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Kinktober day 2: roleplay

Full version on patreon (link in bio)

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Eddie wants him so bad.

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Joe and Gaten :) Let's hope we get lots of fun promo with this duo!

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You've been isekai'd into a fictional setting. Spin this wheel to find out which one.

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Steve Harrington has OCD. There are days when he can barely hear his own thoughts. Days when he can't focus on anything else but whatever is triggering him. Days when he just wants to crawl out of his own skin.

No one around him gets it. Like, really gets it. He loves having everyone over at his place, loves filling the empty house with joy and laughter he never experienced as a child. But over and over again, he feels like he can't really be present in the moment. Because he gets stuck in a never-ending loop of mental checklists, pinpointing every single item that will need to be cleaned or put back in its place after they leave. Crumbs all over the couch. Henderson touching everything in his general vicinity with greasy, pizza-stained fingers. People walking straight into the house after swimming in the pool. Rug on the bathroom floor always wrinkled and askew. Tiny specs all over the kitchen that only he seems to notice. He knows they're little things. Unimportant, right? A little mess can't hurt you? He knows... He just wishes his brain would get it, too.

And it doesn't just impact him, either. His incessant bitching sets others around him on edge. That's probably the worst part of it all. Nancy used to get so annoyed with him whenever he'd ask her to not sit on his bed in her 'outside clothes'. He's pretty sure Robin hates cooking with him because of all the rules he has in the kitchen, but she usually just sighs and rolls her eyes. Dustin deliberately misunderstands his requests or, better yet, pretends he doesn't hear him at all.

Not Eddie, though. Because Eddie notices. The way Steve seems unfocused at times, like he's somewhere far away. The way his eyes tend to dart around the room. The way his posture changes when someone unknowingly does something that triggers him. He makes little mental notes of all the triggers and makes sure to remember them. So he starts taking off his shoes at the door, placing them on the rack. He cleans up after the kids, quickly wiping the kitchen counter and floor as Steve's busy walking everyone out of the house. He straightens the bathroom rugs. He wipes the floor after taking a shower at Steve's, so that there isn't a single droplet of water to be found anywhere outside the shower cabin. He changes his clothes before lounging around on Steve's bed. It takes Steve some time to notice everything Eddie's been doing to help out with his triggers.

It's a little after midnight, and Steve has finally managed to kick the little dipshits out of the house. He walks back into the kitchen where he is met with the sight of Eddie crouched down, a whisk broom and dustpan in hand. Something clicks then, stopping him in his tracks.

"Wait... How long have you been doing this?"

Eddie freezes then and glances up quickly, looking every bit like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Oh, sorry, it's just- I noticed the stuff on the kitchen floor makes you kinda uncomfortable, so I thought I'd help out a bit," Eddie says softly, like he's scared he's done something wrong. Steve feels something warm spread around in his chest, followed by a familiar burning sensation behind his eyes.

"And the rugs? Was that also you?" Steve's voice is shaking now. But he can no longer prevent it. He's about to have a full-on breakdown in front of Eddie Munson.

Of course, Eddie, the perceptive bastard that he is, has already picked up on what's about to happen. He quickly sets the tools aside and straightens up, taking a few strides towards Steve, ducking his head to catch Steve's downcast gaze. To make sure he's okay.

"Hey, Steve, look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I shouldn't have overstepped. I'm so sorry," says Eddie, gently placing his hands on Steve's shoulders to offer a reassuring touch. There are now silent tears rolling down Steve's cheeks, but he brings himself to meet Eddie's gaze nevertheless.

"No, no, Eddie, you didn't. It's just- How did you know?" Steve asks, somewhat hesitantly.

"Because," Eddie moves his hands up to cup Steve's face, looking at Steve like he's trying to see straight into his soul, "because I see you, Steve Harrington."

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2025 and still shipping steddie just as hard as I did in 2022 with no plans of stopping ⭐️⭐️

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came across this video and decided to do a little throwback~

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Gargoyle Eddie

Eddie would be the cutest little gargoyle statue. Like imagine Steve, son of a wealthy man, living in an elaborate estate with a whole rose garden, lake, statues and the like.

And by his balcony window there’s a small gargoyle statue looking out to the rose garden and Steve just spends his nights talking to it when he vents. It helps talking, even if the gargoyle can’t hear him or respond.

