be mutuals

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Swing

Chapter Five: The Setup

The next morning started earlier than Steve thought it would. When he let Dustin talk him into hosting a pool party for the kids, he didn’t realize that Dustin would be ringing his doorbell four hours before anyone else was supposed to get there. Steve read the time on his clock before rolling out of bed in search of the pants Eddie had taken off of him last night. 8:00am. Great. 8:00am on his day off, it’s almost like he might as well not have the day off at all. The doorbell rings a few more times as Steve is struggling to pull on his jeans in his half-asleep stupor. “Eddie!” It comes out whinny, but it’s the best he can manage at this hour. “Eds,” he is shaking the sleeping boy by his legs now as the doorbell rings yet again. “Yeah, just a sec!” He leans out of his bedroom door and shouts down the stairs, hoping to end the incessant ringing. Steve sits down on the edge of Eddie’s side of the bed and starts to push Eddie’s hair off his face, unsure how he was able to breath suffocated underneath all those curls. “What, baby?” Eddie groans, making grabby hands for Steve, wanting to pull him back under the warmth of the covers. “Unless the Mormons are making their early morning rounds, I’m assuming Dustin is at my door which means you need to be anywhere but in my bed.” Eddie scoffs, throwing his arms over his eyes in a feeble attempt to block out the sun that’s coming through the blinds. “What time is it?” Eddie sits up, allowing the cover to pool around his waist. His shirt has shifted in his sleep so now his right pec is showing through the giant arm hole in his shirt. He has red marks on his face from where his cheek was pressed into the pillow and he rubs his eyes a little trying to get all the sleep out from the inner corners of his eyes. “A little after 8,” Steve is starting to rush a little now, knowing that if he isn’t downstairs soon there will only be more questions and complaining from Dustin, “Seriously, dude-” “Oh, Stevie! You know I don’t function properly before 9am!” “Edward Munson, do not make me drag your ass out of this bed.” Steve was in proper mom mode now, eyes wide and his hands on his hips. His hair is disheveled from a night of deep sleep and his shirt from yesterday now has little creases in it from being a sleep shirt. “Wow,” Eddie deadpans, “from ‘You’re my angel, I love you’ to full name and threats. I didn’t think you would stoop so low, Stevie” Eddie shakes his head causing his curls to fly and settle in their usual shape. Steve stood there, jaw on the floor, as Eddie pushed himself out of bed and started to grab his shoes. Steve thought that he had said it in a dream. He remembered calling Eddie an angel and having his angel help him into bed but he didn’t know he had said that out loud. Fuck. He ran a hand through his hair, “What- when?” the doorbell rang again, and again, and again, “Later. We’ll talk about this later.” Steve says, flustered and trying to push his hair back into some sort of shape. 

He can’t believe he just let it slip like that. He had been so casual and open with his love for Nancy and look how that ended. He promised himself he wouldn’t be like that with Eddie. He would make sure Eddie knew that Steve was serious about them, he would let their love just be a casual thing tossed out there. Sure, he knew he loved Eddie, but he was waiting for the perfect moment to tell him. Being half-asleep, or high, or drunk, or whatever was not the perfect time. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. He mumbles that world aloud to himself as he plops down the stairs and throws open the front door. 

Sure enough Dustin is standing in his doorway holding a giant binder and a few books, a towel slung over one shoulder and an oversized backpack barely hanging off the other. “It’s about time!” The teen shoves his way past Steve and into the house, not waiting for the invite in or even a ‘hello’. “Why is Eddie already here?” Dustin asks, slamming his stack of work on the coffee table in the living room. The question must show on Steve’s face because it’s answered before he can even ask. “I saw his van out front. How did he get here earlier than me?” “We hung out last night and he just stayed over,” Steve shrugged, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible, “You know, we’re allowed to hang out without you little shits being there.” Dustin has made himself comfortable on the couch now, his backpack at his feet as he starts to pull out sunscreen, Pringles, candy bars, little figurines that Steve knows are for D&D, so much stuff that Steve starts to think the contents of the bag will never end. “It’s just weird,” Dustin starts, Steve can hear Eddie’s footsteps as he comes down the stairs, “You two wouldn’t even be friends if it weren’t for me. What do you guys even talk about when I’m not there?” “Nothing,” Eddie has rounded the stairs and is now standing behind the sofa and putting his hands on Dustin’s shoulders to give him a good shake, “We just sit and wait for you to show up.” He takes off Dustin’s hat and gives his hair a good ruffle before smooshing the cap down haphazardly back into place. He jumps over the back of the sofa, landing somewhat gracefully next to Dustin and reaches out for the binder the kid had brought in with him. “Were you planning on doing a campaign without me?” Eddie feigns offense before going to open the binder, effortlessly changing the subject. “Hey!” Dustin snatches the binder from his hands before he can spoil everything planned, “You’ll find out later. I don’t want to spoil the surprise before everyone else gets here.” Dustin gives a goofy grin and wiggles his eyebrows a little. “Speaking of everyone else,” Steve plops down into the chair, “I thought this whole thing wasn’t supposed to start until noon. I know you know how to read a clock, Henderson.” Steve tilts his head toward Dustin, waiting for an explanation as to why the little goofball felt necessary to arrive so early. “I wanted to help set-up!” He shrugged, giving Steve a goofy grin before standing and heading toward the dining room. Steve and Eddie gave each other a “what the fuck is going on?” and an “I don’t fucking know!” glance before following behind Dustin. “I wasn’t aware there was anything that needed setting up,” Steve started as Dustin began to spread out a board and little figurines across the long dining room table, “especially not hours before anyone even got here.” “Oh,” Dustin said, pausing what he was doing and lowering his head a little, “I maybe forgot to ask if we could use your place for a quick one-shot campaign…” he trailed off as Steve crossed his arms across his chest. 

