#AU Hopper Engineer | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

carolperkinsexgirlfriend · 10 months ago

Text

Steddie Upside-Down AU Part 66

Part 1 Part 65

They’re all sent off to school with a command to “act normal” from Hopper so they don’t draw any more attention to themselves while he investigates. As if any of them can even tell what normal means anymore. Still, they go, taking Steve’s car since Eddie’s is still out on unwilling loan.

Steve doesn’t protest when Eddie slides into the driver’s seat.

There’s nothing playing in the tape deck, just silence past the smooth sound of Steve’s engine rumbling beneath them. Every time Eddie glances toward the passenger seat, Steve is staring blankly out his window. Even Eddie reaching over to squeeze his knee garners no reaction.

He keeps his hand there, regardless, hoping the warmth will seep into him while he drifts and keep him warm no matter where his mind is.

Once parked in front of the school, Eddie jumps out of the car like normal. Steve doesn’t. So, he walks around the front of the car to open the door, bowing lowly with a flourish of his hand, playing the part of his gracious valet. Or enthusiastic date.

There’s a ghost of a smile as Steve finally unbuckles his belt and climbs out, elbowing Eddie in the ribs as he passes.

He doesn’t grab his bag, so Eddie does, swinging it onto his shoulders, slamming the passenger door and sprinting after Steve where he’s somehow already halfway across the parking lot.

The smile’s already dropped by the time he catches up and matches his pace. He’s staring ahead vacantly enough that Eddie briefly worries he’s no longer on this plane at all, but he’s walking normally, and he nods at the few classmates who call out to him as they pass.

Popularity isn’t something that can be entirely shrugged off like an ill-fitting jacket. It dogs Steve’s footsteps still, sticking to him even after he’d quit all sports teams, had faded out entirely from the high school party scene. Had started to stick to Eddie’s side like they’re tied together by the wrist.

Steve never even seems to notice the way girls still light up around him, and sometimes jocks will wander up to talk about their sportsball games like Steve had still been out there with them scoring the winning goal. Steve always smiles affably, slaps them on the back, shoots the shit, and then he’s on his way.

Like it’s all still normal to him. Expected, even.

But now, the barest nod is all anyone else gets. Except Eddie.

Because when Eddie drops him off at his classroom, he walks in, shrugs off Steve’s backpack and drops it by the seat Steve’s in the middle of settling into. He bows again, and murmurs a quiet, “parting is such sweet sorrow,” while the few kids already in their own seats gawk at the spectacle he’s making.

Steve meets his eyes for the first time that morning, brown eyes fathomless but squinting at the corners as he smiles up at him. Beautiful in the way it’s finally reaching his eyes. “See you at lunch?” he asks, like that’s not a given.

Eddie looks around furtively at the circle of empty seats that still surround them, calculates the distance between them and the nearest warm body, and decides to risk it all.

“See you then, angel,” he says, keeping his gaze locked on Steve’s own until he looks down to dig a notebook and pen out of his bag, ears turning a light pink.

Eddie whistles all the way out the door and into his own homeroom, but the cheer dissipates quickly as Steve’s absence settles into his bones.

He can feel him from the other side of the school. Eddie wants to be with him so badly that it feels like Steve’s reeling him in, the pressure in his sternum almost too much to keep his ass in his assigned seat. It grows from first period to second, until he has to convince himself several times not to skip English to wait outside Steve’s own classroom door like an overeager basset hound.

Act Normal. Be Normal. As if Eddie knows how to do that.

Jeff keeps giving him sideways glances from across the room that Eddie easily avoids by keeping his eyes on the clock, urging the seconds to tick along faster, as if he’s Supergirl and not just a freak with separation anxiety.

Everything goes in one ear and out the other until lunch. He practically skips to the cafeteria, grabbing Steve’s lunch as well as his own because Steve always gets waylaid on the way.

He sits at the usual table, ignoring Jeff’s glare, and Doug’s pointed questions, and Gareth’s downright bitching while he stares at the cafeteria entrance, willing Steve’s bitchy little face to appear in its threshold.

Barb settles beside him, forcibly shoving Gareth down the table despite his protests. Eddie glances over at her to see the same dark bags under his own eyes.

“Tell me what’s going on,” she demands. “What did Owens sa—”

“Not here!” he hisses, looking around. Doug’s looking right at him with his stupid, judgmental face. “Do you want everyone all up in this?”

She scoffs, stealing a fry from his plate before he can bat her hand away. “No one was paying attention until you made a scene.” When Eddie just scowls at her, she rolls her eyes, but acquiesces, “You’re filling me in later.”

Eddie nods before dismissing her entirely to look back toward the threshold. Toward that insistent tug tug tug.

It’s been too long. He gets up, abandoning both of their lunches to follow the line. “Where are you going?” Barb demands, getting up to follow him with a dramatic huff. “Like a toddler, honestly.”

It’s moments like this when he can see how Barb and Nancy ended up friends. When she puts her nose in the air just so, he can almost picture them emulating each other as little girls, feeding off the little bitches they both are on the inside.

“Steve’s missing,” he says, walking fast enough that she’s got to do a little jog around a few students to catch up.

“He’s like ten minutes late to lunch, not lost in the—”

She cuts herself off, but Eddie knows what she was about to say. Not lost in the Upside-Down. Not taken, again. As if she has any idea at all.

“You didn’t see it,” Eddie mutters, walking faster, faster, faster.

Barb doesn’t reply, just quick-steps in time with his slightly longer legs.

She’s right, though. Steve’s not missing, not taken, not gone at all. He’s standing in the middle of the hallway, glaring at Perkins and Hagan like they’d just spit in his face. His fists are clenched, his cheeks are flushed. He looks alive.

Eddie and Barb stand at the corner, peering around it like half-assed sleuths. Steve’s gotta know they’re there. Or at least that Eddie is, but he doesn’t look their way.

“—think it’s a good idea to air my own private business out to him?” Steve demands, flicking his hand toward Hagan dismissively.

Perkins throws her hands in the air with an abortive scream of frustration. “Air what?” she asks. “You won’t even tell me what the hell’s going on!”

“And why should I,” Steve snarls, less as a question and more as a scoff. “So, you whisper everything I tell you into your boyfriend’s ear at night?”

“I wouldn’t—”

Hagan, ever the prize, barrels right over her with his own shit. “Steve just doesn’t want you to know how far he’s snapped, babe,” he says, smirking up at Steve as he takes a step closer, chest pumped out in the same way of primates posturing everywhere. “If he thinks he’s got magical traveling powers, who knows what else he’s hiding in that messed up head of his?”

In that moment, it becomes abundantly clear that Perkins had told Hagan everything she’d heard. Steve’s face blanches white, then splotches red. “How fucking dare you!” Steve demands, but he’s not looking at Hagan at all. He’s looking at Perkins. Only Eddie sees the way Hagan’s face falls at the dismissal before he paints that same jaunty grin back on his face. “You told him?”

Perkins screeches, throwing her hands out with enough ferocity that one smacks Hagan in the chest hard enough to send him stumbling back a step. Still, no one looks his way. “What was I supposed to do?” she asks, voice warbling and high-pitched. “We’re worried!”

Hagan snorts and mutters, “you’re worried,” pointedly until Perkins elbows him hard in the ribs.

Eddie watches Steve’s face fall. Perkins and Hagan are too busy verbally brawling in the hallway, but they don’t know about the sky-blue teddy bear that still resides on their bed. They don’t know the way Steve’ll sometimes hug it to his chest before bed, curling into a ball around it as he holds it close to his chest.

They don’t know there’s anything to look for, or maybe they just don’t care. But it doesn’t matter, because by the time the pair’s turned back to Steve, he’s shorn up his facade, back to the look of haughty indifference he’d worn for years around this school. Eddie hasn’t missed it.

“Steve, please–” she says, and she sounds desperate. Like whatever she’s saying, she means it. But Steve’s closing down on all sides, and Eddie can’t stand a second more of this.

“Oh, Ms. Perkins, darling,” he calls, skipping down the hallway like he’s not seething. “I believe you have something of mine.”

It takes her a second to rip her gaze away from Steve’s shuttered expression. She stares blankly up at him before something sparks behind her eyes. She scowls up at him, digging his keys out of her pocket and tossing them his way with narry a thanks.

“By your leave then, my lady,” he says, curtsying while Hagan rolls his eyes and Perkins gazes wistfully down the hall where Barb and Steve are almost out of sight.

Eddie jogs to catch up and reclaim his rightful spot at his Angel’s side.

Part 67

Taglist: @deany-baby @estrellami-1 @altocumulustranslucidus @evillittleguy @carlprocastinator1000 @1-8oo-wtfbro @hallucinatedjosten @goodolefashionedloverboi @newtstabber @lunabyrd @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @manda-panda-monium @disrespectedgoatman @finntheehumaneater @ive-been-bamboozled @harringrieve @grimmfitzz @is-emily-real @dontstealmycake @angeldreamsoffanfic @a-couchpotato @5ammi90 @mac-attack19 @genderless-spoon @kas-eddie-munson @louismeds @imhereforthelolzdontyellatme @pansexuality-activated @ellietheasexylibrarian @nebulainajar @mightbeasleep @neonfruitbowl @beth--b @silenzioperso @best-selling-show @v3lv3tf0x @bookworm0690 @paintsplatteredandimperfect

#steddie upsidedown au #my fic #eddie munson #steve harrington #literally posting this the minute i finished it bc i want it out of my sight. did Not even spell check. ok goodnight

257 notes · View notes

leclerc-s · 1 year ago

Text

paint the town red - part four

FERRARI (TAYLOR'S VERSION)

series masterlist

peter parker i'm going to miss you guys

sebastian vettel it's a week break peter. we'll be fine.

peter parker A WEEK IS TOO LONG! I SPENT THE LAST MONTH WITH YOU PEOPLE!

ollie bearman i'm happy to go home. away from peter. sometimes i worry for him.

bianca stark-potts you wouldn’t be the first ollie.

harley keener i bet oscar is happy to get away from peter

peter parker fuck off

tony stark language

bianca stark-potts pipe down steve rogers

charles leclerc i do not understand

harley keener the avengers were on a mission one time and steve accidentally said language when someone cursed.

peter parker I MISS YOU GUYS!

carlos sainz you just left???

tony stark we should spend the next break at seb’s farm

sebastian vettel ABSOLUTELY NOT! i don’t want you heathens on my farm!

charles leclerc aww come on. call it team bonding or something.

carlos sainz i’m sure you know all about that harley keener yeah you would know all about team bonding wouldn’t you?

tony stark what the hell does that mean?

harley keener nothing old man.

