#Dustin couldn’t look either of them in the eye for 3 weeks

[artiststarme]

Eddie hated feeling unsettled. He hated surprises and things he couldn’t prepare for. From the death of his mom to the arrest of his dad and every single sucker-punch he’d ever received, he hated all of the surprises he’d experienced.

And so, perhaps unsurprisingly, he had hated nearly every part of the entire week he spent on the run for a set of murders he didn’t commit and the rest of the week in an unfamiliar hell on earth. The worst Spring Break on the planet had shocked him in ways he didn’t think possible. Evil demon bats with a hankering for tattooed human flesh notwithstanding.

When he awoke in the hospital to sounds of beeping and a feeling of warmness from where Steve “the Hair” Harrington was holding his hand, Eddie started to think he might like being surprised after all.

He found that he didn’t hate the surprises that Steve presented him. The flowers left on the living room coffee table always brightened his day, even despite the hay fever. The blindfolds and trails to hidden picnics served to make him feel a love he’d never felt before. The Ozzy Osbourne tickets tucked haphazardly into his leather jacket’s pocket had him beaming for days.

And when Steve gracefully fell to his knee the day gay marriage became legal with a ring in hand and hope in his eyes, Eddie realized that he didn’t really mind surprises at all. As long as he kept seeing the smile on Steve’s face, he wouldn’t mind being surprised every day for the rest of his life.

(Except for the shocking moment Dustin walked in on them on a night they expected to be home alone. Eddie, Steve, and Dustin would much prefer to never experience that shitshow again.)

[subcultureblues]

Don’t You Want Me (Baby?) Pt 1

———

Steve and Eddie are either hooking up or dating - and are about as bad at keeping a secret as they are dealing with their feelings. (Dustin POV)

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

———

“For the record, I still think this is dumb.” Lucas said over the wind.

“Yeah, well, you’re dumb.” Mike said, sharp witted as always.

“Got you there.” Will grinned, sidling up beside him on his bike. Mike shot him a look, vaguely betrayed. Will shrugged innocently and kept peddling.

“Alright, alright, let the court record reflect you’re both morons.” Dustin sighed, peddling between the bickerer’s bikes and cutting ahead.

All four boys skirted to a stop outside the trailer park. Dustin wiped at his forehead under his cap, the humidity creeping back up on them as soon as the air stopped it’s rushing by.

“Dude, if Eddie wasn’t picking up the phone, well, there’s probably a reason for that.” Lucas said, in that tone of his. The demeaning one.

Dustin just shook his head. Name one good reason to ignore your party? One good reason. Dustin certainly couldn’t!

He started walking his bike up through the dusty lot, leaving the rest with little choice but to march ever onward.

“Maybe he’s still sleeping.” Will said, lingering a bit behind the pack.

“At 1 in the afternoon?” Lucas rolled his eyes.

“What? He does, like,” Mike’s voice dropped to a paranoid whisper. “weed, right? Jonathan’s always sleeping in?” Mike looked behind them at Will, who shrugged.

“Eddie,” Dustin said his name rather uncharitably but he’s at his limit here, really, he is “has been dodgy weeks now. Doesn’t answer the phone, he’s never free on the weekend, never hangs out after Hellfire anymore - I’m telling you guys, somethings up.”

“Or maybe - he’s finally graduated after the third try and he’s tired of hanging around high schoolers all the time.” Lucas rolled his eyes.

Dustin shook his head at Lucas, because that can’t be it. Eddie loves them. Well, he loves Dustin and likes the rest of Hellfire’s fresh meat well enough. They bonded, alright? - after everything they went through in the Upside Down. Hell, they’re practically brothers. And it’s not just Dustin who thinks that, Eddie had said it first. Well, he called him ‘the little brother I never wanted’ but had said so sarcastically. Obviously, he’d meant the opposite.

Hard to feel wanted right now though, considering as of circa maybe a month ago, Eddie’s been MIA. He still shows up to Hellfire, obviously. But that was about it.

After stopping the clock on the apocalypse and banding together to clear Eddie’s good name, it kind of become a thing - Eddie taking them out to get slushies after a game. Calling up Eddie to tell him, not ask, but tell him they were all going to the arcade. He’d even gone to Eddie’s trailer a few times so he could help Dustin homebrew his subclass!

Steve had started tagging along too, usually. Him and Eddie even getting started to get less awkward around each other after a while. Not best friends or anything, Not like Dustin was hoping. But friendly. It had been totally awesome! And totally annoying that he had mysteriously gone to ground.

It’s possible Dustin’s being, well he doesn’t want to say needy...

It’s just, Steve started picking up extra shifts at work and spending a whole lot of time with Robin. Not that Dustin didn’t support their relationship. Steve’s been single so long, it hadn’t started verging on pathetic exactly, but it was a near thing.

It’s just hard for a guy not to feel neglected.

The four boys had almost reached the trailer when they heard it. At first Dustin dismissed it, surely the trailer next doors’ doing. But no, that music definitely coming from Eddie’s.

That in and of itself, wouldn’t be unusual. Eddie is likely the loudest human being on the planet. No, the weird part is it’s not thrashy, garbage can lid, Eddie-music but goddamn…

“Is that - “ Mike said, trailing off from sheer befuddlement.

“Culture Club.” Lucas could barely hide the cackle in his voice.

“What in the -“ Dustin muttered, throwing his bike in the grass and wandering up to the door like it was a gate to another dimension. For all he knows, it might just be.

“Eddie?” He knocked on the door. Nothing. He tried again. Obviously, someone’s home.

Dustin’s only met the man briefly but he didn’t take Munson Sr for being the bubblegum pop type.

Besides, Mr. Munson certainly wouldn’t be playing anything this loud unless those late nights at the plant had him going deaf. Dustin peeked through the window into the living room. More nothing.

“Oh man.” Lucas shoved him to press his face against the glass too. There was a slow smile creeping across his face, like he was suddenly overjoyed they had come to the trailer park after all. Lucas wasn’t gonna let their DM live this one down, not any time soon. “I thought he was supposed to be cool.”

“He is cool.” Mike said.

Dustin just sighed, threw his hands up, and started rounding the corner of the RV. Eddie’s van was here, ergo Eddie. Dustin was sure he’d be lurking around here somewhere. The rest of the boys followed, their previous hesitation now nowhere to be seen.

“Come on.” He gestured towards the window. They all leaned in and Dustin was already furiously rapping on the window. “Ed - “

Dustin’s eyes went wide. And maybe his face a bit pink.

Eddie was here alright.

He was laying in bed. Very much not alone. There were two of them, lying in bed together. They were under the covers but Eddie was sprawled out on top of someone, a thick curtain of hair hanging over both faces. Clearly, ew, kissing, based on, and Dustin might be scarred for life here, a hand gripping Eddie’s hair at the base of his neck. He could just barely hear their sadistic DM… giggling… over the music.

As for the tunes, the obvious culprit was in the corner of the room. Eddie’s little cassette stereo.

“Eddie?” Dustin blanched before he could stop himself. And it was of course, in that exact moment Culture Club decided to betray them and Karma Chameleon ended.

Will went to shush him, grabbing his shoulder to drag him away but oh shit, Eddie definitely heard that. The guy squawked and jolted up in bed, swooping the covers up to hide them both in their immodesty. Eddie’s eyes peaked over his elbow like a vampire leering over his cloak. He gaped at the window, clearly rather horrified.

The boys all threw themselves out of the frame, Dustin pressing up against the back of the trailer.

“What the fuck - “ he heard Eddie say. “What the fuck.” He sounded almost angry but closer to panicked. There was a vague whispering match, but whispering was never really Eddie’s strong suit, so they heard him just fine.

“Relax.” Eddie said, though he did not himself sound relaxed. “No, it’s fine. We’re cool. You need to - I need you cool right now.”

They heard something like a grown man crashing off the bed and gracelessly hit the floor.

“I know, I know, I know. I know! Christ, I’m sorry, ok? I didn’t - I’ll deal with it. Just - “

The boys were already turning tail and scurrying back to their bikes. Gone entirely red in the face.

“I told you this was a bad idea.” Mike said, the hypocrite bastard.

“No you did not!” Dustin huffed.

The front door swung open with a bang and Eddie came spilling out towards them as he, oh gross, scrambled to get into his jeans. He was still shirtless and sweaty, hair fluffed up like an angry cat. Looking rather frantic.

“It’s not what it looks like!” He actually looked properly pissed, hands shaking with it as he did up his fly.

“We didn’t see anything.” Lucas put his hands up, but the guilty way he refused to meet Eddie’s eyes kind of gave up the game.

“Nothing!” Will squeaked, beet red and squeezing his eyes closed tight. Just in case they hadn’t made themselves look incriminating enough.

“God, of all the shit fucking timing -“ Eddie’s fist clenched up in front of him and he let out a frustrated noise, eyes darting around the trailer park. “Look I can explain. If you just, ergh, give me a minute to think of something.”

“No need! We didn’t see anything, promise.” Mike assured him again, his voice nearly steady. Good for him.

“Right so. I guess, did I mention I’ve take up recently taken up semi pro Grecian wrestling - “

“Do you have a girlfriend?” Dustin couldn’t help interrupting him. Lucas smacked him. He gave Lucas a face, which was returned, so Dustin did it again even harder. But fuck Lucas cause it may have been the right thing to say. Eddie stopped fluttering, looked right at him. Squinted, scanning his face.

“You know you can just tell us. If you did. You could have just told us in the first place.” Dustin didn’t get why Eddie wouldn’t. Did Eddie think this kind of thing was too ‘grown up’ for them. They were high school freshman for Christ sake! The only one of their little crew who didn’t have a girlfriend was Will. And I guess Steve.

Allegedly.

Of course, Dustin didn’t believe that for a second.

“I - what?” Eddie perked up.

“If you had a girlfriend. Do you? Is that - “

Eddie huffed out a hysterical laugh. It was weird. But then, Eddie wasn’t exactly the poster child for Normal. Dustin crossed his arms.

“Sure. Yeah.” He took a big breath as he looked behind him back into the trailer. “I have a... my girlfriend.”

“Sorry. For coming over.” Will said, timid like a mouse.

“It was Dustin’s idea.” He took Mike for many things but never a rat. Dustin sputtered indignantly, throwing up his hands.

“And we didn’t even see anything, really! So if you’re worried about your girlfriend’s modesty, like - we didn’t see anything, we swear! Right guys?.” Lucas insisted. Mike and Will bobbleheaded in agreement.

“What the hell are you squirts doing here, anyways?” Eddie said, scrubbing roughly at his forehead.

“I needed to get my binder.” Dustin said flatly. And maybe to remind Eddie that hey, he’s still here too. Like, right here.

“Your fucking - “ Eddie said in disbelief, and then he laughed. “Your binder.”

“You weren’t answering the phone.”

“Yeah well I was busy.” Eddie said, eyes wide and awfully antagonistic.

“Busy getting busy.”

Eddie turned his wild eyes on Lucas

“Thin ice, Sinclair. Thin fucking ice.”

That just made him chuckle again. At least he half tried to hide it behind his hand. But Lucas always was the least cowed by Eddie.

“Is this why you haven’t been hanging around anymore, like all month.”

“Jesus. Henderson, I’m sorry, ok? Hard as it is to believe, I do have a fucking life outside the game.” Yeah, Dustin thought, it was pretty hard to believe. “Look, just give me a second.”

“I’ll be quick - “ Dustin made a move to come inside.

“No.” Eddie firmly hip checked him out of the way.

Eddie slipped back into the trailer. Through the open door Dustin could just barely make out the words.

“False alarm. No - actually. I’m being serious. They think - “

They think what? Think they have a right to be here at Eddie’s trailer. Taking up space in Eddie’s life. Well they do. The party almost died saving the world side by side with Eddie, they had more right to be here than that - Dustin just grumbled. He wouldn’t call her a harlot. But only because Susie’s voice was already in the back of his head, admonishing the thought.

Eddie came back and pushed the binder hard into Dustin’s chest. He was stumbled back a step. “Now scram.” He said, not leaving room for Dustin to get a word in edgewise.

“Look, I’m sorry I haven’t been around but I… See you at Hellfire, ok?” Eddie slammed the door in their faces.

“How great could this even chick be?” Dustin frowned. Great enough to edge the party out of Eddie’s life it seems like.

The other boys just shrugged. They all picked up their bikes.

“I mean, why can’t he just like, bring her along when we hang out or something.”

“I told you, maybe he just wants to hang out with someone his own age for once.” Lucas said.

Maybe Eddie’s too cool to bring his new girlfriend around his dorky freshmen friends. Is he embarrassed to introduce them to her or something.

“Come on.” Will said. “We should get back to Mike’s.”

“Yeah. Yeah whatever.” Dustin said.

———

“Since it’s Friday, our parents said me and Mike and Lucas could go to the arcade for an hour before it gets dark.” Dustin said to Eddie as they walked through the empty school hallway after Hellfire.

“No can do, compadre. Fight the good fight against those Space Invaders in my steed, yeah?” Eddie grinned down at him over the few boxes of mini in his hands.

Dustin huffed.

“What? Too busy hanging out with your girlfriend? Dustin said petulantly. “Just bring her along if your - “

The three most senior PC’s in Hellfire skid to a stop in front of them. Dustin and Eddie nearly walked straight into the wall of them. It was almost comical the way all their heads swiveled around to oogle at him. Jeff only just managed to choke back a chortle.

Dustin was honestly offended on Eddie’s behalf. Sure, dude was a drug dealing, super duper senior nerd/freak/metalhead combo who had been semi-recently accused of ritualistic dismemberment - but certainly someone was into that.

“My -? Oh yeah my, my - that.” Eddie winced, avoiding many, many eyes.

“Oh, and you have a girlfriend now do you?” Gareth huffed a laugh, in clear disbelief. Eddie glared daggers at him.

Dustin really didn’t see why it was that hard to believe. Eddie was like, really cool. It was an indisputable fact. If all of them could see it, why couldn’t some weird, off the wall alt girl see it too.

“I don’t want to hear a fucking word from you. Any one of you.” Pointing rapidly at all three of them, like he was warding off the words waiting right at the tip of their tongues.

“So who’s the lucky lady, Munson?” Jared said, like he had ‘held action, Vicious Mockery’ and simply couldn’t help himself. He was fighting a positively delighted smile. Eddie flushed.

“The DM giveth and the DM taketh away, and you would be very wise to remember that, Ser Elias.” Eddie said loudly, still jabbing his finger about like it made him more authoritative.

“Sorry man, just joking around.” Jeff grinned good naturedly.

“Yeah, I mean, good for you dude.” Gareth said, with a genuine smile. He tapped Eddie on the chest who childishly batted Gareth’s hand away.

“No, don’t do that. I - seriously guys, we’re not - it’s not like that. I’m not ‘dating’ anyone.” Eddie deflated, looking uncomfortable. The unflappable Eddie, looking all too flappable after all. He tucked a piece of hair behind his ear and huffed. “Just someone I’ve been screwing around with alright.”

Eddie walked past them. Dustin almost felt bad for bringing it up. Almost.

He turned to Gareth.

“So you guys don’t have any idea who it is?”

The guys looked around at each other, all of them shrugging.

“Who knows.” Jared shrugged again, this one still no more helpful than the last.

“Unless,” Gareth straight up giggles, “it’s that suburban mom Eddie’s been swooning over since sophomore year.”

“Yeah right.” Jared chuckled, shoving Gareth forward. They all continued walking.

“That… doesn’t seem like his type.” Dustin said, suddenly confused and perturbed and feeling like he doesn’t know Eddie Munson at all.

“You’d be surprised.” Jared grinned and clapped a hand on his shoulder.

They exited the school just in time to see Steve getting out of the car. Usually after Hellfire he didn’t bother. He just wanted to get the kids rounded up and out of the parking lot as quickly as he could ever really manage. Not today though. Eddie walked to Steve’s Beemer, parked in the stall next to his van.

“Munson.” He said with a small smile. He grabbed one of a few boxes of minis out of Eddie’s arms.

“Uh, Harrington.” Eddie gave a hesitant smile, before bowing his head with predictable theatrically.

“Hi, Steve.” Dustin said from behind. Steve gave him a fond nod before looking back up to the DM.

“So, uh, how was the session?” He said kind of awkwardly.

“Bordering on child abuse.” Eddie beamed.

“I got knocked out, twice.” Lucas windged, holding up two fingers as he walked by.

“Whatever keeps you humble.” Steve shrugged. He turned back to Eddie. “So. Uh. Any plans for this weekend?”

Eddie blinked, then he raised his eyebrows with a haughty grin. “Dunno, had a few things in mind.” He shrugged.

“Cool. That’s cool. I did too. But uh, then my parents came home from their trip early.” Steve scratched the back of his neck. “So, you know, guess there go my plans for the weekend.”

“Huh.” Eddie frowned. “Bummer.”

“Shotgun!” Dustin decided, throwing open the passenger side door.

Mike, Lucas, and Will who also couldn’t care less about their inane small talk, were already piling into Steve’s car. Steve was lingering though, helping Eddie load his stuff into the van. Dustin’s glad they’re making an effort to be friendly acquaintances, especially since he’s pretty sure it’s mostly for his own sake. But come on, it was like, 3 small boxes. They had space invasions to thwart.

And of course, Lucas was still bitching at Dustin about his failure to come through with a healing spell.

“I’m a bard, what did you want me to do?” Dustin rolled his eyes.

“You have healing word!” Lucas said, to which Dustin roll his eyes. Again.

“Which does like, 2D-nothing!” He looked out the window, wishing Steve would hurry the hell up already. Him and Eddie were still talking? What the hell did those two even have to talk about? Eddie was giving Steve an optimistic grin, but Steve was just shaking his head.

“Cure wounds than!” Lucas groused.

“Well, then you should have thought about that before you went down thirty-five feet away.”

“You could have dashed.” Lucas crossed his arms.

“Ugh. That would have defeated the whole - ugh!” Dustin rolled the window down impatiently. “Steve is it cool if I eat in your car?“ Dustin hollered. He wasn’t actually gonna, he just knew how to get the man’s attention.

“Absolutely not! You know the rules.”

“Don’t worry, it’s just a granola bar! Nature Valley.” Dustin shouted back.

“Don’t even think about it Henderson!” Steve said, already rounding the car. Eddie laughed brightly.

“Harrington?” He said.

“I - Yeah. Fine. Fine, alright.” Steve said to which Eddie smiled triumphantly. That better mean they were done with their little pow-wow.

Eddie climbed into his own vehicle. Steve opened the Beemer’s drivers side door but he didn’t get in yet. Instead he stood there running his hand through his hair muttering something to himself.

“See ya, nerds!” Eddie called out, lowering his own window. There was a chorus of goodbyes from the Beemer. “And Harrington -“ He started the van and a blast of guitar poured out. He smiled that Eddie smile. “You worry too much.” He said. And then he swept out of the parking lot with the sound of his obnoxious music on the wind.

“Yeah. Sure.” Steve muttered sarcastically. He got behind the wheel, Dustin’s threat of snacking seemingly forgotten.

“What was that about?”

Steve just waved him off and started the car.

Dustin eyed Steve skeptically. So what, were Steve and Eddie like, actually friends now or something?

Maybe he knows.

After a few minutes, Dustin finally broke and asked.

“Soooo, do you know who Eddie’s been seeing?”

“What?” Steve says, nearly swerving over the line.

“Jesus!” Lucas swore from the back.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Steve chuckled awkwardly, eyes now, thankfully, firmly fixed on the road.

“Of course he’s not gonna tell Steve.” Mike grumbled.

Dustin stroked an imaginary beard. The fog of mystery only grew thicker and thicker.

“His secret girlfriend.” Mike said, like a little know it all.

Steve just huffed a, sure.

“I bet she’s like, some badass metal chick.” Mike said reverently, looking out the window. “She probably has like face piercings and crazy dyed hair. Or like a shaved head or something cool like that.”

Dustin sighed. She probably was badass. Way cooler than they were. Way too cool to bring around the dork squad.

“Does that sound like anyone you’ve seen around here?” Lucas said skeptically.

“Yeah, I dunno. Gareth said he was into like… suburban moms.” Dustin grimaced.

“Excuse me?” Steve sputtered.

Will made a disgusted noise.

“I know.” Dustin shivered.

“Better watch out for your mom then.” Lucas snickered. Dustin shot him a dirty look.

“Yeah, no way.” Mike shook his head. “He had to be messing with you or something. Eddie probably has like, groupies and stuff.”

“Please. That man has no game.” Lucas said. Steve snorted but played it off like a cough.

“That man runs the game.” Dustin said defensively.

“You know that’s not what that means.” Lucas said.

“The real question is, how long has this little dalliance been going on for?” Dustin pondered.

“Hey, you nosey little twerps. I really don’t think this is like, any of your business.”

“At least a few weeks right?” Lucas spoke up.

“And how do you know that?” Mike said.

“Cause that’s how long it’s been that Eddie’s been using the phrase ‘busy’ to get out of stuff. I mean he’s a jobless, drug peddling hobo, I don’t think I’ve seen Eddie be busy like, ever.” Lucas said, scratching his chin. “Until a few weeks ago that is.”

Dustin grinned widely. “It’s elementary, my dear Watson.”

“It’s invasive is what it is.” Steve grumbled. “Also, he’s not a hobo. He has a house.”

“Well, I guess, technically it’s a trailer.” Will said, rather pedantically.

“Well, it’s got four walls. And he lives inside them. Ergo…”

“He’s also been a lot nicer.” Will said thoughtfully.

“Huh?” Dustin and Steve said, and looked at him in unison.

“The last couple weeks, don’t you think?” Will said, smiling faintly. “He’s been nicer than usual. Or happier. I guess.”

“I guess.” Dustin said.

“You think?” Steve said.

“Okay,” Dustin should have a houndstooth cap and a pipe. “We have our timeline. Now, we need to root out suspects.”

“Alright, this, whatever this is, stops here. You nosey little twerps need to mind your own business.”

“But - “

“I don’t want to hear it. No buts.”

And that was the end of that. For now at least.

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

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[steddiealltheway]

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays :) This is way longer than I thought it would be, but it's been a while since I've written, so I think I needed it. I hope you all have a wonderful end to your year <3

Steve thought it was fate when he reached into Dustin’s old Santa hat and picked up a crumpled piece of paper with Eddie’s name scribbled on it. He had a gift stored away for Eddie that he bought weeks ago, and he was hoping there would be some way to get it to him without making it a big deal or something. Miraculously, the tiny slip of paper gave him that chance.

Now, two weeks later, Steve feels like his nerves are on fire as everyone gathers around in his living room, waiting to receive their gifts.

He goes off to the guest bedroom where the party had dropped off their gifts under the bed with the promise of not peaking - per Steve's request. Mike complained that the system was a little bit much, and Steve couldn’t argue with him. He just didn’t want to give away that he was Eddie’s secret Santa.

And now that he has pulled all the gifts out from under the bed, his stomach churns and his heart races. He just hopes his gift doesn’t cross a line or bring up unwanted memories, especially since he and Eddie aren’t exactly best friends.

Well, okay, they’re close. Considering the number of times Dustin has insisted they all hang out now that they’ve all been trauma-bonded, Steve has spent a lot of time with Eddie. But he hasn’t gotten a lot of alone time with him.

Sure, there have been a few times when Eddie has stopped by work, but Robin was always close by - not that Steve minded at all, except he got tired of the looks she would give him after Eddie left as if she was expecting Steve to say something. He doesn’t know what exactly he would say, but he will admit that it was always sad watching Eddie go. Maybe he should tell Robin he wishes he could stay a little longer, maybe even after hours.

The thought reminds him of the one moment they spent alone that Steve can't help but recall often. Even his present to Eddie is based around that moment which resulted in him purchasing something definitely higher than the price limit, but none of the kids would know that so it’s fine.

There’s a light knock on the door behind him, and Steve turns around. “Hey,” Eddie says with a small smile. “Everything okay?”

Steve smiles back, willing his heartbeat to slow down a bit. “Yeah, just trying to figure out how to get them all at once.”

“Let me help,” Eddie says, already bending over to grab half the stack that Steve had pushed out from under the bed. “You don’t happen to have a Santa suit do you?”