The last time Dustin had used Steve’s place for a “quick one shot” the kids were at his house for over two days, only pausing to take small naps and eating meals that Steve bought or made over their notebooks. “Dustin-” Steve started but Dustin was quick to cut him off. “Blame your new best friend Eddie!” He said pointing at a now bewildered and extremely confused Eddie, “It was his idea!” Steve turned to get started on Eddie. Seriously, you date a guy for over a month, you think he would tell you when your house would be used as a teen nerd hangout spot. “Woah, woah, woah,” Eddie waved his arms in front of him, “I said we should do a one shot with everyone. I didn’t say to do at Harrington’s house or that it should be done today! I mean, I didn’t write it and you didn’t even ask me to DM. You just thought I was going to jump in?” Eddie asked and Steve could hear the complete confusion in his voice. Dustin practically worshiped Eddie and D&D was kinda his whole “thing” , why didn’t he have him in on this? “Umm…about that,” Dustin was back to staring anywhere but the two older boys in front of him, “I kinda asked Will to take on this one. Now before you get mad,” Dustin rushed out, holding his hands in front of him like Eddie would attack at any second, “He used to be our DM before and I didn’t know if you would be here today because every time I tried calling you to ask, you were out on a date.” He put his hands on his hips (a move he picked up from Steve) and had a smug, shit-eating grin on his face (a move he picked up from Eddie). Eddie’s cheeks flushed light pink and it took all of Steve’s willpower to remind himself that he can’t just scoop up Eddie in his arms and scatter soft kisses across that blush right now. A few moments passed as Dustin glanced between the two boys who were internally debating if this was worth the fight. “Fine, whatever, but you’re all getting kicked out by midnight, I don’t care if you aren’t finished.” Steve sighed, throwing his hands in the air in defeat. Dustin opened his mouth to whine about how the story can’t be rushed and what if it takes longer than that, but Eddie holds up a hand to stop him and gives him a look that makes him close his mouth before any complaints can come out. “Deal.” Dustin says resignedly, hanging his head as he pushes papers around in a folder and moves figures to different spots on the board. 

A few short hours later, Steve had everyone in and around the pool enjoying the late summer sun. Max and El sat on the edge of the pool and giggled while judging the impromptu diving competition going on between Lucas, Dustin, and Mike. Will and Eddie had taken two of the pool chairs close to the back door and Nancy and Jonathan were inside helping to prepare the lunch that Steve was busy grilling. Robin stood next to Steve, a cold Coke dripping condensation in her hand. “I need to give you a little heads up on something,” she half-way whispered to Steve, keeping an eye out to make sure no one would overhear their conversation. “What’s that?” He spared a sideways glance at her, not wanting to take his eyes away from the grilling meat for too long. “On the way over here Nancy asked me what I thought about the idea of her setting you up.” He flipped a few of the burger patties, “Setting me up for what?” Robin fanned herself as the combination of grill heat and noon sun were starting to get to her, “A date, dingus!” She said that part a bit too loud and earned a quick glance from Eddie and Will who were close enough to hear. She gave them both a half-hearted smile before waving them off to go back to whatever they were talking about before. “Why would she possibly want to do that?’ Steve asked, now pilling hot dogs onto a serving platter. “Apparently, someone told her you might be in a ‘funk’ and she thinks she knows just the gal to pull you out.” They both rolled their eyes at the same time. This was just like Nancy to think it was her job to fix a situation she didn’t even fully understand. Most of the time it came in handy, especially when it came to the Upside Down, but when it came time to meddle in people’s love lives it got annoying. Just a few weeks ago, Nancy was trying to convince Robin to go out with a guy who had graduated a year before them and was in journalism, but super into music. It didn’t work out very well considering he was nowhere near Robin’s type. Steve began walking the finished hotdogs and burgers into the kitchen shouting on his way into the house, “Foods ready!” Robin followed behind, trying to wrap up the conversation before getting to the kitchen. “I’m just telling you because now might be a good time to share your ‘little secret’.” “No!” Steve said, before she could even finish saying the words, “No, we aren’t ready yet. I’ll just tell her that I’m not interested.” He shrugged. “Oh yeah, cause that worked out so well for me when I said it.” Robin rolled her eyes as they rounded the corner into the kitchen where Nancy and Jonathan were putting out plates with all the fixings. “Where should I put this?” Steve asked, nodding his head to indicate the tray in his hands. “There is good,” Nancy pointed to a spot on the counter in between plates of buns and bottles of condiments. The sounds of wet feet on title and drops of water hitting the floor could be heard as the kids made their way into the kitchen to start loading up plates. “Hey Steve,” he was making his way down the line of food, preparing his own plate when Nancy slid in right beside him, “Can I talk with you for a sec?” She was trying to keep her tone light, but she always had a serious air about her. “Of course, Nance,” He started out towards the pool again, hoping that everyone else would follow his lead and eat outside so there wasn’t a mess in the house later, “Nothing serious, I hope.” He said it with a smile and a slight chuckle. “No, no,” she shook her head and gave a little laugh, “nothing serious.” She pursed her lips together, the way she always does when she's trying to figure out the best way to say something. 