It’s got a fierce face to scare away evil spirits: long canines, beady eyes, and tiny wings that are way too small of its boulder body, like fucking bee physiology or something.

But Steve has basically personified the damn thing after talking to it since he was a preteen, so occasionally he’ll dress it up in a scarf and hat during the cold. Sunglasses during summer…

One night, there’s a storm that tears through the estate, the rose bushes barren of leaves and buds, the walkways covered in mud, fences ripped from the winds and…

His precious gargoyle friend in pieces on the ground below his window, a lighting strike cracking it open like an egg. He can’t say what he’s upset about, not really. Not for a stupid childish attachment,

So instead he says, “I’ll miss the roses” when asked.

The following night, there’s the flapping of wings and Steve looks out the window, sky clear after the rainfall and moon bright enough to see what looks like a chunky little ball landing on the podium where his gargoyle once’s stood.

It looks exactly like the stone statue. Terrifyingly so. But it’s so familiar to him he can’t help but open the glass doors, and reach out to touch the leather skin.

And oh my god it feels disgusting like touching a toad.

So of course he lets it sleep at the foot of his bed like a dog or something. He’s actually half convinced that he’s dreaming to be honest, it’s too bizarre.

Come morning, there is a naked man on his bed, pale grey, with claws for fingernails and canines sharp as he drools on Steve’s sheets.

And on his back, there are small leather wings, deep grey, and thin like bat wings.

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My lil winter exchange for @hotluncheddie ! Hope you like it!💖💖🥳

@steddieexchange

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Good/Bad media alignment chart

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I call upon the fan fic writing gods to bless you with the perseverance to finish one of your unfinished drafts. 

May your fingers dance along the letters upon your device with ease, may the devil of distraction stay far from you, and may your work not need much editing.

I pass this blessing upon every fan fic writer out there.

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cw: accidental voyeurism, (consensual) barebacking/unsafe sex, steve/female character

eddie walking down the hallway at a house party trying to find the bathroom and instead coming across an open door with one steve harrington going balls deep in some girl who's moaning like she's being fucked by a god.

with the way steve has them positioned with his hips rolling between her spread legs, eddie has a clear view of the way her cunt stretches around steve's dick on the glide in, can see the creamy white coating his shaft every time he pulls out, like he's well on his way to giving her another creampie.

eddie doesn't mean to stop and stare. they left the door wide open. steve gets louder, high pitched and breathy moans as he speeds his hips up with the girl's encouraging pleading as she reaches down and rubs her clit. the sound of skin smacking skin gets more frantic and eddie should really find the bathroom and take care of the little problem he's now got going on in his jeans, but he's mesmerized by the way steve fucks. the rolling muscles in his back, the sheen of sweat coating his skin and the clench of his ass as he thrusts deep inside his partner.

but then it's over. just like that. the girl cries out and shoves her hips down as her orgasm washes over her in waves and steve presses his cock deeper with a loud groan, filling her pussy with his cum for the—eddie doesn't know how many times steve's came in her or how long they've been at it, but he wants to see more. wants to see steve from the very beginning, working a girl up until she's wet and panting. steve seems like a guy who knows how to worship a pussy and make his girl of the night feel like a queen.

he quickly retreats down the hall and finds the bathroom before they even notice he's been watching them. eddie slams the door and locks it. puts his whole weight leaning back against it as he gets his pants undone and pulls his leaking cock out. doesn't bother holding back his own moans and curses. stripping his cock hard and fast to the fresh memory of steve harrington's dick. the sounds he made that bordered on whiny.

eddie's thoughts suddenly change to steve being underneath him and making those same sounds as he writhes on eddie's dick like needy little thing he is. eddie comes all over his fist to fantasy-steve's face scrunched up in pleasure as eddie tips him over the edge.

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Steddie I Soulmate AU I 2k I Rated Mature I idiot4idiot

The thing about linking with your soulmate, you never knew when it was going to happen. There were horror stories about it happening during weddings to someone else or while performing heart surgery or landing a plane, but linking was so rare, stories like that seemed more like fairy tales than cautionary ones.

If anyone had asked Eddie what he thought about it, he would've said the odds of there being some guy out there destined to be his mate, let alone that he'd have to worry about linking during some critical moment, were astronomically low.

He'd be wrong.

Because his ears are ringing, his vision has tunnelled, and there's an empty vacuum where his usual chaotic thoughts should be. All signs pointing toward-

Hello?