Steve’s eyebrows furrow. “No?”

“Damn. Next year, okay? And I want to be Santa.”

The corner of Steve’s lip quirks up and Eddie's eyes light up, looking awfully proud of himself. The two hold the gaze for a few moments longer than they should, but it’s not like that's new to them.

“Guys! What’s the holdup?!” Dustin yells.

Steve sighs and offers Eddie a now irritated smile before leading the way to the living room, glancing down at the names on each present before handing them out. He and Eddie finish around the same time, and Steve notices there are two clear spots for them in the small circle on either side of Dustin. He almost makes a snarky comment to Dustin, but he holds his tongue, knowing Max and El will shoot them irritated glares if they start bickering.

"El, why don't you go first?" Steve suggests as he sits down, not giving the rest of the kids a chance to argue about it. After all, no one is going to protest after all that El did for them.

El smiles and carefully opens her gift, but Steve spaces out a bit, lost in thought about his gift and questioning if it will be an appropriate thing to bring up in front of the kids. Eddie had shared the moment only with Steve and even hesitated in doing so, so maybe he doesn't want it to be broadcast to the kids. Shit.

Steve snaps back to reality when El knee-scoots over to Dustin, pulling him into a tight hug and thanking him for her present. Dustin flushes an interesting shade of red that Steve is definitely going to bring up later when he himself isn't panicking. For now, he moves the game along. "Alright, Dustin gets to open his gift now since he was the Secret Santa," Steve announces, nervously glancing at Eddie, hoping the excited look doesn't mean the gift is from him. He's not sure if he's ready for Eddie to open his gift yet.

Luckily, the gift is from Lucas, and Steve breathes a sigh of relief. But as the game continues and more people unwrap their gifts, Steve finds himself getting a bit impatient as he waits for someone to get their gift from Eddie. It's only when Max is last to open her gift that Steve realizes that he and Eddie are the only two remaining which means...

"No way," Eddie says with a big grin. "We're the only two who got each other."

Steve slowly looks down at the gift in his hand, neatly wrapped with a beautifully done bow that seems so unlike Eddie who always seems to be in a rush, doing everything with an almost frantic energy that Steve kind of adores. He wonders what he must've been like sitting still, carefully folding each curve of newspaper and taping it all together before neatly tying the red ribbon around the box into a beautiful bow. "You did this?" Steve can't help but ask, hoping he didn't just stick his foot in his mouth.

"Yeah," Eddie says somewhat bashfully as he pulls his hair in front of his face. "You do the honors." Eddie gestures to Steve's present and nervously rambles, "It isn't much really..."

Steve carefully undoes each fold, seeing the care Eddie took in wrapping a small box that Steve pulls the lid off of. He stares down at a small metal-looking thing and picks it up off the paper it's on top of. He presses it and startles a bit as it buzzes.

"A hand buzzer," Dustin laughs in disbelief.

"Maybe you two need to hang out more," El suggests innocently.

Eddie clears his throat. "There's a note in there, too, but you don't have to read it out loud in front of the kids or anything."

Steve keeps ahold of the little buzzer and picks up the note, staring at a few numbers in confusion before following an arrow that elaborates 24/7 Walkie Channel - especially at night. Steve flushes a bit red at the joke, but as he reads further, he realizes it's not a joke at all. In fact, he knows exactly what this is referring to.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Eddie walks up to the counter of Family Video and raps his knuckles on the counter. "Now tell me, what exactly is behind that restricted section with the red curtains?"

Steve rubs his temples and gives Eddie an unimpressed look. "You know exactly what's behind there."

"Well, maybe I want to hear it from my favorite employee. After all, you're supposed to help me with all my needs."

"Alright," Robin announces loudly, "I'm taking my break."

Steve hears the break room door shut behind him, and he drops his head in his hands with a slight groan.

"That embarrassed, Harrington? I thought you were like the expert here. Especially since Robin isn't allowed back there, but..." Eddie trails off but suddenly his voice gets much closer yet softer. "Hey, sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Sometimes I push too far without realizing and-"

Steve cuts him off with a short wave of his hand. "It's not that. You're fine really. Just didn't really sleep last night."

"Company or..." Eddie goes for a joke to lighten the second half of what he's implying.

Steve sighs and glances up at him. "It the 'or' option."

Eddie gives him a sympathetic look and glances around at the empty store before leaning on the counter, right into Steve's space, but it's comforting rather than intrusive. Eddie softly says, "I get it, man. The night terrors are... they're intense. I still see Chrissy when she..." He looks away, swallows hard, and takes a deep breath. "I get it."

Steve glances up and sees a matching haunted look in Eddie's eyes that Steve catches in the mirror from time to time. "It's harder late at night. I get this urge to reach out to everyone and make sure they're okay and..." Steve sighs and lowers his voice, "still alive." He shudders slightly and laughs humorlessly, "But it's not like I can just call everyone's house at night and wake up them and their family. I usually just wait for the urge to pass but it's harder for me with some people." Steve swallows hard, knowing what Eddie will ask next.

"Like who?"

Steve glances up at Eddie and says, "Robin of course because she's my best friend. Max is tough too because of how close she was to dying and you just never know if that thing will come back or not."

"He's gone for good this time. You know what Owens said," Eddie presses gently.

"Yeah, but I've heard it before," Steve argues. But he can't deny that things definitely feel more final now. Like maybe they're finally over. Still, he can't just let his guard down on the off chance that his gut isn't right for once.

Eddie shifts and nudges Steve's elbow with his own. "Anyone else though?"

Steve holds Eddie's gaze for a moment, and he sees the exact moment Eddie knows exactly what he's thinking as the memories of Eddie's lifeless body in Steve's arms flood in his head. "You were... gone there for a little while. And sometimes I wake up, and I think that you didn't make it. That the nightmare I keep having is actually reality."

Eddie gives him a pained look and places his hand over Steve's. "You can call me at any time. Day or night. I'll try my best to answer, especially at night."

"Eddie, I don't want to make you lose sleep any more than you already are."

"But I'm probably already awake. And I don't care if I lose sleep for you, okay?"

Steve glances up at him and flushes a bit as his eyes flicker down to Eddie's lips. For a moment, he thinks he might understand what Robin's looks mean, but he glances away before he can truly think about it. "That's not the only problem though," Steve confesses quietly.

Eddie just squeezes his hand, waiting for him to elaborate.

With a deep breath, Steve hooks his thumb on top of Eddie's pinky and squeezes back for some support. "I hate speaking in that empty house. My voice seems to echo, and it makes me feel more alone than I already am. And sometimes it feels impossible to speak about things. Like my voice doesn't work or something. I don't know."

"I get it," Eddie says simply, squeezing his hand again. "But really, if you ever need to call or stop by or anything. I'll be there." Steve holds Eddie's gaze, thinking maybe the upcoming night won't be so bad.

Before Steve can really say anything else, the bell on the front door dings loudly and he and Eddie practically jump apart. The customer doesn't even so much as glance at them, but they both still keep their distance, recognizing that the moment is over.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Steve stares at the little list in the note.

One Buzz: Checking in. I will buzz back so you know I'm okay. Two Buzzes: If you need to hear my voice. I will respond over the walkie and talk for as long as you like. Buzz multiple times, and I'll stop. And trust me, I will talk your ear off, so I won't get offended when you buzz. Three Buzzes: If you need me to call ever. Don't be afraid to use this one. Wayne is still working night shifts, so you're really no bother if you want to call first. But this way, I can be the one calling you so you don't have to worry about waking me up or anything. Really. The buzzes aren't too loud, so they shouldn't wake me up. Let me know if you want to add anything to this list. I have an identical list with my hand buzzer at home that I would be happy to add to at any time. Merry Christmas Love, Your Secret Santa

Steve stares at the note in his hand almost too stunned to speak. He doesn't think he's ever received a more thoughtful gift in his life. He pinches at his nose and tries to shut his emotions down a bit, and Eddie must catch on because he loudly announces, "My turn!"

Steve takes a deep breath, forgetting entirely about the gift he got Eddie. He watches as Eddie tears the wrapping paper off the small box then dramatically and very slowly opens it up with a big smile, knowing he has the kids' impatient attention practically in the palm of his hand. But when he finally sees the gift, his smile and whole act drop as a look of realization crosses over his face.

Steve's heart pounds in his chest.

Eddie slowly removes the little glass bottle filled with brown liquid and silently stares at it.

"What is that? Some type of fancy bourbon?" Max asks with a scoff.

Steve watches Eddie's eyes get slightly glassy, and he's quick to announce, "Something like that. But alright, we have to move on before your families start coming to pick you up. Was a snowball fight next on your cheesy list or something?"

Dustin is quick to defend the list the group came up with, but Steve is quicker in pushing them all toward the front door. "I'll be there in a bit. Eddie and I have to clean up."

The kids all rush to put on their coats and shoes, not wanting to be a part of any type of cleanup. Once they run outside, Steve closes the door and rushes back to the living room where Eddie's still staring at the bottle, a single tear going down his face. "You... you remembered... and you... you got... how?"

"Of course, I remembered," Steve says, thinking of what Eddie told him months ago.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Steve sighs and stuffs more things into a box from Eddie's closet. Dr. Owen's people had finally given the trailer the all-clear, so they were finally able to get the remainder of Eddie's and Wayne's things out of there. Of course, the kids had spent about an hour helping with the living room before taking a very very long break at Max's place. Steve assumes it will be lasting until the rest of the trailer is cleared out.

"They're great help, aren't they?" Eddie jokes as he brings another box into the room.

"Absolutely. Always willing to lend a hand. That is until they decide that the adults can just slave away for them."

"Someone needs to give them a lecture," Eddie sighs, pulling out a pile of clothes from his closet.

Steve scoots the box over and asks, "And why does that person always seem to be me? Especially when they don't listen to me."

"You're just so motherly," Eddie says with a big smile, dimples on full display.

Steve can't help but smile at the sight. And luckily he's staring his way when Eddie picks up another stack of clothes and suddenly hurdles something Steve's way. And even luckier, Steve's reflexes are quick, so he's able to easily catch the smaller glass bottle.

Eddie's eyes widen and he quickly grabs at the bottle, wrapping his hands around Steve's in the process. "Jesus H. Christ." Eddie's grip tightens as he stares at the bottle and breathes a sigh of relief, dropping his head to Steve's shoulder. "Have I ever told you that I'm so glad you're a jock?"

Steve snorts. "No, but whatever in this bottle must be important enough for you to admit it. So, tell me, what's in it? Alcohol? Some type of weird liquid drug?"

Eddie pulls back and looks away, still cradling the bottle and Steve's hands. "It's nothing. Just, hold it gently while I find another shirt to wrap it in."

Steve gently grasps the bottle and brings it closer, inspecting what it could be when he's hit with a bit of deja vu. He tests his suspicions and carefully removes the cap. "Eddie, why do you have an almost empty bottle of perfume in your closet?"

Eddie turns to him and asks, "Please, don't tell me you sprayed it."

"I didn't. The cap just gave it away."

Eddie quickly takes the bottle from his hand and puts the cap back on. "It's nothing. Like I said." He rolls it carefully in a t-shirt and places it in the box.

Steve slowly approaches and looks down at the box, frowning when he sees it start to blend in with the other pile of clothes in there. "I'll be right back," Steve announces before running out to his car. He opens the trunk and sighs, grabbing a shoe box and carefully placing his emergency date shoes in the corner of the trunk before taking the box inside.

When he gets back to the room, he reaches into the bigger box, fishes the shirt-wrapped perfume out, and places it gently into the shoe box before setting it aside. Steve glances up and notices Eddie staring at him. "Is that the emergency date shoe box?"

Steve is going to give the kids or Robin a lecture later about giving away people's personal information. "Yes," he admits.

"So, where are the shoes?"

"In my trunk," Steve says, moving onto Eddie closet to grab the last of the clothes.

Eddie pauses before asking, "You put your emergency date shoes the kids told me to never touch in your trunk to give me a box for my perfume?"

Steve shrugs. "Yeah." He stuffs everything down and closes the box, pushing it toward the door. But he's stopped by Eddie's hand on his arm.

"Why?" Eddie asks.

Steve straightens up and puts his hands on his hips. "It's clearly important to you, and I wasn't going to let you forget about it and accidentally throw it again when I'm not there to catch it."

Eddie holds his gaze for a few moments and Steve almost breaks the eye contact, not used to having Eddie's attention directly solely at him. But he feels like that will change in the future.

Eddie shifts and places a hand on Steve's back, leading him to where he placed the box. He picks it up and opens it, slowly unraveling the perfume and staring at it as if debating if he wants to share the story with Steve.

Steve just waits, not wanting to pressure him. Instead, he lets the moment play out.

Eddie breathes out, "It was my mom's."

It hits Steve all at once the implication of the phrase.

"She would wear it all the time. I remember she would put it on once in the morning, once in the afternoon, and once before going to bed. I told her it was silly to do that before bed, but she told me it was only silly if I let it be." Eddie smiles at the memory before growing distant in his expression. "When she got sick, she started forgetting the time more and more. So, I would remind her. And toward the end, I started putting it on her when she felt too weak to spray it."

Steve shifts and lightly rests his hand on Eddie's back as he continues, "I told my dad that she should be buried with it. That she would want to have it with her and wear it all the time." Eddie's voice cracks a bit and he clears his throat. "He told me that was silly."

Steve shifts closer to Eddie so their sides are pressing together, trying to give him physical support because he's unsure of what to say.

Eddie shakes his head and smiles sadly. "I kept it since then. And I used to spray it all the time, and god, the guys at school would make fun of me for smelling like girl's perfume, but I didn't care. But maybe I should've listened to them because now I only have this much left." He holds up the bottle to emphasize his point, the perfume so low that it seems to barely cover the bottom of the glass.

"One time, I brought it to a perfume store to ask what brand it was. I thought maybe I could save up and buy another one." Eddie shakes his head again. "But the lady accused me of stealing it. She said there was no way I would've been able to afford it in the first place. That there was no reason for me to even have it unless I was looking for a cheap buck to make."

Steve's grip on Eddie's back presses a little firmer as he feels anger and disgust toward the woman overflood his system. "That's fucked up."

"A bit, yeah," Eddie agrees. He glances at Steve, and Steve realizes how close they are, but he doesn't try to move away. "Do you want to smell it?"

Steve's brows furrow. "Eddie, there's barely any left in there, don't waste it on me."

Eddie smiles somewhat bashfully. "No, it's alright. I haven't used it in a long time, and after everything we went through, I need the reminder."

"If you're sure, then yes. I would love that."

Eddie holds out his wrist and lightly sprays the perfume. He uses his other wrist to rub it in before he holds it up to Steve's nose. Steve takes a deep breath and is suddenly taken back to a vague memory from a Christmas years and years ago when Steve was too young to succumb to the disappointment from his parents who were still around. But it's a happy memory nonetheless.

"What do you think?" Eddie asks.

Steve smiles softly. "I think your mom had great taste. And it smells really beautiful. I wish I could've met her."

"Me too," Eddie replies softly, staring at the bottle.

-:-:-:-:-:-

"My mom had the same one. Years ago it was gifted to her. I ended up finding the bottle in one of the drawers in her bathroom. It was still in the box, so it wasn't too difficult to find at the store," Steve admits. He holds out his hand and says, "Here. I have to show you something."

Eddie carefully places the perfume back in the box and takes Steve's hand, following him up the stairs and into his room. Steve regrettably lets go of Eddie's hand to pull out a box from under his own bed. He holds it up to Eddie who gasps, "Steve, this must have cost you a fortune."

Steve glances down at the five boxes of perfume and shrugs. "There was a Christmas sale. Plus, I was able to use my Harrington charm a bit."

Eddie grabs the box and carefully sets it on Steve's bed before quickly wrapping his arms around Steve and pulling him in close. "Thank you. God, this is the best gift I've ever gotten."

Steve squeezes him tight. "Same with yours."

They remain in each other's arms for a few moments, not rushing the embrace or questioning how long they're allowed to linger. Only, when Steve starts pulling away, he starts questioning his next move. Because more than anything he wants to kiss Eddie.

The realization hits him hard. He knows exactly now what Robin's glances mean and what she's been expecting him to say. Of course, deep down he knew, but he just hadn't had to face it head-on yet. But here he is and... "Eddie," Steve says softly, lingering in his space.

"Steve," Eddie replies quietly, eyes flickering down to Steve's lips, already knowing what he means.

Steve takes a deep breath, feeling his heart pound in his chest as he asks, "Can I?"

"Hell yes," Eddie replies.

They both move together at the same time, meeting each other in a gentle kiss which they linger in. Steve moves away to breathe and shifts to cup Eddie's face with his hands and bring him in again. He kisses him with all he has, filled with the awe of the thoughtful gift he received, joy of the gift well received, and the overwhelming feeling that this is right.

Steve breaks the kiss with a smile and whispers, "Merry Christmas, Eddie."

"Merry Christmas, Steve," Eddie says breathlessly before kissing him again.

And it really is a merry Christmas.

[ladykailitha]

Never Hold Back Your Step... Part 16

Here we are at the end of an era. I can't believe it's over. Even when engagement dropped off, and it lost it's luster, I persevered and got it done. I sad it's over, but grateful too, you know? I don't have to worry about fitting it into canon or make Nancy play nice.

I do plan on finishing the story. I'm just juggling other stories at the moment. I have four current WIPs and they take priority right now.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15

~

“Sing it.”

Dustin’s eyes went wide and looked around him, looking for support.

“Sorry, man,” Eddie said, “I’m with her. You haven’t spoken to her in a week and now you’re only calling when you have a problem. Suck it up and sing the god damned song.”

Steve hid his grin behind his hand, so Dustin sighed and started singing the theme song to The Neverending Story. It was a lovely duet.

Or at least it would have been had Eddie not been singing back up, terribly, horribly, and deliberately off key.

Steve was a little surprised at how well the little twerp could sing, if he was honest. Hell, if the kid wasn’t so wrapped up in the nerd stuff, he probably could do it professional.

Something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention and he stumbled that direction. He started pawing at Eddie’s jacket.

Eddie turned around to ask him what was wrong, but he saw it too.

“Shit.”

Everyone else turned too.

“Shit,” Dustin echoed. He grabbed the walkie talkie and tried to get their friends on the line.

“SKEEERAAAHHH!” was all he got back in response.

“You and Erica stay here,” Steve snapped. “You two still need to get Hopper and them through to the base. Eddie, Robin, you can come with me or stay here, but we’ve gotta go now.”

Robin and Eddie immediately fell in line behind him.

“Sorry, Eds,” Steve said, “I’ve got to drive. It’s only way I can–”

Eddie nodded. He knew that in that moment it wasn’t about concussions or being beat to hell. It was about getting the people who needed him. He slapped the keys in Steve’s hand and slid in the back of the car.

Robin hopped in the front seat and Steve got into driver’s seat.

“Seat belts, everyone,” he said through gritted teeth. “This going to be a bumpy ride.”

He threw back in reverse and hightailed it out of there.

~

CRUNCH!

Steve stared ahead at the now flattened Camero in shock. He couldn’t believe he had just done that.

“Everyone okay?”

Robin looked at him with wide eyes. “Ask me tomorrow?”

“No, no, I am absolutely not,” Eddie hissed. “But better fucking Hargrove than me.”

They all scrambled to get out of the car.

“So what’s this one called?” Eddie asked looking up at the giant flesh monster.

“Dustin and them call it Mind Flayer,” Steve replied.

“So we’re going to try and kill this thing?” Robin asked, looking at Steve in concern.

Steve nodded and then started heading for their friends. “Before it kills El, yeah.”

“Let’s do this shit,” Eddie said, hurrying to catch up, Robin hot on his heels.

~

Well that could have gone worse.

Hopper dead. Billy dead. Mind Flayer, also dead. El lost her powers. Also bad. Steve definitely had a concussion and a broken cheek bone. That was going to be a bitch to heal, there was no doubt about that.

A couple of weeks later, Erica called up Dustin, Robin, Steve, and Eddie.

“Who’s up for a Scoops Troupe My Little Pony GURPS?” she asked when they had all shown up at her house.

They all stared at her for a moment like she was crazy.

Then Eddie’s eyes went wide. “Ooh, wait, I’ve heard of this. It’s like D&D but is get six sided dice and a point system.”

“Sounds like fun to me,” Robin said. “I don’t know what either of those things are, but taking my mind off the monsters sounds brilliant right about now.”

“It stands for generic universal role play system,” Erica said, proudly. “One of my friends was out visiting family over the Fourth of July and got to go to the convention. I’ve been doing some research and I can totally make it My Little Pony themed.”

She scuffed the ground with her shoe. “But before I played it with my friends I wanted to try it out first, you know? Work out the kinks?”

Steve was all ready to say no until she brought up her friends.

“Yeah, all right,” he huffed. “I’m in, too.”

Erica jumped up and down, clapping her hands excitedly.

~

They all met up at Steve’s.

Steve provided the treats and sodas and Erica provided the story telling.

Robin mostly fooled around and Dustin didn’t take it very seriously. He got into character and all, but he was very silly with it. Making inside jokes from the show and just trying to make Erica laugh.

Steve just held on for dear life and whenever he got too overwhelmed by it all he would refresh the drinks and goodies.

Eddie, though? He got really into it with his pony called Metal Fire, he was asking all kinds of questions and Erica was eating it all up. Sometimes he would ask a question and she would just laugh. Because there wasn’t an answer yet.

But between the two of them they made it all the way to the big bad, Lady Applejack. Dustin threw down his pencil when she was revealed to be behind it all along as he had been saying for the last four hours not to trust her.

Erica sat back giggling and just unable to stop. It was late at night so Steve called Dustin and Erica’s moms to see if they could spend the night. Claudia was fine, but Sue had to be convinced. It didn’t take much, just a nice conversation with Robin that she would keep an eye on her.

That night when Eddie and Dustin were cuddled together on Steve’s bed, Eddie asked him if he had fun.

Steve thought about it for a moment. “It was a bit overwhelming,” he admitted. “I couldn’t imagine playing D&D if it’s harder.”

Dustin scoffed, but Eddie smacked the back of his head. “Hey, you and I have been playing these kinds of games for a long time and he hasn’t. Cut him some slack.”

Which after some major grumbling, Dustin did.

After they were sure he was asleep, Eddie murmured, “It’s okay if you didn’t enjoy it, Stevie. It’s not for everybody and that’s okay. Just like sports aren’t for everyone.”

Steve huffed out a breath of laughter and then settled into drift off to sleep, surrounded by two of his dearest people.

And later, he would admit that he did have fun. But mostly because it was one die instead of multiple dice and was really simple.

He knew from dating Eddie and being best friends with Dustin that D&D was not that.

~

The summer passed slower after that. The days seemed to last longer and time drifted like a leaf down a gently flowing stream.

There were pool parties and barbecues and just learning to laugh again. El was even more withdrawn now that Hopper was gone. Joyce had taken her in and Steve knew money was getting tight for them, now that she had three kids to feed.

Eddie was getting more anxious as the summer wore on. He was told by the new principal that he had to graduate this year or he would be forced to drop out and take the GED.

Steve knew it was going to be a rough year for him and really wanted to support him. But didn’t know how.

He barely passed himself with Nancy’s help. But between him and Wayne they were going to try their hardest to make sure Eddie got at least a passing grade in every one of his classes.

The first day of school finally arrived and Steve found himself with a new best friend. Or like she called it platonic soulmate.

Even Eddie found it amusing and a little freaky how in sync they were. All the time.

Steve showed up at her house and honked the horn. She came running outside, carrying her trumpet and backpack, as gangly as newborn giraffe.

“Dingus!” she cried happily. “You didn’t have to pick me. I could have taken my bike.”

Steve shook his head. “Nah. I wanted to check up on the squirts and figured this was the best way to do it covertly. Like a ninja!”

Robin swatted at him playfully. “Using me to look at after your children. Disgusting!”

Steve laughed as he reversed the car and started toward the school. “Come on, you love me!”

She paused to think about it. Steve swatted her arm playfully and she burst out laughing. “Yeah, yeah. Of course I love you. Just don’t tell your boyfriend.”

“He knows and is surprisingly chill about it,” he said with a grin and a half shrug. “I think he thinks that as long as we’re together it’s easier for him to find me.”