Steve led them to a few new chairs on the edge of the yard, he knew Nancy couldn’t stand sitting in the pool chairs after what happened those few years ago. Sure enough, everyone else followed his lead and everyone trickled out the backdoor with plates piled high and cold drinks in hand. The kids sat on the edge of the pool, some with their feet dangling in the water, and Steve noticed that Eddie had moved to a chair that was closer to where Steve and Nancy sat now. Robin came out and joined him and pulled Jonathan down to do the same when he finally emerged. “Alright,” Steve thought, “guess we’re doing this now since no one is coming to help.” “So how have you been?” Nancy started, chomping into a carrot. “Good,” Steve took a bit of his burger and nodded his head. “I’ve actually been really good.” He said after he chewed a little more. “Good!” Nancy said, sounding genuinely shocked that Steve was doing well. “Well, um, do you remember Lisa R? She would’ve been in Mrs. Denbaum’s class with you.” She asked and Steve knew exactly what was going to happen next. He looked up at his friends in the pool chairs and found them looking everywhere but to where he was sitting and trying really hard to look like they weren’t listening in on the conversation. “I think so,” he did remember Lisa. She sat in front of him in senior year science and the only reason he actually learned her name and knew who she was is because Eddie was her lab partner. That was the year that Steve’s crush on Eddie had officially started. “Why?” He knew why, but he asked anyway. He wanted this conversation to go as quickly as possible and get it over with. “Oh, you know,” Nancy was pushing her food around on her plate now, trying to make her next words as nonchalant as possible, “She was asking about you and I just thought you two would be nice together. I thought you might want to take her out. She said she was free this Friday…” She let her sentence trail off as she tried to gauge Steve’s reaction. Steve looked up to see Robin looking down but straining to hear the conversation and Eddie’s face red and his eyebrows furrowed together. Jonathan was munching away and watching the kids, happily oblivious to the silent turmoil going on around him. “Yeah okay,” Steve said, shrugging and taking another bite of his burger, “sounds nice.” “What?!” Eddie shouted, jumping up from his chair. Nancy looked over at the group for the first time since they had sat down with a confused look. “Sorry,” Robin said, pulling Eddie back down into his chair, “I didn’t realize he’s never seen Little Shop of Horrors and I spoiled the ending.” She tumbled out, a lame excuse for his outburst. Eddie sat back down after shooting Steve a very hurt glance and started whispering furiously with Robin. “Okay…” Nancy said, shaking her head like it would erase the interruption, “So this Friday?” She turned her attention back to Steve. “Sure, leave me her number and I’ll give her a call.” “Oh, Steve!” She wrapped her arm around his shoulders and gave him a little squeeze, “I’m glad to see you’re doing better!” She beamed at him. “Thanks, Nance.” Steve smiled over at her. He knew it was no use putting up a fight with Nancy and that it would only make her more suspicious if he was constantly shutting her out. Sure he had some explaining to do, but once Eddie knew the plan he would understand. At least Steve hoped he would.

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another redraw lol, the original is called “Young Woman and Death” by Henri Lévy

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I'm calling it now, the demobats are like the demodogs of their species line. They're NOT the final forms of that species line.

I'm thinking these bitches come out of these eggs in multiples, not just one, maybe up to ten hatch from one egg at a time, and those eggs are laid by something much much bigger.

I'm thinking Demodragons.

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Eddie comes out to Steve saying something like "oh? don't worry I'd never like you like that" vs Steve who's had a crush on him for months and is now devastated

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Swing

Chapter Four: Only Angel

Lil detour from the main plot, oopsies. We'll get back on track soon folks! Maybe! Who knows! Thank you for all the likes! I really appreciate it! I haven't written fic for any fandom in a really long time so I know I'm a little rusty and it means a lot that you all are sticking by while I get back into a groove. Thank you! If you want to follow me on Ao3 my user is the same as it is here @fineinkline

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After an hour of convincing Robin and going over their relationship from the moment it started until now, she believed them. “I still don’t see why you didn’t just tell us,” she said, getting into Steve’s passenger seat after he offered to take her home, “Or tell me at least.” Steve rolled his eyes for what felt like the millionth time that evening as he buckled himself in and waited for Robin to do the same. He turns his head to watch Eddie get into his van and pull out of the driveway and down the street before putting his car in reverse and backing out. “It’s not that simple Robin. If we had just told everyone then it would be different.” Eddie could explain this part better. He could explain how telling everyone meant that there would be more expectations put on them and they just wanted to figure out themselves, together, as a couple before everyone else tried to figure out for them. “Different how? You know that the kids wouldn’t have a problem with it, Dustin would be thrilled that his “cool adult males” are practically his dads now! And you wouldn’t have to constantly be worried about looking ‘spilling the beans’! How can ‘different’ be bad?” She asks, throwing her hands up and turning in the passenger seat to look at him fully. “I don’t know how to explain it, Robs. I just wasn’t ready to tell everyone. If we told people then not only are we coming out about our relationship, but then that means I would have to come out too and- I don’t know- it’s just-” he was mumbling and stumbling through his words. God, Eddie was so much better at putting these thoughts and feelings into words and Steve couldn’t remember any of them right now. Robin stopped his stuttering by putting a gentle hand on his knee and giving it a quick squeeze before saying, “I get it. I’m sorry and I get it. I guess I’m just a little mad that my best friend is in his first homosexual relationship before I have even kissed a girl and he didn’t even tell me about it!” She chuckled lightly, but Steve knew that she wasn’t truly upset. “Sorry if I ever made it harder for both of you to tell me.” She said softly, leaning back in her seat probably starting to replay every interaction she’s had with the both of them since Eddie got out of the hospital. “It’s Nancy.” Steve blurts out. If they are telling Robin the truth tonight, might as well not leave anything out. “What is?” She asked, eyes darting around trying to connect invisible dots to make the conversation make sense again. “Nancy is making it harder for us to tell. It’s not like she’s doing it on purpose, I mean- I just don’t want her to think that I never actually loved her, because I did. I mean you know that,” Steve was rambling now, but Robin sat there and listened as Steve finally got this off his chest, “I just know she’ll find some way to make me feel stupid about the whole thing.” 

