#CCFest

[dreamwatch]

There Goes My Hero

Written for @corrodedcoffinfest

Day #12 - Prompt: Ow! | Word Count: 999 | Rating: T | CW: language, canon typical violence, fat shaming, mention of blood, injuries, mention of past bullying | POV: Matt | Pairing: Steddie | Tags: Angst, hurt/comfort, violence, fighting,

This was the very first thing I wrote for CCFest back in April!

****

Matt’s not a fighter. He’s not brave. 

He spent years skulking around the halls of Hawkins High, desperately trying to make himself smaller, to make himself invisible. Until Eddie came along and told them it was all bullshit anyway. Until Eddie came along, bigger and bolder than everyone else, a huge willow tree for them all to take shelter under.

Fighting to him, to all of them he thinks, is learning to take a slap and then walking it off. Saying ’it’s fine, it doesn’t even hurt’ as you wipe the blood from under your nose. Not biting back when they call you a fat fuck.

Fighting to him is just taking it.

And that’s mortifying, honestly, fucking pathetic, but he just wanted to keep his head down, play his music and DnD, and be left alone.

So he doesn’t know where it came from, so suddenly, although maybe that’s a lie. Like saying it doesn’t hurt when your face stings, and you’re standing in the hallway, humiliated. If he digs deep, really thinks hard about it, then it’s probably years of pent-up anger. Of having his shit stolen from his locker, of seeing his friends getting picked on and not having the guts to do a fucking thing about it other than watch and hope you’re not next. So yeah, blind, impotent rage, right? The kind that makes good people go off in the world and do bad things. 

This was his bad thing.

He hopes the other guy is okay, mostly because he doesn’t want to go to jail. He hasn’t seen Eddie since they got brought in to the ER, and he really hopes he’s okay. His face looked a mess. 

This was the eighth show on their little midwestern tour. They put it together themselves, all piled into the van, and Jeff’s station wagon (they’d laughed when he bought it, but it was a genius idea in retrospect), and just took off for a few shows over the summer. Nothing big. No real agenda other than to play and get the fuck out of Hawkins.

It would be understating it to say that Hawkins had done a number on Eddie. They still have no idea what happened. Eddie told them he got bit by dogs which just made them angry, honestly, because the stench coming off that bullshit was stifling. What they do know for sure is that he nearly died. That whatever happened left him hollowed out, physically and mentally. That it broke something in their friend, which broke something in them.

Watching Eddie recover was hard. They were all sure the band was over but in some fucked up, twisted, alternate-dimension weirdness, Steve Harrington got Eddie to play again. 

Steve. 

Harrington. 

What the fuck?

And fuck knows what he did, or said, or bribed Eddie with, but it worked. He picked up the guitar again, trading lead for rhythm with Jeff while he built up his strength and coordination, but for all that he was frustrated the light came back on. Eddie was back.

Matt wasn’t letting anyone take him away again.

It only took one show at The Hideout to know they were never going to play there again. Eddie was a curiosity now, something to be gawped at. Someone thought it would be hilarious to throw a cheerleader’s pom pom onto the stage, and it sent Eddie into a spiral. He holed up in the bathroom and wouldn’t let anyone in until Steve showed up and alikazam! the door opens. They were in there for an hour. Eddie was red-eyed and a little dazed afterwards and that was the last night they ever played in Hawkins. 

They’re in Des Moines when it happens. The show was great, objectively fucking awesome. There must have been a couple of hundred people in there, and the manager wanted them back, people asked for tapes. It couldn’t have gone any better.

So of course it went to shit.

They’d barely opened the back of the van to load up before some six-foot giant grabbed Eddie by the collar and punched him so hard in the face that blood sprayed from his nose, landing on Gareth beside him. There was a moment of complete silence, where it felt like the world just stopped or his vision had just whited out. And then—

He’s never punched anyone before, is the thing. He didn’t know there were ways you’re supposed to hold your hand, your thumb, and even if he did he’s not sure he would have done it anyway. What he does know, now at least, is that he has a mean fucking right hook. Jeff was trying to push the giant off Eddie, and Gareth was standing there with Eddie’s blood on the side of his face, shocked to shit to be fair to him, so the asshole didn’t get a second to register Matt approaching, hitting him square in the jaw and onto his ass.