“That is surprisingly chill,” Robin said. “And unhinged, but okay.”

Steve pulled into the parking lot and let her out. She pointed over to the front of the school. “See? Your children are fine.”

He looked over at the front doors to see all but Erica of his children. El and Max were listening to Max’s new Walkman. Probably that new Kate Bush tape Nancy gave her to help her sleep. The Party were harassing Eddie about Hellfire.

He could tell it was about D&D because Eddie was waving his arms excitedly and they were all listening to him with rapt attention. All four of them. Which meant D&D.

“Yeah, okay,” he said with a small smile. “I’ll see you after school?”

Robin smiled at him fondly. “Yeah, dingus. I’ll see you after school.”

~

Eddie held on to him like a leech. It was the one Saturday they had together and probably would for a long time.

“No...” he whined. “You can’t go. You need to stay here and snuggle with me. You promised.”

Steve sighed. He had promised, but Robin called a little bit ago saying that she had an in at the local video store and they should go.

“I’ll tell you what,” Steve murmured. “Let me go call her back, tell her to grab a couple of applications for us to fill out tomorrow and go. Then I’ll come back here and snuggle with all day. As promised.”

Eddie looked up at him skeptically. “You sure?”

Steve rolled over and grabbed the phone next to his bed. He dialed Robin’s number. “Is Robin there?”

Once he got her on the phone he told her the plan and though she grumbled a little bit she ultimately agreed.

Steve hung up literally minutes later.

“See?”

“You’re a regular hero, aren’t you?” Eddie said, rubbing his nose along Steve’s throat. “You never faltered, never held back your step for a moment. Not when you were needed. I never really thought about it, but I think you’re my hero.”

Steve blushed. “I’m really not. I don’t have superpowers. I’m not trained in several martial arts. I’m not smart or even brave really.”

Eddie rolled over on top of Steve to look him square in the eye. “You care a lot and if I’ve learned anything in this world, that is greatest superpower there ever was, sweetheart.”

Steve looked up at him in awe.

“You really believe that?”

Eddie kissed him deeply and then collapsed on Steve with a huff and a grunt. He wrapped his arms around him and buried his head into the crook of Steve’s neck.

He vowed then in there, he would keep the keeper. He couldn’t be brave all the time. What happened was frightening as hell. But he had Steve with him every step of the way. He would protect this beautiful boy. This knight of his heart.

“I love you, Stevie.”

Steve kissed the top of his head. “I love you, too, sunshine.”

~

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[headkiss]

Hello :) I had two request ideas for Eddie if it’s alright to send them over in case you like them. Either first time meeting Wayne now that reader and Eddie are official or Eddie falling for the girl at the local bookstore and keeps trying to work up the courage to ask her for number so he shows hi every week to buy something but always chickens out until the end.

okay i HAD to go with the second one because yes!!!! i hope u like it <3 | 0.6k words of fluff and shy crushing eddie

The bell above the door jingles everytime a customer walks in. Every time they walk out, too.

You’re used to the sound by now, having worked in the bookstore for a while, but you still look at the door each time the ‘ding’ rings through the space. You tell yourself it’s just a reflex, even though there’s a certain head of curly hair you seem to be searching for.

Eddie Munson sticks out in the bookstore, and yet, he comes in almost every day. He’s the leather jacket among soft, worn sweaters. He looks at you a bunch, yet he hasn’t spoken a full sentence to you.

It’s Sunday when he comes in again, an arm from outside—one of his friends, you guess—pushing him through the door and Eddie stumbling before catching himself on a display table.

“This time,” he mumbles to himself. You don’t hear it.

His crush on you is almost embarrassing. The first time Eddie walked into the bookstore was with Dustin, the boy searching for some science book he couldn’t remember the name of. Then, Eddie saw you and he just kept coming back.

He was taken from the start. The cadence of your voice when you’d tell customers to have a nice day, the soft smile you’d give them, the way your hair fell to frame your face when you’d bury your nose back into whatever book you were reading.

When he walked up to the register with Dustin that day you’d greeted him by name. You knew him, probably from school, and he couldn’t believe it. Surely he’d remember you.

He could barely get out a ‘hi.’

Since then, he’s spent weeks coming in, swearing he’d get your number, saying about two words to you, and leaving embarrassed and empty-handed.

Today, though. Today, he’d ask you and be his usual, not awkward self. He wouldn’t walk up to the counter and then find himself tongue-tied. He wouldn’t pick up a random bookmark or magnet that was right next to checkout and pretend that’s the reason he went into the store. Not this time.

You grin at him when he walks in and he swears he can feel the warmth of sunlight at the sight.

“Hey, Eddie.”

“Hi,” he waves, quick and stiff. He curses himself for it.

“Looking for anything specific today?”

“Well, um, no,” he fights off a wince. Never in his life has he been so affected by another person, so nervous. “Not really.”

“Maybe I can recommend something?” You offer, sweet as always.

“Okay, sure.”

He stands in the same spot while you walk out from behind the counter. He tries to be covert in the way his eyes scan your outfit, the way your sleeves cover your hands, the way your jeans are cuffed to show your docs.

He tries but you notice, and it warms you all over.

Ever since school, you’ve heard the things people have to say about him, the rumors and comments. You knew damn well he didn’t deserve any of it, you still know that now. He’s sweet, and though he hasn’t said very much to you he’s never been anything but kind.

Plus, you’ve seen the way he interacts with Dustin. There’s no denying how good he is.

His eyes follow you when you go in search of the book you had in mind (you’ve been thinking about it a lot), but he stays rooted in place until you come back.

“Found it,” you say, walking back to the counter.

“Great, thanks.”

“‘Course. You sure you trust me?”

He smiles then, small and shy but a smile all the same. “Yeah, I trust you.”

You ring him through, your fingers brush when he takes the book from your hands. It feels like startdust spreading over his skin.

“Thank you,” he says.

“Anytime. Tell me what you think, okay?”

An opening, a reason to come back once again.

“Okay.”

Back at home, Eddie flips through the pages and finds a scrap piece of paper tucked between them. On it, a phone number is written, your name signed beneath it with a smiley face and a heart.

Today was the day, after all.

[gerrystamour]

won't you come and dance in the dark with me?

Rated T | Steddie Week Day 3: First Kiss | 2900 Words | Complete

[ READ ON AO3 ]

With a determined set to his brow and a giddy smile, Eddie leaned forward and said, “I am going to kiss you, Harrington.” Steve’s jaw clenched, both with anticipation and the usage of his surname after all this time. “Call me Steve,” he said almost absentmindedly, his voice a bit strangled as he leaned closer to Eddie. A fully dimpled smile split Eddie’s face. “Stevie,” he sing-songed as he slowly leaned closer. My entry for @steddie-week Day 3, for the prompt first kiss! Yes, indeed, I was inspired to write this fic by this gifset I reblogged a few days ago.

It started at a party.

Well, actually it started in the literal manifestation of Hell as they trudged through the forest to Nancy’s house, but it properly started at a party.

It was the first party since the dust settled after defeating Vecna. Eddie was mostly recovered, and Max was out of the hospital and on the mend. It was finally time to celebrate everything, so Steve provided the venue. There was plenty of space, plus he had a pool, and the neighbours still hadn’t returned since the “earthquake.”

Everyone was there, even the rest of Eddie’s Hellfire Club, and it felt great. Having everyone they all held dear under one roof laughing, eating, drinking.

Steve was spending most of the party playing host, but finally around midnight he was snagged by a certain metalhead and dragged over to the pool chairs. Glancing around, Steve looked for Eddie’s friends, but he didn’t see any of them. They weren’t the only people outside, but everyone else was either sitting at the other side of the pool or around the side of the house having a smoke.

It was weird for Eddie to single Steve out these days. He had been avoiding Steve, or at least that was what it felt like. They had been close to inseparable after Vecna, especially with how much assistance Eddie needed while he was recovering. 

Then Eddie pulled away, put some distance between them and Steve tried to be okay with that.

It didn’t help that Steve had realized he was in love with Eddie, but he was committed to be okay with whatever Eddie gave him.

So yes, with Eddie pulling him aside now and leaning close as he giggled and retold a story about something that happened earlier that evening, all while still holding his wrist… Steve was struggling.

It was obvious that Eddie was drunk, his words slurring together a bit and his smile wide and bright. Steve was captivated, smiling dazedly under the eternal sunshine beaming from the boy in front of him. How could anyone have ever been afraid of Eddie, he wondered not for the first time.

“What?” Eddie asked, sitting up to take a drink of his beer before putting the bottle on the table.

Steve shook his head, breaking away from his thoughts. “Just missed you, man,” he confessed, cringing a bit as he realized what he said.

Eddie made a face. “I’ve been around. You saw me like, last week,” he said with a bit of pout, but he did glance away a bit.

“Yeah, I did, you’re right,” Steve conceded, keeping his tone light. “Last week.”

Because, yeah, they’d seen each other last week for about ten minutes while Steve picked Dustin up from Eddie’s trailer. He didn’t want to ruin Eddie’s good mood by pointing out they used to see each other daily.

“You’ve still got your little frown line,” Eddie said, scrunching up his face as he poked the space between Steve’s eyebrows. “How’d’you smile and frown at the same time?”

“I’m not frowning!” Steve laughed, rolling his eyes.

“You are!” Eddie insisted with a giggle of his own before he sat up straight. “What’re you thinking about?”

Steve sighed and shrugged. “I just wish we hung out more. You always blow off the plans I try to make with you, and you don’t invite me to stuff anymore,” he admitted, and he barely stopped himself from shrugging again. “I figured you just didn’t want to be my friend, or you couldn’t after everything, and I was working on being okay with that but then you do this…”

Steve trailed off, gesturing between them as Eddie considered him thoughtfully.

“When did I blow off plans with you?” Eddie asked, and Steve groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“I really don’t want to do this, Eds, it’s fine,” Steve insisted, and the other man just giggled at that.

“Stevie, Stevie, Stevie, y’only say shit is fine when it def’nitly isn’t,” Eddie said very seriously, even if the words began to slur together even worse.

“Then it’s okay! Not fine, okay!” Steve said, trying to end this particular line of conversation.

Eddie frowned at Steve. “You’re saying you miss me but now you’re not talking to me,” he said with a pout and Steve’s mouth actually dropped open, shocked that Eddie would have the audacity to actually turn this on him.

“Yeah, I don’t want to be a huge downer over nothing when you’re probably drunk enough that you won’t even remember half of this conversation tomorrow,” Steve said after taking a deep breath so he didn’t snap and say something bitchy and mean.

“‘M not that drunk. And it’s not nothing if you’re upset about it, Steve,” Eddie replied.

“You blew me off constantly when I’d invite you over to watch movies, but I got the hint loud and clear eventually,” Steve said in a rush, rolling his eyes as he added, “Especially after finding out you invited Jonathan and Argyle over to watch a movie the same night you blew me off two weeks ago.”

He hated how bitter he sounded tacking on that last part, but still… It kind of hurt to come in second to Jonathan Byers again, even if it wasn’t in the same way like it had been with Nancy.

“That was—I was hanging out with the boys, and Argyle was bringing some—” Eddie started to explain but stopped when Steve shook his head.

“You don’t have to explain yourself, Eds. This is exactly why I didn’t want to get into this. I don’t want you feeling bad because you don’t want to spend your time with me,” Steve insisted, scrubbing his hand over his face. Eddie was still holding onto his other wrist, and selfishly he didn’t try to pull away, soaking up the contact for a bit longer.

“But I do wanna spend time with you,” Eddie said and Steve couldn’t help his incredulous snort.

“Funny way of showing it, Eds,” he tried to tease, but it came out sounding bitter and almost mean.

“I wanna kiss you,” Eddie declared, pointblank and without preamble, and Steve felt his heart all the way up in his throat as he blinked at him for several long moments.

“What?” Steve finally asked, feeling a helpless, hopeful smile pulling at his lips.

Eddie glanced at Steve’s lips before he sat up straight and rolled his shoulders back. With a determined set to his brow and a giddy smile, Eddie leaned forward and said, “I am going to kiss you, Harrington.”

Steve’s jaw clenched, both with anticipation and the usage of his surname after all this time. “Call me Steve,” he said almost absentmindedly, his voice a bit strangled as he leaned closer to Eddie.

A fully dimpled smile split Eddie’s face. “Stevie,” he sing-songed as he slowly leaned closer.

There was that moment where Steve knew he had to stop this because Eddie was a lot more drunk than he was letting on, and Steve was too sober to ignore that.

But just as Eddie moved to finish closing the distance, his eyes rolled back and he passed out, folding right over at the hips and landing with his face in Steve’s lap.

Puckering his lips at the empty space in front of him, Steve sighed a laugh and looked down at Eddie with a fond smile. 

He’d definitely be picking this up with him in the morning.

“Oh, gross, what are you two doing out here? There’re still kids running around.”

Steve jumped and looked over at Eddie’s friends standing there with wide eyes. “Nothing! We’re—he just passed out, we’re not doing anything,” he said quickly, lifting his hands. It didn’t help that the implication had something below the belt twitching with interest. “Seriously, we were just talking and then he passed out.”

The three boys considered him carefully before the one in the middle, Gareth, smirked.

“Is he finally done being an idiot?” he asked, and when Steve started to try to cover up what they had sort of been talking about, Gareth shook his head. “Listen, Steve, let’s cut the crap. We saw how your conversation was about to go, we know you like him, we know he likes you, whatever, it’s cool. So, tell us, is he done being an idiot?”

Steve sucked in a slow breath before smirking. “I mean, will he ever actually stop being a bit of an idiot?” he asked with a one-shouldered shrug and the boys burst into laughter.

❖

Steve managed to rouse Eddie enough to get him to at least stand up but getting him to walk had been a nightmare. Then Eddie whined to be carried and when Steve said he was too heavy to carry, Eddie said Steve had carried him before which was fair. Then Steve pointed out that Eddie had also been missing more than half his blood at the time so…

Eddie was not swayed so Steve just rolled his eyes and bent a bit so Eddie could climb onto his back. It was actually a lot easier to carry Eddie when he was at least somewhat helping, but Steve still bitched the entire way up to his room.

Depositing Eddie onto the bed, he started taking his shoes off and then defaulted into helping Eddie with the fly of his jeans, like he did for months while Eddie worked on getting his fine motor skills back. When Steve glanced up at Eddie, he couldn’t help the snort that burst out of him.

Eddie was looking at Steve crouching between his legs without lifting his head, still grinning giddily. The angle was unbelievably unflattering, yet so endearing that Steve just grinned back.

“Tryin’a get int’my pants, Stevie?” Eddie asked, waggling his brow suggestively and Steve laughed.

“Eds, I’ve been trying for months,” he admitted with an eye-roll. Steve just continued to work Eddie’s tight jeans down his thighs and gestured. “But, looks like I’m succeeding, so no. I’m not trying right now.”

Eddie giggled madly, barely helping as Steve sat him up to take his leather jacket off. Then Eddie began to lift his shirt over his head and Steve grabbed his hands.

“Whoa, hold your horses, we’re not actually doing any of that while you’re drunk,” Steve said firmly, and Eddie pouted again.

“’M barely even tipsy,” Eddie insisted, and Steve snorted.

“You literally passed out in my lap and needed me to carry you up here,” Steve said flatly, and Eddie blew a disturbingly wet raspberry at him.

“Whatever, Stevie,” Eddie grumbled, but then went back to trying to take his shirt off. When Steve went to stop him again, Eddie dodged his hands which had him tipping over dizzily with a giggle. “Dude’m not tryin’a fuck. Can’t sleep wearin’a shirt. Hurts.”

Steve lifted a skeptical eyebrow but decided to go with it and helped Eddie remove his shirt. Once he was shirtless, Eddie flopped back onto the bed while stretching luxuriously, and Steve quickly looked away. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to look, it would just be really inappropriate to ogle him.

“C’mon, Stevie, you can look,” Eddie cooed, and Steve rolled his eyes with a chuckle.

“No, I can’t, because I have to go back to that party and if I look at you, I won’t want to,” Steve said, being honest about his attraction to Eddie coming so easily to him now that he knew it was reciprocated. He’d suspected before, but when Eddie pulled away, he’d convinced himself that he had imagined Eddie’s interest.

“You don’t have to go back down there. People’ll go home on their own,” Eddie insisted, and Steve shook his head.

“Eds—”

“I don’t wanna be alone,” Eddie said and something in his voice caught Steve’s attention.

Eddie wasn’t looking at him anymore, and he wasn’t stretched out. Eddie was curled up on his side, chewing one of his thumbnails and blushing. He looked unsure, self-conscious even and Steve didn’t like that at all.

“Hey, Eds, it’s okay I’ll stay up here with you,” Steve said softly, sitting down on the edge of the bed and resting his hand on Eddie’s arm comfortingly. “You think you can handle brushing your teeth before bed?”

Eddie turned a bright smile on Steve and nodded happily.

Steve was happy he had kept the extra toothbrush for Eddie in the bathroom. When he was recovering and the nightmares were nightly occurrences, Eddie had spent the night at Steve’s place a lot, so Steve set him up with his own set of toiletries in his bathroom. That way, Eddie didn’t have to remember to cart his own stuff back and forth, Steve had reasoned. 

It had been weeks since the last time Eddie stayed the night, but it was all still there just waiting for Eddie to return.

When they first entered the bathroom, Eddie’s eyes immediately landed on his toothbrush still set in the cup next to the sink with Steve’s, and then the shampoo and conditioner that was his preference still on the edge of the tub. Pulling a face, Eddie looked at Steve.

“I’m fucking stupid, aren’t I?” he asked, and Steve’s eyes widened.

“No, Eds, not at all?” Steve said firmly, squeezing Eddie’s hand.

At that, Eddie just shook his head with a light smile and got to work brushing his teeth, Steve following suit.

By the time they were back in Steve’s room, Eddie seemed a bit more sober. His words were a lot less slurred, and his eyes seemed more lucid. Steve tucked him into the bed and then started to get undressed himself, opting to go to bed in just his boxers as well.

When he turned around, Steve abruptly stopped when he came face to face with Eddie. He’d crawled to the end of the bed while Steve had gotten undressed, and he immediately reached out to grab Steve’s hand.

“I’m sorry, Stevie,” he said sheepishly, holding a hand up to stop Steve’s arguments. “I shouldn’t’ve avoided you.”

Steve wanted to blow the apology off, but he could tell this was important for Eddie, so he just said, “Apology accepted.”

Eddie smiled at that, his dimples at full force, and he reached up to cup Steve’s face with both hands. “I’m not super drunk anymore,” he added cheekily, and Steve snorted.

“We’re not having sex tonight—”

“Not asking for that right now,” Eddie chuckled, shaking his head. “I’m going to kiss you, Stevie.”

The conviction in Eddie’s voice, the firmness of his cool hands on Steve’s face, was enough to root Steve where he stood. Swallowing thickly, Steve nodded quickly and stepped closer to the bed.

“You sure don’t want to wait until tomorrow when you’re for sure sober?” he asked a bit nervously and Eddie laughed.

“I’m sure. My teeth are brushed, my breath is fresh. Right now is fucking perfect for my first kiss with Steve Harrington,” Eddie groaned, leaning closer and tilting his mouth upward.

“You imagined how this would play out a lot?” Steve asked teasingly, not quite angling his mouth for Eddie to kiss just yet.

“Shut the fuck up and kiss me, asshole,” Eddie growled through a laugh, and then their lips finally met.

It was perfect, starting sweet and chaste, just the gentle press and slide of lips. Then Eddie made a soft sound in the back of his throat that had Steve groaning, burying a hand in Eddie’s hair to pull him in deeper while his other arm wrapped around his waist. Eddie clung to him, giggling against Steve’s lips as he opened his mouth for a searching tongue.

Steve knew they were getting in too deep, they were moving too quickly and had to slow it back down before they did something they both might regret in the morning.

Thank God for Robin Buckley.

“Hey, Dingus, why’re you—oh my God?”

The bedroom door had slammed open and Steve broke away from the kiss to see Robin whipping around so she was facing the hallway instead. Eddie was giggling and would have fallen back on the bed if Steve wasn’t holding him up.

“What’s up, Robs?” Steve asked and Robin started laughing nervously.

“I was just looking for you, and Gareth said you went upstairs and now that I think about the look on his face I’m realizing he was pranking me. I’m gonna kill him, I swear I wouldn’t’ve come in here if I knew, I mean it,” Robin babbled before turning around slowly. She took in the fact that they were wearing their boxers and let out a sigh of relief. “You’re staying up here for the rest of the night?”

“Yeah, Eddie’s kinda wasted—” Steve started and Eddie interrupted with a fit of giggles.

“I am not!” Eddie managed to say and he looked at Robin. “I’m not wasted. I’m tipsy, and Stevie is gonna cuddle with me now. Only cuddles, though, ‘cos he’s all noble and shit. Barely got him to kiss me.”

Steve rolled his eyes affectionately before returning his attention to Robin. “You need anything, Robs?”

“Nope! Not a thing! I’ll make sure everything’s locked up for you, okay?” Robin replied, grinning as she backed out of the room, slowly closing the door behind herself. “Goodnight boys!”

As the door clicked shut, they looked back at each other, matching grins on their faces.

“One more kiss?” Eddie asked softly, and Steve couldn’t deny him anything.

“Yeah, one more,” Steve sighed and their lips met once again.

[ AO3 LINK ]

Taglist! @patchworkgargoyle, @scarcrossdlvrs, @steve-harringtits, @afewproblems, @matchingbatbites, @mylilplanet, @steddie-there, @xenon-demon, @indigohightide, @inairbinad, @steddieas-shegoes I hope you enjoy! Please consider reblogging!!

[badcaseofcasey]

Steddie Soulmate/Met as Kids AU - Part 5 Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7

a/n: there should only be one more part (of Steve's pov, at least), so we're almost to the end! I promise they will actually interact in the next installment, lol. Thanks for sticking with me, hope you enjoy it!

Usually, it was pretty easy for Steve to get by without showing off his words. The only ones who really saw them these days were the few girls he actually ended up hooking up with, which Robin would tell you were pretty few and far between.

But he’d rather deal with the potential awkwardness of having Eddie see his words for the first time than try to swim to the bottom of Lover’s Lake with his sweatshirt dragging him down.

He tried to do it as quickly as possible, but he certainly didn’t miss the glance Eddie threw his way as he caught the yellow sweatshirt. Steve’s entire body had been buzzing with that once-familiar electricity since Eddie had thrown him up against the wall in the boathouse. It was easier to dive into the murky waters, even knowing what he might find down there, than stay on the boat and deal with the weight of Eddie’s eyes on him.

From that point on, there was very little time to think of anything but the plan. Looking back on it, he would blame ranting about six kids and a winnebago on the blood loss, coupled with being so close to his soulmate for the first time in years. Between that and being in the Upside Down, his brain felt like a ball of mush. Even when he and Eddie had actually spoken for the first time since they were kids, it just ended with Eddie encouraging him to go after Nancy and left Steve more confused than ever.

When it came time to split up, Steve couldn’t help but worry. The idea of Eddie or Dustin getting hurt was almost too much to think about. The plan kept them as far away from harm as physically possible, but even still, he felt a pit in his stomach. There was something in Eddie’s eyes as he got ready to leave that made him pause, but against his better judgment, he’d stuck to the plan.

He had told Eddie specifically - don’t be the hero. So why was he now sitting in a hospital room watching his soulmate breathe through a ventilator?

Eddie and Max had both been in the hospital when they went after Vecna for what was actually the last time. Steve made it through their last battle on pure adrenaline, really. Any time he’d stopped for more than a second, all he could see was Dustin clinging to Eddie’s lifeless body, reliving the few minutes where he thought he had lost his soulmate before he’d even gotten to have him.

Now that the gates were all closed and Vecna was gone (El had made absolutely sure this time), Steve allowed himself to slow down for the first time in weeks. He’d spent every day since then (after a quick shower and a night spent in his own bed, at Robin and Joyce’s insistence) at the hospital, either in Max’s room or Eddie’s.