Steve knows that Nancy doesn’t try to make him feel dumb, but she does. It’s the way she tried to help him study and then would look at him funny if he didn’t know the answers to what she called “basic questions”. It’s the way she would edit his essays, covering his pages in red circles and crossed out sections with question marks in the margins. He knows she was only trying to help, but the way she spoke reminded him of how his dad spoke to him when he was in trouble or didn’t do something right. There had been a time when he loved Nancy for the way she was able to find little mistakes and fix them or research something until she found the exact answer she needed, but then she started doing that with him. Finding all his little mistakes and flaws and trying to fix them. Trying to pull answers out of him that he didn’t have. All he did was try to love her and for some reason that wasn’t enough for her. He’s come to terms with that now, he has truly moved past that phase of his life, but he still isn’t ready to face Nancy when it comes to this. 

When Steve got home he saw that Eddie’s van was pulled up again outside of his house and Eddie was leaned up by the front door smoking. As Steve pulled into the driveway, he saw Eddie drop his cigarette in the grass and stomp it out with the toe of his Reeboks. Steve didn’t think that they had made any plans for tonight and thought maybe Eddie forgot something at the house. It was late in the evening now and the only light on Eddie were the two lights by the front door. Steve took a moment to look at Eddie just standing there waiting for him to come home. His curls had frizzed up a little throughout the day and the way the light was hitting him made it look like there was a halo around his head. His checks looked flushed in the summer heat and Steve knew exactly where the freckles were sprinkled on his sun kissed cheeks. He was wearing a t-shirt from some band that Steve had never heard of, but he had cut off the sleeves and through the arm holes so you could see his sides. As he stood there, he shoved his hands in the pockets of tattered gray sweatpants and rocked back and forth on his heels, the smirk on his face growing by the second. Steve got out of the car and called out as he closed his door, “Back already? Did you forget something?” He had started walking across the lawn to the front door when Eddie started his little run to him, arms spread wide. The older boy knocked into him, arms wrapping around his waist and burying his face in Steve’s neck, taking in a deep breath. “Yeah, I did,” Eddie sighed happily. “What did you leave?” Steve asks, moving his arms to wrap around Eddie’s shoulders, one hand on the back of Eddie’s head as he buries his face in Eddie’s halo of hair. “You.” Eddie giggled it out and placed a kiss on Steve’s neck, swaying them from side to side. “Come on,” Steve said, pulling away from Eddie’s embrace to grab his hand and lead him back into the house, “Sleep at mine tonight? Or would you rather go back to yours?” Steve is already heading up the stairs to his room to start packing a bag. Ever since they started having these little sleepovers, they have always been at Eddie’s. Even before Eddie had a real mattress they would still stay in his room in a pile of blankets and pillows on the floor in the middle of the room. Even though he knew Eddie would always pick his place, Steve would offer up his house anyways. “I was actually thinking we could stay here tonight,” Eddie said shyly from the doorway to Steve’s room. Steve froze mid tossing a pair of jeans into his usual overnight bag, “I have my bag in my van,” he scratched the back of his neck and studied the carpet in his boyfriend’s room trying to look anywhere but in his eyes, “but if you wanna just go back to mine we can. Uncle Wayne has already left for his shift.” Before he could process what was happening, Steve was grabbing his waist and tossing him onto the bed. He made a surprised oof sound as he hit the mattress and Steve crawled his way up the bed to hover over Eddie. Once he had braced one hand on either side of Eddie’s head, he leaned in to start placing kisses all over Eddie’s cheeks, forehead, nose, jaw, eyelids until Eddie was wiggling under him and had descended into a fit of laughter. Steve finally leaned in and pressed their lips together and Eddie lifted his head a little to meet him halfway. As Eddie’s hands came up to Steve’s waist, he ran his tongue along Steve’s top lip as a way of asking for more. Steve gave him more, letting his teeth graze along Eddie’s bottom lip before giving it a gentle bite. “You taste like red pepper flakes.” Steve giggles into Eddie’s lips before pulling away to look at Eddie. His hair was splayed out around his head and the soft lamplight in the room gave him that hazy halo look again. 

Sometimes Steve wondered if Eddie was an angel who had come down to earth to save them all. He disguised himself as a gruff metalhead with a reputation for Satanism as a way to throw people off, but really he was on a mission to make sure Steve and Dustin and Robin and Lucas and the rest of the party made it out of all this Upside Down shit alive. There was a time earlier in the summer when Eddie had taken off his shirt in front of Steve so his bandages could be changed. His back was facing Steve and when he pulled the shirt over his head, the way the muscles in his back moved and flexed, Steve could’ve sworn he saw angel wings. And then there are times like tonight where Eddie’s hair catches the light just right and Steve can see his halo. It makes Steve wonder, if Eddie is an angel (and Steve firmly believes he is), then why would he ever choose to be with Steve? How is it that Steve Harrington, Keg King Steve, Steve whose love is bullshit, Steve who is bullshit, Steve who no one would ever believe is a good babysitter, how is it that he gets to have these moments with Eddie. Whatever the reason was and whatever god had sent Eddie to him, he was thankful for it. 