carlos sainz don’t worry about it.

peter parker YOU GUYS SHOULD COME TO NEW YORK SOON!!

charles leclerc i'd like to see my family, thank you for the invite though.

bianca stark-potts harley i swear to god you open your fat mouth and carlos will be down a race engineer.

harley keener well maybe someone and someone else shouldn’t have gotten drunk after bahrain and slept with each other.

charles leclerc it was a one time thing!

carlos sainz then what the hell was saudi?

harley keener IT HAPPENED TWICE??

bianca stark-potts three times actually

charles leclerc although that one doesn’t count because nothing happened. we did sleep on the same bed.

harley keener I’M TELLING NAT!

bianca stark-potts AND I’LL TELL EVERYONE YOU STARTED THAT RUMOR ABOUT CLINT LIVING IN THE VENTS!

charles leclerc it won’t happen again, i promise.

carlos sainz okay mr. 'i won't date her friend carlos. i promise.'

harley keener HOMIE HOPPER!!

charles leclerc fuck you keener.

harley keener of course you would want to, you already slept with my friend now you want to sleep with me. charles leclerc OH COME ON! harley keener it's okay, i know it was an inchident charles leclerc honestly just date arthur, you two are perfect for each other. fucking pricks

biancastark-potts has posted new stories

back home, new york how i've missed you.

mr.woofstappen is glad to be back home.

reunited with my favorite person michellejones

someone teach these boomers how to pose for pictures

AUSTRALIA 2024

scuderiaferrari posted new stories

quali day (carlos' version)

quali day (charles' version)

AND THAT'S ANOTHER POLE POSITION FOR CHARLES LECLERC HERE IN AUSTRALIA!!

THAT'S P1 AND P3 FOR OUR BOYS FOR QUALI!

taglist: @celesteblack08 @be-your-coffee-pot @evans-dejong @elliegrey2803 @bingewatche @arkhammaid @sunflower-golden-vol6 @lorarri @melanier7 @ironspdy @mypage-myfandoms @vellicora @you-bleed-just-toknowyouarealive @enchantedthoughts @stopeatread @hobiismyhopeu @lilsiz @alessioayla @niniluvsainz @au-ghosttype @fulla02 @cowboylikemets1989 @six-call @embrosegraves @justtprachisblog @bionic-donut @rmeddar123 @nichmeddar @landonorizzz @unluckyyoshi @raizelchrysanderoctavius

strikethrough means i couldn't tag you

¡leclerc-s speaks! peter parker is a swiftie, you cannot convince me otherwise. let's get ready for whatever shitshow las vegas is going to be (i say this as an american. at least i live on the west coast so the schedule isn't as bad for me as it is for others. same time zone as vegas baby!!!)

¡disclaimer! this is in no way making assumptions about the people involved in this story, this is all fake. it is a fanfiction please don't take any of what is said seriously. this is all for entertainment purposes and as a creative outlet for me. enjoy!

#leclerc-s #paint the town red series #f1 instagram au #f1 x oc #f1 oc #f1 smau #f1 social media au #f1 #formula one #f1 fic #formula 1 fic #f1 x female oc #charles leclerc x female oc #marvel social media au #f1 x marvel crossover

252 notes · View notes

afewproblems · 2 years ago

Text

Part Three Mean!Eddie Misunderstandings AU

Part One, Part Two, read on Ao3 Here

Thank you everyone for your patience, I am splitting up this last part into two (I know, I know - I'm sorry!!)

***

The drive home after dropping Robin off was long. She had offered to stay the night again but Steve insisted she go home unless she wanted her parents to throw them and impromptu engagement party after she eventually graduates --Steve still winces when he thinks about Mrs.Buckley cooing about what sweet babies they would make when she thought he had left the other night.

He pulls into the empty driveway and shuts off the Beemer’s engine; it feels criminal for the sun to still be at full force at this time but at least he's been able to avoid the heat for most of the day.

And say what you will about the Harringtons, but at least they had invested in AC before skipping town without him.

Once inside Steve hangs his keys on the hook beside the door and heads upstairs to change. He just wants to crawl into bed, hide himself under the covers and sleep after the day he's had.

Robin did her best to give him a pep talk after their run in with Eddie at Family Video but it had mostly consisted of her brainstorming how to shave his head without implicating themselves.

It made Steve laugh despite arguing that Eddie's hair was his third best feature and Steve is fairly certain he would be second in line to avenge it next to Eddie.

Steve throws on an old pair of pajamas and a ratty Hawkins high t-shirt from the floor beside his laundry basket. He sniffs it dubiously and throws it on, it could go another day without a wash --it's just him tonight anyway.

Alone again.

Steve makes his way downstairs and debates a frozen pizza or the leftovers in the Tupperware Mrs.Henderson had forced into his hands before he left their house the other night.

He'd picked up a lot of recipes from Claudia and learned different ways to stretch an ingredient across multiple meals or even make a single meal last multiple days -with his parents gone so often it had been crucial for him to learn. Steve isn't even sure where they are at this point or if they know about the earthquakes.

A small part of him hopes they don't know, because if they did and still haven't called or come back to Hawkins to check on him….

Steve quells that line of thought and tosses it into the little box in the corner of his mind.

Don't think about it.

Steve rolls his shoulders and opens the fridge before taking out the tupperware and grabbing a plate from the cupboard.

The sudden sound of tires crunching and an engine turning off outside has him looking towards the front entryway, it's definitely in his driveway, but he isn't expecting anyone?

Oh god…what if it's Hopper or Nancy? Another gate? If Vecna's back, they needed him.

Steve nearly drops the plate in his hands in his haste to get to the door, he manages to put it on the counter before sliding over the hardwood floor as he stumbles into the foyer.

Steve flings open the door to reveal a nervous Eddie Munson on his doorstep.

"Eddie?" Steve says, his voice pitched with surprise and concern, he looks around for any sign of one of the other kids, "What is it? Is it Vecna? Is anyone hurt?"

Eddie blinks, his eyebrows pop up into his scruffy bangs, "What? No, no man, it's just me".

Steve breathes out a sharp sigh of relief and lets his heart rate slowly calm down, but if it wasn't the Upside Down why the hell was Eddie here?

Contrary to popular opinion, Steve wasn't actually stupid, he knew Eddie wouldn't just be here for him, he'd made it perfectly clear that they weren't friends.

"Oh," Steve mumbles, still confused, "did you leave something here the other night?"

Eddie tilts his head slightly and his eyebrows fall into the barest furrow, "No Steve, I just, can I come inside?"

His right hand twitches once before reaching for the door frame as he steps forward.

A million questions nearly burst forth from Steve, what do you want? Did the kids put you up to this? Are you going to say it to my face this time? What do you want from me?

He wrenches them back, shoving them all into that same little box, and instead says, "yeah man," as he steps aside to let Eddie through.

Eddie grins but it doesn't quite reach his eyes, the anxious feeling in Steve's gut, twisting and cold, begins to build again.

All at once Steve is incredibly aware of the fact that he's wearing pajamas and a dirty old t-shirt, he's sweaty and tired from a long day at work and he doesn't have the emotional fortitude to be told off again.

"Hey, Eddie, listen," Steve fumbles through the words, he reaches up to pinch his fingers into his eyes, "if this is about Hellfire, I'll back off, I didn’t mean to," he stops and swallows, searching for what to say.

Because, what did he even do? It's still not clear and the thought makes him want to grind his teeth.

"To like, interfere with your set up? Or, or, actually, you know what,” Steve's voice suddenly climbs in volume, "I don't know, what did I do Munson?"

Steve raises his hands from his eyes to his hair which he grips harshly with one hand while the other gestures wildly in front of him.

"Why are you here? Why did you come to Family Video,” Steve shakes his head and chews harshly on his bottom lip, “if you hate me, I don't understand why you keep coming around?"

Eddie is frozen in front of him, a ‘deer in the headlights’ look in his eye, his mouth opens once and closes, but Steve keeps going.

"I mean, was this just some kind of weird game to you? Let's see how much we can stick it to old King-Steve? I heard you that night man," his eyes begin to sting as he yells, his throat tightens and the words waver slightly at the end.

Steve grits his teeth to keep himself from speaking, from revealing more than he wants to, he hasn't felt like this since Nancy called him Bullshit in the middle of that crowded Halloween party and isn't that thought a punch to the gut.

Steve shakes his head and turns his face away to pinch his nose so harshly he worries it'll bruise.

"So," Steve whispers, letting the fight drain out of him from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet, "what do you want, because I am not really up for whatever this is".

Eddie isn't looking at him anymore, his face is pointed at Steve but his eyes are trained on a point on the floor between them, his eyebrows furrowed.

Unbelievable.

"Look," Steve breathes out, he reaches up and presses the fingers of his left hand into his eyes, surreptitiously wiping away any evidence of moisture, and gestures behind him at the foyer, "if you want something just spit it out, otherwise I'm tired and I'm going to bed so--"

"I'm sorry" Eddie blurts out, he takes a step closer to Steve who steps back without a thought. Eddie winces at the movement and draws his arms around himself.

Eddie seems to hesitate, his eyes dart over Steve's face and once towards the front door before his expression flattens and his shoulders square in one fluid movement.

Steve's stomach does a little swoop as he remembers that Eddie nearly sacrificed himself to save Dustin, he wonders if his face held the same expression before he cut the rope.

"I'm sorry for what I said, I," Eddie swallows audibly and shifts his weight from foot to foot, "I was so sure of something for a really long time and it made me act like an ass".

"Sure of what?" Steve says, his voice nearly a whisper.

"How much do you remember about me from school?" Eddie murmurs eventually, there's a slight tremor running through his hands which tighten their grip on the sides of his jean vest until his knuckles stain white.

Steve shakes his head, there wasn’t much, but by the time he had heard whispers of the name Munson, he had been dealing with Hargrove, and Nancy, and Dustin's attempts at rehabilitating a demo-dog --he'd had more than enough on his plate at the time to worry about some metal-head that stood on tables in the school cafeteria.

Eddie's breathing stops and starts in short shallow hitching breaths and his face grows even paler than normal, he looks like he's seconds from passing out if Steve is being honest with himself.

Fuck.

"Hey, hey Eddie, come on breathe man," Steve says sharply, he moves quickly, keeping his hands up ready to catch him, just in case, as Steve leads Eddie towards the kitchen.

He helps Eddie sit down on a stool by the counter ledge and grabs a glass from the cupboard. Steve flits around the kitchen, distracting himself with getting Eddie water and a cool damp washcloth which he drapes over the back of his neck.

Eddie lets his head droop slightly with the weight of the towel and scoffs, muttering something under his breath; Steve's hackles raise of their own accord as he steps away from him.