Jesus H. Christ, not now! Not right now, this cannot be happening now. Quick! Think of something else! Uhhh… Golems! Ice golems! Or maybe frost giants. Yeah! Not having hate sex with your arch nemesis. Shit! Stop thinking about it! Frost giants, frost giants, frost giants!

Hate sex? He hears echo around his noggin next. Arch nemesis?

Fuuuuuck. No, darlin’, don't even worry about that stray thought! Nothing to see here. I'm, uh, baking! Yeah. Brownies. For a charity bake sale

A long pause, empty space between them, before he says, I don't believe you. I think you are having sex

Sex?! He screeches. How dare you! I would never!

You would. Go balls deep into a guy you don't even like, sounds like to me. Class act.

Oh god, there’s gotta be a way to salvage this.

No, let me explain, please!

Knock yourself out

Right. So, this guy, I know him from school, right? And he was always kind of a jerk. The space between them pings with a sort of stung feeling but Eddie doesn't understand how any of this works yet so he ignores it. But we end up having a few mutual friends, and this one really weird event happens that forces us to, like, team up, I guess. After all that I'm spending more time around the guy and he's not so bad. Invited me over to smoke up with him, which was cool. I'm gonna be totally honest, I'm not sure how exactly we got here, the sex part, but it’s pretty hot and heavy, kinda aggressive, so… yeah. Hate sex I guess

Soulmate is quiet again. His feelings bleed through anyway, at least Eddie's pretty sure that's what he's getting. It feels like embarrassment and disappointment.

You okay? Did I scare you off?

You don't like the guy at all? You said arch nemesis

Oh. Uh. Well… How did he explain to his future partner, if he hadn't already ruined it, that he likes him plenty, he's just been holding him at arms length, metaphorically, because he assumed the guy was straight? Up until roughly twenty minutes ago. He should probably start with honesty.

No, I like him okay. He's not as bad as I'd always thought. We give each other shit but I'm pretty sure it's just left over bullshit stereotypes from high school. I bully him about his music taste, he bullies me about my shitty van. That type of thing

…Right

He waits to hear back from his soulmate but he's not very talkative. That's okay, Eddie can talk enough for both of them.

So, what were you up to when we linked? Not driving I hope

He can hear the guy sighing over the link, which is worrying.

You'll never believe it, but I'm also having sex at the moment

Seriously? That's hilarious

Yeah. A hoot

Not having fun?

I was. But I recently found out the guy doesn't like me that much. So, yeah, real mood killer

Oh man. That sucks

Oh my god. Yeah, it really does. Kinda wish he'd get off of me so we can get the awkward part over with but he's distracted at the moment

Doing what?! Eddie yells, offended on his behalf.

“He’s busy not realizing he linked to the guy he was hate fucking.”

Huh?

“Eddie, open your fucking eyes.”

That's Steve talking.

He blinks his eyes open to see Steve looking up at him. He's not pleased.

Wait

“Yeah.”

Oh my god

“As impressive as it is that you managed to stay hard through that whole thing, I'd appreciate it if you-” He hisses as Eddie, rudely he realizes, pulls out without warning.

He scrambles to the end of the bed, bunching up the comforter around his junk. “I'm so sorry, fuck, Steve, I'm so sorry. I don't… I didn't…”

He can't fix this, he starts to slowly comprehend. He's made Steve think he hates him.

“Nah, it's cool. I get it.”

I don't hate you, I swear. You have to believe me

“Sure, Eddie.” He's yanking his briefs back on, angry and trying not to show it. “You just don't like me much.” Can't believe I did this again. So fucking stupid

Eddie's certain he's not meant to hear any of that but he responds anyway.

You're not stupid. Please let me explain

“You already did. And I am fucking stupid,” he snaps. “Here I thought we were flirting this whole time and you thought we were bullying each other. That's real fuckin’ stupid of me. I'd convinced myself you actually-” He snaps his teeth shut but Eddie can still hear the unfinished -liked me. “I really wish you would control your feelings, dude. You're broadcasting your horror straight into my head.”

“I don't know how to stop,” he quietly admits.

“Well if you'd ever shown up to health class you'd know how to control it.”

I never thought I would get a soulmate

Steve's surprise at that pings around his brain before he does what Eddie can't and shuts it down.

“I did. I've been thinking about it for years.”