“What are you thinking so hard about?” Eddie asks, reaching up to push away hair that has fallen into Steve’s eyes. “You’re an angel.” Steve breathes out, eyes half-lidded like Eddie’s presence alone made him drunk. Eddie chuckles as Steve lowers himself to cover Eddie, his chin resting on his chest so he doesn’t have to stop staring at the angel under him. “You should see yourself. You look pretty angelic to me, sweetheart.” Both his hands have moved to play with Steve’s hair now, making sure to brush it back and out of face every once in a while. “No, you’re a real angel.” Steve’s eyes are getting heavier and heavier with every blink and the day he’s had is catching up with him. Here, with his angel’s hands in his hair and the view of his chocolate eyes and soft curls and a smile that always started on the left side of his mouth and grew to stretch across his face. He was happy to fall asleep in his angel’s arms, knowing he was there to take care of him. Eddie hums a little in response, “Then as an angel, I can’t let you go to sleep in jeans.” Eddie shifts onto his side, effectively moving Steve onto his side as well. As Steve begins the struggle of trying to wiggle out of his jeans without actually getting up, Eddie gives him a hand and pulls off his shoes and socks before finally tugging the jeans off his legs. Steve can hear the thunk of Eddie’s shoes hitting the floor as he kicks them off by the bed. He can feel Eddie trying to yank the blankets out from under Steve’s body and he lifts his hips and legs slightly to make it easier for him. When Eddie finally turns off the lamp and gets the covers on top of them, Steve pulls Eddie back into him, burying his face into his chest again and tangling their legs together. He starts to press lazy kisses into Eddie’s chest and neck as a thank you, “You’re my angel,” Steve mumbles, settling himself even further into the mattress as sleep overtakes him, “I love you, my angel.” He finally lets his eyes close for the night and tunes out the rest of the world knowing that he’s safe in Eddie’s arms. He is so content and peaceful that he doesn’t even seem to realize that that was the first time he had ever said I love you to Eddie and he wasn’t even awake to hear Eddie say it back.

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Hear me out:

Steve and Eddie 

but these lil guys

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are they… you know… [trying to die for each other while adamantly refusing to acknowledge their feelings] soulmates?

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reblog so others can vote as well!

help me dress eddie! see the latest version here.

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Swing

Chapter Three: Robin and a Million Wrong Guesses 

Notes:folks, i'm not going to lie, this isn't my best work. Unfortunately for myself I started another fic while writing this one and for some reason my only ideas are for that fic now. I promise, it'll get better...or maybe I'll just give up! we shall see. thank you for all the likes and reblogs, it means a lot!“So, then Dallas is your favorite character?” Robin asks, sitting at a barstool by the kitchen island. Steve and Robin have been filling the time between the arrival of food and Eddie by debating who the best Outsiders character is. “No, dude, Dallas is kinda mean sometimes! I just think he’s hot.” Steve retorts. “Well, if we’re just going by looks then Cherry is my favorite.” Robin smirks over at Steve before saying, “I always took you for a Sodapop kinda guy anyway.” Steve tilts his head, thinking about it a little. “Yeah, I guess. He tries to help out his brothers as best as he can and in the end he gets his heart broken by the girl he is in love with. Sounds about right!” Steve gives a weak chuckle. “No, I meant the fact that you are both willing to do anything for the people you love,” she starts, “But you’re also such pretty boys.” she adds before the moment can get too mushy for either of them. 

As Steve predicted, Eddie and the pizza showed up at the same time. “Ya know, I’ve never actually seen The Outsiders.” Eddie shares, pulling a few slices onto his plate before coating them with the little packet of red pepper flakes. “Seriously,” Robin questions, “I mean you at least read it, right?” There is a moment of silence as they all find a place to sit in the living room. Steve and Robin on the couch and Eddie sprawled out in the big chair Robin was in earlier. “Why would I?” Eddie shrugs as he starts to chow down on his first slice. Robin and Steve exchange a glance and chuckle a little before Robin says “Because it was required reading junior year…” “Was it? Man, seems like ages ago. I don’t know, man. Maybe I did read it, but all the books they made us read were shit. I like to get lost in a book and I couldn’t really relate to Pip from Great Expectations.” Everyone laughed a little trying to picture Eddie really diving into the woes of a young man trying to climb the social and financial ladder all while trying to woo a girl. 

“Okay, maybe I seriously misjudged the book.” They are about thirty minutes into the movie and Johnny and Ponyboy are running away after killing the Soc to try and find Dallas. Steve laughs a little, “Yeah, you think! It’s actually a really interesting story, right?!” Robin is lying across the sofa with her feet in Steve’s lap and Eddie has turned in the chair to get a better view of the TV, so his back is against an arm rest and his legs are thrown over the other armrest. “So who is your favorite character so far?” Robin asks. Earlier Steve and Robin decided that a person's type could be determined by who their favorite Outsiders character is. For example, Robin’s favorite character is Cherry and Robin has a thing for cute redheads. Steve’s favorite is Dallas because he is a “bad boy” with a heart of gold. “Sodapop!” Eddie answers without hesitation and Robin’s eyes get big as they drift over to lock with Steve’s. She purses her lips and tilts her head toward Steve as if to say “very interesting”. 

After the movie was over, the trio let the credits roll as Robin and Steve let Eddie talk through and dissect the whole story (like he should’ve done junior year). When he’s done going over metaphors and character archetypes, Robin asks again, “So is Soda still your favorite character?” “Of course,” Eddie half-shouts, throwing his hands up, “why wouldn’t he be?” Robin snickers a little and slips a sideways glance before explaining her “Outsiders type” theory to Eddie. “Okay?” he says puzzled, “So I have a thing for pretty guys who are nice. Is that really a surprise?” He shrugs as he settles back into the chair. Steve can feel his face getting warmer and he can’t tell if it’s because Eddie just confirmed for 100% fact that he is Eddie’s type or if it’s because he can feel Robin staring at him trying to get him to look over and have another eye contact conversation. “So, I guess I can rule out Gareth,” Robin states sitting up on the sofa while Steve still refuses to make eye contact with her. Eddie’s brows knit together in confusion and he starts to look around a little thinking he missed something and somehow ended up in a different conversation, “Rule out Gareth for what? What did I miss?” “As the mystery man you keep ditching us for,” Robin wiggles her fingers when she says mystery. Eddie just laughs, “Oh, yeah that. Yeah I wouldn’t go for Gareth, but that’s not to say he hasn’t tried.” Steve can tell by the way Eddie is shifting in his chair that he is trying to move the conversation away from this topic. He isn’t the best at keeping secrets anyway and especially not now that Robin is pressing him for information. “Oh really?” Robin’s bangs shoot up behind her eyebrows, “what has he tried?” She asks, leaning forward to place her elbows on her knees while she listens. Steve perches forward a little as well, he never knew Gareth tried anything and, let's be honest, Steve is known to get a little jealous sometimes. 