And he doesn’t know what happened after that really, just that he was kicking him, boot slamming into the soft side of the man on the floor, over and over until it was Eddie, face like an abattoir floor, that pulled him off.

He mulls it over while he waits for an X-Ray. There’s definitely something broken, he can feel the grinding when he moves his hand and it hurts like a motherfucker. They still had a few shows to go. He ruined the tour with one punch. 

Jeff opens the curtain and sits next to him on the bed.

“How’s the hand?”

“Fucked. How’s Eddie’s nose?”

“Fucked.”

They sit in silence, shoulder-to-shoulder, self-declared best friends forever. 

“I can’t believe someone recognised him out here,” Jeff mutters, maybe to himself, Matt can’t be sure.

They don’t say it, but they’re both thinking it; Hawkins is going to follow Eddie everwhere. Follow them everywhere. And they can’t keep fighting their way out of things every time it catches up with them.

[strangerthingsfanworkrecs]

A Very Corroded Black Friday by Jo-Harrington

@jo-harrington

A Very Corroded Black Friday AKA Extended Holiday Hours CCFest x SMVerse Eddie Munson x Store Manager!Reader

CCFest Black Friday Prompt: One Day Only

Summary: In an unprecedented turn for 1986, StarCourt Mall announces that it's staying open for 24 Hours on Black Friday. Eddie barely survived a regular shift last year; what will happen when he and his friends embark on an adventure during the dreaded Extended Holiday Hours? It's one day only. How bad could it be?

Word Count: 5.6k

Rating: T

Warnings/Themes: No Upside Down AU, Friendship, Fluff, Angst, Humor, Character Growth, established relationship between Eddie and the Claire's Store Manager (reader), references to media and pop culture, retail and food service themes

This rec is a part of Writer Highlights. Our featured artist this week is Jo-Harrington.

Know a stranger things artist that deserves some love? Submit through our asks

[1lostsoul0fishbowl]

AAAHHHHH I love this so much 🥰🥰🥰 there can never be enough Corroded Coffin artwork!!!

Thanks so much to @macau1ay for bringing our boys to life in such a fun, energetic, and adorable way!

(Edited to add: big big thank you to @thisapplepielife for organizing @corrodedcoffinfest 😘 and shoutout to my fave ccfest authors @the-unforgivenn and @jo-harrington 😍)

really really fun commission for @1lostsoul0fishbowl 🩷🩷❤️‍🔥 thank you for commissioning me!!!

[chrishoggephotography]

Kirsteen Harvey supporting Native Harrow. Hug and Pint. Glasgow.

[sualee]

Thank you @brucemacgregor for an epic night of fabulous tunes! And to @celtic_connections for making it happen… Felt so lucky to be amongst such incredible musicians… Special thanks to @annamassie for getting us shipshape! The new album Road to Tyranny is a wonderful thing! Go get it folks! #newalbum #newmusic #celticconnections #ccfest #ccfest2022 #craic #bandcraic #roadtotyranny @blazinbruce_ @alilevack @anguslyonmusic @iainsloan @sualeecello @duncanlyall @edeytime @peeriehoose @annamassie @jennareidmusic @edeytime (at Celtic Connections) https://www.instagram.com/p/CZOzY85ACuC/?utm_medium=tumblr

[karenblumberg]

Gathering my tweets and pics from today's awesome #CCFestNYC hosted at @ITP_NYU. Thank you for organizing another inspiring event, @ed_saber!

Gathering my tweets and pics from today’s awesome #CCFestNYC hosted at @ITP_NYU. Thank you for organizing another inspiring event, @ed_saber!