And you ended up with me… And I ruined it before we even got started. I ruined it. Steve Harrington is my soulmate and I ruined it. What the fuck

“You don't have to say it like I'm some kind of prize.” He steps into his jeans and tugs them back up to his hips, not even bothering to do them up. Which is- “I guess it's nice that you think I'm hot. That's something. Maybe we'll be the first casual hookup soulmates.”

He has to fix this. Somehow. Think, god damnit! Wait! That's it! He just has to show Steve what he's thinking!

“I wish you wouldn't.”

“Too bad!” He snaps back.

Okay, as embarrassing as this is about to be, he has to tell the truth.

Eddie was in the 8th grade, Steve in 7th, when they first met. Or, when Eddie first noticed Steve anyway, they never really spoke to each other, their cliques already established by then. But Eddie can remember it like it was yesterday. It was lunch, Eddie was walking by with his bagged PB&J, when he heard it. Steve laughing. It was so joyful, Eddie didn't even know what he was laughing about but it made him smile anyway. Of course one of Steve's shitty jock friends caught him staring and called him a queer freak but that wasn't unusual.

“What the fuck, Eddie? Why do you remember that? And how are you so good at visualizing?”

He ignores the questions to move on to the next memory. Eddie's sophomore year they somehow ended up in the same Shop class. Again, they never spoke but he got to watch Steve work, tongue poking out while he concentrated, the proud look on his face when he whittled some hunk of wood into a recognisable shape.

“I forgot about that. It was a dolphin. I was dating Chelsea Hosteller, they were her favorite animal.”

“Lucky her.”

“Hey, fuck you, man, you're the one showing me this shit! What am I supposed to assume from any of this? You thought I was cute? So what? You clearly don't like who I am as a person, so what difference does it make?”

He's not going to have the patience for every single moment, and they're a lot of them, Eddie realizes that now. So he speed runs through them, making sure to send every bit of feeling through their link.

Steve in his Scoops outfit, luring Eddie to the mall but never making him brave enough to go in. The horror of not knowing whether Steve was alive or dead when he heard about the mall burning down. The joy of finding him at Family Video, somewhere he had reason to visit.

You never even talked to me there

Listening to every word to every story Henderson told him about Steve and his bravery. Pretending to be annoyed so no one noticed he was eating it up. Getting to know the real Steve over Spring Break, the giddiness he couldn't quite tamp down, even as he was scared shitless. The pain of knowing Steve was still in love with Nancy Wheeler, even though it was the obvious narrative to Steve's fairytale life. Of course he gets the girl at the end.

What? Is that why you-

The way he stuck around afterward, even though their dynamic was more antagonistic than friendly, and the way Eddie thrived off of every snarky comment. How it felt like banter even though Eddie knew, by all logic and reason, Steve was merely tolerating his presence. They would always be antithetical to each other, circling but never meeting.

Eddie, no

Steve growling ‘Do you ever shut up!’ before pouncing on him downstairs. The heavy pounding of his heart as he wrestled Steve up the stairs. The way his brain never did catch up to what was happening or why, until it was too late, and he was ruining both the greatest sex he'd ever had and also the chance to prove, though he's still completely unworthy, that he has already been primed and ready to fall for Steve for years. The shame of ruining it. The heartbreak of ruining it. The teeny, tiny spark of hope as Steve stares him down. He has to close his eyes to avoid it, lest he say something stupid and fuck it up again.

You…do like me?

Yeah, Stevie. I like you a whole lot. I just didn't think I was allowed to like you. I didn't realize you liked me too. I'm sorry I said all that shit earlier. I didn't want to tell the guy I'd just linked with that I was thoroughly enjoying the chance to sleep with this guy I'd had a crush on for years. That seemed rude

The bed dips and so does Eddie's stomach. Steve's enormous hands slide up his neck, into his hair, and gently cradle his face as he leans in to kiss Eddie square on the mouth.

Oh. Hi

Hi

This is nice

I think so too. How do you feel about finishing what we started but this time we both know that we like each other?

That sounds awesome. But are you sure? I really, really fucked up the first time

I thought you were perfect up until you called me your arch nemesis

I have been told that sometimes I'm a little dramatic

You know what, that's fair. I really should've taken that as a compliment, if anything

See? Now you get it

What I'm getting is another condom. Hold my ankle so I don't slide off the bed

You got it, baby

Unbelievable. Salvaged the wreckage of his own stupidity and managed to bag the hottest guy in town! Score one for the nerds!