“Nothing really,” Eddie tries to brush it away, waving his hand in the air like it can actually push the conversation away,  “when he first joined Hellfire he would stay behind and help me with character sheets and one shots and stuff. The whole time I thought he was just super into D&D, but it turns out that he thought of them as dates.” Eddie was fiddling with his rings now and Steve huffed a little as he crossed his arms across his chest. “Pretty presumptuous, if you ask me.” It comes out as more of a mumble, but both Robin and Eddie hear and give him a look that says “what the fuck are you doing”. Steve rolls his eyes as he gets up to take their trash from dinner into the kitchen. “If it’s not someone we already know, then why are you being so secretive about it?” Even in the kitchen, Steve can hear Robin trying to whisper. There is a long pause and for a moment Steve thinks that maybe Eddie answered so quietly that he just couldn’t hear him. “Unless,” Robin starts, “it IS someone we know and that’s why you won’t tell us!” “Woah, wait a-” Eddie tries to defend himself, but Robin has already started shouting theories of who it could be and why Eddie would be hiding it. Steve makes his way back into the living room to find Robin standing on the couch slightly pacing as she rambles about who it could possibly be. Eddie is standing, staring up at her with a look of hopelessness on his face. Eddie and Steve look at each other, “should we just tell her?” Steve’s eyes ask. “She was bound to find out sometime,” Eddie’s eyes responded with a resigned shrug of his shoulders. “Robin-” Steve shouts, hands on his hips, she continues to ramble on about how it can’t be Argyle because there was no reason to hide that from anyone. “It would have to be someone super embarrassing, or maybe,” she pauses her pacing on the couch, “maybe he isn’t even out yet and that’s why you wont tell us!” “Robin!” Steve continues, if she would just stop for a second they’ll just tell her. “Oh Eddie, NO!” She suddenly stops her pacing and hops to the floor grabbing onto Eddie’s shoulders and giving him a little shake, “It’s Tommy Hagan isn’t it?!” 

“WHAT?!” Both Eddie and Steve shout in shock before the whole room falls silent and still. Robin still has her hands on Eddie’s shoulders and her eyes seem to be pleading with him to tell her it isn’t true. Steve still has his hands on his hips, but his jaw had dropped nearly to the floor at the assumption that Eddie would go for someone like Tommy. Hadn’t Eddie just said he liked pretty boys who were nice? Tommy H was certainly not that! Why the hell would Eddie date Tommy? “Well I was just going to tell you who it was, but now I’ve got to hear this theory!” Eddie starts laughing so hard that he bends slightly at the waist and grabs his sides. Steve is still standing there, fuming over a relationship that wouldn’t happen in any world, and Robin is now looking at Eddie like he’s lost it. 

After being able to look at Robin without breaking out into a fit of laughter, Eddie collapses on the couch and pulls Robin down with him leaving Steve standing still unsure of what exactly was going on. “Go on, tell me how you came to the conclusion that my secret lover is Tommy fucking Hagan.” Eddie can’t even get the sentence out without laughing. “Secret. Lover?” Steve ground out, giving Eddie an incredulous look. It was bad enough that Robin guessed Tommy, Eddie didn’t need to suggest anything further. Robin ignores Steve and barrels into explaining her thought process. “Well, it would have to be someone who we all know AND someone who would be embarrassing in some way or another. I would be pretty embarrassed to be dating the douchebag who slams people’s heads into lockers for laughs. But, no judgment here, my dear sweet Eddie, it’s hard enough for us gays here in Bumfuck, Indiana. If you really like him, then I’ll be happy to keep your secret.” Eddie is sent into another fit of giggles, meanwhile Steve lets the frustration sink in. He can’t believe Robin truly thinks Eddie would date some dipshit like Tommy! “You must be joking!” Steve starts, causing Robin to turn fully to face him and Eddie’s laughter to die down. “You really think that Eddie would willingly go out with the guy who threatened to dunk his head in a toilet or light his hair on fire?” There is a long pause as Steve looks at Robin in disbelief. “Well…that’s part of the reason he doesn’t want to tell anyone.” She states again. “Oh Jesus, Robin!” Steve throws his hands in the air before they come down with a sharp smack against his thighs. “Look, Robs, it was hilarious at first,” Eddie says, drawing her attention away from Steve's mini mental break, “But, I do have higher standards than that.”

“Then who?! Who could it possibly be?!” “ME, Robin! Did you ever think that, maybe, it could possibly be me?” Steve asks rhetorically with eyes wide. Both Eddie and Robin are now staring at him like he was in the middle of growing a third head. There is a long silence. A couple minutes stretches into 10 minutes of silence. Robin looking between the two boys, Eddie looking at Steve with adoration and looking back at Robin to gauge her reaction, but through the whole time, Steve kept his eyes on Robin. It must’ve been twenty minutes before someone made a sound and when they did, it was Robin laughing.