Yay for another #CCFest today at ⁦@ITP_NYU⁩! Here are slides from the event: https://t.co/wKw5amQGZ8#CCfest12 #STEMed #CSforAll #CSforAllNYC https://t.co/XtsyVxKEbU

— Karen Blumberg (@KarenBlumberg) December 8, 2019

  Excited for @aankit’s opening keynote at #CCfestNYC today! Thanks for hosting, @ITP_NYU! #csforall #csforallnyc pic.twitter.com/kj1GIDduhB

— Karen Blumberg (@KarenBlumberg) Decem…

[1lostsoul0fishbowl]

@jo-harrington I have loved every single one of your ficlets, thank you for bringing so much joy to this ccfest!!!

Corroded Coffin Fest Halloween - And To All A Good Fright

Summary: Halloween is over...but there's still a little fright in store.

Word Count: 666

Rating: T

Warnings/Themes: Friendship, humor, angst, disagreement, supernatural encounters, friendship

Note: Surprise! There was one more post for today. Originally I planned for it to be tomorrow but I'm about to put my head down and be in my hole recovering for the next 24 hours and I don't trust the schedule option. Check Out the Main Post for @corrodedcoffinfest here and all of the entries. I still have some to catch up on but they've all been wonderful. Thanks again @thisapplepielife for a great event.

Tagging @the-unforgivenn @1lostsoul0fishbowl upon request.

You can find my masterlist here.

Please do not interact if you are not 18+.

Enjoy!

Friday, November 1st 1985

Unfortunately, Halloween week was over before they knew it.

The faculty at Hawkins High were quick to shift from spooky decorations to harvest ones ahead of Thanksgiving. With little sprinklings of Christmas alluded to in the details. It was like the best holiday of the year wasn’t even worth keeping up for even one extra day. A Friday of all days too.

Of course, for the Hellfire Club, they had more than enough candy to last them til the end of the year.

And enough lessons learned over the course of the week to last them a lifetime.

“Who knew we’d have this much candy?” Dave muttered as he picked through the sweets he’d brought along to eat with lunch. “I don’t know if I can look at another piece of candy after that stomach ache I had on Wednesday. Least I didn’t puke like Eddie.”

He snickered good-naturedly but Gareth wasn’t amused.

“You know what Dave, you had it easy. I’d take a stomach ache over—” Gareth paused his grumbling as the freshmen took their seats at the table. “—over you know what.”

“You’re never gonna live that down man,” Jeff snickered as he swirled his sport through his mashed potatoes.

“Live what down?” Mike questioned innocently.

Eddie chose that moment to fall into his seat at the head of the table. As he threw open his lunch box, Gareth snarked his response directly at him.

“Nothing, we were just grumpy about the curse Eddie put on us last week.”

“Gare,” Eddie rolled his eyes. “You only have yourself to blame for your predicament. I don’t want to hear any excuses.”

“No wait,” Jeff cut in, “you did put a curse on us last week. When you were telling us about the seven deadly sins.”

Eddie stared at him like he’d grown a second head.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“What do you mean ‘what are we talking about.’ The sins. The deadly sins! You said they’d sneak up on us when we’d least expect it.”

The rest of the boys started making sounds of agreement, recalling the whole conversation and Eddie had to shout to get them to shut up.

“When was this?” Eddie questioned, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“Last week!” A few voices shouted in tandem.

“Thursday,” Dustin clarified. “I asked what these sins were and you explained it. You were dressed like the Devil. Shitty costume horns and all.”

“Impossible,” Eddie scoffed. “I ditched last Thursday.”

“BULLSHIT!” Dave shouted. “You sat right there, you dunked your cape in my lunch. Then you cursed us.”

“You called it a blight and everything!”

All of the boys got into it again, chattering back and forth about his costume and theatricality and how he’d come and sat right down at the table and explained all of the deadly sins. And Eddie insisted that it wasn’t true.

“I wasn’t here on Thursday. I wasn’t wearing a cape. I don’t even have a Devil costume!” Eddie stared at them all like they’d lost their minds, and they shot the same look his way.

“Well if it wasn’t you, then who was it?” Mike asked. “The real devil?”

The younger boy let out a snort, but he froze as the fluorescent lights about their table began to flicker.

They all glanced up, then at each other, and then Eddie cleared his throat.