It was hard to explain to the others why Steve was spending so much time at Eddie’s bedside. He could tell they were curious, but luckily, they held themselves back from actually asking. Other than Dustin, Steve was the one to have spent the most time in Eddie’s room. Eventually, Dustin had to start going back to school, despite the cracks in the ground all over Hawkins. So Steve was now the one to keep vigil at Eddie’s bedside, eating food from the hospital cafeteria or brought in by Joyce and showering in the attached bedroom (one of the perks of being a wanted fugitive with a shady government organization working on clearing your name was a private room).

Robin came to sit with Steve whenever she had the spare time. She was still working at Family Video, which had somehow miraculously survived the “earthquake,” so she could only come between shifts, and dates with Vickie.

One day, she finally got up the courage to ask, “Steve? …Why Eddie?”

Steve looked up from where he had been reading aloud from The Hobbit (one of Dustin’s conditions of going back to school was that Steve picked up where he left off). “What do you mean?”

“I mean, Max’s room is right down the hall,” Robin clarified. “I know she has her mom, El, and Lucas, but you could be down there, too. I didn’t even think you liked Eddie, and now you’re here all the time. I guess, I’m just wondering… why?”

“Honestly, Robs,” Steve sighed, putting the bookmark in and shutting the book. “I’m impressed you made it this long without asking.”

Robin nudged him lightly with her shoulder. “You should be proud. But you’re not getting out of answering the question.”

Steve paused, considering. “You know how I told you that I didn’t remember getting my words?”

Robin nodded. The night that Steve and Robin had ended up drugged in the Starcourt bathroom, Robin had confessed that she’d gotten her words earlier that year, from Vickie of all people. Steve had managed not to tell her his own story - but only barely.

“I lied,” Steve admitted. “I got them when I was eight. I was at the playground and this kid came up, wanting to fight dragons with me. We played together all afternoon and I had the most fun I can ever remember having, to be honest.”

Robin’s eyebrows had shot up as soon as Steve started talking. “What happened to the kid?”

“I never saw him again - or well, I didn’t for a while,” Steve said. “He was in town… visiting his uncle.”

Steve let his eyes slide over to Eddie’s face, dark hair fanned out against the white hospital pillowcase.

Robin gasped lightly. “Oh, Steve.”

“Yeah,” Steve said, feeling his throat tighten up. “I didn’t see him again until high school and by then, I’d already fallen in with the popular crowd and I was so scared at what it would mean for me to give that all up for - well, for someone I really hardly knew.”

Steve turned back to face Robin and saw her eyes were wet. Steve knew his were as well.

“I ignored him, Rob,” Steve confessed. “I knew he was my soulmate, but I decided that popularity and making people like me was more important. And now-“

“Hey,” Robin cut him off, wrapping her arm around Steve’s shoulders. “Now nothing. The doctors are saying he’s going to make it. Now, you get a second chance.”

Steve’s shoulders shook as he finally let himself cry for the first time since seeing Eddie bleeding in the Upside Down. All of the hurt and pain and guilt he’d felt at not being able to protect his soulmate came flowing out of him at once. Robin, for her part, just held him, even though Steve knew that people crying made her uncomfortable.

After a while, his sobs quieted and he was able to pull his face away from Robin’s shoulder. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I should’ve, that night at Starcourt.”

“Hey, if you should be sorry for anything, it’s getting snot all over my favorite sweater, dingus.”

Steve laughed and rested his head on her shoulder, eyes back on Eddie.

“I almost lost him, Rob.”

“Well,” she said. “Make sure you don’t, this time around.”

Part 6

taglist (let me know if you'd like to be added/removed!): @infinitetrashbag @vampireinthesun @swimmingbirdrunningrock @maya-custodios-dionach @thev01dd @obsessivlyme @a-little-unsteddie @anything-thats-rock-and-roll @spectrum-spectre @red-panderz69 @magpiemuseum @minjintea @finalmoondragon @thatonebadideapanda @estrellami-1 @freyaforestafay @biatcgh @sadcanadianwinter @im-sam-fucking-winchester @bidisastersworld @justanothergirlwithobsessions @anaibis @thing-a-ling @rosered93 @newtstabber @void-o-chaos @thegingerrapunzel @baron-zemo-trash @katireads @child-of-cthulhu @the-s-is-silent @i-must-potato @hellomynameismoo @lovelylilbadone @theotalksalot @lydi-cyan @background-noise-headache @idontgetpaidenoughforthisshit @slitherynchiken @grapefruitgalaxy

[justmeinadaze]

I had any Eddie fic idea please let me know if you’re not interested in writing it. But I was thinking Eddie survived the upside down, but he’s not the most “liked” person in town so he doesn’t go out much and he was able to get a job, it’s nights. He’s a janitor at an office — where reader works— one day she stays late and that’s the first time she meets him and she thinks he’s sweet so she maybe gets him something from the vending and leaves a cute note for him on her desk, she starts staying late at work more often to see him. Maybe smutty ❤️

A/N: I couldn't not be smutty :P

I'm going to add a warning here this does pull from things from the show. I did allow for Eddie's presumed PTSD of everything he went through pull through. If you've ever been through a rough experience you know what that's like so <3

Word Count: 3601

##############

Eddie threw his finished cigarette out of his van towards the empty parking lot of the office building he worked at. 86 was shaping up to be an exhausting year for him. When Steve and Dustin pulled him back through the gate and out of the upside down, they genuinely thought he might die. He was in the hospital for over two weeks in and out of consciousness until they started seeing any real improvement. During that time, the gang did everything could to clear Eddie’s name and legally they had succeed but not within the court of public opinion. 

Hawkins was still ruthless with the name calling and bulling. It had gotten to the point where he barely ever left the new trailer those “government people” got for him and his uncle. 

“Eddie,” Wayne’s eyes glanced over his nephew with concern. “You can’t just hide out in here. You were given a second chance. Go live your life, Kid.”

Eddie’s bottom lip trembled as he looked up at his uncle. “I want to but… Wayne, either they’re still afraid of me or they hate me because they think I got away with murder.”

Wayne sighs, knowing what Eddie was saying was true and feeling helpless at not being able to help. “I know. What about, maybe, finding a part time job. Something you can work at night like me. It doesn’t have to be permanent. Just until you get enough money saved up.”

So that’s what Eddie did. It took him ages to find a place that would actually hire him. The corporate offices downtown were looking for a new night janitor and he had to beg them to give him a chance. 

“No funny business or the else you’re out of here, son! Just keep your head down and do your job.”

He couldn’t complain. Eddie was getting paid, out of the house, and since he worked at night no one was around to harass him. Flashing his name badge against the door he entered through the side. After clocking in he casually changed his clothes and started the routine he had been trained to do. Tonight would be his first night fully alone and he was ready, shoving his Walkman in his pocket and placing his headphones on his head. 

By around 10pm he had finished most of his tasks. He was lost in his thoughts, listening to the sound of Dio playing his ears as he mopped the floor below him. A figure suddenly came into view, making him jump, and hold up his fists in defense. 

“Whoa! Hey! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you!” Eddie pulled his headphones down around his neck as he grabbed his chest, trying to regulate his breathing. “I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”

His head finally lifted, meeting your worried gaze. 

“I’m…yeah, I’m okay. I just…no one else is supposed to be here.”

“Yeah, I’m working late on something for my boss. I got hungry so,” you wave your dollar in front of him and point to the vending machine. “I know you’re mopping so I didn’t want to mess up your hard work. Thought I would wait for you to finish.”

“Oh, um, no please. Go ahead and do what you need to do.”

When you smile at him, Eddie feels his heartbeat faster again. It had been so long since a stranger smiled at him. You started tiptoeing in your heels across the floor, trying not get the floor dirty again. You feel the floor abruptly slide out from under you as you slip and start to fall sideways. 

Eddie quickly reaches forward, catching you in his arms. You chuckle as he sets you upright and you grip on to his hand trying to steady yourself. 

“Thank you! I swear I can walk.” He grins down at you. “You don’t talk much, do you?”

“I do. No one usually wants to talk to me though.”

“Why is that?” You look through the machine, debating on what to get. 

“Um, you’re not from here I’m guessing.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Because then you would know who I am.” You turn to look at him, quizzically. 

“I am from here. I don’t pander to the idle gossip of this community though. Everyone gets riled up over nothing.” Sighing, you put your money in and push some of the buttons, watching as a bag of chips fall. “Geez, I mean, I remember a few months ago, my mom saying something about people getting pissed about that fantasy game. What is called?”

“Dungeons and Dragons.” Eddie steps a little closer to you.

“Yes! I’m not good at any of that stuff but to say it leads to murder?” You roll your eyes as you smile at him. “Do you want something?”

He shakes his head as if waking up from a dream. “Oh, no. I’m good. Thank you.”

“No problem. If you change your mind let me know. I’m over there.” You point towards your office. “I’m Y/N.”

“Eddie.” He watches your face for any recognition of his history but your grin grows as you reach out to shake his hand. 

“It’s nice to meet you, Eddie.”

He sneaks glances at you while you work. You were about his age but he couldn’t remember ever seeing you before. The way you moved around your office was memorizing to him. You were so beautiful and sweet. He wanted to talk to you more but part of him was so terrified. The last girl he was attracted to was killed right in front of him. 

The sound of you putting on your jacket and gathering your things brought him back to the present. After you leave, he enters your office with the intent of cleaning it. Something on your desk, though, caught his eye. On a sticky note, attached to a bag of chips, was his name with a note underneath. 

Eddie, 

I’m sorry for scaring you. I hope this makes up for it :)

Don’t let the people in this town affect you. You seem

like a nice guy who deserves to be happy.

-Y/N

He couldn’t stop thinking about you through the rest of shift. As the sun started to rise, he hurriedly headed downstairs to change back into his street clothes. Eddie stands behind the door, listening in as the employees slowly start filling in for their workday. He waits for silence before finally opening the door, preparing to book it to his van without being seen. 

He turns, bumping into something small. “Shit! Fuck. I’m so sorry.”

You giggle, adjusting the items in your hands. “No. No don’t even worry. We’ll call it karma for me scaring you last night.” His grin is soft as he looks down at you, his eyes scanning over your beautiful face, making you blush. “Eddie, do you maybe want to have breakfast with me? I can’t eat all this by myself.” You hold up a bag of food from one of the shops in town. 

For a moment, he forgot where he was. The fears and anxieties of the past few months were erased when you smiled up at him. “Um, sure. I could eat.”

“Yay! We can go eat in my office. I don’t know if you like—”

A couple of your coworkers come through the front door. One of the men stops, shoulder checking Eddie, as he loops around him to the other side of you both. 

“Hey Munson! Didn’t know our company hires murders now.”

Eddie’s gaze shifts to the floor hoping to avoid any further confrontation. He can’t afford to lose this job. 

“Is there a problem here?” Your tone is sharp as you address the men surrounding you. 

“Y/N, you need to be more careful who you talk to.”

“I think I can figure out who I should or should not be talking to, Carter.”

“Oh, so you don’t mind talking to a killer then?”

Your hand reaches out to grab Eddie’s arm but he flinches slightly, pulling it back. “Eddie, come on, let’s go to my office.”

“Pfft, he’s not taking one more step. Trust me, Y/n. You’ll thank me.”

Carter grips your arm pulling you away from Eddie as one of the other boys start pushing him out the door. He watches as you try and tug out of the man’s grasp. Something ignites inside of him as he shoves your coworker to the side and marches up right in Carter’s face. 

“You have a problem with me, you come at me. Get your hands off of her.” 

Carter lets you go as he takes a step forward bumping Eddie’s chest with his own. “You couldn’t keep your hands off Chrissy Cunningham. Unfortunately, she isn’t here to defend herself, is she?”

Upon hearing her name, images of that night flashed through his mind. Chrissy standing in the living room of his trailer with that vacant expression. Her eyes gray and unresponsive as he tried to wake her up. The lights flicking as her body levitated toward the ceiling and he bones snapping before she fell back to the ground.             

Eddie’s eyes flick to yours before angrily glaring back at the man in front of him. He turns on his heels and hastily leaves out the front door. Halfway to his van he hears your voice behind him but he doesn’t stop.

“Eddie! Eddie, wait!”

“They’re right, Y/N. You should stay away from me.”

He starts to open his driver side door but you put yourself between it, blocking him from getting inside. “Why? Because of what they say? Fuck them.”

“Sweetheart, you don’t even know me.”

“I know you’re not a killer.”

“Move.”

“No.” Eddie stepped right up in your personal space, looking down at you with what he hoped was an intimating stare. Your eyes penetrated his. “Did you kill that girl?”

His eye lids flutter slightly, trying to block the images from replaying again. “No.”

“Have you ever physically hurt anyone?”

“No.”

Your hand rises and grazes his cheek. “I believe you.” You step to the side and Eddie climbs in, pausing before turning the key in the ignition. “I’d understand if you didn’t come back but I hope you do.”

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

The van comes to life and he shifts the gear in drive. “For believing me.”

##############

Eddie debated on it heavily that night but decided he could go back to work. In the upside down, he told himself he was done running and he meant it. Even though he was utterly terrified and slightly angry, he went to his shift and went about his nightly tasks. 

When he got to your floor, he saw the light on in your office. Eddie left his cart and quietly made his way towards you. Your eyes were focused as they scanned the work in front of you. When he saw you this morning your hair was pulled up in a tight bun but now it was untied and flowing your shoulders. The blazer jacket you had on was on the chair behind you and your sleeves were pushed up to your elbows. 

He gently knocked on your door and your eyes lit up when you saw him standing in the doorframe. 

“Hey Eddie.”

“Hey. Are you okay?” He points towards your desk. 

You stretch as you lean back in your chair. “Yeah, just exhausted. This is supposed to be really important and I don’t want to fuck it up. Being a woman in an office setting isn’t the easiest thing and I want to show them that anything they can do I can do to but better.”

He smiles at you, marveling at your confident, strong attitude. 

“Since we didn’t get to have breakfast…” You point to the Chinese food near the corner. “Do you want to share with me? I ordered it but I haven’t actually stopped to eat it.”

Eddie sits in the chair in front of your desk and you both share your dinner. You talk back and forth about things in your lives. He purposely omits a lot of details especially from the last few months but you don’t seem to push which he appreciates. 

“This morning I saw you had on a Black Sabbath shirt. Is that your favorite band?”

“Oh, I mean I have a lot of favorites but they are definitely up there. I also like Dio, Iron Maiden, Metallica.”

“I love Metallica! Have you heard that new song off of their new album ‘Master of Puppets’? They’re guitar work is amazing. I love it.” You giggle but stop when you notice Eddie freeze. “Eddie?”

His eyes stare through the void remembering the night he played that song to distract the bats so the gang could defeat Vecna; the night he almost died. Eddie didn’t hear or even notice you had come around to kneel in front of him, placing your hands on his knees. 

“Eddie? What’s going on?” A single tear slides down his eye and reach up with your thumb to wipe it away. He suddenly blinks as if your kindness has brought him back to Earth. 

“Yeah. That’s a pretty good song. I can play it you know.” He chuckles to himself as he leans back trying to pretend nothing had happened but you won’t let him this time. 

“You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to but you don’t have to hide your feelings. Even though I believe you didn’t commit those murders I know something happened. You can trust me.”

“Can I show you something?” You nod your head. “You can’t ask me questions and I can’t tell you a lot about what I’m going to show you.”

“Okay…”

“I’m serious, Y/N.”

“Eddie, I promise.”

You stand up and lean your back against your desk as Eddie rises, moving about the room, closing your office door even though you two were alone. 

He places himself in front of you as he begins unbuttoning his janitorial uniform shirt and pulls off his plain black shirt underneath, tossing them on the chair behind him. Eddie watches your eyes widen and take in the sight before you. He had so many scars that looked like bite marks along his sides and stomach. You fingers reached up to touch them causing him to jump.

“I’m sorry. Do they…do they still hurt?”

“Not really. It’s just…no one has touched this part of my body since my hospital stay.”

Since he brought it up you felt safe to ask, “How long were in the hospital?”

“A little over a month. I was in and out for about two weeks and then when I finally started getting better…”

“What else are you allowed to tell me?”, you whisper as your mind runs through every possibility of what could have happened to him. 

“I was protecting people I loved. I couldn’t save Chrissy but I could help them.”

Your hands reach for his stomach again and this time he doesn’t flinch. “Now I feel even worse for startling you.”

Eddie’s tummy shakes as he laughs. He hasn’t genuinely smiled in a long time. “It’s ok. I’d rather it be you coming out of the darkness than anything else.”

Your wrap your arms around him resting your head on his warm chest. “I’m sorry you went through that. I can’t imagine how it feels having these assholes make you relive that pain.”

His arms circle behind your shoulders as he places his chin on top of your head. “It sucks but I do have my friends, my uncle, and now I have you who believe me. I try to focus on that.”

You lean back, looking up into his beautiful brown, chocolate eyes. “Can I—”

“I said no questions.” Eddie flashes you small smile. 

“Okay, no questions.” You snake your hand around his neck and pull his lips to yours.

His own hands release you, completely thrown of guard. After a few seconds, his lips slowly began reciprocating. You pull back slightly, hovering over his lips. 

“Eddie, it’s ok. I trust you.”

A shaky breath escapes his mouth as he connects it back to yours with new found confidence. His hands reach for the back of your thighs as he lifts you fully onto your desk. He found home between your legs as he clothed cock grinded against your panty covered core making you moan into his lips. 

Eddie’s mouth trails down your cheek to your neck as he reaches up into your skirt to pull your underwear down to your ankles. He leaned back to watch you pull at his belt and reach into his boxers to pull out his dick. 

“Oh wow.” You moaned as you began pumping his length with your hand. 

“Can you—”

“I think so.”, you whisper against his lips. Reaching for his hand, you guide his fingers up your thigh to you’re the outside of your folds. “You tell me.”

You whimper as his glides two of his digits inside your pussy lips. His lust blown eyes lock with yours as you nod, encouraging him.

Your cling to his shoulders, opening your legs wider as you watch him stroke your slick on his fingers on to his cock before positioning it outside of your entrance. Eddie growls as he breaches your hole, sliding in easily. His head falls to your shoulders as he begins thrusting carefully into you. 

“Eddie, oh my god.” His cock twitches inside of you making you smile.

He tips his head to find your lips as he finally bottoms out. “I like the way you talk to me.”

You tenderly push his hair back from his face as he starts pumping into you at a steady pace. “You like the way I talk to you, baby? What do you need to hear?”

Eddie doesn’t respond verbally but his hands reach down to wrap your legs around his waist, lifting you up and placing you further on the edge of the desk so he can hit a different angle inside of you. 

“Fuck, Eddie. Just like that. You feel so good.” One of your arms wraps around his neck while the other reaches back for support on the desk. You mouth hovers over his ear as you continue to murmur to him. 

“That’s it, baby. Do I feel good to? With my pussy clinging to you so tightly. I want it to feel good for you. You deserve to feel good after everything you’ve been through.”

At your last sentence, he thrust into you harder making your moan come out more like a little yelp. Eddie pulled his head back to look into your eyes, making sure you were okay. You placed a soft kiss on his lips. 

“It’s ok. Don’t stop. It didn’t hurt, I promise. No one,” you lick your bottom lip, “No one has ever been this deep before.”

He watches your face as he mimics the same motion and moans as your eyes roll back and close. Eddie pumps his hips into yours roughly, picking up his pace. 

“Jesus. Fuuck.” He feels your cunt grip him as your body shutters against his. You cling to his neck, thrusting your hips up to meet his as you ride out your orgasm. 

You lean your forehead against his, smiling with hooded eyes. “Fuck, Eddie. That was fantastic.” Your hips start moving against his again. “I want you to feel like I do. Cum for me, baby. I want to watch you cum.”

He kisses your lips as he thrusts into you, tangling his tongue with yours. Eddie’s movements started to get sloppy and he suddenly pulls out of you, falling back into the chair behind him. You watched as he pumped himself a few more times before he groaned and ropes of his seed shot out, hitting his stomach. 

You look around your desk before handing him a tissue. Eddie politely thanks you, cleaning himself off, and reaching to pull up his pants. When he finally looks at you, he is met with your kind smile. 

“Are you okay?”

A grin stretches across Eddie’s face. “Yeah. What about you?”

You giggle as you playfully toss your panties at his chest. “I’m ok. Better than ok, actually. Do you want to walk with me to my car?”

Eddie nods, quickly getting dressed as you grab your jacket and the work off your desk. As you ride down the elevator together, you reach over to hold his hand. You take note of the fact that this was the first time you had suddenly touched him and he didn’t flinch. 

When you get to your car, he opens the door for you. “Do you work tomorrow?”

“No, I’m only part time so I only work like 3 or 4 days.”

“Oh…then would you, maybe, want to come over and watch a movie or something?”

Eddie smiles as he nods. You dig in your purse for a pen and write your phone number on his hand. You start to get in your car but stop yourself, turning back to him. 

“Thank you for trusting me enough to show me this.” You place your palm on the outside of his shirt over one of the scars you know are there. “I know that must have been hard.”

His big hand covers yours as he leans down to kiss your lips. “Thank you for,” he shrugs as he blushes slightly, “being you.”

You laugh as you caress his cheek, giving him one last kiss before heading home.

[klausinamarink]

One Kid Gone, Another Up and Vanished (part 7)

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 next: Part 8

spoilers but a phone call gets through!

“You’re a thousand percent sure?”

Mike groans as he checks down the school halls, “Yes, Lucas. How many times do I gotta tell you that?”

“Well, maybe until I’m positive that we’re not having a collective auditory hallucination or the weirdo isn’t tricking us.” Lucas crosses his arms. Beside Dustin, El mutters “auditory hallucination” to herself with furrowed eyebrows.

“You guys hear that?!” Dustin exclaims too loudly, earning equally loud shushes. “Sorry, but El just said a scientific word without mispronouncing it! She really does have superpowers…”

“Not now, Dustin.” Mike hushes as they finally get to the AV club. He unlocks the door and lets everyone inside after peeking in. He guides El to sit in front of the radio while Lucas and Dustin turn it on.

Dustin won’t lie - he’s super excited to see El use her powers for the radio. He couldn’t believe it when she made Will’s voice come out. Will! Alive and singing!

But he’s still confused over Mike’s news of Will being with someone named Eddie. Eddie who? is their biggest question but El can’t say because she doesn’t know his last name or how to describe him.

“He’s a friend.” She keeps telling them.

Dustin prays it’s not Eddie Tremblay from fifth grade. The little sucker doesn’t deserve to be Will’s new friend after his football landed on their rocket project last month.

“Aaaand we’re in!” He announces, hopping behind El. Mike and Lucas squish against him even though they clearly have much more space.

El closes her eyes and listens to the whining static. Then the static changes through channels, voices quickly overlapping until they get more comprehensive. Then the voices get compressed into six, four, two-

“-Control to Major Tom..”

Dustin shoots his hand forward and grabs one of the speakers. But so does Lucas and Mike and now they’re slapping each other’s hands until Lucas finally takes it and yells, “Will, can you read us? Over!”

“‘Your circuit’s dead, there’s something wrong..’”

At the sound of the second person, Dustin’s first thought is oh thank God, it’s not Tremblay. Then his second thought is hm, this Eddie guy sounds kinda cool. Then his third thought is oh my god, we gotta talk to Will!

“Will! Do you copy? Over!”

“Will, where are you?”

“You feeling a bit better so far?”

“Tell Eddie we’re saying hi! Who is he? Over!”

“I’m getting cold again..”

“Me too. C’mon here.”

“Will! We’re right here!”

“How the hell are they not hearing us?”

“I wish I could go home…”

“So do I…”

El gives out a painful gasp and the radio explodes into flames. Dustin manages to extinguish it before the rest of the room catches, but the fire alarm goes off.

They all stare at the now-ruined transmitter, their only chance of connecting with Will and his mysterious new friend.

—

Eddie’s definitely missing.

It’s a fact that Jeff grows more sure of every day since Wayne Munson had asked him for Eddie’s secretive hideouts.

He keeps trying to ignore the seed of dread in his stomach, but it’s impossible now with the slightly somber atmosphere in the school after the morning announcement of Will Byers’ death. The fact that Eddie hasn’t shown up for classes or in the cafeteria again today isn’t helping either.

“If Munson’s still gonna be on his bender, he should’ve at least cancelled this week’s session.”