[fineinkline]

i was listening to Metal Guru by T Rex and its kinda happened

[fineinkline]

eddie will point at steve's lap and ask "is this seat taken?" and not wait for an answer

[fineinkline]

Swing

Chapter Two: The Coming Out-siders

“Explain. Now.” Robin says, bursting through Steve’s front door and making a beeline for his living room. “Well hello to you too, Robin. I’m fine, how are you? That’s nice, why don’t you come in and sit down.” He mumbles to himself as he plops down in the chair across from Robin. “I know for a FACT that Eddie Munson has not, does not, and will not ever have a girlfriend. I also know that you two have been spending more time together since he got out of the hospital. I also, also know that you haven’t even tried flirting with any of the ‘ladies’ that have come into the store since we went back to work. But, I also, also, ALSO know that if you had some sort of homosexual awakening that you would tell me, your best friend who is also gay, FIRST!” The room is silent as Robin finishes her rampage and leans back in her chair crossing her arms. Steve is perching on the edge of his chair, eyes darting around the room contemplating if now is a good time to tell her or if Eddie would even be okay with telling Robin right now. “Okay-” Steve starts before Robin can jump to her feet, “I knew it!” she screamed. “I knew there was no way that Eddie would willingly date a girl. But what I didn’t see coming was you getting jealous of his new date.” She says, wiggling her eyebrows in Steve’s direction. “What? Jealous?” It was Steve’s turn to jump out of his chair, placing his hands on Robin’s shoulders to stop her from bouncing and pacing that would eventually make Steve dizzy. “Yeah, you’ve been super weird for the past month and Dustin said that every time he’s called Eddie in the past month, Wayne has said he’s been busy with his date. Then last night, when you went to get another drink, El said that you were upset cause you were jealous. And you know that she has some sort of freaky 6th sense when it comes to this stuff because that’s why she dumped Mike.” Steve gave a wrap-it-up motion with his hand to let Robin know that she better get to the point quickly. “So,” she took in a deep breath and Steve ran a hand over his face in preparation for more rambling, “when did you realize you had a big gay crush on Eddie? I realized it right after he called you ‘big boy’ in the RV and it looked like your brain short-circuited . But I have got to say, the little story you told Nancy about wanting six kids with her did throw me off a little bit-""Woah, woah, woah!” Steve waved his hands in front of her until she finally stopped talking and stood in front of him panting like she had just run a marathon. “So everyone thinks Eddie has a girlfriend and that I’m jealous?” Robin gives him a flat stare, “Were you not listening to a thing I was saying?” She asks, flopping down into the chair to get comfortable so she can tell Steve the whole story once again. 

After a painful 20 minutes of Robin laying out everything that happened when Steve left the room, plus her “study” of how he and Eddie acted around each other she finally came to the conclusion, “you aren’t jealous because Eddie has a girlfriend! You’re jealous, because he has a boyfriend!” She jumps up pointing an accusing finger in Steve’s direction as he now lays across the sofa. There’s a long pause before, “You’re right,” he sighs, flinging an arm across his face, “I totally have a huge crush on Eddie.” Technically it isn’t a lie and this is the closest he can get to telling the truth right now. 

-

When Steve and Eddie first made their relationship official, they wanted to keep it secret for more reasons than just waiting for life to get back to as normal as it can be. For one, telling everyone they were dating would mean Steve would have to come out to everyone all at once. He had known he was bisexual for a while now, but that didn’t mean he was ready to parade that information around. Telling the party also meant telling Nancy and for some reason Steve’s stomach always turned at the thought. Just imagining it made him feel like he was about to get in trouble or like he did something wrong. He couldn’t tell Nancy in front of everyone else, if she was going to judge him, Steve wanted her to get all her thoughts out in private and not in front of the rest of their friends. Another reason they kept it secret is because Eddie wanted Steve to himself for just a little. They already don’t get to spend much time together. Steve is always at work it seems and when he isn’t, there is always someone else around. Party movie nights, random get togethers at Steve’s pool, Robin and Nancy coming over for game night, Eddie’s band practices and gigs, or D&D campaigns running late into the night. Even when Steve stayed the night with Eddie, most of the time was spent sleeping or talking each other down from the nightmares that seemed to be getting worse. They couldn’t get more than 2 or 3 hours to themselves. If anyone knew they were dating there would be too many questions and too many people looking at them, watching to see how they move and talk with each other to figure out how they didn’t notice before. They also knew that telling the party meant that their relationship would become an excuse for people (mostly Dustin) to get them to do things. For example, they know that the first thing Dustin is going to ask is, “So does this mean you’ll start playing D&D with us? You have to play, your boyfriend is the Dungeon Master, you have to play!” and Mike will make a snide comment along the lines of, “Does this mean you’re going to start ditching us now for Steve’s lame sports stuff?” Nancy and Robin will tell Steve, “you can bring Eddie! It’ll be fun!” when they try to convince him to drive them to a party that they know will not be fun for a gay couple in Hawkins. But they promised each other that if things weren’t back to normal, and they were still together, that they would tell everyone in August and the end of summer party the Hopper-Byer’s were throwing. It gave Eddie some time to soak up as much alone time with Steve as he could and mentally prepare himself for when Dustin forces Steve to sit in on a D&D campaign. And it gave Steve plenty of time to come out to Robin and enough time to talk to Nancy alone. 

-

“I knew it!” Robin screamed, her eyes going wide at Steve’s little confession. “How long have you known?” she asks, sitting down on the sofa with Steve, lifting his legs so they rest on her lap. “That I’m not straight or that I like Eddie?” he starts, “Cause I’ve known I wasn’t straight ever since you showed me Rocky Horror Picture Show last summer.” He trails off as Robin’s jaw drops and she gives his shins a playful hit. “Rocky Horror was your sexual awakening?!” “Well, I think technically it was Tom Cruise and Matt Dillon in ‘the Outsiders’, but yeah Rocky Horror really made everything click.” Robin nods her head as she lets the information sink in. “Makes sense then,” she starts, when she doesn’t finish her though Steve knits his brows together and motions for her to explain, “well Eddie looks pretty much like Dallas, just with longer hair.” She snickers. Steve starts laughing too, thinking back on how the ‘bad boy’ vibe of Dillon’s character is exactly what made Steve like him so much and realizing that his first male celebrity crush and his current boyfriend might have something in common. He lets his laugh build the more he thinks about it and Robin just laughs along with him until she’s clutching her sides and Steve is wiping a tear away from the corner of his eye.