"I'm just trying to help man, Jesus," he bites out, resisting the impressive urge to throw the other man out. Steve leans against the wall opposite Eddie instead and scowls.

"Christ," Eddie snaps as he grabs the cloth and brings it around to wipe his face, "I said, I can't believe I thought you were a Grade-A asshole".

Steve suppresses a flinch at the title, the tightness in his chest returns at full force.

"Thanks," Eddie mumbles, slumping in his seat as the anger seems to drain out of him. Eddie closes his eyes, holding up the towel, "how did you know that would help?"

He reaches for the glass in front of him, the slight tremble of his fingers the only remaining sign of Eddie's panic.

Steve shrugs, a small part of him wants to tell Eddie about the Russians.

How his sense of touch almost always helped to snap him out of an episode, whether it was Robin’s small warm hand on his cheek when things got too much, or a cool wet washcloth to wipe away the sweat from his brow after a waking nightmare. It was grounding, bringing him back to the present quicker than any other method he and Robin have tried in the last year or so since recovering from their time underneath Starcourt.

Steve’s not quite ready for that conversation though.

Eddie's watching, analyzing him the way Robin does sometimes and Steve realizes he must have been quiet for awhile, Eddie’s big brown eyes trace over Steve questioningly, but he keeps his mouth shut for now.

"You want to talk about it?" Steve says slowly, changing the subject. He half expects Eddie to tell him to shove it and get up from the stool to leave, pretending this conversation never took place.

He doesn't though.

Instead Eddie drops the towel on the counter and brings both of his hands to his face. He sits there, hunched for almost a minute solid before letting them drop back into his lap.

Eddie doesn't look at Steve as he starts to speak.

"I've lived with my uncle for a very long time," he says softly, the words almost too quiet for Steve to make out at first, "I moved in with him just before highschool".

Eddie swallows and licks his lips, "I told you a little bit about my dad already yeah?"

He raises his eyes to finally look at Steve, who nods again. It feels wrong to speak, like he would be interrupting.

"Well, he wasn't arrested till after I was in Hawkins, but I don't think I really felt safe until the day Wayne got that call".

Steve's stomach abruptly falls into his shoes.

Sure, Eddie's story about learning to hot wire had made Steve pause but he hadn't really thought more about that story beyond the ease with which Eddie brought the vehicle to life. He feels his chest twinge with shame this time and steps closer.

"Apparently," Eddie continues, slowly, carefully, "Billy Hargrove had taken it upon himself to tell everyone he could about me and my shitty fuckin' family".

"That uh," Eddie's wary eyes flick up at Steve once more, his expression tight, "that my dad kicked me out, woulda killed me if he could've".

Steve feels a chill roll up his spine at the words.

“And he wasn’t wrong, got all the details right somehow, even the one about me liking--" he trails off before wiping his left hand down his face while the right reaches for the towel again and begins fiddling with it.

Steve makes a noise, something soft and understanding, he takes a step closer to the counter, halting as Eddie looks up with open panic.

"But," Eddie continues with watchful eyes, "up until a few hours ago, I thought…you had done that".

And that is the last straw.

Steve doesn't think this time when he moves, he steps up to Eddie and before he can even open his mouth or flinch Steve has him wrapped in his arms.

It's awkward with Eddie still seated on the stool, his face pressed into Steve's collarbone, but he’s tense and Steve knows he's stopped breathing altogether.

"I'm sorry about your dad," Steve murmurs into the top of Eddie's wild hair, and he is. Steve knows exactly what it's like to have a dad that uses violence to get his way, that screams first and asks questions later.

Eddie shakes his head once, an incredulous expression pulls at his brow as he leans back slightly to look Steve up and down once more before he grins sharply.

"Yeah well," Eddie hums, "I'm sure he wasn't planning on having a fag for a kid".

Steve pulls away abruptly, but keeps his arms around Eddie's shoulders, his face briefly twisting into a harsh scowl. Steve doesn't catch the terror that flits across Eddie's face as he stands up to his full height.

"Don't call yourself that," Steve says harshly, "and don't use that word around Robin and the kids".

He lets go of Eddie entirely, and begins to pace, "Your dad is a piece of shit, who didn't deserve you and Billy Hargrove is lucky he's dead," Steve growls lowly, he takes a deep breath and holds it for a moment before releasing it slowly through his nose, he needed to calm down.

Like he said, Billy was dead, and the senior Munson was in some prison somewhere where he couldn't get to Eddie anyway, and not every problem required the use of his fists, Robin's words echo in his ear.

"What?" Eddie blurts out, surprise painting his face. He cocks his head to the side and narrows his eyes at Steve as though he's never seen him before.

But there's a fire in Steve that has been burning for three years, ever since he tried to apologize to Jonathan and Nancy the very first time, and the flames burned even brighter a year ago when he stopped to take in Robin's pale, desperate, face as she told him about Tammy.

"And I know Hawkins is shit, trust me," Steve growls, he steps into Eddie's space again, "but there are people here who believe that there is nothing wrong with you, got it? You have us now".

"I, I know," Eddie mumbles, he's still watching Steve with something akin to awe in his eyes but it disappears as quickly as Steve spots it.

"Thank you," Steve says eventually, "for telling me, sorry if I freaked you out just now".

It's quiet in the kitchen for a beat, the only noise is the steady tick of the large wall clock beside the pantry and the hum of cicadas from outside the kitchen window Steve had forgotten to close that morning.

Steve nervously chews his lip, he's ruined it again, his second attempts at being cool about someone coming out to him even worse than the first. Robin had been nice about it at the time -and admittedly neither of them could quite remember the bulk of the conversation, but he does remember telling Robin her first crush was a dud and sounded like a dying Muppet.

So, he was two for two.

"You're sorry?" Eddie finally croaks, his eyes are larger than Steve has ever seen him and his chest stutters once as he breathes rapidly.

Steve reaches for the discarded cloth on the counter just to keep his hands from reaching for Eddie.

"You're sorry?" Eddie says again, his voice barely a whisper, "you're unbelievable is what you are".

Oh.

Steve sighs and blinks once, twice, before closing his eyes, "I know".

"Shut up," Eddie barks, "I'm the one who is trying to apologize and you're being so--"

"I know--"

"No! Let me fucking talk Harrington," Eddie shouts, and Steve feels his teeth click as he snaps his mouth shut.

He braces himself, better to get it all out on the table now, he thinks, let him say his piece and then they can all just move on -he can move on.

"I don't think I ever understood you, how you fit in with this whole group," Eddie mutters, his face tipped towards the floor, he brushes a handful of curls away from his face as they slide forward.

"I mean, I watched you in action, you ripped a fucking bat in half man," he laughs but his expression is shuttered, almost blank as he counts off on his ringed fingers, "you carried me out of hell, you listen to all the shit the kids say when they tell you stories, do you know how many people would just tune them out? You cooked for my uncle, you--Robin is your best friend? Robin?"

"Hey,” Steve says sharply with a glare, “layoff Robin, what are you even saying?"

"See!” Eddie throws his hands towards Steve emphatically, a wild look in his eyes,”that's what I’m talking about! Thats, it’s--okay it’s not coming out right," Eddie stands up from the stool but stays beside the counter.

He huffs out a small quiet laugh and shakes his head, his eyes never once leaving Steve’s face, "you're just, you're not who I thought man".

Steve crosses his arms, wrapping them tightly around his midsection and the Hawkins high logo in faded orange print,"I thought we already had this conversation?"

"Yeah well, I actually mean it this time".

"...Right,” Steve sighs tiredly, it's laughable really, just how wrong he and Robin had been.

All that time he thought they were growing closer, that Eddie had been his friend.

All those small moments over the last few months were nothing. Just two people with vastly different expectations of what they meant to one another.

Eddie’s face twists as the words tumble out at a mile a minute, "no, fuck, Steve, I can't, just--I don't," he grabs two handfuls of hair and yanks, hard, "I came here to tell you that I'm sorry, and I'm fucking it up.”

Eddie takes a deep breath before letting it all out in one smooth motion, "you're amazing, Steve, and I'm kicking myself for not seeing that before”.

He takes a step towards Steve but hesitates,spinning the rings on his fingers.

“I’m just, I’m really sorry and I hope that you can forgive me, that we can get back to where we were before?”

Steve feels himself smile mechanically, his chest tight and cold, he nods once and hears the words, 'yeah man,' leave his mouth. It's as though he's in a fog, everything feels so far away.

The smile Eddie gives him is brilliant, bright enough to light up the kitchen but Steve turns away and sweeps a tremulous hand through his hair.

"Yeah, Eds, we'll see each other around, we're good".

Eddie's smile falters slightly, but Steve is determined to end this conversation, go upstairs and crawl into bed for a millennia,

"I'll put in a good word with Mrs. Henderson," Steve continues, gesturing towards the abandoned tupperware on the counter, "I think she'd listen if I told her you guys needed a place for Dusty-Bun's club".

Eddie's face falls slightly, "What, Steve--"

"It'll be great, Claudia makes the best snacks and she honestly has a better basement than the Wheelers --but don't ever say that to Mike or you'll never hear the end of it," Steve says with a half smile as he walks towards the counter to grab the tupperware, he lifts it up to show Eddie before he reaches for the fridge door to put it away.

He's not hungry anymore anyway.

"But…" Eddie whispers, the tone catches Steve's attention but he can't look at Eddie right now, he just wants to sleep.

"I mean, you could come, you know," Eddie clears his throat and moves, the sound of fabric and shoes scuffing across hardwood makes Steve finally look up.

Eddie is beside him, his expression equal parts wary but hopeful, his big brown eyes fixed on Steve.

I thought Hell would freeze over? Steve thinks to himself angrily before biting the inside of his cheek.

They've just reached some kind of truce, Eddie apologized for fucks sake, he should just let this go.

But there is a heat now that simmers in his chest, it makes him want to scream. Steve swallows roughly and pushes the feeling down, trying his best to smother the flames into embers before they engulf him completely.

If friendship is all he is allowed, then Steve can work with that, he just has to reign things in a bit. He’s been playing fast and loose with his heart for so long and that it's become a dangerous game.

"Yeah, sure, I can," Steve mumbles tiredly, "I just have to check my schedule, Keith's been keeping me on my toes lately".

He shrugs and gives Eddie a wane smile before clearing his throat and turning away, "anyways man, I'm beat".

Steve moves towards the opposite hallway, he feels like he's escaping.

Eddie stands in the kitchen, shoulders drooped, but he nods and stuffs his hands into his pockets. He takes a step towards the foyer before turning sharply around.