Jeff takes a half-open Skittles bag from Maya’s tray and throws it at Evan, making the two members jump. Maya because those are her Skittles and Evan because the bag hits his chest making more pieces fly out on the table.

“Eddie’s not on a bender.” Jeff hisses at Evan. Across him, Frankie is giving him one of his Don’t-Make-This-Any-Worse looks.

Evan huffs and crosses his arms, “Oh, yeah? Then where the hell is he?”

“Definitely not on a bender of any kind!”

“Gee thanks, that clears things up.”

Jeff’s about to snap back, but Frankie discreetly kicks his leg with a warning glare. It might be a good call because Jeff doesn’t know what to say next. Another defence of Eddie, for sure, but nothing to quench the rest of the club’s antsy-ness.

“Maybe he’s gone to a concert. Like hitchhiked to Indy or Chicago?” Maya asks after picking up her spilled candy.

“But he has a van?” Daniel, the senior member of Hellfire and their current drummer, frowns pointedly.

“What concert could’ve he gone to? Is there even any band playing in this bum state?” Evan raises his eyebrows.

“I dunno, Dio?”

“They’re touring in the UK right now.” Frankie says. Jeff shoots him a bewildered look that’s the equivalent to screaming are you kidding me? Frankie gives him a Play-Along-With-It look.

“Well, that settles it.” Evan raps his knuckles on the table. “Munson’s saved a fucking ticket to the goddamned Iron Lady’s territory and is breeding chicks in Dio’s mosh pit as we speak.”

Jeff stands up, no longer feeling hungry. He throws his half-eaten sandwich at Evan. The other boy gives out a disgusted shriek as the mayonnaise hits and stains his shirt. “Dude! What-”

“Shame on you.” Jeff keeps his voice even, just quiet enough for only Hellfire to hear him. Maybe it would somehow reach Eddie wherever the hell he is right now. “The only good thing about Eddie being absent is that he isn’t ripping the skins off of you and your characters right now. Especially you, Evan.”

He stares Evan down, who visibly gulps. “Eddie took you in the club’s open arms because he saw you were a loner who needed the right people to hang out with or you would’ve been one of the bullies. And this is how you thank him?”

He looks at the rest of the members and points at them accusingly. “When Eddie comes back from whatever he’s doing, I hope that rest of y’all feel guilty for thinking he doesn’t care. Because he absolutely does.” Then he grabs his bag and leaves the cafeteria without a second thought.

Outside is chilly as usual and the breeze helps relax Jeff’s nerves. For a while at least.

He stands at the parking lot, trying to think what he should do when he hears someone running over. He looks up and groans.

“Frankie, leave me alone, man.”

“So you haven’t heard anything from Eddie?” Frankie’s voice isn’t accusing but his look might’ve been.

“No. Not since the band practice days ago.” Jeff walks away but Frankie still follows him. “Then his uncle came and asked if I knew any places Eddie frequents. I told you guys that already.”

“Doesn’t stop Evan’s stupid theories.” Frankie mutters.

“You should’ve shut him up!”

“Are you kidding? You did better than what I could’ve done.”

“Words are stronger than death looks.”

Frankie snorts. He goes quiet as they reach the end of the school parking lot. Then he says, “Are you going to search for Eddie?”

Jeff stops. Turns and stares at him. “Uh, yeah? I mean, from what he said, Wayne’s probably already doing that. So, I dunno, I’m probably gonna do the bare minimum. Like where am I going to look, dude?”

Frankie doesn’t answer. His face is strangely pale and looking at something behind Jeff. He follows his friend’s phase and feels the dread well up in his mouth when he sees a poster on a nearby telephone pole.

He doesn’t need a closer look to recognize the black and white photo of Eddie from two months ago grinning at him or the large word MISSING written in Sharpie above it.

He tries very hard not to notice that it’s stapled right below Will Byers’ already wrinkled poster.

It’s a very strong feeling to see your best friend’s missing poster a few days after you last saw him alive.

Jeff forces to tear his eyes away from Eddie’s captured monochrome cheeriness. “Know what? Fuck it. Let’s find him. Wanna start at the woods?”

—

There’s something about singing quietly in the nightscape hell mirror version of your bedroom that makes Eddie’s fingers twitch to jolt it down somewhere.

After the meltdown at the house, Will had grew more quiet. Eddie had rocked him until Will complained of motion sickness and then Eddie had held him even when they slept.

After piggybacking the kid and singing “Should I Stay Or Should I Go?” (at least until Eddie admitted death by earworms and convinced a change to “Space Oddity”) on the way back to Forest Hills, Will seemed to be back in his original spirits. Still quiet but no longer on the verge of tears next to Eddie. Although his coughs started to sound more wet and shook his small frame like a leaf.

Eddie prays to god that he can speak to Wayne this time. He hopes his uncle to come up with a cooler code system than Mrs. Byers and maybe get them out somehow.

But the trailer is quiet, save for Will’s whistled breathing as he sleeps in Eddie’s arms, the old itchy quilt cocooning them both. He has to stay up. Keep a lookout for the demogorgon in this hell land and for Wayne in the real world. But he feels so tired. If he can rest his eyes for just a moment…

The sound of muffled crying wakes him up.

—

The longer Wayne stares at the posters, the bigger the impulse to rip them up grows.

After Hopper left, he had went back inside and started on making the Missing posters for Eddie. The hardest part of it had been trying to find the right photo of his nephew and he had held back tears at how much Eddie had grown. How happier he looks.

He had printed copies at the library, keeping his head down from curious and pitying eyes. Christi Waldon was nice enough not to charge him for the fees.

Then he started putting the posters up and Wayne had felt like he was making a mistake.

Nobody never said anything how difficult it is to go around town again, putting a poster with your child’s face silently begging strangers who may disliked them to find them, and to do all of this without the police helping.

Wayne had printed 100 copies. He only managed to put up 18 of them before it became too much and hurried home.

Now there’s a pile of 82 posters with Eddie’s face staring up at him on the table. Wayne can’t bring himself to rip them up no matter what his mind demands it. He has a new superstition that if he does, Eddie will never be found alive.

He checks the time. Seeing it’s only after six, he sighs heavily and takes out his cigarette. He’s briefly overcome with the memory of catching a fourteen year old Eddie trying to smoke and how his smart cookie of a nephew swallowed the lit cigarette, immediately threw up, and sobbed while Wayne had to sit down so he wouldn’t break his own ass from laughing so far. After they’d both calmed down, Wayne showed him how to smoke properly and said-

He said…

What did he say?

Something erupts from his mouth. He clamps a hand over, suddenly worrying that he just got sick. But there’s no taste of bile. Only wet salt. He takes his hand off and, ah. He’s crying.

Wayne gives a wet laugh. Then it gasps into another sob. He covers his mouth again, unable to hold the tears back.

Above him, the lights flicker.

It feels almost comforting.

Wayne sniffs, watching as the bulbs hang on to its dear life of electricity. Then one of the lamps next to the couch start flickering as well. Slow and rhythmic.

The sadness does go away, but it makes Wayne feel the back of his neck hairs stand up.

—

Eddie drops his hand from the lights, stomping over to the phone. “Fuck this, now’s the chance.”

Will glances at him from where he’s crouching by the lights, still tired from being jostled awake so soon, “Eddie?”

He turns to him and says, “Little Byers the Vanished, how does one make a landline in the Vale of Shadows?”

“You, uh, just pick it up-”

Eddie does exactly that.

“Wait! It won’t even last-!”

—

The phone rings with a shrill.

Wayne snaps his head over to it. He’s breathing slowly, watching the landline like it’s his childhood spider.

The atmosphere in his trailer feels suddenly colder. As if there are ghosts present. Waiting.

The phone rings and rings until it gets to voicemail, his gruff message for the last decade. “You’ve reached the Munsons. Leave a message after the beep.”

There’s nothing after the beep.

Wayne looks at the lights again. The ceiling light has stopped but ones over the kitchen and door are flickering this time.

The phone rings again.

He stands up slowly, walking over to the phone. It rings louder to his ears now. He tries to ignore the sudden sense of a presence behind and beside him as he picks the phone up and holds it to his ear.

He hears static as if the caller has a bad connection.

He clears his throat and speaks, “Wayne Munson speakin’.”

The static crackles with some kind of harsh breathing. It’s loud to make Wayne cringe away and hang up-

“..Wayne..”

He freezes. The anxiety vanishes in an instant. “..Eddie?” He chokes out.

“..Wayne!”

“Oh my lord…” Wayne clutches the phone closer. “You’re alive, right? Eddie! Tell me where are you!”

“..I’m-”

The phone bursts into literal shock. He drops it with a yell and it clatters to the ground, dead.

That was him. That was Eddie’s voice.

Breathing raggedly, Wayne’s gaze snaps up to the lamps flashing maniacally. The air around him feels desperate and sinks down upon him. Anxiety comes back as quick as it comes, squashing on the brief spot of hope he felt.

“Nah, fuck this.” He mutters as he swipes his keys and runs out of the door. He can’t deal with more ghosts at this hour.

—

“Nonono—NO!”

Eddie slams his hands against the lights too hard. The pulsing glass bulbs nearly crack under the pressure.

None of it stops the sound of the truck engine starting.

“Wayne, it’s me! Can’t you hear me?!” Eddie’s throat is already dry from screaming, but he doesn’t care about it. “UNCLE WAYNE! JUST STOP AND LISTEN TO ME!”

He runs outside to the ever barren yard. He tries not to think about Wayne leaving just like how his dad did in his very last visit. How he had tried to chase after his dad’s car until Wayne stopped him. How he had been a crying mess while Wayne told him that both of them will stay together from now on.

“WAYNE, PLEASE! YOU PROMISED TO STAY!”

The truck drives away, farther and farther. If Eddie can catch him-

His lungs constrict themselves again. He stumbles, scraping his knees and palms on the ground. He coughs, gulping in too many shaky breaths that almost tastes like glass shards. He calls out-

“Come back! Come back!”

It comes out as a hoarse whisper.

His throat hurts.

The truck disappears. The sounds of the trailers’ muted everyday life and his own painful wheezing replace it.

Eddie is vaguely aware of Will shuffling up next to him and wrapping his arms around his shaking shoulders.

-

Taglist: @unclewaynemunson @steves-strapcollection @hellion-child @sidekick-hero @mmmmwaffles94 @demolitionjetstar @hbyrde36 @princessstevemunson @sirsnacksalot @tartarusknight @lyriclight @kodaik97 @plsdontdrinkmylavalamp @bookbinderbitch @gutterflower77 @soaringornithopter @angeldreamsoffanfic @panicatthediaz @renaissan-vvitch @manda-panda-monium @newtstabber @little-trash-ghost

[puppy-steve]

✨ stranger things fic rec pt 2 ✨

part 1 | part 3

happy new year!

mostly steddie with some ronance/fruity four/platonic stobin sprinkled in. heed the ratings, there's a healthy amount of smut.

fics in this installment: 66 fics in total: 196

as per usual:

-all fics are in alphabetical order -please tell me if the links are broken/linked wrong

more fic recs my own works

and, as always, please leave kudos and comments, and reblog this post!

i adore you (i want you) - T, 1.4k, 1/1 vivahate

“Don’t.” Dustin hisses up at him, palm still pressing against Eddie’s stomach. “Can you guys not be gross at least when we’re here?”  Nobody else even cares, Eddie thinks sullenly but he’s still too busy staring longingly at his boyfriend to manage replying at the same time. Dustin’s look of annoyance turns into one of disgust and Eddie subconsciously touches a hand to the corner of his mouth. According to Robin he tends to drool sometimes when he’s looking at Steve. That doesn’t seem to be the case now though and he doesn’t even get a word in before Dustin’s groaning. All loud and dramatic.

I Held the Hand of the Devil - E, 3.7, 1/1 CapricornBookworm

Eddie looked up at Steve with those stupid big beautiful puppy-dog eyes, and Steve couldn’t decide if he’d rather kiss Eddie’s nose or fuck him into a mattress. Either way, he wanted Eddie Munson.

i just want coffee for breakfast - M, 1.5k, 1/1 skeletaldarling

Eddie and Steve, a few weeks after the beginning of their relationship, being soft and sweet in Steve's kitchen, making plans for the future.

i know what you are steve harrington - T, series soleum

Short, unrelated stories about Steve and Eddie

i made this mess with love. - E, 3.9k, 1/1 througheden (@thefreakandthehair)

“If you so much as fucking look at him again, I will hunt you to the ends of the earth like the dog you are and I will put you down.” He grits out through his teeth, watching as the other man’s eyes grow large. Steve drinks in the terror behind them and imagines how unhinged he must look to the others. He briefly considers not dropping his arm when the other man starts to sputter and choke. Eddie’s voice rings out somewhere near him. “Jesus H. Christ, what the fuck is going on?!”

I Starve Without You On My Lips - E, 4.4k, 1/1 god_hates_tyler (@bisexual-cryptid)

Eddie visits Steve on a particularly slow day at Scoops Ahoy, and then fucks him in the back room.

I use my own two hands (I rip up all of the seams) - M, 1.7k, 1/1 writerbri

Eddie senses something is wrong. He knows Steve, right down to the marrow of his bones. He knows when the tears that slip down his cheeks are the good kind of tears. He knows how he shudders and trembles when it’s good. He knows how heated his skin gets, when he twists and writhes and begs for more. But he’s silent, and he’s crying, and he’s cold to the touch. And nothing is right.

I want to run, I want to hide (I wanna tear down these walls that hold me inside) - E, 2/2 Gorgeousgreymatter

“You want me that bad, Munson?” It’s not what he’d been intending to say, but it comes out anyway. Maybe because part of him just wants to see what Eddie’s going to do. Maybe he will just open up his mouth right here and take a bite. Kind of feels like that’s what Eddie might do when his gaze turns wolfish, his eyes almost entirely black. “I don’t think you want to play this game with me, Stevie.”

i was made for lovin' you, baby - E, series joehardys

Steve and Eddie finding each other in the aftermath of Vecna.

I Wasn't Born Flawed - G, 1.4k, 1/1 jadeluvr

Her shaking arm was pushing open the door before her brain was registering it, and as soon as the bell rang, Steve eyes were gazing over her dishevelled vest with perceptible concern. Eventually, he caught sight of her tear stained face with her red eyes to match, and he was already hopping over the counter to flip the Open sign to Closed. OR: after robin was mocked and bullied for being a lesbian, she went to steve for comfort.

i wave goodbye to the end of beginning (goodbye) - N/A, 35k, 1/1 steveharringtoned

Eddie Munson has been going steady with Steve Harrington for a little while now. He’s learned to expect the occasional disturbance. In which he observes: 5 times Steve helps the kids, +1 time they help him.

I'd Meet You Where The Spirit Meets The Bones - E, 15k, 1/1 aaliona

Steve doesn't mean to go off his suppressants when the Venca stuff happens, but it triggers a full-blown heat. Joyce wants to blame this new alpha around him, but instead she watches from afar as both boys figure out what they want from each other and whether they're allowed to want it. Steve's trying to get through his heat, knowing the man he wants might be dying in the other room. And Eddie? Eddie just wants Steve.

I'm Crazy for Loving You - E, 6.1k, 1/1 yilinglazy (@jiangwrongcurator)

"So, tell me about these 'details.' The worst that can happen is I run screaming for the hills." "You're annoying." "And you love me anyway." Steve grinned, kissing the top of Eddie's head. It took a little more coaxing, but eventually, Eddie opened up a little bit, and when Steve didn't immediately resort to disgust, the trickle became a waterfall. It was a little alarming, the things that he said, but Steve did his best to contain any negative reaction. He wasn't disgusted per se, but he was definitely perplexed. The logistics of what Eddie was describing were lost on him, but as he listened, he became curious.

i'm lost in admiration, could i need you this much? - E, 7.2, 1/1 ransomsleftnipple

Being with Eddie has opened Steve up to so many desires he didn't know he had, desires hidden behind thinking he was straight, behind thinking he's not allowed to like these things. Eddie's always the confident one, the one who starts things, who suggests things, who reads Steve like a book and still asks if everything's okay. Steve wants to be the brave one this time. Hense, buying the skirt.

i've got you. - T, 1.1k, 1/1 througheden (@thefreakandthehair)

“Stevie, can you hear me in there?” Eddie asks, his head resting back against the door. He opts to pull both knees back up, splaying out a bit to either side as he wraps his arms around them. Silence and more whooshing of the water is the only response Eddie gets. He sighs and drops his head to stare down at the carpet beneath him. It breaks his heart, seeing Steve hurt like this.

if you'll come with me - G, 2k, 1/1 kingofsoftstyle

steve has an idea he wants to bring up to eddie that will drastically change their relationship.

ill stop the world and melt with you - T, 1.1k, 1/1 perseuswrites

“What happened?” Steve looks down and frowns, opening his mouth and closing it a few times before looking back up at Eddie teary eyed and Eddie holds his face, “Hey it’s okay, you can’t talk? Is that it? That’s alright. How about you just nod or shake your head okay?” Steve nods. or steve gets drunk after having a nightmare about eddie, eddie takes care of him

in the quiet of loving him - T, 5.5k, 1/1 Wispie

Will returns from Lenora. He hears about Eddie's guitar solo to save the world. He learns that he is not alone and that it's okay to love yourself.

Aka Will sees Eddie flirting with Steve, has a crisis over it, and they have a conversation where Will is told things he should have heard years ago.

In Your Holy Water - E, 4.3k, 1/1 god_hates_tyler (@bisexual-cryptid)

Eddie calls Steve his girlfriend jokingly, before realizing that Steve is very into it. Then they fuck about it. That's the fic. It's just Eddie calling Steve a good girl while fucking him senseless.

it all fell down (it all fell down) - T, 1.9k, 1/1 Mighty_Huntress

El can’t find them. They aren’t answering their walkie talkies. Erica said Lucas told her they were going to “their” spot, but every “spot” checked has been empty. Nancy, Jonathan, Joyce—they’re all clinging to the thinnest threads of sanity because El can tell they’re alive, she just can’t find them, but that only helps so much because his boys are missing. His boys are missing, and there’s no danger in swinging range. Steve’s hands continue to shake.

it better be black, it better be tight, it better be just my size - E, 6.5k, 1/1 trashmouthing

eddie helps steve clean his bedroom.

it must be something in the water - E, 13k, 1/1 rosefire

“Oh my god,” Steve said, panic threading his voice, “Oh my god oh my god —” “Hey, dude, relax, okay, we’re gonna — they’re gonna figure out we’re stuck in here and get us out. We’re gonna be fine,” Eddie said, actively tamping down the wave of frustration rising up in him. He felt his lips pull back from his teeth, a little, slamming the button for the lobby over and over, pressing the emergency call button, remembering he didn’t have his phone. He was too close to his fucking rut for this shit. “We’ve just gotta calm the fuck down —” “No,” Steve whined, “I — I can’t —” and Eddie whipped his head around, alarmed. Steve was flushed now, and the faint sheen on his face had been upgraded to actual beads of sweat, pooling at his temples. His pupils were dilated, and while Eddie stood, frozen, because he’d never in his life heard Steve sound like that, Steve shouldered off his backpack and unzipped his windbreaker with shaking hands, still gasping for air. “Hey, Steve, dude, we’re gonna be fine,” Eddie tried again, only then Steve whipped his windbreaker off his shoulders towards him and Eddie got a face full of his scent, and that wasn’t just warm rising off of him, that was heat.

it still hurts underneath my scars - E, 4.5k, 1/1 writerbri

"I’m so sorry.” “Shh,” Eddie says, a strain in his voice as he shakes his head. “I know, baby. I feel it too. But we’re okay. You have to know that.” Steve nods, swallowing the lump in his throat. He knows it now, even if he let his doubt run the show for a while there. “I love you,” he says, needing Eddie to hear it.

It's Times Like These (You Learn to Love Again) - T, 2/2 Fitzgi

"What the fuck happened to you, Steve?" Dustin asked, his voice soft for once. Steve's eyes slowly moved over to look at the teenager. He laughed humorlessly and shrugged his shoulders. "I won a fight." OR Steve ends up beaten and blooded at Eddie's door and the Munsons take care of their own.

It's you and me (won't be unhappy) - E, 2/3 Gwendolyn

Then they’re coming out of the trees and the land suddenly opens up before them, and Eddie pulls up to a spot of bare grass where the land is high and the brilliant sunset is perfectly spread out before them, unspoiled by electric poles or buildings. Eddie rolls the windows all the way down to let in the evening breeze and turns off the car. “Pretty, huh?” Eddie says, and Steve looks over at him, face lit up and glowing with the soft colors of the sky. “Yeah,” Steve replies, not moving his gaze from Eddie and feeling like he’s in some cheesy romance movie. He can’t help it. Or, Eddie teaches Steve more about sex, but then they realize this isn't just sex.

kids in the dark - M, series FagurFiskur

“Just relax.” Eddie runs his fingers through Steve’s hair and okay, that actually feels kind of nice. “This is happening, so you might as well enjoy it.” Robin laughs. “You’re gonna look so pretty, Steve.” “I’m gonna kill all of you,” Steve mutters but he sits still and lets Eddie muss up his hair probably beyond all recognition. “Seriously, none of this better leave this room.”

Kiss You - G, 2k, 1/1 Phineasflynns

Steve flips the two sandwiches sizzling in the pan and then turns to face Eddie, brows drawn up slightly in an expression the metalhead can’t quite place. That happens a lot lately -more often than not- Eddie will catch Steve looking at him, and it’s always the same look on his face that Eddie can’t seem to figure out. It makes his heart pound and his palms sweaty in spite of his confusion.

La Vie en Rose (Someday) - G, 1.4k, 1/1 Sleepdeprivedandfailingschool

An early morning in the Munson trailer. Or: Steve and Eddie being happy/domestic little shits :]

Lay All You Love On Me - T, 1.9k, 1/1 shigaswift

Steve Harrington and Eddie Munson are very protective of each other. Jason Carver really shouldn't have messed with them.

layer by layer, the framework was formed - G, series MacksDramaticShenanigans (@hotcocoaharrington)

eddie and steve, through the eyes of wayne

Let Me Be the Portable Heater - T, 3.8k, 1/1 kikisifi13

Okay, so maybe Steve’s gone a few extra miles past what was necessary. He hasn’t just *acquired* the tea. He’s already steeped it with a couple more spoonfuls of honey and put it in a thermos. And he hasn’t just acquired *tea*. He’d also bought chicken-noodle soup and orange juice from the supermarket, along with some surplus tissues and Nyquil. They’re sitting now in the passenger seat of the beemer, secured by a fuzzy throw blanket that rarely left the Harringtons’ linen closet. Steve has just pulled into the trailer park, noting the absence of the van in the driveway. Wayne must be at work, meaning that Eddie is alone. 'Not for long,' Steve thinks to himself. Eddie comes down with a head cold only days away from a Hellfire session, but Steve isn't going to let him suffer alone. Not after everything that Eddie has done for him.

let's make love in the summertime - E, 1.5k, 1/1 bittlebarnes

It’s hot today. Honestly, it’s got to be at least 100 degrees. The air conditioning in their complex can barely keep up with the heat and Steve has already sweated his way through his tank top. A little heat’s never stopped Eddie though. -or- Eddie slow fucks Steve with a strap during a heatwave.

Like The Beat Of A Heart - N/A, 9.1k, 1/1 BlackUnicorn

“And you must be Will the Wise,” Eddie greeted him when the other kids had finally let go. “I heard all about you.” Will the Wise arched a single eyebrow at him. “You did.” It wasn't even a question, the kids voice dry and doubtful. Will kind of hated him, Eddie thought, and then immediately wondered what he'd done to deserve that because while he was very used to random strangers hating him for no fucking reason, he'd kind of hoped this particular random stranger would be an exception to the rule. Joke was on the kid, though, because Eddie loved a challenge. “Most powerful wizard in all the land,” he said, cracking a smile that he hoped was disarming enough as he offered his hand. Will glanced at it for a moment, then at his face, his eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Assessing him. Eddie wasn’t too worried, though, simply wiggled his fingers and waited for Will to make the next move. He did. A surprisingly strong hand grabbed his own, shaking it firmly. “By the by,” Eddie tagged on in a low voice so that only Will could hear, planning to go all in, “I personally thought Zombie Boy was a pretty badass name.”

like you wanted it forever - T, 1.6k, 1/1 cpressmn

Steve is too much, and it’s not fair, and now they might die and Steve might hate him forever if they both even make it out of this, but Eddie can’t bring himself to care. They’re already in hell, so why not? “Yeah?” Steve’s still staring at him, expectant. His mouth is turned down in concern and Eddie doesn’t feel like resisting anymore. “Hey, man, you alr—” He strides forward, determined, and grabs a stunned Steve by his cheeks before pressing their lips together.