“I heard that.”

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When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let's spread the self-love 💛

ohh thank you Hype!! 🖤

in celebration of the 290k words i've published in 2024, i'm gonna choose 5 of last year's fics

Heat of the Moment, feat. Eddie losing his mind over Steve in very short shorts

Mine, feat. possessive Steve (with a little twist)

Sweet Thing/Safe Space, feat. Sub Eddie & ProDom Steve

Away From The Sun, Into My Arms, feat Vampire Eddie, inspired by this art piece

gotta be Wet Dreams (because this spiralled from a microfic to a oneshot to a three chapter fic and i loved every second of writing it), feat. Virgin Eddie and Slutty Steve my fucking beloved

also, while we're at it - below are some of my favourite fics i've read this year:

Bear Hugs by @steddieas-shegoes

Updraft (and also all of the Kiss that ring Series because i'm obsessed with it) by @just-my-latest-hyperfixation

Through the pines by @steddie-island

A Thousand Flowers Could Bloom by @morningberriesao3

The Graveyard Shift by @stervrucht

I'll Be As Honest As You'll Let Me by @braincell-pingpong

just an only child of the universe. by @thefreakandthehair

Take your time (I wanna cross some lines) by @sidekick-hero

In the Garden, Under Your Hand and Tempest Entire (how to even choose?) by @paradimeshifts7

There Are Galaxies In You by @wormdebut

the carnivorous lamb by @arimakes

A Day After by @griefabyss69

Impressionable Young Minds and Tentative by @eddywoww

Oh, He Wants by @thisapplepielife

Jaeger Moon by @azrielgreen

The Train Fic by @novemberthorne

Turn by @postmodernau

i don’t know, you figure it out aka Trailer Park Steve by @wynnyfryd

and so may more, i couldn't possibly name them all

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Join my Patreon today for spicy Steddie🔥🔥

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@wheneverfeasible I saw this SO CLEARLY, I couldn't help myself.

The sign pops up midway through their second to last song.

Eddie frowns a little because they don't usually allow signs at their concerts. As fun as they can be, it isn't always appreciated by other fans who paid just to have their view of the stage blocked by a piece of poster paper. Especially when that poster paper is being held by someone right up against the barrier.

He wonders why they didn't bring it out earlier, wonders if maybe they were banking on him not saying anything since the concert is almost over. Unfortunately, Eddie can't just let one person slide; if he lets one person get away with it then other people are bound to try!

Eddie finishes out the song and grabs the mic off the stand as he makes his way over to that side of the stage. "Hey, sign person. I dunno if you're new here, but we don't-"

He cuts himself off as he gets close enough to actually read it:

EDDIE U R PRETTY. MARRY ME?

His heart stops in his chest and his eyes snap down, hoping-

And it is. Pressed against the barrier is Steve - who is supposed to be backstage - holding the sign with the biggest smile on his face. He shakes it a little, pulling Eddie's attention back to it, and the reality of the question slams into him, almost knocking him off his feet.

Eddie practically throws the mic and shoves his guitar to his back as he scrambles off the stage, almost falling in his haste to get to Steve. The crowd around them goes crazy when Steve drops the sign so he can pull Eddie into his arms, almost hauling him over the barrier.

Steve has been one of the best things that ever happened to him, the last two years of his life absolute bliss even with both of them traveling and not getting nearly as much time together as he wants.

Moving in together last year had helped a lot, and overlapping CC's tour with hockey season so they can actually spend the summer together helped even more.

"Are you serious?" Eddie asks, on the verge of tears as he clings to his boyfriend. Steve chuckles and nods, holding him even tighter.

"I am. I love you, Eddie. I wanna spend the rest of my life with you, if you'll let me."

Eddie laughs wetly and nods. "Of course I'll let you," he says, and Steve pulls back just enough to look at him.

"Yeah?" Steve asks, and Eddie nods again before pulling him into a kiss.

They're not expecting the "He said yes!" that comes over the speakers or for the crowd to explode at the news. They laugh into the kiss and Steve breaks it so he can rest their foreheads together.

"I think you have a show to finish, rockstar."

"I guess I do. See you after?"

Steve gives him one more peck before releasing him, a grin on his face. "Of course. We have to celebrate our engagement, right?"

A shudder runs down Eddie's spine at the implications of just how they're going to celebrate, and though he doesn't rush through the last song, it's a near enough thing.