“Sure, that was me,” he said nervously, obviously lying. “I was here dressed as the Devil. And we don’t need to talk about that anymore. Or tell anyone. Sounds good?”

“Yep.”

“Yes.”

“Sounds perfect.”

The all ducked their heads and focused intensely on their lunches.

Dustin let out a snort.

“He got it wrong though.” Several questioning looks were sent his way. “It shouldn’t have been blight. The Devil…er…Eddie…should’ve said ‘Happy Halloween to all. And to all a good fright.’”

He glanced at them expectantly, only to receive blank stares in return.

“Get it? Come on! You guys suck!”

[findlaynapier]

That was quite the #latenightsession @celtic_connections 10 years ago. Ghosts of @ccfest past. I remember the @fishyfriendsofficial being a total riot 😂 (at Celtic Connections) https://www.instagram.com/p/CKgVSxjhaKa/?igshid=1k71q1nj4mtf0

[dreamwatch]

I'm alone, playing some creepy soundtrack playlist on Spotify to get in the mood for my last CCFest fic... mistakes have been made. Not helped by my speaker just cutting the music and doing her 'PLEASE CHARGE' eery AI shit to me.

Oh great, the theme from Halloween just came on...

[hibernophile]

@BBCSSO

Rehearsing for @ccfest opening concert with the brilliant @lauramarlinghq #ccfest17

[reviewsphere]

MUSIC REVIEW: Auld Lang Syne @ Celtic Connections

MUSIC REVIEW: Auld Lang Syne @ Celtic Connections ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ @ccfest @BBCSSO @GCHalls @JarlathHendersn @Karenmatheson7 #burns #celticconnections

Burns is as popular and relevant now as ever.

Popular in that his songs – original, collected and reworked (some say stolen) – formed the centrepiece of this year’s Celtic Connections with Eddi Reader, Karen Matheson, Jarlath Henderson and Shona Donaldson joining the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall for a sublime celebration of his life and works – 261 years after his…

[notifymusic]

Pre show dinner!!! Had a blast at @ccfest #celticconnections #glasgow #notify #notifyworldtour2018 #dropbox #itsinthescheduleindropbox #fish #chips #tune #choon (at Arta Glasgow)

[jamiemallan]

RT @jeanmcameron: @Paisley2021 @johnstone_pb @thegazettepaper Congratulations! And of course it’s @Tannahillweaver’s big 50th birthday concert at @ccfest - a festival highlight of Celtic Connections Director @ShawDonald https://t.co/39bKdL3IHn

Congratulations! And of course it’s @Tannahillweaver’s big 50th birthday concert at @ccfest - a festival highlight of Celtic Connections Director @ShawDonald https://t.co/39bKdL3IHn

— jean cameron (@jeanmcameron) January 11, 2018

via Twitter https://twitter.com/jamiemallan January 11, 2018 at 07:40PM

[chrishoggephotography]

A beautiful night with Native Harrow at the Hug and Pint...Glasgow

[karenblumberg]

My incomplete notes from another awesome #CCFestNYC hosted at @ITP_NYU today! #STEMed #CSforAllNYC

My incomplete notes from another awesome #CCFestNYC hosted at @ITP_NYU today! #STEMed #CSforAllNYC

[gatheredinamber]

Occasional links 2017-02-05

Alasdair has been confirmed as a guest performer on most (but not all) of the shows on Shirley Collins’ current tour — see full details of which guests appear on which nights. Here's a review of Saturday's show in Glasgow.

Alasdair profiles Alex Neilson, linked to the release of his first solo album, under the name Alex Rex.

.@AliRobertsMusic, Tartine De Cloud and Neil McDermott at @thegladcafe last night. C'était merveilleux! pic.twitter.com/qSZfJpuhRS

— Kyle Lonsdale (@kylelonsdale)

February 3, 2017

Watch on #Periscope https://amazing @ccfest show with Tartine de Clous, Alasdair Roberts & Neil McDermott tonight! https://t.co/IMgOZhj9iA

— The Glad Cafe (@thegladcafe)

February 2, 2017