Love Without Strings - T, 5.4k, 1/1 sillylittleclowndude

Hopper sighed out, “Getting used to getting your face beat in is not something that you should have ever had to deal with. You or Robin.” “Oh no, it’s really okay, Hop, I swear. It’s like, kind of my job, ya know?” “I’m sorry?” Hopper spoke up, looking at Steve’s face like he thought he may have misheard. The rest of the crew also turned to look at Steve with confusion on their faces. Or Steve doesn’t realize that his friends didn’t know about what happened in the underground Russian base and everything spills out when Hopper mentions his time in a Russian prison.

Love, let me see my way back to you - E, series StarsHideYourFires

Eddie Munson and Steve Harrington were high school sweethearts, separated by circumstance. Thanks to their meddling twelve-year-old twins, they have reunited and have the chance to work at being the family they always wanted to be.

Mallrat - E, 3/3 ozwrites

Eddie Munson is the furthest thing from a mallrat. But there are three very persistent 14-year-olds tugging on his sleeve, begging him to take them to Starcourt after school. ‘The Game Player’ has D&D dice and the kids, the actual mallrats, want to go. Who is he to deny them this simple joy? Eddie takes Mike, Dustin, and Lucas to the nerd store. On the way back to the lot, they pass The Gap, Zales, Jazzercise, and- “Jesus Christ, dude is that Steve?!”

Man Of My (Wet) Dreams - E, 14k, 1/1 xeoncain666

“Oh, you like when I call you princess?” Steve nodded with a whimper. “How about baby? Sweetheart? Honey?” It felt like Steve’s brain was being overloaded and about to self-destruct. “All of it, Eddie. Everything you say drives me up the fucking wall.”

mark my skin, use your teeth - E, series Adure (@toburnup)

Eddie's holding the tattoo needle, arms splattered with ink, and he's pressing the tip to Steve's skin. Dragging it along to form a curved line, right over his chest, across his beating heart.

maybe a kiss before i leave you this way - E, 5.7k, 1/1 ruinations

“Don’t you have work?” “Yeah,” Steve confirms, blinking owlishly, innocently, “but I want to make a baby with you.” - Steve wants a baby and Eddie tries his damndest to give him one.

Melt - E, 2k, 1/1 Blapblaps

Steve’s gotta wake up to get ready for work soon, and Eddie’s in the habit of waking him up in the mornings since he’s always the first to crack open his eyes. Eddie woke up this morning with the aftertaste of Steve in his mouth, and he needs Steve on top of him before he goes, just for a little while.

melt your headache's, call it home - G, 3.8k, 1/1 PoolToast22

Steve squeezed his eyes shut. They felt tender and bruised like an apple dropped on the ground, soft to the touch and ever visible beneath the darkened flesh. The muscles in his jaw, his temple, his forehead, they all ached. Tension stretched his skin thin like a day-old sunburn.  He didn't fucking have time for this.  With a deep breath, he opened them. Sunlight accosted him, sending a pulsing awareness through his skull. Where were his fucking sunglasses? - AKA the one where Steve gets a headache but Eddie helps take care of him

Misjudged Your Limits - T, 3.2k, 1/1 kikisifi13

"According to Robin, the first signs that Steve was getting a migraine were the little things, things that would seem normal if they were coming from anyone else. Steve had walked into Family Video that morning fifteen minutes late, wearing sunglasses and clutching a thermos of coffee. And sure, it was summer. But the knowing glance that Robin shot Eddie told him this wasn’t that." After being beaten up one too many times, Steve Harrington has some head trauma to show for it. This also means migraines, which he tries his best to avoid displaying. 3 months into dating Eddie Munson, that particular situation becomes unavoidable, and when Steve is forced to be vulnerable, Eddie doesn't know what the hell he's supposed to do. Cue Robin leading Eddie through Caring For Steve's Migraines: A Comprehensive Guide. TW: headaches, nausea, vomiting

Mutual Future (Reapeat) - T, 6k, 1/1 sidekickjoey (@sidekickjoey)

It's Hawkins, Indiana. November 1983. Again. By some grace, our gang has a second chance at life - some literally. Faced with a chance to do it all over again, many choose to spend their time finally acting like kids and enjoying the childhood they were deprived of for three years. Steve Harrington, on the other hand, returns with a long to-do list of things he needs to change. To make up for. To fix. First on that list? Finding Eddie Munson, and single-handedly making up for everything bad that ever happened to the man with three little words: "Is that Metallica?"

my hands are tied - T, 1.5k, 1/1 lesbianrobin

As their kiss deepens, Steve goes to reach for Eddie's hair, and freezes as the black bandana around his wrists binds them together. Eddie smiles against his lips and leans back to whisper, "What'cha trying to do there, Stevie?" Steve's heart stutters in his chest. He can feel goosebumps starting to form on his arms as Eddie pushes them above his head, wrists still bound, and presses himself back to Steve's chest and continues to kiss him. Steve tries to focus on Eddie's lips, on Eddie's hands cradling his face, even though he can feel the fabric binding his wrists together and the way they press against each other, his pulse seemingly magnified by the dual pounding of each artery, and it's fine, it's okay, he can focus on Eddie and the faint smell of laundry detergent and cigarettes, and Eddie's weight in his lap, and Steve is fine. - (he's not fine)

My Hands Have Made Some Good Mistakes. (They Can Always Make Better Ones.) - G, 2.3k, 1/1 Atlas_M_33

The first time that Eddie notices, they’re trekking through the woods looking for some kind of gate, though it's not until a few minutes later that he realizes what it was that stood out to him. For all that he was very much a jock, Harrington’s still a rich kid who shouldn’t have had to work a day in his life, cruising through on his daddy’s reputation, but there were calluses, rough and prominent, on his palm where their hands touched. (Five times Eddie notices Steve Harrington's hands, and one time Steve thinks about Eddie’s.)

My Heart's In Bloom - G, 2k, 1/1 harperfinkle

“And these are for me?” Eddie looks at him like he’s just grown a second head. “Well… yeah,” Steve smiles, and Eddie’s brain suddenly stops working. OR: Steve keeps giving Eddie flowers.

Need Your Love So Bad - E, 2/2 Blapblaps

Something’s up with Steve today. He’s been working all week and too tired to think about himself, but there’s something else there, too. Eddie takes it upon himself to cater to his needs; make him feel safe, loved, and desired.

Never A Thank You - T, 2k, 1/1 Arrival_Of_Dawn

Being the babysitter is a thankless job, but Steve wouldn't trade it for anything because damn if he doesn't love his kids. At least he has Eddie by his side to make everything better. And for some reason Eddie really likes the way Steve looks when he's covered in blood.

new times, cause old ones aren't really us - M, 4k, 1/1 saturnatlast, thoselittlelights

His heart has been swelling and he wants a shower but he can't pull himself out of this coma that Steve playing the piano, always so hauntingly beautifully, draws him into, like the stars are the sky and the sky is the fucking stars.

No Rest for the Wicked and Horny - E, 2.4k, 1/1 HopelessRomantic_12

“You beg so nicely for me. And I know you would be so good. But I also think it’s pretty selfish of you to ask me to sacrifice my precious sleep just so you can get off. So how ‘bout I make you a deal?” They’ve been together long enough for Steve to know how evil Eddie can be with his games, but he has to admit his interest is piqued. Eddie doesn’t wait for him to respond before continuing. “I’ll keep my hand right here,” he strokes Steve through his pants to emphasize his words, “and you can move around all you want. But if you don’t come within… let’s say 60 seconds, we might just have to wait until morning to solve your little problem.” Steve’s eyes widen with understanding. His cock twitches with understanding, too. 60 seconds? Steve supposes he must have gotten off that fast before, and he’s definitely on his way there right now—but still, a lot is on the line here. He takes a deep breath, ready for the challenge. “When does my time start?” Eddie’s eyes flicker, complimented by a devilish grin. “Now.” *** Or: Steve can't sleep and Eddie makes him a deal.

nothing's gonna harm you (not while i'm around) - T, 2.8k, 1/1 judasofsuburbia

when max mayfield shows up at eddie munson's door after a nightmare, the last thing she expects to see is steve harrington staring back at her. or steve and eddie being the big brothers that max deserves.

now and forever - E, series FromTheEmbers

Eddie Munson is everything Steve is not supposed to want in an alpha. It doesn't make him want him any less. Following the lives of Steve, Eddie and their children through the years.

Obey Your Master - E, 9k, 1/1 goldenringboy

If Eddie Munson was asked a year ago– hell, even a month ago– if he ever imagined Steve Harrington, the King of Hawkins High, sitting around a scratched up table in a dingy basement with a bunch of high school kids playing fucking Dungeons and Dragons, well he’d ask what drugs you were on and where he could get some. ___ Steve plays D&D for the first time. It goes about as well as you expected.

Odds and Ends - T, 5.4k, 1/1 kikisifi13

The plan is this: Steve is supposed to take the kids to see the newest Star Trek movie this Friday. The problem is this: Steve is due for a migraine. sequel to "Misjudged Your Limits"

On and on - T, 9/9 Belladonnax

After Nancy calls him bullshit, Steve finds another party. He decides to keep drinking. He's not too sure how he ends up curled up with Eddie Munson but he's kind of glad he did. It quickly becomes the best thing that could have happened to him.

On Your Knees When You Look At Me - E, 5.1k, 1/1 god_hates_tyler (@bisexual-cryptid)

Steve tries on his uniform for his new job at Scoops Ahoy, just to make sure it fits. When he shows his boyfriend, he has an unexpected reaction to it. (i.e. he thinks it's very hot.)

one ring to rule them all - T, 1.7k, 1/1 arrowxsun

Steve was already down on one knee when Eddie looked at him again, the concrete hot against his skin. Eddie’s eyes widened. “Get up, Harrington.” Steve smiled. He could feel his hands shaking. “Why Munson, you usually like it when I’m on my knees for you” or: Steve, Eddie and Dustin go watch The Fellowship of the Ring together when it comes out and Steve has something planned.

paint me in trust - E, 5k, 1/1 jojojokestar

It's Steve's first time getting stoned, and he wants to try something new. He's completely blown away by the results.

paper rings - M, 2k, 1/6 sam_writes_fics

Eddie picks up his head just enough to prop his chin up on Steve’s chest. “Looking at what?” “Your rings,” Steve answers easily, staring down at the silver bands sitting on three of Eddie’s fingers. “I’ve never really looked at them before. Not up close.” // 5+1 times Steve and Eddie talk about rings.

paradise in a new light - E, 2/2 spoilerings

Steve doesn’t even have time to think about it before his body decides for him, and he kneels unceremoniously down on the carpet between Eddie’s open legs. He has no clue where the urge comes from, and he can’t help but notice that it feels good. He hears a shocked little ‘oh’ from above him, but he can’t find it in himself to be embarrassed; just rests his temple against Eddie’s thigh and closes his eyes. or Steve arrives at Eddie’s exhausted beyond belief after a long shift. Eddie takes care of him.

paralyzed - N/A, 4,5k, 1/1 chlorue

Tonight was proving to be one of the worst nights of Steve’s life. It was the first night of Corroded Coffin’s tour in Indiana in a sold out venue and Steve had barely seen Eddie all day. Of course Steve and the rest of the group caught tickets for the show, like hell they were going to miss this show. But Steve has been hanging out with Dustin, Max, and the rest of the kids all day. Not that he didn’t enjoy hanging out with them (making sure they were making good decisions), but Steve was crawling out of his skin being away from Eddie today.

Partners In Crime - T, 2.3k, 1/1 god_hates_tyler (@bisexual-cryptid)

Jason ambushes Steve and Eddie on their way to Eddie's van. He starts antagonizing Eddie and calling him names, which Steve will not put up with. They get in a fight and Hopper has to come and break it up.

Peaceful Bliss - G, 2.1k, 1/1 unkreativstermensch

"Henderson,” Eddie groans. “Do you have any idea what time it is?" He rubs his hands over his face. Dustin nods. "Of course, it’s 6:15, but we need to talk, it's really urgent, I noticed something about the-" he stops in his tracks when he notices the patch of hair next to Eddie, sticking out from under the covers and in between pillows, and the way Eddie winces because Dustin's talking too loud, and oh shit- there's someone else in bed with him. or: Dustin has the annoying habit of just busting into Eddie's trailer at ungodly hours. One morning Eddie's not alone though.

Poison - E, 4.3k, 1/1 vampyremoney

“My, my. Steve Harrington holding me down? Now that’s a sight I never thought I’d see-“ Steve pressed the knife further, itching at Eddie’s skin. “And with a knife at my throat, you really know how to make my blood flow, big boy,” he cracked a venomous smile. “Or, what would be flowing.”

Polaroids of a Pretty Boy - E, 2/2 sparrow_in_hawkins

Eddie discovers a secret that Steve has been keeping; little does Steve realize just how much it will drive Eddie wild. " “And you still answered the phone?” “Was hoping it’d be you,” Steve said, his voice dreamy, biting back a moan. “Even if it wasn’t, it’s one of the fun parts. Almost getting caught. Getting away with it.” “Fuck,” Eddie muttered, the words going straight to his dick. How, after a month of dating, Steve was managing to become even hotter was enough to melt his brain. He shook his head. Focus, this was important. “So, I think you have to tell me,” he mused, smirking into the phone, “What are you wearing?” "

[heytherejulietx]

movie night - steve harrington

↳ requested by @001swhore - BORROWING STEVE'S PURPLE YELLOW SWEATER OMG idk this isnt like an actual fic concept but ig just a blurb ab reader stealing steve's clothes <333

↳ summary - what ensues when steve gives reader a key to his place

↳ a/n - tysm for the request my love!! i’ve never written for steve before so i really hope you like this. please feel free to send in more requests for steve harrington i really enjoyed writing for him :)

↳ content warnings - none. NO SPOILERS FOR SEASON FOUR

↳ word count - 1.7k

↳ just a reminder that reblogs are seriously appreciated as it helps my work get seen by more people! <3

↳ masterlists

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Movie night at Steve’s house either went two ways. If Robin was there, all three of them would squish on the same couch together (despite Steve’s huge living room), with a bowl of popcorn sat in Y/N’s lap as she was usually in the middle. They would talk and laugh throughout the whole movie, and would have a great time. If Robin wasn’t there, Y/N would be practically asleep on Steve’s shoulder by the end of the movie.

When Robin joined them, she spent the time laughing with her friend and enjoying the time with both of them, and whilst she did lean against Steve throughout the movie, she wasn’t entirely focused on him. But when they were alone she couldn’t get close enough to him. Most of the time his arm would be tucked around her back so she could completely wedge her shoulder underneath his armpit, snuggled into his side. All she could feel was his warmth against her skin and all she could smell was his cologne, and that was enough to have her dozing off on his shoulder by the time that the movie was over. Steve’s parents were never home so usually he would wake her briefly so they could go to lay down in his bed, but she would sleep happily for the rest of the night. They didn’t watch movies in the day anymore for that reason.

Dustin would join them sometimes, and by that she meant he would just drop in unannounced halfway through the movie after he’d spent the day with his friends. Sometimes he squished in between Steve and Y/N on the sofa, and sometimes she’d get woken up by Dustin excitedly rambling to Steve about something, whilst the latter tried to shut him up because Y/N was asleep against his side.

She probably spent even more time at Steve’s house as winter drew closer and closer, the chilly October air rounding her into his house sooner than usual like a dog rounded sheep.

He had given her a key to his house in late September, when he noticed her arriving earlier and earlier to Family Video to meet him from work most nights of the week. She didn’t mind waiting; she spoke to Steve and Robin, and even helped with anything that needed doing something just to lighten the load on the others a little. She knew he didn’t like her waiting, though. He didn’t want her to get bored waiting for them.

“Hey,” It was an hour until he finished on the first Friday of October, and she had turned up with a smile, despite the rain that drenched her head to toe. Steve had come around the counter to greet her, and pressed a kiss to her temple before he gently brought her aside. “I’ve got something for you. Close your eyes and hold your hand out.”

Y/N playfully rolled her eyes though did as she was told, her eyelids fluttering shut as her hand opened palm-up. Steve lifted her hand to press a soft kiss to her fingers which made her giggle, before he dropped something small into her palm. When he told her that she could open her eyes, the fluorescents reflected against a key in her hand.

She stared at it for a moment, before she looked up at her boyfriend with a confused expression. “Thanks?”

Steve chuckled as he fondly shook his head. “It’s a key. They’re used to open doors, sometimes cabinets,” He teased, and she huffed as her arm knocked against his gently. “It’s a key for my house.”

She looked up at him then, her eyes softening as her lips parted in surprise. “Steve…”

“My parents are never home and now that it’s getting colder I don’t want you waiting for me here. You can just wait at mine and get comfy.” He shrugged, like it was nothing. Like giving her a key to his house was nothing.

Steve seemed surprised when she practically flung herself at him in a hug, and pressed a kiss to her head when he held her closer with an arm around her wait. She mumbled a thanks into his neck, and closed her eyes as he held her closer, both of them momentarily ignoring Robin as she complained that Steve wasn’t helping her.

She used his key most times they were planning to spend the evening together. She still came to meet him sometimes, though; when his parents were actually home or if she’d just had a bad day and needed to see him sooner. But every time she did use the key, she smiled fondly to herself as she used it to unlock his front door, sweetened by the memory of him giving it together.

It was storming on the last Tuesday of November. Y/N didn’t mind storms, but the rain that had drenched her was freezing, and by the time she had gotten into Steve’s house she was shaking with the cold. It would only be half an hour until Steve got home, she told herself. She could wait that long. Barely.

She had a drawer of things in his bedroom, and Steve had no problem with washing her clothes with his, so the first thing she did was go straight up to his bedroom and peeled off the soaked clothes from her skin, and pulled on her pyjamas once her wet clothes were in his washing basket. Her pyjama trousers were thick, and probably would have warmed her up in no time on a normal day, but she was still trembling from the cold as she walked around Steve’s room, putting some of his things away for him. She was debating just getting into his bed to warm up when her fingers clasped around a yellow jumper that hung off of his bed frame. He had been wearing it the day before; he knew it was one of her favourites on him. Without thinking she pulled the soft jumper over her head, sighing as she pushed her arms through the too-long sleeves. It still smelled like his musky cologne, and she took a deep breath through her nose as she pressed it into the collar. The smell was calming, and maybe it was that or the warmth of the jumper that slowly stopped her trembling.

By the time Steve was home, she was curled up on his sofa with a book in her hand just to distract her until he was back. He was soaked too, but his raincoat kept most of him from getting too wet.

“Hey sweetheart,” Steve dumped his bag onto the nearest surface before he leaned over the back of the sofa to kiss the top of her head. “Good day?”

She hummed, a smile across her lips as she tilted her head to look up at Steve. He halted her answer by pressing a kiss to her lips, and she giggled quietly as he pulled away. “Yeah. You?”

“Busy.” Steve pulled a face and kissed her again, before he started rambling about his shift as he hung up his coat and grabbed the movie from his bag that he had brought for them to watch, putting it into the cassette player before he joined her on the couch.

“What’re we watching?” Y/N asked as she tucked herself into his side, glancing at the movie trailers on the screen before she looked up at her boyfriend.

“I’ll be watching The Goonies, but you’ll probably be watching the inside of your eyelids,” Steve teased, and she fondly rolled her eyes. His hand snuck around her waist to the bottom of the jumper, where she expected him to slip his hand under to rest against her bare waist like usual, but instead he glanced down at her and poked her where she was ticklish, eliciting a quiet giggle. “Are you stealing from me now?”

“No,” She laughed, and shuffled even closer to him when his warm palm finally met her bare side. “I was cold when I got here and it was on the end of your bed…” She trailed off, pink blooming in the apples of her cheeks.

She had worn his clothes countless times, but only after Steve had offered. She had never taken anything without asking, and for a moment she was worried that he wasn’t okay with it. But Steve swallowed the worry with a soft kiss, and gently rubbed her waist with his thumb as he pulled back to look at her.

“It suits you better,” He told her with a shrug, doing nothing to help her flushed cheeks. “But, y’know, I think basically anything would suit you better. ‘Cause you’re just so pretty, like crazy pretty, and-“

She cut off his rambled compliments with a kiss, her face blazing, and he laughed into her mouth as he held onto her tighter. “Thanks, but shh.” She mumbled after a moment, and Steve laughed louder as he kissed her cheek.

“Sorry, baby,” His cheek rested against the top of her head as she got settled against his shoulder. “I feel so bad that I was complimenting my girlfriend. Really, what am I going to do?”

“Shut up.” She mumbled, and he laughed again as the film finally started.

Steve was right, she would have probably been asleep within an hour. The sensation of his thumb running along her bare skin was enough to make her eyelids flutter, and his jumper was so cozy that she could just curl up and sleep for hours on end. As her eyelids struggled to stay open about thirty minutes into the movie, she knew that once the tape finished he would gently take her up to his bed, and she would sleep happily beside him the whole night. His warmth pushed against her like gentle waves, and combined with the occasional kiss to her temple, it was almost like he was trying to get her to sleep.

A soft smile was on her lips as she allowed her eyes to shut, relaxed and happy in his arms.

[athena-writes-i-guess]

Hi!!! Would love to request #5 and #11 :) Separately or together however you see fit <3

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Reader

Prompt: “Who did this to you?” and “Wait. Did you hear that?”

A/N: Hello friend! Thank you so much for this request! I was able to work both of them into this one. I had originally thought to break it up but I had another request for 5 so I thought I would try both! I really hope you like it!

Warning: cursing, mentions of blood and a little violence

You were sitting at the Hellfire table during lunch, bouncing your leg anxiously as your boyfriend, Eddie, hadn’t shown up yet. You had asked the group if they had seen him anywhere as you hadn’t since your break and he was usually one of the first people at the table, but no one had seen him either. You looked around the cafeteria again, trying to find his brown curls in the throng of students, sighing when you couldn’t find him again. Finally, you saw him come through the doors, he had a paper towel pressed to his lip, his hair and clothes were disheveled, and he had a frustrated look on his face. As he walked closer to the table you noticed the specs of blood on the paper towel and how his lip was swollen and you felt your eyebrows furrow in concern.

He pulled out the seat at the head of the table and silently sat down and looked up at you. “Eddie, what happened? Who did this to you?” You asked hurriedly, reaching out and pulling his hand away from his mouth so you could see his face better. His lip was busted open, but it looked like it wasn’t bleeding too much and you could see his Ozzy shirt was a little ripped at the collar, presumably from someone grabbing it, but other than that there didn’t seem to be too much damage.

“Don’t worry about it babe, it’s nothing.” He said dismissively, you watched him try to send you a reassuring smile but he winced and brought the paper towel back to his lip as more pain came from the split there. You felt your blood start to boil in your veins as you looked at the state that Eddie was in. Why does this happen to him? Why can’t he just exist in this fucking school without being harrassed? Was Eddie loud and does he buck against the safe conformity that the assholes in this school cling to? Yes. Does that mean that he deserves to be treated this way? No, not at all. No one did.

“Was it Andy again?” You asked, looking around the room for his stupid hat. “I’ll fucking-”

“Hey, firecracker, calm down, okay?” Eddie said, grabbing your arm to bring you back to the table as you had tried to get to your feet to find Andy. “It’s okay, baby. I’m okay. We’re almost outta here and then we don’t have to deal with this again.”

“But you don’t deserve this, Eddie. None of us do.” You said as you looked at the table full of the little misfit group you cared so much about. “Just this week Dustin got a wedgie and Gareth almost got his ass kicked by them.”

“And I would do it again.” You heard Andy sneer from behind you. You and your table looked back and found a small group of the basketball players smiling around him.