Eddie doesn't like sports.

Well, okay, that's not technically true. Growing up in the deep south left him with an ingrained interest in college football that he's not sure he'll ever be able to shake, but at least he can understand that game. He doesn't know a single fucking thing about hockey.

The rest of the guys had been excited when Chrissy said the band had been offered tickets to see the local NHL team. He was upset by how quickly he'd been outnumbered, but the boys had plied him with the promise of violence on ice, and that was enough to sooth the betrayal, at least a little.

Which is how he finds himself here, smushed between Chrissy and Gareth and not really as engaged as he should be, watching a bunch of men run around on the ice - sometimes literally, which is crazy. There has been a little violence though, so that's something at least.

Eddie blinks when Chrissy hands him a small dry erase board and a couple of markers that she pull from her bag. "What's this for?"

"You're famous, Eddie. The arena staff knows we're here, which means we're probably going to be on camera. I figured you could entertain yourself with some appropriate messages. Appropriate," she reiterates, and Eddie grabs at his chest like he's been shot.

"You wound me! As if I would ever deign to flash the cameras with a message that's anything less than the pinnacle of wholesome!"

Chrissy rolls her eyes but smiles - ever used to his dramatics by now - and just turns back to the game. Right, sometimes it's easy to forget that Chrissy is actually a sports person.

Eddie gets to work on his first message, not entirely sure when they're going to be the focus of the large screen above them. Chrissy glances over to see what he's writing and just sighs, and Eddie can't bite back his grin.

It's actually not too long before the announcer mentions something that isn't related to the game, and then-

"With nearly twelve million monthly listeners on Spotify, please welcome local metal band, Corroded Coffin!"

Eddie looks up to see their faces on the screen and grins as he turns his board around, showing off the LOOKIN 4 HUSBAND he's written in block letters. There's a mix of cheers and laughter from the crowd, and Eddie can't help but give a joking wink to the camera before he's laughing as well.

Chrissy smacks him on the arm and says "I can't believe you," but she's smiling as well. Eddie just shrugs and cleans the message from the whiteboard, freeing up space for him to doodle in between catching glances at the game.

It's a little bit later when a big fight breaks out, and a few players from each team are sent to the- box? The box. Eddie watches the big screen as the camera follows one of the players, tracking the man as he steps inside the little booth and rips his helmet off in frustration and- holy shit.

The guy is fucking stunning; his jaw, his nose, his sweat-damp hair and the beauty marks scattered across his skin like stars. Eddie wants to get closer, wants to know the color of his eyes and smooth the crease between his brows, wants to shove his fingers into that pretty, pink mouth-

And then the camera changes, going back to the players on the ice, and Eddie blinks like he's been released from a spell. He turns to Chrissy, one hand grabbing at her arm as he says "Who the fuck was that guy?"

Chrissy glances at him but keeps most of her attention on the game. "Harrington? He's literally the captain of our team, Eddie. I know you're not super into this, but that's kind of a hard thing to miss."

The man huffs a little as he releases Chrissy's arm. "I know literally jack-shit about this game, Chrissy, nothing is hard to miss."

Eddie takes the chance to re-write his white board before turning it to face outward, hoping that some cameraman will take pity on him and put him back on screen. He's not sure how long Harrington has in what is essentially timeout, but Eddie keeps his eyes on him all the same, glad that they're actually not too far away from the box.

It's a couple of minutes later when the announcer says "Looks like our friends Corroded Coffin have another message, this time for team captain Steve Harrington," and Eddie doesn't need to look to know that the screen is showing his new sign: #14 U R PRETTY. DATE?

He sees Harrington - Steve - look up, and watches as the frustration melts from his face, only for the prettiest pink blush to spread across his cheeks and ears. The guy laughs - and christ, Eddie didn't think he could get any more beautiful, but here he is - and doesn't hesitate to nod, even makes a little call me motion like he knows Eddie's watching him.

Eddie beams and nods back, laughs when the other player in the box shoves Steve playfully and makes a comment that deepens the blush on his face. He gets a couple of shoves and smacks from his own friends and a bewildered "I can't believe you just did that!" from Gareth.

Chrissy leans into him as he cleans the board again. "Hockey's not so boring now, is it?" she says, and Eddie can't help but agree, his eyes never leaving the ice - leaving Steve - for the rest of the game.