"Harring- Steve," Eddie winces, "Steve, I also wanted to say we're sorry about the table, we didn't mean to scratch it all to hell that night and," he swallows roughly, "I can, we can chip in to…help fix it or whatever".

But Steve is already shaking his head, the ghost of a smile on his lips, "it's cracked actually--"

"What?!"

"No, no," Steve cuts in, he waves his hand to sweep away the panic in Eddie's voice, "Sorry, it's been cracked for awhile, you guys didn't have anything to do with it".

Eddie deflates in obvious relief, he laughs brightly, letting the last of his nervous energy flow out in a cackle.

"Fuck man, thank God, I definitely do not have the money to fix that shit," Eddie sweeps his hands into his curls to pull them away from his face, "why's it still cracked?"

Steve shrugs, "No one's bothered with it before, easier to just leave it I guess," he breathes out sharply through his nose in something like a laugh, "I wouldn't know how to fix it if I tried, never been good at woodworking".

Steve looks back at Eddie to find him staring, his eyebrows have pinched together and gone is the smile that shone nearly as much as the rings on his hands.

"Anyway, I'll see you around man," Steve hums, he doesn't need Eddie analyzing him, seeing something in him that he shouldn't. It’s a dismissal, one that Eddie seems to take well, despite the stiffness of his shoulders.

"Yeah, I'll see ya," Eddie says softly over his shoulder as he makes his way out of the kitchen, back towards the front door.

Steve waits until the door has closed, until he hears gravel under tires, until he's sure that Eddie is gone. His chest tightens once more with hot blistering anger that builds in his stomach before overflowing into his chest.

It drives him forward, the anger, the overwhelming heat building up his neck and pounding in his head, he's at the counter all of a sudden.

The plate he was going to use for supper is in his hands.

He raises it over his head and brings it down in a satisfying clash of shattered ceramic that explodes all over the hardwood.

Steve stands there, breathing raggedy in a daze.

Fuck.

The floor is covered in shards of varying sizes, he realizes belatedly he's only wearing socks but the thoughts come slow as though dragging themselves through mud.

Steve steps over the ceramic and walks to the pantry, he removes the broom and dustpan from the small hanger on the inside of the door.

Steve begins to sweep up the shards into a little pile, wincing as a few pieces here and there cut through the fabric of his socks and into the soles of his feet.

Steve doesn't realize he's crying until he sees the tears drop into the pile of plate shards and dust. Steve scrubs his arm over his eyes roughly and sniffs, his lungs stutter once as he chokes out a wet cough.

"Get it together," he says sharply to himself.

Steve methodically sweeps the rest of the plate into the dustpan and walks towards the sink before opening the bottom cupboard and tipping the pan into the garbage can.

He takes off his socks and examines the bottoms, there are a few small pieces of plate but no blood -Steve counts it as a win.

Steve leaves the broom and dustpan out and walks himself and the dirty socks out of the kitchen and up the stairs back to his room, his limbs feel heavy and the steady heat that had crawled up his neck has been replaced by a bone deep exhaustion that he longs to sink into.

Steve closes his bedroom door and steps towards the bed, allowing himself to tip forward and collapse against the comforter.

It's hard to move now, everything feels sore, from the tips of his toes, and the soles of his feet, to the top of his head. It's as though someone stretched him out between their hands and twisted and twisted until there was nothing left inside of him.

He's empty and that thought is terrifying.

Steve reaches out blindly for the phone on his bedside table, he manages to snag it by the cord and narrowly avoids smacking himself in the face as the hard plastic swings into his hands. He dials the Buckley's home number by memory and waits.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Mrs.Buckley, can you put Robin on?"

"Of course dear, but we are going to be having dinner soon so not too long okay?"

"Yes Mrs. Buckley,"

He waits, letting his pillow cradle the phone to his ear while the muffled background noise of the Buckley household trickles through the speaker, talking and television and laughter. It's a stark contrast to his own silent home.

"Steve?"

"Hey Bobby," he nearly whispers into the receiver, he feels himself melt into the mattress at the sound of her voice.

"Steve" Robin grumbles over the line, "I just left you like an hour ago, what's up?"

He chews on his lip and the words for a beat, considering how to even tell her, "Eddie, um, came by".

"What?!" Robin's voice squeals over the speaker and Steve almost drops the phone as he jerks it away from his ear, "what did he want? Did you let him in?"

"Yeah Bobs," he sighs tiredly, "he, he apologized--"

"Steve, we talked about this, you forgive people way too easily--"

"I know, I just…" he doesn't even know how to say it, that a rage burnt him up from the inside out until he was nothing but hollow embers and smoke.

"Robin, I was so angry,"

"Did you yell at him? What did you say?"

"No," he pushes himself up from the pillows, just catching the phone as it threatens to tumble from his shoulder, "he left, he, we talked about going back to normal, he…"

"Steve, what the hell did he say this time, you have to tell me, it's like the platonic soulmate law--"

"He didn't mean it the first time, when we talked in the Upside Down, that he thought I was a good dude, everything I thought for months has been a lie," his voice shakes as he continues, "he thought I spread this awful rumor about him back in highschool and he's never forgiven me for it, but I had no idea and I didn't do it -I know I was the fucking worst back then but Robin I promise you I didnt-"

"Hey, hey, it's okay, do you want me to come over?"

"No, your mum said you had dinner right away,"

"Steve, you’re way more important than dinner, that's so lame but it's one thousand percent true and I'll come up with something better when I get to your house, I'm leaving now".

Steve smiles as Robin hangs up with a soft, ‘see you in a minute!’ and sets the phone back on the receiver, he closes his eyes and tucks his face into the pillows for just a moment.

Steve wakes with a start to the sound of feet hitting the stairs two at a time, he looks over at the red numbers on his bedside clock and squints as copper sunlight hits his face through his bedroom window. It's nearly quarter after seven now and the exhaustion that had held his limbs seems to have loosened ever so slightly.

Steve doesn't move from the bed as Robin opens his door and pads slowly across the carpet. She says nothing in greeting and crawls onto the mattress. Steve shifts slightly to let her wiggle her way in between him and the bedroom wall.

"You asshole," Robin scolds softly, but there's still a smile in her voice, "you didn't even lock your front door, anyone could have come in here".

She wraps her thin arms around him from behind and Steve feels himself melt into the embrace.

"This have anything to do with the broom and dustpan on the counter?" she continues after a beat, "you don't really strike me as the sweeping type, it was like pulling teeth getting you to do it at scoops".

"Vacuuming is better" he mumbles into his pillow.

Robin is warm behind his back, holding him steady, and he finds himself reaching for her hand draped over his chest. The easy affection soothes the remaining burn in his heart.

"I smashed a plate," Steve says so softly he can feel Robin even shuffle closer to hear him.

She's quiet a moment, but she doesn't move away. If anything, Robin seems to drape herself over his shoulder even more, wrapping him up in a cocoon of warmth. Steve swallows roughly and turns his face further into the pillows.

"Nothing like a good plate smash," she mumbles sagely into his ear, "I think I read that in a magazine once, buy cheap dishes so you got something to smash when things just get too much," she pauses to sit up and turn him over to face her, "or maybe it was pencils".

Steve snorts as she mimes a violent snapping motion with her hands, and finally let's himself look at her.

Robin's smiles as his eyes meet her own, but there's still a flicker of worry behind her blue ones that she can't seem to hide.

And she isn't the only one who is worried.

This wouldn't be the first time he's acted out because of his anger. Steve would be the first person to admit he has a history of impulsive behavior, throwing himself fist first into situations before he can properly think it through.

He says things in the moment he regrets later. Hell, Steve vandalized private property because he was angry with Nancy for christ sakes.

But this was different, it felt different. This scared him. It was like he had taken a backseat for a moment, disengaged from the world and came back to himself surrounded by shattered ceramic and a deep feeling of shame.

He wonders, belatedly, if this is how his father felt when he would break things, when he would scream at Steve until he was red faced and shaking, when he would slam doors and smash the flat palm of his hand into walls or dragging his heavy class ring over the previously unblemished wood surface of his grandmother's table.

It's terrifying to think about.

"You want me to stay?" Robin whispers after a beat.

Steve breathes out sharply through his nose, "I'm sure your parents would love that," he wiggles his eyebrows and attempts a lecherous wink, laughing at the squawk Robin makes.

She grabs one of the pillows and catches him with a face full of cotton batting, "Hey, for a fake boyfriend I could do worse you perv".

It starts an all out war, Steve lets her get him into a headlock before he licks all the way up the offending arm holding him in place, she lets go with a cry of, 'Gross!' and swings the pillow into his face again.

By the end of it they're both laughing so hard they can't even sit up.

"Robin," Steve says softly.

They're laying on the bed, Steve with his head on the pillow by the headboard and Robin laying with her head closest to the end. She nudges his ear with her toe and he jerks away with a squawk.

"Yeah?" Robin groans as she slides her elbows towards her head to prop her torso up to look at him.

He lets his eyes trace over her, this girl who can make him laugh no matter what, who seems to read his mind with little to no trouble, who is ready to loudly defend him whenever possible.

He loves her so much.

Steve shakes his head, a prickly static charge builds in his hair as it rubs against the pillow, "just, you're just the best person I know," he says eventually, "don't tell Dustin I said that, but I'm glad I met you".

Robin mimes pulling a zipper closed over her mouth and flicks away the metal pull. Her cheeks are flushed and her eyes are suspiciously shiny at the tender admission.

"You absolute goof, do you keep onions under your bed," she snarks after wiping her eyes with her hand, she takes her wet fingers and wipes them off on his pajamas.

"I'm glad I met you too, and if you want to talk about," she half shrugs and tips her head towards his bedroom door, "you know, the plate thing, I'm here".

She reaches for his ankle resting next to her elbow and gives it a squeeze, "God, all the hair on your legs, it looks like you have a second set of pants on".

"Can't even be nice to me for longer than five minutes," Steve mutters as he steals the offending leg to sit up on the bed.

"I didn't bring anything," Robin says suddenly, looking over at the glaring red numbers on Steve's alarm clock on his side table, "what's a gal gotta do for some food and some pj's?"

Steve rolls his eyes and uncrosses his legs and throws them over the side of the bed, sitting up while he's at it, "you figured out a Russian spy code with your little genius ears but you couldn't snag a change of clothes before you left?"

"Hey, you called me, I came running," Robin tells him firmly, she sits up and scooches over to sit beside him with her legs draped over the edge and their thighs pressed together.

"I know Bobby, I knew you would," he says softly as she leans her head to rest on his shoulder, the weight at his side is warm and familiar and pulls a smile at the corner of his mouth.