“Wait. Did you hear that guys?” You asked around the table with faux enthusiasm. You turned back to Andy and his group and gave them an exaggerated smile before, “A piece of shit learned how to talk. I didn’t know they could do that.” You could feel the wide eyes of your friends and boyfriend on you as you chuckled rudely at the jocks. You looked back at Eddie for a quick moment and felt a genuine smile pull at your lips at the look of pure awe and adoration on his face as he looked back at you.

“Why don’t you say that to my face, L/N?” Andy demanded as he took a step closer to you.

You and Eddie both jumped up quickly, but you put a hand on his to keep him back and shot him an ‘I got this’ look. You grabbed your milk carton that came with your lunch and took a measured sip with your finger up, telling the group to hold on. Andy scowled at you in frustration. “I said.” You started calmly, looking the boy up and down with an unimpressed look on your face. “That I didn’t know that pieces of shit like you could learn to talk.” You yelled through the cafeteria. You felt the eyes of every person in the room on you and you put on a sweet smile and then overturned your milk on that stupid hat of his, watching it drip down onto his lettermans jacket as many of the students around you gasped.

“You little-” Andy started, raising his fist at you.

“Y/N! Andy! Stop right now!” You heard a teacher yell behind you. You smiled at Andy, and if looks could kill, you would be dead a few times over by the one he gave you. “Detention! Principals! Right now!”

“But Mr. Wilson-” Andy started.

“Now!” The teacher yelled back.

You looked back at your group with a proud smile on your face as you grabbed your backpack and slung it over your shoulder. Eddie, still on his feet, quickly grabbed you and kissed you fiercely in front of the gawking students, neither of you caring about his poor split lip.

“Munson! L/N! There is no kissing in these halls!” Mr. Wilson yelled over the “oohs” from the students as he bounded over to the two of you as you split apart, a cheeky grin mirrored on both of your faces.

“Totally worth it.” You said with a bright smile to Eddie as the teacher grabbed you by the arm to lead you himself to the principal’s office.

“I love you, firecracker.” He smiled back, bringing his paper towel back to his lip as it was hurting again.

“I love you, Eddie Munson.” You beamed as the teacher dragged you away from the table and out of the room.

“I won the fucking jackpot, boys.” Eddie said as he sat in his chair and leaned back, wincing again as the uncontrollable smile pulled on his lips.

Taglist: @srapalestina @yvonneeeee @cityofidek @anaisweird @mayahawkewife

[straworie]

Can I be a princess? Part 3

Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader

New girl meets THE FREAK

Warnings: bad language, kinda smut,

mentioning trauma, mentioning of drugs, selfharm, triggering things, and most of all spelling errors (tell me in the comments!)

Tag list: @iamsiriuss @srhxpci @bumpbeaded

Have fun reading :)

Part 2 here :)

Next day, new beginning, new “no bullshit“ try.

You woke up and did your morning routine, if you could call it like that.. You simply got up, showered, styled your hair (really just blow drying and brushing) and out on some mascara and and eyeliner.

You put on your favorite t-Shirt, a Bon Jovi Shirt which was brown, And decided to wear a black skirt, white socks that almost reached your knees and fellow black converse.

You grabbed your blag Tote bag, got into your car and started to drive.

Your mind drifted to yesterday’s happening. That headkiss. You smiled to yourself for the rest of your drive.

About 10 minutes later you arrived at hell *cough* school. Sorry I totally meant school.

You got out to see the ✨man of your dreams✨ and walked over to him with a rush of confidence going through your blood.

He was yelling at the freshmen boys from yesterday, well I would too. Brats.

“So you dumping Hell Fire. HELL FIRE. For some fucking?“ he confronted Mike,

You looked at them amused a grin shaping on your face.

”First of all, not..for..*quiet voice* intercourse. And second it’s for my girlfriend!“ he yelled back.

You started clapping: „little guy got a girl?“

”Im taller than you.“ „And so is Eds so what?“

Dustin started grinning and wiggling his eye brows: „So you call Eddie Eds now? What’s next? Babe? Baby?“

„I‘d rather want to get called Daddy.“ Eddie said as a joke, which wasn’t got taken as it because y’all’s eyes got wide and the simple “I meant by my girlfriend“ did not fix that situation at all.

”anyways so what’s going on here?“ you tried to change the subject.

“Mike wants to fly over to his girl for a week, which means he’s not coming to school for a week, which means he’s not coming to hellfire.“

“…so?“ you asked confused.

Now Eddie was the confused one: „“So?“? It’s Hell fire!“

“What ever. Let that boy live.“ you said while walking inside , listening to “Fight fire with fire“ by Metallica on your Walkman.

WARNING NOW

You got into the girls changing room and started to put on your PE clothes as one girl asked you loudly:

„You did that yourself?!“ while pointing at your thighs.

Yes, not to mention the blue spots by ex you indeed had some scars there. Some where old and healed but you had new ones too. You could tell they were fresh by how they looked.

Every girl was looking at you.

A brush of anxiety started to form and you started to rush and actually ran inside the Hall tears falling down your face.

“B-bloody hell!“ you whisper yelled and kicked a random object which was in your way.

Eddie got in hall maybe 2 or 3 minutes after you, you could tell he was annoyed.

When he saw you from behind he started smiling heading towards you. : „ready for some Hell of PE?“

You wiped your face fast, tears still in your eyes and started to play it off cool.

„Yup“ you couldn’t say a whole sentence, you knew you’d break down again.

Eddie frowned, “you okay?“

You pressed your lips together while “saying“ mhm.

He knew you were lying. It was killing him to see you like That.

He got closer towards you. Close. “Please talk to me” could be heard. You hugged the boy and actually managed to calm down before class started.

Everyone was talking. Great. It was either about your problem or you being with the school “freak”.

Class started and it wasn’t really..sporty. The first 15 minutes was about the coach telling us about safety and cleaning up after class. He told us to get partners and warm up the next 15 minutes so no one would “get hurt”. You and the Munson boy got together and were already arguing about whom to do the exercise first.

“I ain’t laying on the floor first!” You insisted.

“Rock, paper, scissors?” He offered.

The two of you stood in front of each other and yelled "rock, paper, scissors, Shoot!” At the same time. You lost.

Could this get any better?

Your annoying self got on the floor waiting for him to step onto your feet so you could start to do crunches.

”cmon you can do it.” He was hiding his laugh

You could only do two and fell to the floor, which made the boy fell down to the floor laughing.

“It’s not funny!”

You were at some point laughing too but then it got a little heated.

You two ended up laying on the ground looking at each other.

*i want to kiss him so badly*

*i want to kiss her so badly*

“Alright love birds get up! Enough flirting time! It’s time for dodge ball!” You Heard your teacher yelling.

Damn it. If we were only to be alone.

The two of you got up waiting to be picked into your teams. The two of you were the last. Typical.

The game was really fast. You really thought the universe hated you. You and him ended up to be the last standing in. He had both balls.

*god save me*

He threw it at you but you catch it. Not even knowing how. He threw the second one but you were faster and managing to hit him.

It was unexpected.

Your “team” was hyping you up and you just stood there confused. Eddie was actually hoping that you would win.

When you were ordered to get dressed you quickly got in and took your stuff into the bathroom and changing there, not wanting to hear these comments again.

After you were done you stood in front of door of the boys changing room. You waited about five minutes till you saw that familiar face that you were in love with.

When Eddie saw you in your outfit he started to blush. You looked stunning. Perfect to him.

He was deeply wishing you to be his.

He couldn’t talk. He was quiet to flustered by your looks.

The two of you walked to the cafeteria to see that only one seat was free because some random kids sat at your tables too.

“You sit, I can stand. I won’t eat anyway” he offered you.

“You know I can sit on your lap?” Your cheeks changed into a pretty pink.

He was just red.

You had to admit yourself you did only want to do this so he’d maybe see you have feelings for him.

“But everyone will thi-“

“So? Who cares? Let them talk”

He sat down and so did you.

The table was staring at you.

Eddie answered; “it’s only because there’s no more space.”

Everyone was nodding but not believing what he had just told them.

Eddie got nervous. The little guy down there was growing. And you wearing a skirt didn’t make it better.

“Don’t you want to get food?” He asked nervously. He wanted you to get off.

„nah not hungry.” You were clueless. You liked sitting there. Maybe soon to sit there with the name “his girlfriend”.

“Well I’ll go pee” he shoved you down and almost ran to the bathrooms.

You sat there kinda sad.

You talked to the others till break was over and Eds still not there yet. You got into history class and sat on your seats.

About 10 minutes later he came in late sitting next to you.

“What’d you do?”

“Uhh..doesn’t matter. “

*Huh weird..*

“I’m bored” you scoffed

Eddie rolled his sleeves up “wanna draw?”

You quickly pulled out a pen and started to doodle around his arm. You admired his tattoos. They were so cool. You were drawing the whole class. At a space he couldn’t see you decided to write E + (your first letter) <3. I mean he couldn’t see it, could he?

After class school was over you walked up to the curly head asking to hang in about 2 hours, which he of course said yes to because it fit. He still had a drug deal to go to and had no life so why not. You waved at him walking to your car.

He smiled: „That girl will be mine one day.”

See you Tomorrow for part 4!! <3

[just-jordie-things]

The Crown - Steve Harrington

word count: 4462 warnings: dedicated to @high-functioning-fangirl02 <3

You’d give your life to protect these kids.  

These kids you’ve known since you started babysitting them in the sixth grade.  Back when Mrs Henderson hired you to watch Dustin.  Which essentially meant that you’d watch all of them.  But that was alright, over the past seven years of being their designated babysitter, you’d grown to love them all.

Mike Wheeler, the snarky little love-struck shit that you spent grieving with since losing Eleven.  Lucas Sinclair, the sweet boy with the occasional attitude whom you helped construct his Ghostbusters costume. Will Byers, the full time sweetheart that made you cookies for Valentine’s Day after hearing you complain about being dateless.  And of course Dustin, cute little button nosed Dusty with a trash mouthing tendency, whom looked up to you like a role model.

Hell, you were their role model.  Driving them to and from school, covering for them on late nights so they could finish their D&D tournaments.  Fiercely protecting them a year ago when Hawkins was Demogorgon infested.  Standing up for them when you’d see some upperclassmen picking on them.

Those who dared glance the wrong way towards The Party in your presence, were rumored to run home crying with a bleeding nose and terrified shriek.  You never put down the rumors… because maybe it had happened once or twice…

Over time The Party was no longer just a band of middle schoolers.  It had opened up to their babysitter, being you, a senior girl who had not many other friends.  Nancy Wheeler, Jonathan Byers, which the boys always claimed was strictly because of family relations.  Not because Dustin was still harbouring a crush for Mike’s older sister.  The town Sheriff, Jim Hopper, who’d proved himself not to be an asshole, and turned out an alright guy.  Joyce Byers, whom you loved like a mother and whom treated you like her own daughter.  You’d frequently been titled ‘the daughter she wished to have had’ which always raised a snarky response from her sons.  Maxine (just Max.  Never Maxine) Hargrove, a high spirited and not your typical girl that you grew fond of easily.  Especially since she was nothing like her big brother.

And then there was Steve Harrington.  Who… really just was at the wrong place at the wrong time and ended up getting roped into the mess that Hawkins Lab had created.  King Steve, as you’d known him before you’d officially met last year by fluke accident, was always the popular boy that had a pretty girl hanging off his arm.  You weren’t sure why that changed so quickly, why he didn’t put himself out there as much as he used to, didn’t party hard anymore, wasn’t bragging about the new girl he was with that week like he was known for.  Maybe that day, when he walked into the Wheeler’s house right as you Nancy and Jonathan were awaiting the Demogorgon’s arrival, maybe he changed then.

Or maybe it was after he’d been sucked into… whatever this all was… and he changed to keep the secret.  Or maybe it was after Nancy had broken up with him, around the same time he started growing closer to Dustin.

But right now as you watched him directing the kids, you were more aware that he wasn’t King Steve anymore, that you had been before.  Sure, you’d realized somewhere along the way he was different.  But it wasn’t until now that you noticed it completely as it was.

“No listen you little shits, no one, is going anywhere” Steve ordered, holding a wash rag in his hand and pointing it between each of the boys, and girl, that stood in front of him.

“Friggin’ pointless just staying here” Dustin grumbled, walking out of the room whilst still muttering.  Mike groaned loudly, dramatically, and left to the living room with Max and Lucas.  You knew that he was still plotting you get out there tonight.  Consequences and dangers be damned.

You looked to Steve with a sigh, a lazy smile on your lips as you walked past him to go after Dustin.  He watched you go, letting out a breath as well as he put his hands on his hips and standing alone in the hall with his thoughts.

He’d give his life to protect these kids.

“Dusty?” You called gently as you walked into the kitchen, seeing Dustin sitting on the floor against the dishwasher.  Your brows furrowed as you sat across from him by the cabinets.  “You alright kiddo?”

“Would I be sitting in here brooding if I was?” He quipped, though you knew he meant well.

“Sweetheart you’re too adorable to be a brooder” You laughed softly, pulling your knees up slightly.  “A pouter maybe, but not a brooder”

“Thanks y/n” He responded dryly.  You rolled your eyes in response to his sarcasm.

“Come on kid, open up a little.  It’s me” Your words were soft, which did prompt Dustin to consider explaining to you his thoughts.  “Please? If we make it out of this alive I’ll take you to the arcade.  I’ve got a big jar full of quarters I’ve saved up-”

“Okay okay I’ll take the bribe” Dustin caved with a laugh that made your mood lighten.  “Look it’s gonna sound lame and cheesy but… everyone else is helping.  Jonathan and Nance and Mrs Byers and Hopper and Elle, but what am I doing?”

“You’re staying safe” Your answer came out instantly, but it didn’t seem to be the one the boy was looking for.

“No I’m not, I’m sitting on the sidelines, watching everyone else go be heroes and getting hurt.  I’m not doing a damn thing!”

“Hey” You hummed softly, and scooted over closer to put your head on his shoulder.  “You’re a hero Dustin.  Don’t tell yourself any differently.  All of you are, Mike too, and Lucas, and Max, and-”

“Steve?” Dustin offered, and you nodded, looking at him confusedly by the strange tone of voice he used.

“Of course, why’re you looking at me like that?”

“No reason” Dustin shrugged nonchalantly, brushing off the uncomfortable air between you both.

“Alright well, you should believe me” You continued.  “Even if you don’t think so, you’re all my heroes, got it Henderson?” The boy smiled and nodded, prompting you to push the cap of his hat down playfully before he could get up and leave the room.

“Mike’s probably still planning his attack” He told you, but you shrugged and waved a hand.

“Let him plot and brood” You said, and Dustin’s mouth fell open.

“How come Mike can brood but I can’t?” You rolled your eyes, still waving your hand for him to get out of here.

“Just go plot with him, I know you’re itching to” You said, and he grinned wide at you, glad you were letting him go plan their escape and attack.

“Thanks y/n!” He called, already racing out of the room.  “You’re the best!” You laughed, shaking your head as you stood back up and dusted off the pants of your overalls.  Steve came in a few moments later, watching you almost suspiciously.

“What?” You questioned, and he shrugged, shaking his head.

“Nothing.  Just wondering why you’re permitting them to conspire against us” He said.

“They’re not conspiring, they’re just discussing.  No harm in that”

“Um, every harm in that.  As in all of us, being harmed, because of that” He said, but you didn’t really seem to care what he thought about it.

“They’re fine, we’re all fine, don’t freak out so much mom” You said, walking out towards the kids and seeing them all circled up and discussing their big plan.

“I’m not a mom” Steve argued, and you chuckled, turning to see him, his dish rag on his shoulder, hands on hips.  It only made you laugh more.

“Mhm, alright.  Well then what would you call yourself?” You replied sarcastically, nodding towards his own stance, and making Steve second guess himself.

“This- you-! Alright whatever just stay away from the windows and go be safe somewhere” He muttered, walking into the living room where the kids were.  You rolled your eyes again, but couldn’t help the smile on your lips.

Perhaps, you thought, King Steve was the king of something else now.

You watched as he was waving his rag at the kids again, yelling at them for plotting behind his back, and reminding them that no one was going anywhere.  But even as Dustin pouted, Steve was rubbing his hand over the thirteen year old’s head.  Almost soothingly, like he felt bad for ending their little meeting.

“What a mom” You mumbled, and headed back into the kitchen for something to eat.

You used to resent Steve, back when he was the king of school and didn’t care about anything more than he cared about his popularity and his hair.  Back when he didn’t give a shit about pretty much anything.  And looking at him now and seeing him watch over these kids, you could physically feel your heart swelling.  If that isn’t character development, you weren’t sure what was.

You weren’t sure why it made you feel so bubbly either.

“Listen runts, we’re staying here, we’re staying safe, and we’re not dying!” Steve said, for what felt like the fifth time.  But Mike kept arguing back at him.

“Everyone else is out there!”

“Everyone else knows how to fight all that shit!” Steve retorted.  “We are staying, here” He repeated slowly, waving his rag between each word.  “You got that?”

“You’re just saying that cause y/n’s here.  If she wasn’t here, we’d all be getting in your car and going!” Lucas spoke up.  Your brows furrowed at that.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” You asked, ignoring your search for food and now strutting into the room where everyone else was.  “Am I dragging you down?” You asked, almost sarcastic, but wondering what he’d actually meant by his announcement.  Were you dragging them down?

“No, Steve would just protect your ass over our asses” Max shrugged, and the others nodded.

“What the hell? Everyone here is protecting their own asses, I’m not getting killed for a bunch of kids!” Steve said, making flustered and jerky movements.  You brushed off their newly sprung argument over where Steve’s bat is swinging and who it’s swinging for.

Apparently, The Party was certain that he’d die for you, rather die for them.  But you didn’t care much about what they thought.  They’d always thought that you and Steve were meant to be some power couple, but you supposed it was just cause you were the same age and the kids only ever saw you two together.  There was no real evidence (as far as they showed) towards the ‘chemistry’ you and Steve supposedly had.

You wandered to the window, curiously looking out it with your arms wrapped around yourself.

“Will you just shut up?” Mike’s yelling made you jump a little, and you turned to see your friends all still arguing with each other.  You smiled slightly, meeting Steve’s eyes as he gave you a bored look.  You just laughed a little bit back at him.  Steve’s expression softened into a small smile.  Your face flushed with heat, and you nervously turned away from him to look back out the window again.

A light blinded you almost instantly, making you squint your eyes and put a hand over them to try and clear your vision.

“What the hell?” You muttered, leaning closer to the glass to see what was going on.  Headlights, there was a car here.  Someone was here.  “Steve?” You called, not turning away from the window.  He came over right away, looking outside to see a familiar Camaro parked in the driveway.

“Shit” He grumbled, walking towards the front door.

“What- where are you going? Who is it?” You asked, following quickly after him, but Steve quickly turned to make you stay back.

“Just stay in here-”

“Sinclair!” A voice hollered from outside, and you jumped, eyes widening as you recognized it.  “I know you’re in there!”

“Billy?” You whispered to Steve, who nodded.  You stepped backwards, eyes never leaving Steve’s.  “What’s he doing here?” Your voice was quiet.

Billy Hargrove, was the most vile, horrible person you’d ever met.  And his wicked ways of bending people to his will, shook you intensely to your core.  It was no secret to the others that Billy not only terrified you, but would seductively torture you every day.  Sure, you’d been picked on before, but this was different.  Every day he’d come to you, hoping to get something out of you, just to mess with you.

“Come on babe, a little kiss, just a little one, we can discuss the rest later”

“You don’t want to get a ride home with me and have some fun?”

“When’re you finally gonna give this up and just put out?”

You shuddered slightly, practically feeling his hot breath against your skin just thinking about the things he’s said to you.  Stopping you in the hallways, finding you at your locker, approaching you while you waited at Steve’s car for a ride home.

“I know you’re in there you little pig! Come out here or I’ll have to go in!” His voice was dangerous, threatening.  And you felt a legitimate fear for your life, and the kids’.

“It’s fine, you’re fine, I promise” Steve said quietly, out of earshot of the others.  “All of you stay here, stay away from the windows” He ordered, giving you one last look before you turned and went to The Party.  They needed you right now, all huddled around Lucas and Max to make sure if Billy were to look inside, he wouldn’t see them.

“Come on guys” You said softly, ushering them as far away from the window as you could.  Steve, on the other hand, opened the door and stepped outside.

Instead of hiding in a room, completely out of sight of the maniac, you all ducked under the windowsill to see what was happening.

“Am I dreaming or is that really you Harrington?” You felt your entire body quivering upon hearing Billy’s voice.  Dustin, who was crouched next to you, turned and gave you a worried look, but your eyes were dead set on the outside.

“Yeah it’s me, don’t cream your pants” Steve responded, walking out towards him as he pulled off his leather jacket.

“What’re you doing here amigo?” Billy asked, the cigarette hanging off his lips moving as he spoke.

“I could ask you the same thing” Steve responded, void of emotion.  “Amigo”

“Lookin’ for my step sister.  Little birdie told me she was here”

“Huh, that’s weird I don’t know her” Steve lied easily, and convincingly.  You prayed to God that Billy believed him.

“Small? Redhead?” Billy replied disbelievingly.  “Bit of a bitch?”

“Ashole” Max muttered to herself inside.

“Doesn’t ring a bell, sorry buddy” Steve replied, still not sounding like he cared even an inkling.  Billy nodded, taking out his cigarette.

“You know… I don’t how this, this whole situation Harrington is um.., it’s giving me the heebie jeebies” Billy said, looking at Steve a little more threateningly.

“Oh yeah? Why’s that?”

“My thirteen year old sister goes missing all day, and then I find her with you” Billy pointed accusatory hands towards Steve, giving him a disgusted look.  “In a strangers house” He continued.  “And you lie to me about it” Steve chuckled bitterly, shaking his head and looking away for a moment.

“Yeah, maybe you were dropped too much as a child or what” Steve said snarkily.  But Billy just grinned his twisted grin and licked his tongue over the front of his teeth.  “I don’t know what you don’t understand about what I just said”

You felt a chill go down your spine as Steve’s protectiveness took over his tone.  Dustin beside you mumbling a quiet, “Holy shit”

“She’s not here” Steve said carefully.  Billy nodded, looking pointedly towards the window where you and The Party were all huddled and looking out of.

“Then who’s that?” He asked, pointing his cigarette towards his sister.

“Down!” You hissed, and the five of you dropped to the floor so fast you all groaned from the impact of the floor.

“Shit!” Dustin cursed.  “Did he see us?”

“Oh shit” Steve grumbled.  “Okay listen-” Billy pushed him to the ground before he could explain anything.  The boy kicked him, before storming up into the house.

“Well well well” Billy smirked, seeing you and The Party standing there together, you in front of all of them.  “y/n l/n, what a lovely little surprise” You grimaced, but he didn’t seem to care.  “And Lucas Sinclair, not so much a surprise at all” You moved over more in front of Lucas, who’s hands grabbed onto your arm out of fear.  “I thought I told you to stay away from him Max”

“Billy, go away” Max retorted, but her voice wavered.

“You disobeyed me” Billy leaned over his step sister tauntingly.  “And you know what happens when you disobey me” He added in a hushed, volatile voice.

“Billy-”

“I break things” He uttered, before pushing you aside, crashing your body into the wall.  Before slamming Lucas up against the cupboards.

“Billy stop!” Max and the others began to yell, Dustin rushing over to help you up, but you were already standing up on your own.

“Get off of me!” Lucas cried.

“Since Maxine won’t listen to me, maybe you will” Billy muttered.  “You stay away from her.  Stay-! Away from her” He yelled awkwardly.  “Do you hear me?”

“I said get off me!” Lucas screamed again, followed by a knee between Billy’s legs.  You gasped, feeling a moment of pride as Billy stumbled back and released him.

“You are so dead Sinclair!” Billy hollered.  “You’re dead-”

“No” Steve grabbed Billy by the shoulder, spinning him around roughly.  “You are” And with that he swung his fist and planted it hard enough against Billy’s jaw to make him topple over.

“Steve!” You yelped out of surprise.  He looked at you for a moment, nodding in reassurance as he shook out his hand.  It’d been a while since he’d hit anybody.  Billy stood back up, laughing menacingly.  “You’re a fucking psycho!” You screeched before you could stop yourself.