“Well I’m happy for you Steve,” she says in earnest, taking one of his hands in her own, “I mean, it sucks that the first time you like a guy he starts dating someone else. But look on the bright side, at least you know he likes guys!” “Yeah,” Steve sighs, wistfully, trying to keep up the act of being slightly heartbroken. “So who is he dating anyway? I bet it’s one of the guys from Hellfire. Ohhh, I bet it’s Gareth! He’s always following Eddie around and looking at him with those big puppy dog eyes and listening to him like everything he says is some huge revelation that no one ever thought of before.” She starts to laugh again, but Steve cuts in, “No way! Like Eddie would ever go for a guy like him!” Okay so maybe he was a little too quick and a little too pushy at the idea of Gareth liking Eddie or vice versa, but it’s his boyfriend we’re talking about! “Jeez,” Robin says, backing off and quieting her voice a little at seeing how touchy he is about the subject, “so you don’t know who it is?” “Uhh-nope.” Steve shrugs as he pulls himself on the sofa to grab a drink from the kitchen. “All I know is that Wayne tells me the same thing he tells Dustin every time he calls.” Steve shouts from the kitchen, hoping that his lie is a little more believable now that he doesn’t have to look Robin in the eyes. Robin waits for him to come back to the living room before asking, “so then how do you know it’s a guy if all Wayne says is ‘he is on a date’?” Shit. Shit. Shit. “He told me?” It came out more like a question, but Steve wasn’t good at making this stuff up and he especially couldn’t lie to Robin’s face. “He just told you?” She levels Steve with a glare. “Don’t give me that look!” He defends, “You just told me, remember?” “Yeah, Steve, that’s different! You told me you liked me and we were on some crazy Russian drug cocktail and my mouth moves faster than my brain anyway!”Robin states, defending herself a little. “Maybe we were on drugs too when he told me,” Steve counters, “maybe I went over to his place one night when I couldn’t sleep and we smoked a joint or two and he came out to me!” Again, technically not a lie, he just wasn’t going to include the fact that Steve came out to Eddie and then the night ended with them making-out and placing hickeys where they wouldn’t be seen. Robin narrowed her eyes and bit her lip as she tried to soak in the new information and weigh out just how plausible it was. “That does sound like Eddie,” She says slowly nodding her head, “but he didn’t tell you who the guy is?” she whines, flopping her hands at her sides. “Nope,” Steve pops the p in the word as he sits back down next to Robin, handing her a can of soda he grabbed in the kitchen. He can practically see the gears turning in her head as she tries to figure out the puzzle with the few pieces laid before her. Finally, she looks up at Steve and asks, “Wanna order a pizza and watch The Outsiders?” Steve sighs and lets his shoulders relax a little at the hope that the conversation is over and they can move on to just hanging out. “Sounds great, Robs.” 

He starts to make his way to the phone to call in their usual pizza order. “You should invite Eddie over too,” she shouts from her spot in front of the VHS display case, “maybe we can get him to tell us who ‘mystery man’ is.” This is the worst idea in the world, Steve thinks. “Great idea, I’ll give him a call after this,” Steve shouts back. Usually, Steve crosses his fingers hoping that Eddie would pick up or be home every time he called, but now he was secretly praying that Eddie was out at a last minute band practice or out making a deal or that Wayne needed him at the apartment for something, anything that meant he couldn’t come over. But, after only two rings, Steve’s ears are graced with Eddie’s smooth voice, “Munson residence, what can you do for me?” Well, shit. “Hey, Eddie-'' Steve starts, hoping to fill him in on the situation before Robin can come closer and overhear anything, “Stevie! I guess I should be asking what can I do for you,” he asks seductively at the same time Robin walks into the kitchen. She leans on the wall on the other side of the phone, facing Steve. “Is he coming?” she mouths and Steve holds up his pointer finger telling her to wait a moment before placing his hand on his hip. “Ha ha Eddie, that is so funny,” he deadpans, trying to signal to Eddie that now isn’t the time without Robin thinking anything is out of the ordinary, “I was just calling to see if you wanted to come over and watch a movie with Robin and I, we ordered pizza and it should get here by the time you do.” “And don’t say that you’re going out with your boyfriend, Eddie!” Robin shouts into the phone’s mouthpiece and essentially into Steve’s ear. “Ouch!” Steve says, covering his ear for dramatic effect. “That I’m what?” Eddie laughs through the phone. “Yes, Eddie. Robin figured out about your mystery boyfriend,” Steve emphasizes the word mystery as he continues, “she was hoping that we could bribe you with pizza and you would tell us more about him.” “You weren’t supposed to tell him about the bribe!” Robin huffs as she swats Steve’s arm and marches her way back into the living room. “Look,” Steve whispers into the phone while he has a chance, “I didn’t tell her we’re together. She thinks I’ve been acting weird because I like you and I’m jealous you have a boyfriend and she doesn’t realize that the whole reason I’m acting weird is because you are my boyfriend so can you please get over here and make it sound like you hate your fake boyfriend and that you’re going to break up with him so she stops bringing it up!” All of his words started mumbling together at some point and Steve hopes that Eddie can put two and two together himself without Steve having to explain any more. There is a long pause on the line before Eddie answers, “So what movie are we watching?” Steve huffs out a sigh of relief, “The Outsiders.”