Steve lets his head loll to the side to rest on Robin's, his limbs loose as a tension he hadn't realized had been trapped in his shoulders flows out of him.

***

Over the next few weeks things begin to ease back into some semblance of normal.

It's not easy.

Steve ends up having to trick the kids into going to the old ice cream parlor where Eddie is waiting for them to make a separate apology for their last Hellfire meeting.

Steve insists they're fine to the four sets of disbelieving eyes that scowl at both of them, he and Eddie have buried the hack-saw and there's nothing more to say.

"It's hatchet, Steve," Dustin says with exasperation and barely concealed glee, “you buried the hatchet, sometimes I think you say these things on purpose".

"Oh Dusy-bun," Steve hums, reaching out to catch Dustin with his arm and drag him into a loose headlock, "I absolutely do it on purpose".

It's a little awkward, Will still seems a bit wary of Eddie, but Mike, Dustin, and Lucas obviously missed their Dungeon Master.

Steve can't help the clawing guilt that sits heavy in his stomach from being at the center of their little fight, but a small irritable part of him is envious of how quickly they all fall back into step with one another without missing a beat.

"This place is alright," Lucas says once they've all settled into a hideous lime green booth with their treats, "but the butterscotch is shit compared to Scoops".

He's frowning at the half eaten cup in his hands like he's tempted to toss it right then and there.

"Ice cream is ice cream," Mike scoffs with a roll of his eyes, he reaches for the cup which Lucas snatches back just out of reach from grabby fingers.

"Hey, I never said I wouldn't finish it--"

"You're practically giving it away dude, come on!"

Eddie smiles and seems to finally relax into his seat, he leans across the table closer to Steve and Dustin and whispers conspiratorially, "What the hell is scoops?"

"Remember Starcourt?" Dustin chirps around a mouthful of Rocky Road before Steve can say anything, "Steve worked there, and Robin, that's how they met".

Eddie tilts his head and frowns, his eyes pan back and forth between Dustin and Steve, "the mall that burnt down?"

Steve tenses, his right hand curls into a fist beneath the table while the little wooden spoon in his left hand threatens to snap between his fingers resting on the sticky table top.

Eddie glances at him curiously before looking back to Dustin who continues to speak, oblivious to the strangers around them.

"Oh yeah, that wasn't a fire--"

"Dustin," Steve snaps, more loudly and harshly than he intends, but it catches the teens attention. Steve shakes his head once and gestures around the shop, they're one of three full tables of people but even still, their voices have been carrying all afternoon.

Dustin has the good graces to look sheepish before scowling at the ice cream in his hands, "no one's listening--"

"Not here--" Steve manages to spit out between his teeth before all four kids are arguing at the top of their voices.

"Don't yell at Dustin!"

"No one's even in here!"

"What, we can't even talk about this with each other now?"

"Fuck off Steve--"

Steve almost laughs, it's the first time in two weeks the kids have acted like their old selves instead of walking on eggshells around him, weighing their words carefully, avoiding bringing up Eddie or Hellfire and trailing off when he enters a room.

"Hey," Eddie says sharply, "layoff your babysitter alright, Jesus Christ guys".

And suddenly the spell is broken.

Lucas slowly puts down his cup and Mike rolls his eyes but seems to deflate in his seat, leaning into Will who frowns at Eddie slightly. Dustin crosses his arms across his chest and glares with a mutinous expression at the table.

Dammit.

"Okay, everyone relax, finish up and let's go," Steve sighs. He reaches over and tugs on Dustin's ever present cap with his right hand while the left hand, still holding his spoon, snags a little taste of Lucas's cup of butterscotch.

All of the kids start yelling again, but this time laughter rings out as the earlier tension melts away.

Steve looks at Eddie who smiles widely at him, relief evident in his big brown eyes; he can't stop the small grin that takes over his own face at the sight, even if it does make his chest ache.

They leave shortly after, the kids prattle on about some sci-fi movie that's caught their eye for the next trip to the Hawk Theater. Dustin argues that sequels never hold up while Will insists that as long as there are Aliens, as the title suggests, it should be just as good as the first.

Steve and Eddie follow just behind the group, Eddie slows down to walk in step with Steve.

"Sooo that was a little…intense," Eddie says, it's phrased more like a question and the way he's looking at Steve, like he's waiting for an answer for why the air in the ice cream place seemed to shift. He reaches for Steve's elbow with soft fingers that curl around and press into his denim jacket.

The kids have already piled into the beamer, Lucas snags the front seat since it's his turn --much to the irritation of Mike who 'never gets front seat dibs!'

Eddie swings in front of Steve slightly, letting his hand maintain contact at Steve's elbow, grounding them both.

Eddie's eyes narrow, just enough that Steve catches it, "You just…seem a little on edge or something".

Steve shugs and carefully pulls on a small neutral grin. It's comfortable, he's worn it before.

"Yeah man," he looks away from Eddie's concerned gaze, "it's all good, I'll see you later alright?

He keeps the tone bright. It's not his customer service voice, this is something he's carefully honed over years of sports injuries, smiling at teachers as they scolded him, or lying through his teeth to his dad after a particularly nasty screaming session.

It's light, and something he's never had to break out with Robin.

A small part of Steve was hoping he'd never have to use it on Eddie, but here they were.

"I gotta get the kids back anyway," it's not quite a lie but it's only three in the afternoon, and the words only seem to push Eddie a little further as his fingers curl more firmly around Steve's elbow.

"Steve," Eddie says again, but Steve is already pulling himself out of Eddie's grip, his hand falls away to hang limply at his side, silver rings glinting in the midafternoon sun.

Steve waves and makes his way to the driver's side door, ignoring the way Eddie's eyes follow him and the downward curve of his mouth.

He opens the car door and lets it shut, allowing the chaos of noise and teenage yelling drown out the guilt that followed him into the car.

"So," Dustin says from the back as Steve buckles himself in,"are you sure you guys are good?"

Steve pauses for just a second before he blinks and puts the key in the ignition, "yeah, 'course man, why wouldn't we be?"

Dustin is quiet for a moment, all of the kids are.

There is a strange, somber heaviness in the vehicle as Steve makes his way down mainstreet.

Mike seems off in his own stormy little world, glaring at the hands in his lap while Will looks out the window with a sad frown. Steve feel's Dustin and now Lucas watching him, their gaze enough to make him itch.

"You guys just seem different," Dustin insists, he crosses his arms over his seatbelt and leans back into his seat.

"You guys don't touch like you used to," Lucas says matter of factly.

Dustin snaps his fingers and leans forward once more to grab the back of Lucas's seat, "that's what it is! It's been driving me crazy!"

A dull ache throbs in Steve's chest as the kids continue to talk over one another, the volume gradually rising in the small space.

"Okay, first of all, I will crash this car if you all keep yelling," Steve barks over the four incessant voices, "Jesus, second of all, we don't touch each other--"

"Yes you do!"

"Um, have you met yourselves?"

"Jesus, it's like you're a pair of Octopuses!"

"If you're both sooo good why didn't you guys hug goodbye like you used to?"

"Enough," Steve says sharply, he signals right and slowly pulls off to the side of the road, letting the crackle of gravel fill the now silent vehicle. Steve grips the steering wheel hard enough that his knuckles have faded to white to hide the shaking of his hands.

"Look," Steve sighs, he lifts one hand away from the steering wheel to scrub harshly over his face. It catches on the hint of stubble on his cheeks.

"I appreciate you guys looking out for me, but I am an adult, and I can take care of myself".

"What about when Max saved you from Billy?" Mike scoffs, he ignores the elbow that Will throws into his side.

"Or when Erica and I had to rescue you and Robin from the Russians?" Dustin challenges with equal ferocity.

"That was different," Steve says with a scowl and a roll of his eyes, "I only got into those situations because I was looking out for you shitheads--"

"Exactly!!" Dustin crows with a smirk.

"Us shitheads stick together!" He raises his eyebrow like he's already won the argument and crosses his arms over his chest.

Steve sighs and lets his head tip back into the headrest, he looks into the rear view mirror at the three sets of eyes staring back at him before tipping his face to the side to see Lucas's unwavering gaze from the passenger seat.

"If I promise you guys that everything is fine for now, you'll drop it?"

The kids are quiet for a moment before Will says, "Party meeting, plug your ears Steve".

Steve considers just putting the car back into drive and continuing on their way, ignoring the ridiculous request.

But it's Will, and the youngest Buyers has finally realized his ability to weaponize his big hazel eyes and bowl cut to get whatever he wants.

"How is this my life," Steve mutters under his breath but does as he's asked.

He raises his hands to cup over his ears, muting the following low chatter around him. Steve hums a few bars of Dancing in the Dark to make whatever they're saying even more indistinguishable, because he's a damn good babysitter, before Lucas taps his elbow.

Steve shifts in the driver's seat, turning so he can see all of the beaming faces staring back at him. He feels his eyes narrow in suspicion.

"We'll drop it," Dustin tells him with a smile that doesn't waver once as he looks over to Lucas and then Will, Mike rolls his eyes though the smallest of grins tugs at the corner of his lips.

"If you agree to host Hellfire again," Lucas says with a sly smile, holding his hand out with wiggling fingers for Will to match the corresponding move with his own confident hand.

"Guys…"

"Come on Steve, you've got the best place for it and we'll make sure you have a good time!" Dustin leans across Mike who huffs and pushes him away, it doesn’t stop Dustin from clasping Steve’s driver's seat with his hands and squeezing the leather by Steve’s shoulder.

Steve holds in a scoff, doubting that they can really guarantee such a thing, especially if Eddie and the other Hellfire members will be there, but the kids are all doing their best impression of the youngest Wheeler, Holly, when she begs for piggyback rides.

"Fine," Steve huffs out, he feels a small smile pull at the corner of his mouth as the kids cheer.

"Yeah, yeah, if you really want to make me happy, one of you should learn to fuckin' drive".

Taglist: @zerokrox-blog @samcoxramblings @thosemessyvibes @liketheocean @vampireinthesun @themostunoriginalpersonever @merricatty @hyperfixationgoddess @hippieg1rl420

And thank you to @flowercrowngods for your encouragement, I hope the stobin fluff makes up for this not being finished yet!

#platonic stobin #mean!eddie wip #finally finished this big boy #cw f slur #billy hargrove is his own warning #eddie munson has a bad dad #protective wayne munson #the party #will byers can and will weaponize those eyes of his #I broke my promise about how long this would take #angst with a happy ending #steddie #getting together #afewproblems writes #afewproblemswrites #also broke my promise about how this would only be three parts

380 notes · View notes

rosewaterandivy · 1 year ago

Text

a fool without a cause | track 1: the plan (fuck jobs)

🎶 My body is a temple, how much d’ya think I could get for it? 🎶

summary: a meet ugly

word count: <700 words

warnings: 18 + for eventual smut, empire records AU | The gang are in their early twenties, college-aged, cursing, name calling, vague mentions of crime

a/n: ah yes, this brainrot sees the light of day. here we go!