“Looks like you got some fire in you after all huh!?” He yelled at Steve.  “I’ve been waiting to meet this King Steve everybody’s been telling me so much about” He stepped closer to Steve, glaring at him.

“Get out” Steve muttered, pushing Billy’s chest lightly to move him away from him.  Billy stepped back and stood there for a moment.  And after a few seconds passed you were certain that he was going to stay back.

Until he swung swiftly at Steve, but missed as Steve ducked just in time.  You gasped, clapping your hands over your mouth in terror.  Steve stood back up and swung his fist again, hitting Billy and making him stumble again.

“Yes! Get him Steve!” Dustin cheered, and the others began to as well.  You couldn’t find yourself to say anything, just wince every time a punch was made.  Steve hit him two more times, and Billy ran into the kitchen sink.  Leaning back and wincing in pain.

“Kill him! Kill him!” Mike was yelling.  But Billy grabbed a plate of the counter, smashing it over Steve’s head, and making him fall to the ground.

“Steve!” You screamed now, taking long strides to get over to him, only to be pushed away by Billy.  Who hit Steve as soon as he stood up again.  He grabbed Steve by the shoulders, staring him down.

“No one.  Tells me what to do” He muttered angrily, and threw his head forward hard into Steve’s knocking him down again.

“Fucking hell” You mumbled, tears beginning to prick your eyes in fear that Billy was actually going to kill Steve.  The mullet wearing psycho leapt onto Steve, pinning him down and swinging punch after punch against his face.

“Stop it!” Mike yelled at the top of his lungs, but it did nothing to end Billy’s attack.

“Steve!” Dustin hollered.

You stood frozen, every scene in front of you soundless, and moving slowly.  You could only feel your heart in your chest, sending you into an anxiety attack, you were sure.  But it barely mattered to you in that moment.  You turned away, and your eyes landed on something.

The syringe used on Will earlier.

Sleep… put him to sleep… your thoughts were broken as you reached for it, looking at it in your hands for a few seconds, before stepping forward and slamming the needle into Billy’s neck without a hesitation.  Mike and Dustin gasped, standing back.  Everyone’s eyes stuck on the syringe hanging out of BIlly’s neck now.  A disgust filling them up at the sight.

“Shit y/n” Dustin mumbled, his hand covering his mouth to stop vomit from flowing.

Billy stood up, wobbling slightly as he turned to look at you.  He pulled the needle out of his neck, vision beginning to fail.  “The hell is this?” He asked, trying to step towards you threateningly, but he was wobbling so much you didn’t even move.  No longer afraid of him.

“You’re fucking done Hargrove” You muttered, and before thinking twice to second guess yourself, punching him across the jaw, and sending him back on his ass.  Billy groaned, staying down where he’d fallen against the couch.

“Shit what did you do” He mumbled, growing dizzy from the mix of drug and pain.

A few moments later he completely passed out.

“Fuck” You hissed in pain, putting your bruising knuckles against your mouth.  You didn’t think punching someone would hurt so damn much.

“y/n holy shit”

“Are you okay?”

“That was badass!”

The Party was fussing and cheering for you, but you didn’t respond, kneeling down by Steve next and counting up all the cuts and bruises he was beginning to sport.  He was unconscious, that was for sure.  But he’d be in for a world of hurt when he woke up.

“Come on, help me get him back to Jon’s bed” You called to the kids.

It was difficult moving him, but after ten minutes you’d managed to get him into Jonathan’s room to lie on the bed there.  You were sat next to him, a cold wet rag in your hand, and the open first aid kit on the ground.  It took you awhile to clean off all the blood and apply bandages where you thought they were necessary.  There was a frozen bag of peas you’d put over one of his eyes to stop the swelling, but so far it still looked pretty bad.

The Party had sat with you for what felt like a long time before you told them to go back to the living room and wait for the others to return home.  Dustin put up a small fight about it, but eventually gave in and listened to your order.  And now it was just you kneeling on the ground by Steve, watching over him carefully.  Making sure he was breathing okay, and that nothing would begin to bleed again.

“Well King Steve, you got quite the ass kicking” You mumbled, just to yourself.  Your fingers placed a few stray hairs on his forehead back into place.  “But your crown is still there” You smiled to yourself, fingertips gently brushing his hair.

“y/n?” Your eyes looked back at him as he mumbled, almost incoherently.  “What happened?” The poor boy’s eyes weren’t even open.

“You put up a really good fight” You told him softly.  He winced, the pain probably beginning to settle in.

“Did I win?” He groaned, eyes clenching shut momentarily.  You bit down on your lip and shook your head, even though he couldn’t see you.

“You put up a really good fight” You repeated yourself, playing with his hair again.  Steve sighed, knowing the answer.

“Is he gone?” He asked, eyes finally beginning to flutter open.

“Yeah… yeah he won’t be back any time soon, I’m sure” You answered.  Steve looked up at you, smiling down gently at him.  He smiled back instantly, and moved his arm to push your hair back, but even at it’s slight movement you winced in pain.  “You’re in pretty bad shape” You told him quietly.  “But you’ll heal up alright”

“Are you okay?” He asked, and you nodded.

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine” You shrugged slightly.  “We’re all really worried about you.  Dustin thought you were dead” Steve chuckled painfully, shaking his head a little bit.

“Are they alright? Max and Lucas?”

“Yeah, we’re all good Steve” You hummed with a slight nod.  You leaned forward, a little closer to him to check on the eye swelled under the bag of peas.  You frowned, seeing the black and blue bruise that only seemed to be spreading.

“I’m alright, don’t fuss so much” Steve said, putting his hand over the bag and pushing it back against his face.  Your eyes met his for a moment.

“You’re pretty bruised up Harrington” You sighed, taking the wet rag in your hand and dabbing it gently on his bruised cheek.  “There’s not an inch of your face spared”

“It’ll be fine, I’ll heal up”

“Years from now, maybe” You replied sarcastically, and he smiled at you while you carefully pressed the cold cloth to his face.

“You’re beautiful, you know that?” He murmured, and you looked at him for the briefest of seconds before going back to work.  Now is not the time to talk about feelings, you thought to yourself.

“Yeah? Go play hero some more and you’ll never see anything again” You told him, and he shrugged slightly, not having a response to that.

“I just wanted to remind you.  In case you haven’t been told in a while” He said.  You bit on the inside of your cheek to keep from smiling too much.  You looked down at him, your eyes softening slightly.

You leaned over closer to him, pausing for a moment before pressing your lips lightly against his.  It was a chaste kiss, only lasting a few seconds as you didn’t want to hurt him anymore than he already was.  When you pulled back, you smiled nervously at him, and he only smiled back at you.

“You’re lucky you didn’t die Harrington” You said, and got right back to work on pressing the rag to his wounds.

“That I am” He replied cheekily.

You giggled softly, smiling down at him and wondering just when he’d changed so much.

You knew he’d give his life for these kids too, just like you would.

love me some babysitter steve

xoxo ~ jordie

[strangerthings4theories]

Mirror Images: Billy And El Are Reflections Of Each Other

As you read this post, hold the following concepts in your mind: yin and yang in Chinese philosophy. The Light Side and Dark Side in Star Wars. The real world and the Upside Down in Stranger Things.

That, my friends, is the level of thematic significance the Duffers are giving Billy and El. And it’s my top reason for believing Billy will come back.

Why?

El is arguably the main character of the show. Any character who’s linked to her so profoundly will be a Big Fuckin’ Deal.

You cannot, CANNOT, create such a consistent dynamic by accident, which tells me that...

...the Duffers have huge intentions for Billy. He will become more significant to the show, not less! If you think he’ll return just for flashbacks or memories, you’re not thinking big enough.

Buuuut I’m getting ahead of myself. First let me show you what I mean when I say Billy and El are mirror images. It’s pretty mind-blowing...

1) The broad strokes of Billy and El’s lives echo each other: their family backgrounds, their traumas, and their journeys in the show.

>>They’ve suffered under abusive fathers. In fact, in S2 they have encounters with their fathers in back-to-back episodes - El with Brenner in episode 7, Billy with Neil in episode 8. 

Both fathers are likened to the Mind Flayer in the power they wield over their children. In episode 7, El’s hallucination of Brenner tells her she has a “wound... growing and festering” (my paraphrase), a clear reference to the tunnels of the Upside Down. Kali, as the creator of the hallucination, is trying to tell El that he is the source of the wound, and El won’t heal until she’s confronted him. 

In episode 8, the title card “The Mind Flayer” opens on Neil driving back to the Hargrove house, implying he’s the real Mind Flayer in Billy’s life. As I’ve argued elsewhere, Billy won’t heal either until he’s confronted Neil.

>>Billy and El lost their mothers because of their fathers. Brenner fried Terry's brain with electricity for daring to defy him. Billy's mother left for an unknown reason, but we’re led to believe she couldn’t take Neil’s abuse anymore. The way she's presented in Billy's memories leads me to believe she has since passed away.

Billy and El are both devastated by their losses. When El tells Billy at Starcourt, “[Your mother] was pretty,” she’s trying to tell him she understands.

>>Billy and El have “adopted” sisters, Max and Kali. Max represents Billy's better nature; Kali represents El's darker nature. In the same season where Billy constantly insists Max isn't his sister - thereby rejecting her - El finds Kali and embraces her. This symbolizes Billy and El’s complementary journeys: Billy is learning to accept his light while El is learning to accept her darkness.

>>Billy and El are wounded and angry because of what’s happened to them. In S1 El worries she's a monster, and in S2 she nearly kills a man in her anger, only to stop herself at the last second (against the wishes of Kali, her darker nature). Billy lets his rage define him. He's turned into a bully over his teen years, and in S2 he nearly kills Steve. Max (his better nature) stops him.

>>Billy and El are viscerally connected to the Upside Down.

The Upside Down is pursuing El. We’re not sure why yet, but their predator/prey dynamic is the main source of conflict in the show. Brenner says to her in S1, “It [the Upside Down] is reaching out to you ‘cause it wants you. It’s calling you. So don’t turn away from it this time.” His words form the backbone of the narrative:

In S1, El opens the first Gate, introducing the Upside Down to our world and setting the events of the show in motion. At the climax, she defeats the Demogorgon, the Mind Flayer's first servant.

S2 deals with the evolving consequences of El opening the first Gate. At the climax, El closes the Gate (symbolically “turning away" from the Upside Down) and catches the Mind Flayer's attention in the process.

In S3, the Mind Flayer comes after El to kill her. She runs from him, and her friends intervene to save her.

In future seasons, the Mind Flayer will regroup and try again but to corrupt her this time, not kill her. The climax of the entire show will hinge on the resolution of their conflict. El will be forced to stop running and face the Mind Flayer head-on.

In S3, Billy is caught by the Mind Flayer and turned into his instrument to hunt El down. This creates a yin/yang situation where Billy and El are revolving around each other, with the Mind Flayer in the center pulling on them both. At Starcourt, El saves Billy's soul by bypassing the Mind Flayer completely - building “the rainbow bridge.”

If you remember that Brenner and Neil, their abusive fathers, are likened to the Mind Flayer, their interaction becomes the story of Billy re-enacting his trauma, and El helping him heal it.

2) Runaway Max gives us a special case of Billy and El mirroring each other.

In S1, one of El's biggest moments happens in episode 6. Mike and Dustin have been cornered by the bullies Troy and James. Right when all hope is lost, El shows up and breaks Troy’s arm. After that, she confesses tearfully, “The gate. I opened it. I'm the monster.” This brings forward her inner struggle - am I a monster for the things I do? - which she will no doubt revisit in future seasons.

Keep in mind that Troy is around 12 years old, and El breaks his right arm.

Jump forward to S2. At one point, Billy complains, “Yeah, we're stuck here [in Hawkins]. And whose fault is that?” - implying it's somehow Max's. She disagrees. “Yours,” she mutters under her breath.

In the show, we never get an explanation. Runaway Max tells us everything.

Back in California, Billy is spiraling deeper and deeper into a pit of rage. One fateful afternoon, he takes it out on Max and her best friend Nate, a 12-year-old boy. When Max resists him, he seizes Nate's right arm and twists it behind his back. He holds it there, watching Max.

“What are you going to do?” he asks, a crazed look in his eyes.

When she does nothing, he breaks Nate's arm.

The fallout is catastrophic. Within weeks, Neil decides they should all move away from California for the good of the family.

Now think about this. El breaks a 12-year-old boy's right arm to save her friends from bullies. Billy breaks a 12-year-old boy's right arm... because he is the bully.

It’s part of the wider pattern: El is light, Billy is darkness.

3) The Duffers use physical markers to underscore Billy and El’s similarities.

>>When the MF wrecks Billy's car, Billy's forehead smashes into the windshield, leaving a gash. At Starcourt, he slams El into the wall, giving her a wound in the same spot. Thematically, their wounds tell the story of Billy suffering abuse, then turning around and inflicting it on El. He’s perpetuating a cycle, and it’s up to him to stop it.

>>Both Billy and El are limping by the time they reach Starcourt. El's leg is injured from the Mind Flayer, while Billy injures his in the car crash. These wounds tell the story of El, the “innocent,” suffering pain through no fault of her own while Billy, the “guilty” one, is being punished for his crimes. (I put those words in quotes because I believe the show will challenge our assumptions.) 

A sad footnote: El has Max and Mike to help her walk. Billy has no one.

>>In S2, Billy gets a nosebleed out of the same nostril as El. This says a LOT, marking him as a future “superhero” and putting him in the same class as El, Kali, and El's mom Terry.

Off the top of my head, only two other characters get nosebleeds, Mayor Kline and Steve. But the blood never comes cleanly out of one nostril the way it does with El. I believe that was a purposeful design choice to avoid muddying the symbolic waters.

...

Y’all, I’ve already hit my picture limit for a single post, and I’m not even done yet :p So I’ll stop there for now. Eventually I’ll show you how El is connected to the Demogorgon in the same strange way as Billy.

You see what I mean though? There is no fuckin’ way Billy is dead for good. Why would the Duffers give him this much resonance with El, then drop him? 

It makes no sense.

If you ask me, they’ve got plans for our boy. World-altering plans. He’s not just coming back; by the end of the show, he’s gonna be a Big Goddamn Hero.

»»————-　✼　————-««

Billy Is Alive - A Meta Series

[instasiswetrust]

July Prompts, Day 5 - Camera

"You still kept this one?"

When Jonathan turns to look at him, Steve's holding a broken camera in his hands. It's the one he had broken after seeing the pictures Jonathan took of Nancy, cracked and missing a part of the casing.

"I figured I could get it fixed but then you guys got me a new one. Kind of forgot to get rid of it afterwards." He shrugs, going back to rifling through his cassette collection, trying to find the Motley Cure one.

"You mind if I take it?"

This time, when Jonathan turns to look at him he appears to be confused, maybe even curious. Steve just shrugs, trying for nonchalance. He's not sure how to explain why he wants to keep the camera, just knows that he feels like he needs to.

So he's relieved when, after a moment, Jonathan nods. He gives him instructions on where he can get it fixed, a few tips about taking pictures, and that's that.

Guess Steve owns a camera now. Fun times.

-*-

Bitterness.

That's what the first picture he takes makes him feel.

He had stared in the mirror, brown eyes taking in the aftermath of Billy Hargrove's anger, of two nights of restless sleep and nightmares that left the phantom taste of rot and ash on his tongue. Had stared, looking at the canvas of bruises, black and blue and purple.

Nebulae on ashen skin at 3 AM.

His fingers had been shaking, a hint of desperation in his movements, when he reached for the camera. The flash had reflected on the cracked bathroom mirror, the outcome of a previous panic attack, blinding him for a moment. The end effect had made his stomach churn when he saw it.

With his eyes scrunched closed and the bruises lit up by the light of the flash, he had looked so fragile. Vulnerable and in pain. The bags under his eyes so dark that they blended in with the bruises already there.

He hated the picture.

It was still tucked safely in between the yellowed pages of an old empty journal.

-*-

The second picture taken comes courtesy of Dustin.

He had spent a whole week locked up in his room, bitter and scared, too afraid to be alone but too tired to face the whispers that would undoubtedly follow him. Each time he closed his eyes he could see Billy's face. Twisted in anger, golden curls flying with the force of his punches, but there had been something in the depth of those blue eyes. Something like fear, like regret.

Something Steve had wanted to forget if only because he didn't think he could stand it if there was something more to Billy Hargrove than just all the fury.

On Saturday the doorbell had rung. Insistent and unrelenting, the shrill sound hadn't stopped until he had wrenched open the door, scathing words dying in his throat at the sight that greeted him.

"Mom made extra chicken pot pie because she knows it's your favorite." Dustin had said as soon as the door had opened, shouldering his way past Steve on his way to the kitchen. "And everyone's been worried about you so I figured it was about time to force you out of your self-enforced pity party."

"It's not a pity party..." He remembers himself murmuring, lips pursing into a pout as he followed the boy into the kitchen.

By the look Dustin threw him, it was obvious he saw right through his bullshit.

It had been later, stomach full for the first time in days, that the younger boy had spotted the camera he must've left on the coffee table at some point. Steve had been lazying on the couch, eyes closed and mind blessedly empty when the sudden flash of a camera had gone off, startling him.

"What the hell dingus?"

When he had opened his eyes, Dustin had been grinning wide, all boyish smugness. He had only given Steve a moment before the shutter had gone off again. And again. And again.

He had taken pictures until the camera had run out of film avoiding all attempts Steve had made to wrench the camera out of his hands. Despite the annoyance he had felt though, a smile had curled Steve's lips for the first time since they had made it out of the tunnels.

Looking back on the stack of Polaroids, most of them had ended up blurry and unfocused from the chase. Only that very first one he had kept. He had looked content faded bruises, and eyebags the only hints that not everything was okay but that maybe it was getting better.

Bitterness and Hope. Maybe he should start a collection.

-*-

The third picture doesn't even come from his camera at all.

"Wha-?"

Once the brightness of the flash cleared, Steve was turning to look at Nancy perched on the hood of Jonathan's car, his camera in her hands. She was smiling at him the same way she used to back when they had started dating, all dimpled cheeks and crinkled eyes. She was even more beautiful now but she no longer his.

His chest ached with the knowledge. A quick jolt of pain.

It still didn't explain why she had just taken a picture of him.

"You should talk to them. If you miss them, that is." He didn't understand what she meant until the photo finished developing and she handed it to him.

She'd captured his right side in the frame, his gaze seemingly lost in a random point in the distance. At least, that's what he thought at first before he spotted the outline of a couple on the opposite edge of the frame. They looked a little blurry because of the distance but it was clear Steve's gaze was fixed on them. Longing was etched deep and clear on his features.

Maybe he should have stopped assuming that nobody was paying attention to him these days.

"Why would I talk to Tommy and Carol? They are assholes." It had come out a little too quickly, a little too guarded. An obvious lie.

"So were you but you changed." She gave him a soft but knowing look. Like she could see right through him. Maybe she could, he wouldn't put it past her. "Plus, you guys were friends since childhood weren't you? Those types of bonds aren't that easy to forget."

And he knew there was truth in her words but he felt scared.

Because although Steve was fine these days with no longer being considered King Steve, it was one thing to just passively lose popularity and another one to have Tommy and Carol spouting his secrets for everybody to hear.

Thing was, they hadn't done that yet. Even with Billy in the picture, they still hadn't.

"Maybe." And for a while that had been that.

Later that week he had dropped by Tommy's house. Tommy had begrudgingly accepted to talk after Carol needled him a little. They had talked and apologized, although it would take some time and effort before things between them resembled that of old.

Bitterness. Hope. Longing. Wonder what would join his collection next.

-*-

By the time the fourth polaroid joined the others in the old journal, his room was filled with dozens of pictures of his friends --his family-- hanging on strings over his head.

"I didn't peg you for a photographer, princess."

Billy had been standing in the middle of the room, looking at the motley array of pictures that littered the room. He had one in his hand, tugging surprisingly gently on the string so he could get a better look at it.

"Well I didn't peg you for an idiot but somehow you're in my room instead of the bathroom." But the heat that normally would accompany his words hadn't been there, the corner of his lips curling into a replica of a smile.

He remembers walking further into the room until he had stood next to the blonde, not quite touching but close enough to feel the heat of his body. At the time he hadn't thought much of the heat on his cheeks, attributing it to his embarrassment when he spotted the picture in Billy's hand.

It depicted Steve and Jonathan, both of them either high or drunk. He had been draped over Jonathan's side, pressing a lipstick-covered kiss to his cheek. Dark red lipstick and black eyeshadow to match, to be exact. Probably high, that's the only way he would've allowed Nancy to put any of her makeup on him.

"Black really doesn't fit you, pretty boy." Billy had teased him, all wide smirks and tongue between his teeth.

"Oh shut the fuck up, Billy." He had scoffed, punching his arm. "I looked damn fine."

And the way Billy had laughed, loud and honest and surprisingly bright. Steve couldn't help himself. He wasn't sure why he had found it so important at the moment but it had been, so he had grabbed his camera and snapped a photo.

Billy had stopped laughing at once, but at least he hadn't tried to take the photo.

It would be two weeks later when Steve realized what it was that he had seen at that moment. Another week before he had scrawled Love at the bottom of the polaroid and tucked it safely with the others in the journal.

-*-

The fifth photo just cements Steve's resolve to never show anybody the polaroids tucked inside the old journal.

"B...B-Billy fuck... baby please. I can't- I can't. Please."

Steve bit down on his bottom lip so hard that he had tasted blood. It had been impossible to quieten his sounds and focus on rolling his hips at the same time, especially when Billy seemed intent on covering his neck with as many lovebites as he could.

"Gonna come for me, baby? Come on my cock all pretty?"

And, oh god, Steve had whined.

High, and breathy, and so fucking lewd. Billy hadn't even touched him and he had been so close already, desperately chasing an orgasm that had been denied twice already. His eyes had been closed, head thrown back as pleasure mounted, dragging him even closer.

If he had opened them, maybe he would've seen what Billy was doing.

"Come for me, baby."

He vaguely registered the flash of a camera going off at the same time tremors overtook his body, thighs shaking with the force of his orgasm.

Later, when they were curled up on the couch going through the remains of a pizza, Billy had handed him the polaroid. Lust had been scrawled at the bottom of the photo.

"For your collection." Was what he had said.

-*-

If somebody were to ask what his favorite polaroid was, Steve thinks he would have to choose number 6.

He had caught Billy looking at his chest in the mirror, where the pale white scars twisted across the expanse of his chest. After the Mind Flayer, he had taken to wearing his shirts buttoned all the way. Even in bed with Steve, it was rare that he ever took off his shirt.

The look on his boyfriend's face then had been so miserable. All the iron defenses stripped away until only the fragile vulnerability underneath remained. It had pushed him to step into the room, wrapping his arms loosely around Billy's waist.

For a second Billy had tensed up, muscles going taut, eyes widening a fraction before he relaxed into Steve's arms with a sigh. The fragility had still been there but his roughened edges had softened some.

"What's on your mind, baby?" He had whispered, pressing a kiss to a bare shoulder.

He hadn't gotten an outright answer at the time but each kiss Billy pressed against his lips had been stained with a restless kind of desperation. Like he had wanted to etch each kiss on his skin and remember them forever, just in case he were to lose it all again.

And yeah, Steve knew exactly how that felt.

"Billy, I'm not going anywhere, okay?" The words had been muttered between slow kisses, reassuring and gentle. Silently begging Billy to believe in his words. "This? Us? I want this to be forever. Even if it's hard, or we have bumps along the way, I want to stay by your side."

Steve had gotten an idea then. With a quick *I'll be back* he slipped back to his room and grabbed his camera, giving it to Billy once he was back. His boyfriend had been understandably confused.

"Um, so I know this probably sounds lame and you can say no but just- Hear me out okay." He had taken a deep breath to try and battle the blush coloring his cheeks. "I was thinking that, as a... promise or something, we could take a photo each year. Just as a reminder. Of us. If you want, I mean, it's kind of a dumb id-"

Warm lips pressed against his, effectively shutting him up.

"You're a dork, Stevie." But Billy had still pointed the camera at the cracked mirror and taken the photo before dragging Steve back to bed.