Series masterlist | Playlist | Currently spinning:

Eddie Munson was decidedly not a morning person.

So his presence at the old opera house of Recycled Books & Records before his usual shift was startling, to say the least. Even more so was the fact that he seemed to be awake.

Smoking a cigarette by the service entrance of the building as the sleepy town of Hawkins rose to greet a new day. Leaning against the wall like he could not be bothered to hold himself upright in his usual spot near the graffiti’d red devil. Just minding his own business, enjoying the last drag from his cigarette when a Prius careened around the corner like a bat out of hell.

He stubbed out his cigarette in an abandoned planter that had long ago been sacrificed for the cause. RIP Audrey II. Crossing his arms, he leaned back against the wall waiting to see who emerged from the car. It was well-maintained, from what he could tell, a ding or two on the bumper with a sticker that proclaimed ‘Ask me about my lobotomy!’

It also had an above-average stereo system, based on the volume and reverb of the baseline thumping from the car. Eddie could just make out the driver in the front seat singing to themselves as they flipped the visor down to mess with their hair. He can faintly hear the impassioned exclamation of “There will be feasting and dancing in Jerusalem next year!”

The driver bopped in their seat to the rest of the song and donned a pair of wayfarers that would give Harrington a run for his money. The engine was finally cut, and the door opened and you stepped out, still singing the final verse of the song you made your way to the sidewalk in front of the store.

Eddie straightened up a bit at that. Around his age, if he had to guess, give or take. Sporting denim cut-offs, Converse that had been beat to hell, and a flannel tied into some sort of cropped thing which he very much approved of. Now, it wasn’t that this mystery girl hadn’t intrigued him, just a rather unfortunate case of foot-in-mouth-syndrome.

Case in point:

“What the hell were you listening to?”

And yeah, that was on him. His tone could’ve been more genial and less frustration laced with exhaustion. He scrubs a hand down his face, mortified at his implication.

A slow turn accompanied by a withering stare. “Excuse me?”

“Sounded like some indie shit.” He leans against the wall again, “Weird choice of hype song s’all I’m saying.”

“Huh,” You scoff. “Well, I don’t recall asking for your opinion, dickbag.”

“Woah there, sweetheart! Wouldn’t wanna give a guy the wrong idea there.” He shoves his bands in his pockets, “I mean, at least it wasn’t Fall Out Boy or something.”

“Fall Out Boy is pop-punk, first of all.” Followed by a huff, an arched brow and crossed arms. “My apologies for not rolling through with Between the Buried and Me or some other prog-metal bullshit, I didn’t realize I’d be in the presence of the arbiter of taste this morning.”

Oh.

Eddie likes the scathing bite to your retort more than he should. He appreciates a good banter, thinks you can give as good as you can take.

He shrugs, benevolently. “S’not your fault you don’t have good taste. Can’t win ‘em all.”

“Isn’t it time you drop dead from emphysema or something?”

And before he can reply and dig himself in deeper, Hopper unlocks the front doors of the store. Without so much as a goodbye, you turn on your heel and leave.

Great job Munson, another successful human interaction!

Eddie yanks open the service door and stomps into the employee lounge. And makes himself comfortable on the couch, mentally replaying the interaction and highlighting everywhere he’d gone wrong.

On the bright side, at least he’d never have to see you again.

Famous last words.

#eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x you #eddie munson fanfiction #eddie munson fanfic #modern!eddie munson #nightmanager!eddie #fic: fwac #Spotify

39 notes · View notes

trashmouth-richie · 2 years ago

Text

WE’RE THE LAST IN LINE: 3

PART: | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5

mechanic!Eddie x female!Reader

Modern AU

W.C 2.6k

Eddie was the worst driver imaginable. Weaving in and out through traffic, which you wouldn’t think that Hawkins even had traffic but apparently noon time meant that every Tom, Dick and Harry came to the surface on the streets of Hawkins.

“Are your eyes still closed?” Eddie chuckles through the headset of the motorcycle helmet. You feel your body slightly move forward as the motorcycle comes to a stop sign. A gloved hand rubs your knuckles as they are clasped desperately around Eddie’s middle. “I bet those knuckles are white under your gloves, huh?”

“Well I haven’t lived in Hawkins for that long but last I remembered the speed limits were not a free for all.” Eddie lets out a hearty laugh, his belly rolling under your cramping fingers.

He roars the engine as he speeds through town, coming to a stop in front of the Hawkins Police Department. Eddie cuts the engine as he puts the kick stand down. “Alright. So just put your foot on the ground and swing off, and I’ll be right behind you.” Planting your left foot firmly on the ground you remove your death grip against Eddie’s abdomen and move your hands to his shoulders. You somehow manage to get off the bike without falling over. Eddie does the same and grabs the helmet off your head and then his, you quickly smooth down any stray hairs that were messed up from the helmet. Eddie straightens the bandana wrapped around his head and gives you a shy smile.

“It wasn’t that bad was it?” He says leaning down to move a piece of hair away from your face. Your cheeks warm as you turn away from him to face the brick building of the Hawkins Police Department. Your breath hitches in your chest. Here it is, hopefully the only other time in your life that you’ll have to see Jason. You had called the hospital earlier today and told them you were quitting, they took the news terribly but the mere thought of seeing Jason again, whether he was allowed to return to work or not, was not something you wanted to deal with. Eddie steps into your peripheral vision, “I’ll be right here beside you.”

Stepping into Hopper’s office you take a big breath to try and ground yourself, it reeked of lemon Pine Sol and Marlboro Reds. Your legs are crossed and your right foot is wiggling as you wait impatiently. Eddie is sitting next to you in an identical chair bouncing his legs up and down. He looks relaxed but bored beyond belief. Reaching onto Hopper’s large desk, Eddie grabs two pens and taps them along the rim of a filthy coffee cup. You giggle the more animated he becomes. He’s twirling the pens between his fingers and counting off “1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4!”

“Don’t touch that.” A booming voice from the open doorway says, “or I’ll arrest you on theft charges.” In the doorframe stands a very large man, sporting a big burly mustache and a lit cigarette hanging out of his hidden mouth. A gold star pinned to his chest.

“Hop!” Eddie says walking forward and shaking his hand, “thanks again for taking care of all of this. This is y/n,” he says motioning to you. You smile shyly and wave towards them.

Hopper and Eddie walk back to the desk, “So,” Hopper begins, “Eddie gave me the rundown on what he saw happen that night but I just want to verify everything with you and get what Eddie wasn’t there for, if you’re uncomfortable at any time please, let me know.” You nod along as Hopper questions you about the events leading up to where Eddie stepped in and saved your life. You go into gruesome detail about how Jason had you pinned up against the wall and was forcing himself onto you. Your hands are trembling as you reach for a Kleenex. Your nerves are frazzled as you recall that night from hell. Eddie pats your shoulder gingerly as you dab at your eyes. His stark features are torn into a concerned expression, like he isn’t sure if he should hold you or not.

Finishing up with questioning, Hopper tells you it’s time for the line up. Eddie stands and gestures to the hallway, unsure if you wanted him there with you. You grab his hand desperately and look into his eyes, a silent plea of begging him to go with you. “I’m right here,” he whispers into your ear.

The line up takes less than five minutes. Six men all walk forward in a straight line holding black lettered numbers on white boards. Eddie is standing next to you, never leaving your side, his large hand wrapped around yours, grounding you to this place and this moment. They turn to face the one-way mirror. Jason is holding up the #4. You turn to Hopper and tell him which one is Jason. He thanks you for coming in and looks to Eddie, “Take care of her, make sure she gets home safe.”

Eddie answers simply, “I will.” A sense of pride taking over his body, as if he has one job to do and that’s to make sure you’re taken care of.

Breathing in the cold bitter air of the autumn foliage you fill your lungs, letting the cool air sting your lungs as you exhale deeply. Tears prick the corner of your eyes, happy that it’s nearing the end. “You hungry?” Eddie has his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket and blows a cloud of smoke around his lit cigarette hanging lazily out of his mouth.

“Starving, actually.” For the first time in what seemed like days you smile fully at Eddie. Talk about the right place at the right time. You would forever be grateful for that. Forever grateful for his kind presence that night, never overbearing just, there.

“Hmmm,” Eddie says, throwing the butt of his cigarette on the ground and stepping on it, “Benny’s has the best strawberry lemonade I’ve ever had, is that cool with you? I mean if not I can take you to the the pizza place, or I might actually have some cans of tuna if you’re into th—”

You place a hand over Eddie’s mouth as you look him deep into his eyes, “You had me at strawberry lemonade.”

What used to be the most popular spot in the 80’s, was now a very run down diner. But Eddie swore they had the best food. Benny’s is slow for the lunch hour, only a few guests trickling across the diner. Eddie leads you to a small table set for two in the back of the restaurant. You take off your coat and sit down, Eddie doing the same. Grabbing a menu, he smiles at you as you look intently at the various options of burgers. Eddie’s phone dings repeatedly as a flood of texts come in. His smile fades as he looks at his phone.

You peek at him through the top of the menu. His eyebrows knit together and you can feel his knee bouncing slightly under the table, irritation rising throughout his body. “So have y—” his phone dings again. His face is reddened with embarrassment and he is clearly flustered, “I’m sorry—I uh— just have to make a quick phone call, if the waitress comes by, order me whatever you get, I’m so sorry this’ll only take a minute.” He stands quickly and leaves through the front door stomping out to his bike. He’s talking animatedly with his free hand and shaking his head. Placing his phone back into his pocket, he squeezes his eyes shut and presses his thumb and finger into the corners of his eyes.

The waitress emerges and takes your orders, two strawberry lemonades and two bacon cheeseburgers with fries and ranch. As she’s leaving Eddie slides back into the booth. “Sorry.” he blushes.

“Everything okay?” You ask, wondering if it was his girlfriend calling all these times and you were made out to be a homewrecker. “You seem, upset.”

Eddie ponders for a minute letting his hand hold his head as he looks around the old diner. “Nah I’m alright, its -uh no big deal.” The corners of his lips raise into a smile, but it doesn’t meet his eyes. After everything Eddie did for you you wish he would just open up to you. Let his guard down for a few minutes to take some much needed pressure off.

You smile warmly at him as the two largest glasses of sticky strawberry lemonade are plopped in front of you. The momentum from the waitresses walk over tips the ice, making the drinks slosh up and over the side of the glasses. Two straws are thrown down on the soaked table as the waitress pops her gum loudly and leaves. You can’t help but let out a tired laugh. Eddie laughs too at the sight of the sticky table. You hastily wipe up the mess as best as you can with the thin napkins. “Seriously, this is the best lemonade even if it was nearly dumped on our laps on the delivery!” Eddie says giddily, “Go ahead, try it. I’ll go get a towel or something.”

You take a sip of the syrupy beverage and instantly you’re in heaven. Eddie comes back over holding a rag, “How is it?! As good as I look or a close second?” He says beaming.

“It’s delicious! A total mess but aren't most things that are a sugary goodness?” You say sweetly. Eddie smiles softly at you as he lifts the glasses up one at a time and runs the hot cloth over the scratched wooden table. He looks defeated, as if his mind is plagued with something beyond his control. “You can talk to me if you want about whatever makes your eyebrows go like this,” you mimic how his eyebrows look when he’s frustrated. Eddie barks out a laugh.

“I appreciate that. But it’s… complicated. Besides you don’t want to hear about what’s keeping me looking like Oscar the grouch.” His eyes fall to the table as he picks at the paper from his straw wrapper.

“I wouldn’t have said that if I was lying.” You answer. The food appears and Ms. Happy-go-lucky sets the baskets of food down in a gradual descending manner. “Ooh this looks good.”

“Yeah and the waitress must have smoked a bowl on her break since she didn’t toss the food at us.” Eddie says with a grin eyeing his food. “Ranch? How’d you know the way to my heart?” Eddie was so overjoyed at the little things life offered it was honestly the most endearing part of him. He was like a little kid.

You finish your lunch laughing throughout the meal. When you tried to pay for your half Eddie wouldn’t hear of it. “Sorry, their card machine is broken, you ready?!”

“Ok well I’ll Venmo you.”

“Don’t have it,” he grins.

“Cash app?”

“Nope, I won’t be accepting any form of money from you, this was my treat so hush up.” Eddie says sliding out of the booth and reaching out to grab your hand. “Come on,” he smiles, “let’s go for a drive.”

Eddie is speeding down every road in Hawkins, talking to you as he drives, showing you around like he’s paid by the City of Hawkins to be a tour guide. “And here, is our apartment complex, a new build for Hawkins hoping to bring youth to the dying town.”

Eddie parks his motorcycle and puts the kick stand down, you get off the same way he taught you and take the helmet off running your hands through your hair.

Handing Eddie your helmet you begin walking in step with him to your building. “Thank you for coming with me today, I don’t think I could have done it alone.”

“O’course!” Eddie says jingling his keys as he walked, “I wouldn't want to be alone either.” The two of you walk in awkward silence the last steps to your door, nothing but the scuffing sound of the sidewalk beneath your shoes. Reaching your door you turn to face Eddie.

“Thanks again, Eddie… I really appreciate it.” you smile shyly at him as you turn to unlock your door. The tension between you both could be cut with a knife. Eddie reached out slightly to touch your elbow.

“Hey— uhh, I’ll see you around, if you need anything— anything at all, don’t be afraid to call or text me okay?” Eddie’s gentle touch on your elbow almost has you melting into him. How could the smallest of gestures be so sweet and endearing? “Don’t be a stranger, cause ya know stranger dang—.” Eddie trails off as heat crawls up his face. He lets out a pitiful little laugh as he lets your elbow go.

“Alright, but don’t be upset if I actually do stop by for a cup of sugar.” You grin back at him.

“Shit, I’ll have to actually buy some then.”

The next few days are quiet. The only thing you hear from Eddie is when his motorcycle comes into the parking lot late at night. Other than that you two move around like ships in the night, just barely missing each other. The amount of times you have started a text to him is embarrassing. You wanted to talk to him, but were lost for words. You didn’t forget about how frustrated he was when his phone rang or the name tattooed across his chest.

Sitting in Pete’s chair the next day you are tempted to ask him about Eddie. He’s having you practice straight lines on practice skin as he looks over your shoulder. He pulls up a stool and runs a heavily tattooed hand through his short bleach blonde hair. “Those look good, you’re really getting the hang of deepening the lines.”

“Thanks, um can I ask you something?”

“Shoot.” He says picking up his tattoo gun and filling in a blank spot on his knee.

You aren’t sure how to ask without sounding like a complete and total dumbass. “That guy, who comes in here…Eddie, what do you know about him?”

Without looking up Pete replies, “Yeah he’s cool. Known him since high school. Good dude. Why? What’d’ya want to know ‘bout him?”

“Nothing, I just noticed he has a name tattooed on his chest. Is that his.. mom?” You knew damn well it wasn’t his mom’s name. Did you know his her name? Absolutely not but still it was a good enough question as any.

Pete let’s out a small chuckle, “Look if you wanna fuck him, do it. He’s a good guy, just makes dumb jokes sometimes. As far as the Chrissy tattoo, that is beyond my realm of explaining.”

Well that cleared absolutely nothing up for you. Didn’t outline whether or not he was single or if Chrissy was his mom. You decide to just drop it, instead of worrying about it you decide that if Eddie wanted to reach out he would.

Later that night Eddie is flipping through Netflix after a long day at work. A cold beer is resting on the coffee table and his lap is balancing a paper plate with some cold pizza. He’s tired, exhausted after dealing with Chrissy’s never ending phone calls and texts. His phone dings and he breathes out a frustrated sigh. Just ten minutes without her constant fucking nagging? Is that too much to ask? He digs in the pocket of his sweatpants and unlocks his phone. He looks over at the counter where the sugar he bought still sits. A small smile breaks as he opens up his messages. A simple little text. That was enough to turn this shitty day around.

Taglist: @boomhauer @sidthedollface2 @b-irock @creoleguurl @tlclick73 @manda-panda-monium @audhd-dragonaut @emxxblog @jadequeen88

Graphics + dividers made by me🖤

#eddie munson angst #eddie munson #eddie x fem!reader #eddie munson smut #stranger things #eddie munson fluff #stranger things x y/n #eddie x you #mechanic!eddie #modern au #modern eddie munson #eddie munson fanfiction #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x y/n

295 notes · View notes

midnight-raven · 3 months ago

Text

The Black Phone/Superhero AU Idea

There is a secret government initiative that takes in young adults whose lives have been permanently altered by an accident or catastrophic event, leaving them with abilities outside the normal.

The chosen few are trained to control their abilities, and see if they can become more than who they were before.

(Before you read on, let me apologize now. I stink at coming up with superhero names… I’m open to suggestions for change)

SuperNova/Finney Blake

High amongst the stars, Finney had been outside the ISS to work on repairs when the strike of a stray meteor caused the astronaut to become untethered, launching him straight into the heart of a solar storm. Upon returning to Earth, Finney discovered his body had absorbed the energy of the flare, leaving him with a few unexpected after effects .

Oracle/Gwen Blake

Born with the gift of precognition, Gwen works as a consultant detective, using her visions to help catch criminals, find missing people, and even prevent crimes before they happen. Until one night, when Gwens dream depicts a powerful force hiding in the shadows, threatening millions of people. To stop this threat, she and Finney will have to team up with a team of other young heroes.

Stealth/Griffin Stagg

In a private research campus, Griffin was a young intern eager to prove his abilities to his professors and fellow peers. One day, after being accidentally exposed to the fumes of a chemical mix-up, Griffins’ entire body was rendered invisible. With the help of a private facility, Griffin was given a high-tech bodysuit that would make him visible again, as long as he wears it.

Renegade/Billy Showalter

There is a secret program that turns promising young men into weapons of war. One such success is the The Silver Guard, close & far range skills, deadly in combat, and no identity anywhere outside of the program… except in a missing persons report under the name Billy Showalter. After being detained by Homeland Security, Billy was given a chance to seek atonement for his actions and also find the pieces to his stolen life.

WarPath/Vance Hopper

Many years ago, a pair of gauntlets were sent to Earth from a dying alien planet lightyears away to seek a fighter. ‘The Gauntlets of Ares’ named after the mythology warrior, was designed to only be worn by a chosen one and grant them God-like abilities to defend the innocent. No one was more surprised than Vance when the gauntlets chose him as its wielder.

Titani-Man/Bruce Yamada

Bruce once had a bright future and a promising baseball career ahead of him, but it was all taken away when a hit & run accident left his legs paralyzed. Mr Yamada, a skilled mechanical engineer, constructed a special pair of leg braces to restore his son's ability to walk. On his road to recovery, Bruce discovered a new path for his future after constructing his own special suit.

The Defender/Robin Arellano

Robin always protected those who couldn’t defend themselves, and that didn’t change when he enlisted. During his service, Robin and his team were held prisoner by an unknown enemy for over three months. In the end, only Robin made it out. Discharged from the army, Robin pursued a vigilante life, dedicating himself to protecting others by himself until he was given an offer to join a team.

#The Black Phone #Superhero AU #Finney Blake #Gwen Blake #Robin Arellano #Bruce Yamada #Vance Hopper #Billy Showalter #PaperBoy #Griffin Stagg #I stink at names #sorry!#anyone have any ideas for SuperVillain Grabber?#maybe the mask gives him dark powers?#gives me green goblin vibes #with a bit of the mask #😈#what do you think?

9 notes · View notes

fandomandangstlover · 1 year ago

Text

hopper my beloved <3 no background for the full pic because i can't think of a good one,, + some lil things, one is for a pfp!!

i may have changed his desgin a lil .. ..

#the engineer doodles (art tag)#oc #oc art #au hoppers #engieverse #team fortress 2 #tf2 engineer #tf2 ocs

22 notes · View notes

the-engieverse-blog · 2 years ago

Text

"We've decided to move the ‘OCs’ to a Blog of their own. It's gonna take awhile, but till it is finished, they'll be with us for awhile.

Activity is still low, we apologize for that..."

#⟨ logs . muse(s) existing ⟩#au hopper engineer

1 note · View note

bigskyandthecoldgun · 1 year ago

Text

steddie killer frequency au, with steve as the disgraced and jaded radio host demoted from an immensely popular station in chicago to a 189.16 “the scream,” a station in the small town of hawkins, indiana, with population of barely a thousand people, and eddie as the producer and sound engineer with a quick wit and a healthy amount of amusement at steve’s fall from grace. the two of them and their late-night phone-in show are forced to take over the town’s 911 line as the only operator in town, joyce, is forced to flee with an unconscious chief hopper to a neighboring town for help after deputy powell is murdered that night by a seemingly undead serial killer from the 50s. and that same killer targeting a weirdly specific group of people, moving at a terrifyingly fast pace…

#and argyle as roller ricky #bc who else would fit oh so perfectly #the party as the group of college kids #feel free to add on #if anyone else is as Aware of this fantastic horror game as i am #steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #steve x eddie #stranger things #steddie au #okay now i’m gonna brainrot over this for the next few days #if not weeks

45 notes · View notes

bearsinpotatosacks · 7 months ago

Text

Here's some Stranger Things ideas that I've got but am not sure what to do with

1 - Lucas gets his dad's help to make a mixtape for Max while she's in her coma (currently working on this playlist at the moment)

2 - Just the general vibes of Lucas and Max in university, going shopping, day trips. They both go to Stanford Lucas for something relating to electrical engineering and Max for psychology. Lucas has to take a writing class for some reason or another and ends up writing about Max (this would follow on after one of my Stranger Things fics which has Eddie and Billy come back) he talks about Max being blind, needing crutches and her complex relationship with her family

3 - An addendum to another Stranger Things fic which involves a no upside down AU where Billy goes off to university and finds out one night that Neil's been abusing her. He goes back to Hawkins and, after telling Hopper, they end up going to court as Neil's accused of child abuse. This is the first time the party hear of the abuse and the first time they meet Billy's mother

4 - A fic set at Christmas of 1984, where the Hargrove-Mayfields go to California for Christmas. Max hears Neil saying racist things about Lucas to Billy and blaming Billy for her interacting with the 'wrong people', she runs in to defend Lucas and gets hit. Billy and Max run away and drive back to Hawkins. I don't really have anything after this, the party are having a Christmas get-together in between Christmas and New Year. Max tells them everything and about Neil's abuse to Billy

5 - Apparently Billy's got a Niagara Falls hat in S3 so a fic about that trip. Or maybe an origin fic where Billy's mum and Neil meet and go to Niagara Falls

#stranger things #bear writes #billy hargrove #max mayfield #neil hargrove #lucas sinclair #lumax #jim hopper #aus #billy's mom #billy hargrove's mom

9 notes · View notes

medusapelagia · 1 year ago

Text

8 Au-gust: Robots and Androids - Part 7

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 , Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8[...]

Rating: Mature Relationship: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson WT: Android Steve Harrington, Wanted Criminal Eddie Munson, surgery on the android Words: 1673

“Why do you hate him?”

“Apart from the obvious?” Eddie sighs, Dustin is a smart guy but it’s kind of annoying having to deal with him.

“Yeah.”

“Well, to be honest, he is not special enough to deserve my hate. But I hate all the androids, and he is an android.”

“It seems personal.”

It is personal. But he is not going to share his emotional baggage with a thirteen-year-old boy.

“Where did you learn about robotics?” Eddie asks him.

“Here. My parents are both scientists and working with El helped me a lot.”

The little girl doesn’t seem to be a robotics expert but she clearly cares about androids.

"You are good at it.”

“Mum says I’m a genius.”

“Don’t brag. But you are good. You changed that battery like a professional.”

“I was scared out of my mind, but we had to help him, you know right?”

No, Eddie doesn’t know. The android is just a pile of circuits, he doesn’t deserve their help or their pity.

“He saved your life.” Dustin insists.

“Can you understand that it’s in his fucking code once and for all?!” Eddie snaps.

“It is. But it was an emergency situation. Stevie is clever, he could have found a solution and let you die on impact. But he saved you. He shielded you with his body. Isn’t that something?”

“No, because he is going to bring me back to the Central to be killed after a fake trial so, no. It’s not something! It’s annoying and frustrating, ok? I don’t like androids and I don’t like the one that captured me, that sounds so strange to you?”

Dustin sighs and goes back to his computer “You must admit that he is fascinating. I have never met an android like him.” he turns toward Eddie “Did you?”

“I don’t know why you think that he is so fucking special.”

“Because he has feelings. And emotions.”

“He has not.”

“Talk to him. Without being aggressive, and you’ll see.”

***

Eddie can hate S.T.E.V.E. as much as he wants to but the android is really useful. In the few days that they have spent at the outpost he has helped Hopper make some repairs, he has cooked for everyone and he has finally managed to fix the stupid radio.

“Are you really going to call the Central? I thought we were friends.”

“We are not friends. You are my captive and I have to take you back to the Central.” the android replies in his monotone voice.

“Oh… that hurts. I was starting to think that there was something special between us.” Eddie mocks the android who looks at him with his plastic eyes without expression “So, when are we leaving, captain?”

“Hopper and I have fixed the biggest damages but Dustin wants to take a look at the engines before let us leave. He doesn't want us to explode in the air.”

“You are like the kid's personal science project, you know that right?”

S.T.E.V.E. tilts his head, confused.

“He would die to study you. To open that metal head of yours and take a good look at your fucking circuits.”

“Maybe. But he didn’t do it. And he said he was sorry for replacing my heart when I said I didn’t want it replaced.”

“Your heart? It’s just a fucking battery!”

“And yours is just a muscle.” the android retorts.

“That’s not…” Fuck the stupid android, fuck them all!

The android stares at him with his eyes with no expression “I know that it means nothing to you, but I’m sorry that I have to bring you back to the Central." the android pauses "All of this would not be happening if you weren't a murderer.”

“I told you a million times that I’m not a murderer!” Eddie sighs “But you don’t listen to me. You never did. After all, why should you care, right? Your stupid video says that I’m a murderer so that’s what I am, right?”

Stevie seems almost sad, which is not possible because he is a stupid tin can.

“Why should they lie?”

Eddie stares at him, that’s not the kind of question he was expecting from the android. Well, to be honest, he didn’t expect a question at all, but the more time the android has spent with the little group the more open he has become.

“They didn’t lie. They just turn the truth in their favor.” Eddie takes an e-cigarette, he knows that soon he will not be able to smoke anymore so he tries to enjoy what he can “I’m no saint, ok metalhead? I have destroyed androids and I never felt bad about that. I was protecting my people, and I’ll do it again in a heartbeat! And I don’t care about your opinion if you think that I am a murderer or whatever! I didn’t kill Chrissy, that’s all I’m saying.”

“You always speak about Chrissy, was she special to you?”

She was. She was the most special girl ever. She was so kind and pure… everything that Eddie never was and never would have been. And she died. Because of him.

“I didn’t kill her.” he tells the android, the e-cigarette still in his hand “But it’s my fault if she died. I made the bomb. I knew it was there and I knew that there was the possibility of some collateral damages. But I didn’t care. So, yes, somehow your dispatch is correct: I wasn’t the one that moved the bomb next to the bleachers, but I still killed her.” his hands are trembling and the androids take the e-cigarette with a kindness that Eddie didn’t know he possessed.

“I’m sorry for your loss.”

Those are the same words Eddie told him days ago when he was talking about his human companion.

“Do you miss him?”

“Uh?”

“Your partner.”

“Bi… Tommy?”

Eddie stares at him. What was that? A glitch?

“Are you ok?”

“I’m perfectly working, thanks.”

Eddie nods confused “What was the name of your partner?”

“Tommy. Tommy Hagan.”

No uncertainty. Maybe it was just a glitch. After all, the android took quite a hit and almost exploded just a few days ago. It’s probably a normal android’s reaction. Maybe he should turn him off and turn him back on. But there is no way the android will let him turn him off, so he shrugs and goes back to look at the stars.

“How many can you see?”

“Sorry?”

“How many stars can you see from here?”

“One hundred billion.”

“For real?”

“More or less.”

“Fuck. That must be amazing.”

“What?”

“Being able to see so far that you are almost looking back in time.” Eddie replies, amazed.

“I can see things that are farther, but sometimes I can’t see things that are close.” S.T.E.V.E. murmurs.

Eddie stares at him wondering what he might mean, but the android gets up “If tomorrow Dustin will decide that we have enough fuel to get to the next planet we will leave. Enjoy your evening.”

Eddie stays all night staring at the sky, conscious that it would have been the last time.

***

“Get up. We are leaving.” The android wakes him up, he has a coffee and a piece of bread.

“I thought we were waiting for Dustin’s ok.”

“We were. But some troops are coming in this direction and I will not let them get to this planet. So we are leaving.”

“What if the ship explodes in space?!” Eddie objects.

“You were the one that wanted to die of dehydration in a desert. If the ship explodes it will be a less painful death.”

Fucking androids and their stupid logic!

He gulps the coffee in one go and gets dressed holding the bread in his mouth while he ties his shoes.

Joyce is waiting for them with a bag with some supplies “For the journey,” she says and Eddie thanks her. Before leaving, Joyce takes Eddie’s elbow and whispers to him “He is special. Don’t be too hard on him.”

Eddie doesn’t answer back and starts to run to follow the android. The metal tin is right, those people helped them, and they don’t need other problems.

At the entrance, Steve is talking with the strange little girl, El.

“You don’t have to go.” she is saying “You could stay here. With me.”

S.T.E.V.E. caresses his cheek “I have to kid. I have to protect you.”

“But I can protect you! I can! I am strong.” she insists.

“I’m sure you are. But there are other people that deserve your protection, aren’t there?”

“Mum?”

The android nods, then he points at something on his arms and shows it to her “I know you can’t read it but this is why I can’t stay here.”

“Because you are a lone wolf?” she asks.

The android freezes “How…”

“Are we going, tin can? Or do you want to wait for your friends here?” Eddie interrupts them and the android turns toward him.

“You are right. We have to go. Take care El.”

“Take care too Stevie.” she replies, waving at them until she is just a little white point in the night.

Hopper gave them a transport and a thermal suit, they will leave everything on the crash site and somehow the others will recover them.

“They are good people.” S.T.E.V.E. says.

“They are. And they are leaving in the old way. No fucking androids around.”

S.T.E.V.E. stares at him for a moment but says nothing.

He starts the ship and after a couple of tries, they are able to leave the surface and get into space.

“I’ll try to make a jump to the next planet.”

“Do you think it will work?”

“‘I’m confident it will work.”

"How many chances?”

“Good.”

“Tell me the number.”

“67%”

“Fuck.”

“They are good.”

“Ok. Just press the fucking button.”

Eddie has never prayed, but when the android moves the hand toward the jump button he takes the necklace his uncle gave him and holds it tight.

Tag list: @shunna, @yourmom-isgay I hope you enjoy it!

#android AU #Wanted Criminal Eddie Munson #Android Steve Harrington #tumblr fic #myfanfic #steddie #au gust 2023 #stranger things #eddie munson #steve harrington #stranger things fanfic #writing challenge #medusapelagia fanfic #medusapelagia #my fanfic

18 notes · View notes